The unseen disease: A testimony of a college student’s autoimmune disorder

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – In January 2024, I came back from Christmas break, thinking like most students do: I missed home cooked meals. It is always a rough transition from my mom’s chicken pot pie to the Deacon Jones Dining Hall pizza. That year seemed worse than normal. My stomach hurt every time I tried to eat. I felt famished but at the same time, I didn’t have an appetite. 

In March, I went to the campus health clinic for help. I changed my diet and tried medications, but still ended up with stomach pains, low energy, and more class absences. When the semester was over, I had an exploratory procedure. The results came in the mail two weeks later, diagnosing me with an autoimmune disease.

As college students, we often eat whatever foods are cheap and most convenient. While it may satisfy our hunger, we start to see our bodies change. A new diagnosis during college can also be a rude awakening to how our bodies function as we transition to adulthood. This can mean dietary changes or eliminating certain foods from our diet altogether.

A new medical condition was the last thing I expected from my college experience. I thought people got ill when they were old, not eating properly or not exercising. However, a 2020 article from the National Library of Medicine says research has found the number of autoimmune diseases are increasing in adolescents. This means that some college students like myself are getting diagnosed at the tail end of adolescence. Those diagnosed before college still struggle because they are learning how to navigate their illness with additional responsibilities that come with becoming an adult.

This information surprised me because I rarely hear anyone talk about autoimmune diseases, let alone getting diagnosed in college. According to a 2021 survey from the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 64.8% of students strongly agreed or agreed that they often viewed their body as a barrier, but 56.2% students from the same survey strongly agreed or agreed that they actively try to conceal their autoimmune disease.  

This diagnosis affects my day-to-day routines and lifestyle as a whole. My mornings now start with five different vitamins because my autoimmune disease makes it more difficult for my body to absorb nutrients naturally. I am more aware of the foods that I eat and my stress levels to avoid inducing symptoms. 

My autoimmune disease also dictates my schedule. Sometimes, I have to leave class early or arrive late because I have to take phone calls from the doctor’s office, the pharmacy, health insurance and medication companies. I have to figure out how to get my medication, schedule my doctor appointments, inject my medication, and know how to answer questions about my  family’s medical history.

People also treat me differently. Since my diagnosis, I have received a lot of unsolicited websites and videos from friends and family about curing my autoimmune disease through various diets. According to the National Health council, there are over 100 autoimmune diseases and none of them are curable. 

I can manage my symptoms and take my medication in hopes of reaching a period of remission. However, remission doesn’t mean that I will be cured. I might reach a three month or three year period where the disease is dormant, but the symptoms can come back. 

My friends and family have also treated my diagnosis as an allergy. They constantly asked me how I was feeling as if I would pass out if I had too much sugar in my coffee. As someone who has a peanut allergy, I appreciate those who try to be aware of my food restrictions. However, I don’t want people to make something that is gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, basically joy-and-taste-free. Most days, I will choose fried chicken over a salad but sometimes, I need to choose a chicken wrap over a burger for health reasons.  

Having a change in health as a college student is very stressful. I have met many people who have received a new diagnosis in college or were diagnosed before college but are still learning how to handle their disease without the help of an adult. I have met people with diabetes, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other autoimmune diseases and we are normal students. Most days we sit in the same classes, listen to the same worship music in Chapel, and walk from the Forum to Schimmels Park in under 15 minutes, but there are some days we cannot get out of bed.