By HamSandwich12 - 08/05/2013 14:17 - United States - Cleveland

Today, I was leaving my doctor's appointment when a nurse stopped me. She exclaimed, "Wow you are so skinny! What's your secret?" My secret? Having an autoimmune disease. FML
I agree, your life sucks 54 807
You deserved it 3 377

HamSandwich12 tells us more.

HamSandwich12 14

I think I need to gain about 5 more pounds to look "healthy". I'm not even 100 pounds. It's impossible for me to gain weight with this disease!

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Top comments

twilightriforce 10

Well at least she was throwing you a compliment. Her Not knowing your situation is unfortunate but don't let it get you down. Live life to its fullest OP. :)

285 8
maz95 17

I'm sorry OP, that must've hurt to be reminded of it even though the woman meant well. I know how it is to be told that you're too skinny, it's just as damaging as being called fat. You must look pretty good to be called out for it though! :)

147 6

Comments

Quiet_one 22

As a nurse, she should know better than to ask a patient at a doctor's office why she's skinny. I really hope you answered her question and made her feel stupid.

27 40
Tori1991 15

Thats the place where you ask those questions.. Sick people don't go to hospitals, so thy must be on awesome diets! Sorry op nobody needs reminding of their sicknesses!

7 22
angieliz1215 5

I have an autoimmune disease, as well, and it has led to anemia. I hate when people make comments about how skinny I am because I get self conscious that I look sick. I've also been struggling to gain even a pound or two. You are not alone!

52 1
Coeliacchic93 21

I'm the opposite, I'm ever so slightly overweight (although due to complications I've lost well over a stone recently so maybe not) I used to find it hard to lose weight due to PCOS but people expect me to be skinny because I'm coeliac and suspected chrons. When I say to people ( including health professionals) about chrons they always say 'oh but your not skinny!' It's very frustrating.

18 3
maimengming 10

21- Last year I lost 13 pounds in 14 weeks. I was exactly 100 pounds. People constantly told me that I looked anorexic and like I was going to die, yet wanted to know how I lost weight. Didn't make any sense.

15 1
xInwex 12

I too have an autoimmune disease. I once lost over a third of my body weight because of it. People were always telling me how skinny I was, and once a friend said "omg I wish I had Crohn's disease like you so I could be skinny without trying"

23 1
chibibianca 0

I have exacly the same problem ! I feel bad for losing weight

1 1
Coeliacchic93 21

54- some people have no idea what these things really entail. They have a warped body view, all I've ever wanted is to be healthy. To want a serious illness to have their view of a 'perfect' body is really not healthy and if they went through what we did for even a day they would wish otherwise and possibly appreciate physical health (if they do indeed have no ailments)

7 3
lizzi02 13

Before I was diagnose with Crohn's Disease I was super skinny. I wasn't able to keep anything down for overa month and ended up losing a third of my body weight. After that summer, when I went back to school, I was teased so terribly for having an "eating disorder" :/ it sucks

0 1
HamSandwich12 14

Sorry to hear that, and best of luck to you! I've actually gained about 10 pounds since I started my treatment, but I still have another 5 to go before I'll be happy.

6 1
Xatraris 38

I've been asked if I was on illegal drugs because of weight loss, And the "what's your secret" if you're not. People don't understand many health problems. Good luck on getting it all taken care of, OP.

18 1
beckilynn77_fml 8

I'm sorry OP. I have 3 myself. Six years ago I lost around 90 lbs in 3 months and everyone wanted to know my secret. I told to get a disease that makes their life miserable! Good luck!

19 1
HamSandwich12 14

I'm sorry to hear that. Life has been pretty difficult managing one, so I can't even imagine what your life is like. Stay strong and positive! Best of luck to you!!

5 1
AngrySailor 17

Careful with the ham sandwiches. Mama Cass choked to death on one.

5 6
RedPillSucks 31

But she wasn't skinny.

2 3
AngrySailor 17

So logically ham sandwiches should cure OP with proper dosage!

6 5
KChubs 12

What kind of asshole would say you deserve it? Anyways she probably didn't know about your disease in the first place. Also, hey at least it was a complement.

14 3
catkat1988 17

Almost 300 people voted YDI - explain to me, very slowly, how the OP deserves an autoimmune disease? Autoimmune diseases aren't caused by infections or triggered by poor life style choises, they just happen because the immune system goes haywire and starts attacking healthy tissue. How does anyone deserve that?

26 3
ksks1234 33

I accidentally clicked YDI. I was scrolling down and my fat finger got in the way. Some people might have done that, and some people could just be assholes.

19 0
evilplatypus 38

I know one person I work with voted YDI and said OP should just "shut it," "quit whining" and take a compliment when offered one.

1 1
HamSandwich12 14

I appreciate your standing up for me! Thank you! I'm really not offended by anyone who says "YDI" though. A lot of people are simply uneducated on health-related issues, especially autoimmune diseases.

5 1
nyxiny 22

My autoimmune disease makes me fat. :( I feel guilty for being jealous.

23 2
HamSandwich12 14

Sorry to hear that : ( I hope your condition is manageable!

2 1