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.

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!

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. :)

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! :)

Comments

joshjosh04 4

How was she supposed to know? And its a compliment...

doraaa01 7

I know exactly how you feel OP - I have a common autoimmune disease, Coeliac Disease, and I'm so thin :/ people always comment on it and I hate it because I want to put weight on as I'm underweight but my body won't until its finished healing or some sh*t :/ It really puts your self esteem down when you don't look nice in your good clothes anymore... So I feel ya!

Thank you. Yes, it's so hard to find clothes that fit!! Good luck to you. Stay positive : )

Coeliacchic93 21
etoilenuit 15

Aw well I guess if its any consolation she must think you look good.

Goth_Hawk 28

I too have an auto-immune disease, well, 3. I've never weighed more than 103 when I was 15, and have been floating between 85 and 90 pounds for 2 years. I've tried eating different ways but nothing works. I usually end up binge-ing on junk food and gaining a pound, then losing it within a day. The AI messing up my weight is hyperthyroidism, which I've been diagnosed with for 5 years. My metabolism is super quick and only feel ok when I eat multiple times a day within hours of the last meal. I love my veggies, and meat, but its hard to keep up with it. I get asked constantly how I can be so skinny, it doesn't matter where I am, work, school, shopping; clerks, classmates, and customers alike will ask. Most of the time I will educate them about the reasons, unless I feel annoyed by it and just say, "lucky I guess!".

I have hyperthyroidism too!! I'm taking methimazole for it. Are you being treated? Do you also have Graves' Disease?

You can drink protein shakes that people use to work out. They will make you gain weight as long as you don't work out a lot and drink a lot

HeatherAS77 10

I hear ya OP!! I have an autoimmune disease as well & when I got much sicker just lately, I lost a ton of weight & can't put a single pound back on. I get some comments too so I know how ya feel. Keep yer head up cuz yer not alone!! Keep fighting & Good Luck!!

Thank you. Good luck to you too!! I'm definitely willing to put up one hell of a fight!

I know how hard it is to try and gain weight. The nurse should have known better.

I wish my autoimmune disease would make me skinnier; instead of making my skin look like I have scales

poprocks1999 6

Well, at least it has a good side affect. Get well soon!

doglover100 28

Being premature, I have a hard time gaining weight.