“I Thought It Was No Big Deal”: People Are Revealing The Symptoms They Wish They’d Taken Seriously Sooner

(Cont’d) “I spent the next three years doing blood work once a week, ending up in the hospital for treatment twice more. I’ve had tons of specialist appointments, hematologist, rheumatologist, and multiple cancer specialists for testing. No cancer, thankfully. I’ve been diagnosed with about ten different autoimmune disorders, including immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), which is what caused the initial issue.”

“Doctors can’t explain why it happens, when it’s going to happen, or what I can do to stop it from happening. Took me a long time to stop worrying about it, take life as it comes, focus on living a healthy life because it’s just a good approach, and just watch for the signs of a flare-up so I can seek treatment accordingly.

All the other autoimmune disorders, though? They’ve gotten worse but are manageable. Not looking forward to the next 20 years tbh, health-wise anyway. The takeaway? Please never ignore random bruising, especially petechiae, and know the difference between a rash and micro-bruising. When something truly feels off, see a doctor.”

—Anonymous, 38, Male, Canada