Surviving and thriving with an invisible chronic illness : how to stay sane and live one step ahead of your symptoms / Ilana Jacqueline.

Includes bibliographical references.

Accepting your life with chronic illness -- Self-compassion and rising above self-defeating thoughts -- What they're going to say about you -- Making new friendships and salvaging old ones -- Dating and relationships -- Creating a support system -- The world won't wait : school and work -- Remaining independent -- Becoming your own patient advocate -- Thriving with chronic illness.

"Popular blogger Ilana Jacqueline writes poignantly about living with two debilitating autoimmune diseases and presents advice and practical tips for living with an invisible chronic illness. Do you live with a chronic, debilitating, yet invisible condition? You may feel isolated, out of step, judged, lonely, or misunderstood--and that's on top of dealing with the symptoms of your actual illness. Take heart. You are not alone, although sometimes it can feel that way. Written by a blogger who suffers from two autoimmune diseases, Surviving and Thriving with an Invisible Chronic Illness offers peer-to-peer support to help you stay sane, be your own advocate, and get back to living your life. This smart, compelling guide is written for anyone suffering with an illness no one can see--such as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), Lyme disease, lupus, dysautonomia, or even multiple sclerosis (MP). This book will tell you everything you need to know about living with a complicated, invisible condition--from how to balance sex, dating, and relationships to handling work and school with unavoidable absences. You'll also learn to navigate judg-y or skeptical relatives and strangers and--most importantly--manage your medical care. Suffering from a chronic illness doesn't mean you can't live an active, engaged life. This book will show you how"--

"In this much-needed guide, popular blogger Ilana Jacqueline writes poignantly about her experience living with two debilitating, yet invisible autoimmune diseases, and offers sound advice and practical tips for living with a chronic illness or disability that others can't see. Readers will learn to deal with doctors who don't understand, are of little or no help, or outright dismiss their condition. They will also learn how to navigate friendships, family, relationships, work, and school; overcome body image and self-esteem issues; become their own best advocate; create a support system; and live an engaged and values-driven life"--