Auto-immune Diseases

[Don-NY]

I have one. The cause is presently unknown, but it is well known that both psychological and physical stress make it worse.

In fact, my diagnosis was made when I was working as a baker and the heat from the ovens accelerated the disease process.

But there is no doubt that I have lived with often severe psychological stress for most of my life.

So I am taking an informal survey. Have any of you been diagnosed with an auto-immune disease? If so, was the onset before or after you were abused or assaulted?

Have your doctors told you to avoid stress of either type?

I'd really appreciate any information.

Thanks,
Donald

Here's a list of the most common AI diseases.

Alopecia Areata
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Autoimmune Addison's Disease
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Autoimmune Hepatitis
Behcet's Disease
Bullous Pemphigoid
Cardiomyopathy
Celiac Sprue-Dermatitis
Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS)
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
Churg-Strauss Syndrome
Cicatricial Pemphigoid
CREST Syndrome
Cold Agglutinin Disease
Crohn's Disease
Discoid Lupus
Essential Mixed Cryoglobulinemia
Fibromyalgia- Fibromyositis
Graves' Disease
Guillain-Barr
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP)
IgA Nephropathy
Insulin dependent Diabetes
Juvenile Arthritis
Lichen Planus
Lupus
Mnire's Disease
Mixed Connective Tissue Disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Myasthenia Gravis
Pemphigus Vulgaris
Pernicious Anemia
Polyarteritis Nodosa
Polychondritis
Polyglandular Syndromes
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis
Primary Agammag-lobulinemia
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Psoriasis
Raynaud's Phenomenon
Reiter's Syndrome
Rheumatic Fever
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sarcoidosis
Scleroderma
Sjgren's Syndrome
Stiff-Man Syndrome
Takayasu Arteritis
Temporal Arteritis/Giant Cell Arteritis
Ulcerative Colitis
Uveitis
Vasculitis
Vitiligo
Wegener's Granulomatosis

 

[MrDon]

I have a good friend in class that has Lupus and something else I think. She has used Tai Chi to help her heal in so many ways and from the times we have talked, I don't think this happened until way after the abuse was over. I am actually learning Tai Chi right now as well and this is soemthing they are beginning to use in Hospitals to help people heal. Just one thought, but just wanted to let you know you weren't the only survivor with something like this.

Don

 

[Wuamei]

Doctors have been telling me to ease my stress as much as possible, and to do things physically & psychologically to work out stress, for over 10 years, the time I've been in psychiatry & therapy,
having been diagnosed with severe depression.

My diagnosis of fibromyalgia came about 3 years ago. My abuse started when I was at least 3 years old. However since early childhood I remember having "growing pains," "nervous stomach," "being clumsy," etc. Translation: Fibromyalgia & PTSD!

One of the most commonly believed theories about FM origins is that it is caused, or at least triggered, by one or more traumatic events. This of course ties it closely to not only PTSD but to stress related conditions such as depression in general.

In fact my FM is considered, as is sometimes the case, to be the direct result of the physical stresses of my SA, and in part direct body memories of the SA.

Traumas later in life, such as on the job, auto accidents, high blood pressure bouts, etc, have usually changed and increased the symptoms.

As I've worked thru the traumas and taken care of my body, the mental & bodily stresses have been eased, and I've had less emotional & physical pain. Tho of course I've still got a ways to go & gotta keep at it.

Hope this helps. Take care Don.

Wuame