“Having a #chronicillness can impact so many aspects of your life other than your health. It can impact your relationships, your finances, your #selfesteem, and more. And that includes your mental health.” Chronic Illness and #MentalHealth buff.ly/3ZmIVG3 Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great

“Not wanting to shower… because, 1) it’s too painful, 2) it takes too much energy, and 3) it’s hard, functionality wise [also leading to painful payback].” 'Embarrassing' Parts of Flares You're Not the Only One Experiencing buff.ly/3AFKy77 #chronicillness #chronicpain

“One of the hardest things about living with any form of illness is that most people in your life just don’t get it. They try to be nice but most of the time it can come across patronising: Can’t you just push on?” buff.ly/473FlSI Me, Myself and Chronic Illness Blog #chronicpain #chronicillness

“#CRPS (complex regional pain syndrome)… unrelenting pain, I was now also dealing with #allodynia (burning skin pain), occipital neuralgia (electric shock-like headaches) and #Raynauds (painful circulation issues)… my body constantly seems to fail me.” buff.ly/3MqxUf2

“With #chronicillness it is extremely difficult to know how one will feel. It is no longer a day to day struggle but an hour to hour battle… You can be having a ‘good’ day… suddenly the #chronicpain flares and leaves you vomiting, doubled over in pain.” buff.ly/4e1cAZo

“I miss feeling productive. I miss feeling spontaneous…I miss not being exhausted constantly. I miss feeling like I had a future… I’m trying hard to find my identity again. I have lost so much…after I worked so hard to become who I was.” buff.ly/3XmeL40 #chronicillness

“People living with #ChronicPain experience massive changes in their body, inc. de-conditioning, hormonal changes, changes to their cardiovascular health… Pain often won’t allow us to do things…activity tends to make us worse.” buff.ly/3SzBneM Carrie Kellenberger - SpA & Fibro Advocate #PEM #POTS

“CDC [#opioids] guidelines incorporate outright fraud inc. failure to address genetically mediated opioid metabolism, one-size-fits all MME—unsupported by science—and misrepresentation of #opioidtherapy, esp. high-dose OT—as ineffective for long-term use.” buff.ly/4e3C208

“Payback—one of the symptoms that is hardest for people [who haven’t experienced it] to understand… In payback symptoms are intensified… I think it is hard for healthy people to fully grasp what it’s like.” buff.ly/4g7mXfR #pwME #pwLC #Fibromyalgia #CRPS #MS #EDS #FND

“Every new trauma, crisis or stress…can severely increase [or lead to new] symptoms… I have a lot of practice with being held back and then trying to recover AGAIN… I’m all for it but #pacing can be really hard to do.” buff.ly/3XxZP3b @thrivingwdisabl #ChronicPain #FND

“The fear is controlling because the #pain is constant. When my pain levels aren’t a 10, I desperately want to try to be normal but the constant pain won’t allow for that… a 10 could break through at any moment leaving me unable to take care of my kids.” buff.ly/3Z9sU6d

“Never assume a #ChronicPain patient is not experiencing pain when they say that they’re fine… Recall a time you were in pain, multiply the intensity and try to imagine that pain is 24/7—without any relief in sight.” buff.ly/3yZfIWQ @apainprincess #PainAwarenessMonth

“I judged myself constantly. Anytime I couldn’t do something—I felt guilty. When I couldn’t finish things—I felt broken… I’m sure I’ll still feel those feelings but I will try not to judge myself—because it isn’t easy being sick and I’m doing my best.” buff.ly/3XlckPo

“It’s easy to start comparing yourself to others but it’s so important we try not to… Don’t feel guilty if you have to take a week off because #chronicpain is not your fault, and you are only hurting yourself when you do too much.” buff.ly/3X7rvdG Sarah #spoonie

“‘I’m proud of you.’ (Sometimes it is hard to be proud of yourself when it feels like you’re always failing, in ways big and small)… ‘I’m proud of you for getting out of bed today… I’m proud of you for fighting through.’” buff.ly/4dZwDr2 #ChronicPain #ChronicallyIll

“My wife lives with constant pain and #fatigue… The hardest part of being a #caregiver—the emotional roller coaster. One minute I’m feeling great about how well my wife is doing—the next—down about how her #chronicillness is impacting her life.” buff.ly/4dGTt6S A Chronic Voice

“Living with a #chronicillness means adapting all areas of your life to fit around it. It might mean changing how much time you spend with loved ones. This can cause conflict with the people in our lives, as they don’t fully comprehend the impact.” buff.ly/3Tbosjw #pwME

“My health declined as a result of pushing myself too far for too long… I was determined to push on as if nothing had changed… Learning to say no was vital to protecting my remaining health—yet I still struggled to.” buff.ly/4cP2pG6 What a Pain #chronicillness

“You have no idea what it takes for me to just get out of bed in the morning let alone ride an hour from home… I sometimes pay the price for days after. I’m just trying to ‘live’, I’m not asking to be judged.” When I Do Something Fun Despite #ChronicPain buff.ly/47jLevu

“It happened without warning. One day I was pretty fine, the next I was thrust into my healthcare system trying to work out what was wrong… Advocating for yourself isn't always an easy thing to do. It can be hard, and nerve-wracking.” buff.ly/4do3bv7 #chronicillness