Were your autoimmune symptoms overlooked?
Receiving a misdiagnosis or having symptoms dismissed by healthcare providers are common experiences for people with autoimmune diseases. This happened to Nicky Richardson, who now uses her platform to raise awareness for autoimmune diseases and other chronic illnesses.
Nicky experienced four chronic symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for almost a decade: joint pain, body aches, hot flashes, and sleeplessness. Yet, she was told by her doctor that she was "too young" to have RA. A British law firm, Higgs LLP, surveyed around 500 women and found that fatigue and dizziness were two of the most commonly misdiagnosed symptoms in women. Unfortunately, many symptoms of autoimmune disease are often overlooked, leading to misdiagnoses, missed diagnoses, and delayed treatment.
Although anyone at any age can be affected by autoimmune disease, there is a common misconception that arthritis only affects the elderly. This is in part because another form of arthritis, osteoarthritis, is generally associated with aging and primarily affects older adults. However, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune, inflammatory form of arthritis that can impact individuals of any age.
This misconception also extends to other autoimmune diseases, where patients are often told they’re "too young" to have a serious condition. Were any of your symptoms dismissed or overlooked early on? Please share your experience with us.
To support the Autoimmune Registry, please share our information with others with autoimmune diseases. Donations are also greatly appreciated!