You go from one doctor to the next…. an endocrinologist, a dermatologist, a rheumatologist, an immunologist, a neurologist… all these '-ologists' and still no one knows what’s wrong with you. The doctors keep ordering all these expensive tests, your medical bills are crazy high, and all the while the symptoms that you’ve been having for years, off and on, are getting worse: harder to lose weight, terrible fatigue, brain fog, depression, bloating, hair loss….. When will someone figure out what’s wrong??

One of the most frustrating things about this long drawn out process is the labeling: Some of my clients have heard they are “worried well” meaning there’s nothing seriously wrong with them and they’re worried for no reason. Or sometimes they’ll hear the whispers of “She’s a hypochondriac”.

While working with my clients, I've discovered that most folks who got labeled as a hypochondriac actually had an autoimmune disease the whole time! These people aren't crazy. The symptoms aren't "all in their head". They have an autoimmune disease and none of those '-ologists' bothered to check.

Chances are you’ve never been tested for an autoimmune disease. So here are 8 ways to know that you may have an autoimmune disease and that you’re not really a hypochondriac:

1. Brain Symptoms

• Foggy thinking

• Memory lapses

• Difficulty concentrating/focusing

• Headaches/migraines

• Anxiety

• Depression

2. Adrenal Gland Fatigue: The adrenal glands produce cortisol when we’re stressed.

• Exhaustion

• Extreme fatigue

• Insomnia

3. Gut Issues

• Stomach cramps

• Diarrhea

• Gas

• Bloating

• Constipation

4. Joint and Muscle Pain

• Stiffness and pain

• Weakness

5. Skin Problems

• Recurrent rashes and/or hives

• Red flaking skin

• Red bumps

• Psoriasis

• Eczema

6. Upper Respiratory Issues

• Food and environmental allergies

• Asthma

• Reoccurring colds.

7. Estrogen Dominance

• Multiple miscarriages

• Extremely heavy menstrual cycles

• Endometriosis

• Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS)

• Uterine fibroids

• Ovarian cysts

• Fibrocystic breasts (lumpy breasts)

• Infertility

• Fluid retention

• Irregular periods

(75% of people with an autoimmune disease are women. There is a known link between estrogen dominance and autoimmune conditions.)

8. Thyroid Dysfunction

• Weight Gain

• Acid Reflux

• Involuntary Mood Swings

• Fatigue

• Rapid heartbeat

• Hair loss

• Dry skin/nails

• Always cold

If you’re experiencing a few or all of these symptoms, then you’re probably not a hypochondriac and you may have autoimmune disease.

One of the most common autoimmune diseases is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, a disease in which your own body starts attacking and destroying the thyroid gland.

Even though Hashimoto’s is easy to test for, it may be 5-10 years before someone ever has the tests done by a doctor. I don’t want that to be you.

For help with getting the right tests ordered, check out my free report "5 Mistakes Commonly Made By Even Good Doctors When Trying to Diagnose Thyroid Conditions," which includes the lab tests that should be done to figure out what's wrong with you.

Here's the link: https://www.bethelholisticclinic.com/landing-page

In good health,

Jessica

References

1. Women & Autoimmunity. Retrieved from https://www.aarda.org/who-we-help/patients/women-and-autoimmunity/