Navigating chronic illness can be extremely frustrating, time-consuming, and generally a big PIA. 

Finding a doctor that is a good fit, waiting for the appointment, the previsit anxiety. Afterward, fighting with insurance and the pharmacy over medication coverage, and then playing go-between trying to get the prior authorizations approved. Paying for ALL of the copays after you hit your high deductible and then adding in all the other out-of-pocket costs.

The list is endless and a huge headache.

Getting care when you are suffering should be easy. It should be empathetic or at a minimum respectful.  It should be a healing experience.

One of my missions in life is to help you better communicate with your healthcare team.

Let's dive into Part 3 the 5 secrets that your immunologist may not quite have the time to talk to you about during your office visit.

Click here to read Part 1 and Part 2 if you missed them. 

Number three, your immune system may be misbehaving. But you may not meet the criteria for a specific condition… yet.

As humans, we love certainty.

Black versus white. 

Healthy or sick. 

A diagnosis. 

Even if devistating provides a name. 

Validation. 

A path forward. 

So when we think about a misbehaving immune system, we are talking about a situation where the body is seeing danger where it should not. These scenarios more often fall within a gradient or spectrum,  whether it's the development of allergy also known as the “atopic march”, baby with eczema to toddler with  food allergy to child with asthma and allergic rhinitis, or we're thinking about some of the symptoms that may evolve into an autoimmune condition.

If you have been following my blog, you may have noticed I love analogies… 

Our lives are more like a movie. And those instances where you are spending time in the physician's office. That is just a snapshot. And so, when we draw labs, those are just a snapshot in time as well. 

The problem is that sometimes those labs may lag behind the clinical picture. Your symptoms maybe showing you signs that something is amiss first. 

So I'll use myself as an example. In hindsight, I recall symptoms that were more than likely related to my Sjogren’s diagnosis in college.  I had symptoms of parotid gland swelling and irritable bowel. I specifically remember being the “interesting patient” when I saw my primary care doctor in college for a clogged, sawed salivary duct or saliva duct that caused some issues that I recall seeing my primary care doctor for while I was in college.

I didn't have any of these other symptoms yet, I didn't have any known lab problems. But in hindsight, I was probably on my way to developing Sjogren's at that time.

We know that for many autoimmune diseases genetic predisposition, viral infections, and other environmental stressors all add up over time. 

Some people are more perceptive and more in tune with their bodies. They may be noticing things happening before they meet a certain list of clinical criteria that are used for diagnosis purposes. This also may mean that doctors won't necessarily recommend specific medication-based treatments to treat those until something reaches those criteria. This is because the studies evaluating the treatments are based on people who met those specific criteria. Its this data that provides the best information to weigh the risks versus the benefits of an intervention. 

So again, I think this is helpful to help validate your unique circumstances in your experience. I like to think of this as being that window of time where you're noticing things are going wrong, and it's not too late to possibly turn that ship around. 

We know that lifestyle can make a difference. The magnitude of change can vary from person to person. Some may see progression slow or stop and others may induce remission. Some people will continue down the path despite their best efforts. Unfortunately, there is no definitive way to figure out which group we are in. 

So what do I recommend? 

1. Aiming for 1% improvements. They add up over time. 
2. Focus on evidence-supported strategies: eating more plants, improving sleep, managing stressors, and forming meaningful connections. 
3. Continue to check in with your care team especially if symptoms are evolving. 

Need a place to start? 

Here is the link to download my free Building Bridges book which includes journal templates and conversation starters to use before your next visit. 

Here is the link to have a full-color printed version delivered to your front door.