On Invisible Illness: Living at the Edge of Medical Knowledge with Meghan O’Rourke

From chronic fatigue to Lyme’s disease to COVID to autoimmune conditions, "invisible" illnesses and those who suffer from them are often disbelieved. It's often a struggle to receive a diagnosis, and more often than not, sufferers do not receive the adequate care they need. Lack of knowledge and understanding from medical providers may lead women to remain silent and hide their suffering, live with persistent symptoms, as well as facing isolation, depression, and anxiety. So where does one even start if suffering from an invisible illness and how does one begin the journey towards reclaiming your own life? Tune into today’s episode of On Health to find out

My guest today, Meghan O'Rourke, is the author of the New York Times bestseller and absolute must-read, The Invisible Kingdom: Re-Imagining Chronic Illness. In her twenties, Meghan began suffering from mysterious symptoms ranging from crushing fatigue to rashes to strange neurologic symptoms. The decade long search for a diagnosis led her down a long path of discoveries about conventional, integrative alternative medicine - and herself! Her book and wisdom is a healing balm for anyone struggling with or who loves someone with chronic disease.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What an invisible illness is, and some of the most common known conditions for which women are most commonly dismissed
• Meghan's journey of seeking a diagnosis and treatment for a constellation of symptoms while redefining her sense of self as someone with an invisible illness.
• Medical gaslighting, self-gaslighting, and gender as obstacles to women receiving proper medical care
• The role online groups and alternative medicine played in finally getting a diagnosis
• Why it's so important to deeply trust her your body and learn to discern is -- and isn'tt -- working for you from medical interactions to conventional and alternative therapies
• Non-negotiables for living well, and navigating work and motherhood, with a chronic condition
• The impact of long-COVID on raising awareness and changing the cultural and medical narrative about chronic, invisible illnesses
• How to advocate for yourself in conventional medicine and integrative wellness
• Many of you listening will find yourself in Meghan story. I hope this interview and her book give you a feeling of being less alone and remind you of the need for compassion for yourself or those in your life.

Thank you so much for taking the time to tune in to your body, yourself, and this podcast! Please share the love by sending this to someone in your life who could benefit from the kinds of things we talk about in this space. Make sure to follow your host on Instagram @dr.avivaromm and go to avivaromm.com to join the conversation. Follow Megan @meghanor and grab a copy of her book at meghanorourke.com.