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Anyone else's labs always come back 'normal'?

crashcycle
I've had about a million blood tests at this point and they always come back "normal." And every time the doctor says "well your labs look great!" and I want to throw something because I feel TERRIBLE. How can everything be "normal" when I can barely function? It makes me feel crazy. Like maybe I'm making it up? Even though I know I'm not? But the validation that would come from an abnormal result... I catch myself wishing my labs were bad just so someone would believe me. That's messed up right? Wishing your own labs were worse? But I bet im not the only one.

5 Replies

dee_cfs

I've landed on this: "Imagine waking up every day with the worst flu of your life, but you still have to go to work and smile and pretend everything is fine. And nobody can see the flu. And they all think you're exaggerating because you look healthy. And this never ends." It's not perfect but it gets closer than anything else I've tried.

kait_b

I've mostly stopped trying to explain EDS to people who don't need to understand it. I explain to partners, close friends, and medical providers. Everyone else gets "I have a condition that causes chronic pain and fatigue." If they want to know more they can ask. I ran out of energy for being everyone's educator years ago.

kat_shade

The unpredictability part is what I can never convey. Healthy people live in a world where tomorrow will probably feel like today. We live in a world where tomorrow is a complete mystery. That uncertainty colors EVERYTHING — plans, work, relationships, mental health. The closest I've come: "Imagine never being able to trust your own body to cooperate."

user_0042

i stopped explaining. people either get it or they dont. the ones that matter try.

samj_92

i usually go with the spoon theory explanation for people who are genuinely curious. and for people who arent? "im sick a lot" and leave it at that. not everyone deserves the full explanation and thats fine

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