autoimmune disease

⚠️ This blog shares my personal, sometimes painful experiences with MS and mental health. My intention is to speak honestly and offer solidarity—not to harm or replace professional advice. I’m not a doctor or therapist, just someone who gets how hard it can get. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend, support group, or professional. You deserve help and hope.⚠️

please remember I suffer with severe cognitive dysfunction this may be a confusing read. some AI help with written content Hello fellow humanoids,nhi and readers of my blog ! There's a special place in social interaction reserved for people who hear the words I have Multiple Sclerosis and immediately transform into a neurologist, motivational speaker and wellness guru all at once. You don’t look sick. Have you tried yoga? You just need to stay positive. It's almost beautiful. Almost.

Living with MS means learning to navigate relapses, fatigue, pain, brain fog, medications, hospital appointments and the occasional argument with your own legs.

What it shouldn't mean is having to politely smile while someone explains how a gluten-free smoothie apparently knows more than your neurologist.

So, in the interests of public education—and preserving what's left of our patience—here are ten phrases we'd happily launch into the sun.

1. "But You Don't Look Sick."

Oh, thank God.

I was worried I'd accidentally left my "Chronically Ill" name badge at home.

What exactly does illness look like?

Should I drag an IV stand behind me?

Carry an MRI scan in Tesco?

Wear a flashing sign that says,

"WARNING: MY IMMUNE SYSTEM HAS CHOSEN VIOLENCE."

Invisible illnesses don't stop existing simply because they're inconvenient for spectators.

Neither does common sense, although social media continues to test that theory.

2. "Have You Tried Yoga?"

Yes.

I've also tried medication.

Physiotherapy.

Exercise.

Rest.

Different diets.

Mindfulness.

Supplements.

Swearing.

Crying.

Questioning the universe.

Believe it or not, most people living with MS spend considerably more time managing their condition than strangers spend thinking about it.

Yoga can help some people.

It is not the magical password that causes autoimmune diseases to politely pack their bags and leave.

3. "At Least It's Not Cancer."

Ah yes.

The Chronic Illness Olympics.

Where apparently suffering must be ranked on a leader board.

Pain isn't a competition.

Neither is disability.

Nobody wins because somebody else has it worse.

That's like telling someone whose house is on fire,

"Could be worse...

...the neighbour's exploded."

Technically true.

Still unhelpful.

4. "You're Too Young."

Tell that to my immune system.

It clearly didn't read the age requirements.

MS commonly appears in younger adults.

Autoimmune diseases aren't checking passports before causing trouble.

5. "My Friend Has MS And They're Fine."

Excellent.

My neighbour owns a goldfish.

That tells me absolutely nothing about sharks.

No two cases of MS are identical.

Some people run marathons.

Some need walking aids.

Some work full-time.

Others can't.

Comparing people with MS is like comparing weather in Britain.

Completely unpredictable and usually disappointing.

6. "You Just Need To Stay Positive."

Wonderful.

Why didn't decades of neurological research think of that?

Someone ring every hospital immediately.

We've solved autoimmune disease.

Positivity helps mental wellbeing.

It does not magically repair damaged myelin.

If optimism cured neurological conditions, the NHS waiting lists would disappear overnight.

7. "Google Says..."

Stop.

Google also says I have seventeen rare cancers every time I search for a headache.

Search engines are fantastic.

For recipes.

Maps.

Cat videos.

They are not neurologists.

Nor should they be trusted over the person who spent fifteen years becoming one.

8. "You Were Fine Yesterday."

Correct.

Yesterday I also remembered where I left my keys.

Today?

Different story.

MS symptoms fluctuate.

Some days are manageable.

Some days feel like walking through wet concrete while someone repeatedly presses the low-battery warning in your brain.

That's the nature of the disease.

It doesn't ask permission before changing the rules.

9. "You Don't Need That Disabled Parking Space."

Ah yes.

The Disability Inspector has arrived.

Armed with absolutely no qualifications.

Not every disability involves a wheelchair.

Not every mobility issue is visible.

Not every painful journey begins when you step out of the car.

Some begin before breakfast.

Mind your own trolley.

10. "Everything Happens For A Reason."

Really?

Go on then.

Explain autoimmune disease.

I'll wait.

Some things happen because biology occasionally decides to throw a spectacular tantrum.

Not every illness has a hidden lesson.

Sometimes terrible things simply happen.

The lesson comes afterwards—in resilience, humour, kindness and learning to laugh because crying gets exhausting.

Honourable Mentions

These narrowly missed the Top Ten:

• "You should try this miracle supplement."

• "My aunt cured hers with celery juice."

• "Have you prayed about it?"

• "It's probably stress."

• "Maybe you're just getting older."

• "You're so brave."

(Translation: "I genuinely have no idea what else to say.")

The Reality

Most people who say these things aren't cruel.

They're uncomfortable.

They don't know what to say.

Unfortunately, not knowing what to say often results in saying something spectacularly ridiculous.

Here's a radical alternative.

Instead of offering advice...

Ask.

Instead of assuming...

Listen.

Instead of explaining someone else's illness to them...

Don't.

It's astonishing how effective silence can be when it's paired with compassion.

Final Thoughts

MS doesn't need your miracle cure.

It doesn't care about your Facebook research.

It certainly isn't interested in your cousin's chiropractor.

What people living with MS actually need is understanding.

Patience.

Accessibility.

And perhaps—just perhaps—a world where strangers stop believing they've completed medical school because they once watched a wellness documentary narrated by someone who also sells detox tea.

Until then...

We'll keep smiling.

Mostly because if we don't laugh at the nonsense...

We'll end up throwing herbal supplements at people.

And honestly?

Those things are expensive.

wishing everyone no matter who reads this blog ,peace healing love and light.

Warlock Dark Chronic illness survivor, truth-teller, occasional bastard. From My Living Hell (For those who came here by accident: yes, my living hell is real. And yes, we still fight. Every shitty day. With defiance.)

@goblinbloggeruk - sick@mylivinghell.co.uk 𒀭𒊩𒆳 ᛞᚱᚨᚷᛟᚾ ᛏᚱᚨᚾᛋᚲᚺᚱᛁᛖᛞ ✦ ᚹᚨᛏᚲᚺᛖᚱ 𒀸𒀭 ᚢᚾᛒᛟᚢᚾᛞ

⚠️ This blog shares my personal, sometimes painful experiences with MS and mental health. My intention is to speak honestly and offer solidarity—not to harm or replace professional advice. I’m not a doctor or therapist, just someone who gets how hard it can get. If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Please reach out to a trusted friend, support group, or professional. You deserve help and hope.⚠️

please remember I suffer with severe cognitive dysfunction this may be a confusing read. AI help with written content

A very good morning, afternoon , evening to all the readers of this blog no matter who you are !, I trust your week is going well, already things have started to get complicated by people not doing there job properly causing me issues, and already this week a phone bank scammer that was fun, decided not to wind him up lol what gave him away you may ask, read the next blog post for that, so its going to be a weird week ahead ... please remember to hydrate !

"Your immune system is a backstabber, and your gut bacteria are the masterminds. Here’s how Eisenbergiella tayi and Lachnoclostridium might be ruining your life one nerve at a time."

1. The Bad News: Multiple Sclerosis is a Jerk

So, your immune system decided to declare war on your own nerves. Why? Who knows. Maybe it got bored. Maybe it’s a conspiracy. All we know is that MS turns your brain and spinal cord into a self-cannibalizing buffet, and now scientists think they’ve found the tiny, invisible jerks responsible.

2. The Suspects: Two Gut Bacteria with a Grudge After years of digging through human guts (literally), scientists finally pointed their fingers at two bacterial suspects:

Eisenbergiella tayi (let’s call it E. Tay) Lachnoclostridium (let’s call it Lachno because, honestly, who has time for that name?) These two are like the Bonnie and Clyde of the gut world—except instead of robbing banks, they’re triggering your immune system to eat your myelin (the protective coating on your nerves, like the insulation on a wire, but way more important).

3. The Twin Study: Because Even Your Sibling’s Gut is a Snitch Scientists studied 81 pairs of identical twins—because if there’s one thing more reliable than a lab rat, it’s a twin who shares 100% of your DNA but somehow dodged the MS bullet. They found that in the twins with MS, E. Tay and Lachno were throwing a rave in their small intestines. The healthy twins? Not so much. Then, because science is both brilliant and cruel, they took gut bacteria from the MS twins and planted them into mice. The result? The mice developed MS-like symptoms—paralysis, lesions, the whole tragic buffet. The mice with bacteria from healthy twins? Fine. Thriving. Probably judging the others.

4. How These Bacteria Turn Your Immune System Into a Karen So, what’s E. Tay and Lachno’s deal? They’re fiber-digesting bacteria—normally harmless, even helpful. But when they’re starving for fiber, they start eating the mucus lining your gut (yes, that’s as gross as it sounds). This thins your gut barrier, which is like leaving the front door open with a "Free Snacks Inside" sign. Your immune system sees this, loses its mind, and starts attacking everything—including your myelin. To make it worse, E. Tay produces ethanol and succinate, which are basically immune system energy drinks. Your Th17 cells (a type of immune cell) get all hyped up and start chewing on your nerves like they’re free samples at Costco.

5. The Good(ish) News: We Might Be Able to Take Them Out Current MS treatments are like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound—they slow things down, but they don’t fix the root problem. But now that we’ve got two bacterial targets, scientists are thinking:

"Let’s nuke them with antibiotics!" (But wait—what if we kill the good bacteria too? Oops.) "Let’s use bacteriophages!" (Viruses that eat bacteria. Yes, we’re fighting fire with fire. Literally.) "Let’s feed them fiber so they stop eating your gut lining!" (Finally, a reason to eat your veggies.)

6. The Irony: Your Gut is a War Zone, and You’re the Collateral Damage Here’s the kicker: These bacteria are part of a family that’s usually your friend. Most Lachnospiraceae are chill, fiber-loving dudes who help you digest food. But E. Tay and Lachno? They’re the black sheep of the family—the ones who show up to Thanksgiving and start a fight over politics. And the worst part? They might be in your gut right now. Just sitting there. Waiting. Plotting.

7. The Future: Will We Ever Win?

Maybe! But let’s be real:

Big Pharma’s already drooling over the idea of selling you custom phage cocktails (because nothing says "capitalism" like monetizing your gut bacteria). The FDA will take forever to approve anything, because bureaucracy moves slower than a sloth on a sugar crash. In the meantime, your best bet is still eating fiber, avoiding stress, and hoping your gut bacteria don’t stage a coup.

Final Thought The Universe’s Dark Sense of Humour

So, the same bacteria that help you digest your salad might also be slowly convincing your immune system to turn your nerves into confetti. If that’s not the most messily poetic way the universe could screw with us, I don’t know what is.

What do you think? Are you going to start interrogating your gut bacteria every time you eat a burrito? Or are you just going to blame your parents (because, let’s be honest, it’s probably their fault somehow)? wishing everybody no matter whom, peace ,healing, love and light, please remember hydration is uber important in this weather as well... and remember gut health is also uber important but can be a boring subject lol

Warlock Dark Chronic illness survivor, truth-teller, occasional bastard. From My Living Hell (For those who came here by accident: yes, my living hell is real. And yes, we still fight. Every shitty day. With defiance.)

@goblinbloggeruk - sick@mylivinghell.co.uk 𒀭𒊩𒆳 ᛞᚱᚨᚷᛟᚾ ᛏᚱᚨᚾᛋᚲᚺᚱᛁᛖᛞ ✦ ᚹᚨᛏᚲᚺᛖᚱ 𒀸𒀭 ᚢᚾᛒᛟᚢᚾᛞ

⚠️ Please read with care: This blog shares personal, sometimes painful experiences. My intention is to support and speak honestly not to harm. I’m not a professional, just someone who understands how hard it can get. If you're struggling, you're not alone please reach out for professional help.

please remember I suffer with severe cognitive dysfunction this may be a confusing read. Some AI written content

What Causes Multiple Sclerosis? A Simple Explanation

And a very good afternoon to all my fellow humanoids and NHI readers, I trust all is well in your world or even realm... uap/nhi drop coming soon as well!!

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the brain and spinal cord. Over time, this can disrupt how nerves send signals, leading to problems with movement, vision, balance, and energy levels.

Scientists now believe MS doesn’t have a single cause. Instead, it develops when several factors come together: genes, infections, and environment.

1. Your Genes: The Starting Point

Some people are born with a higher chance of developing MS. This doesn’t mean they will definitely get it, just that their immune system is more sensitive.

Researchers have found many small genetic differences linked to MS. The most important ones affect how the immune system decides what is “safe” and what is “dangerous.”

Think of it like this: some people are born with an immune system that’s a little more easily confused.

2. A Common Virus: Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)

Almost everyone is infected with Epstein-Barr virus at some point in their lives. It often causes mild illness or sometimes glandular fever.

What’s interesting is that nearly all people with MS have had EBV in the past.

Scientists think EBV may “confuse” the immune system in some people. After infection, the immune system may accidentally start attacking the body’s own nervous system instead of just fighting the virus.

This is currently one of the strongest clues in MS research.

3. Lifestyle and Environment

Certain everyday factors may increase or reduce risk, especially when combined with genetics.

Sunlight and Vitamin D

People who get less sunlight—especially during childhood—seem to have a higher risk of MS. This may be linked to vitamin D, which helps keep the immune system balanced.

Smoking

Smoking increases the risk of developing MS. It may cause inflammation and make the immune system more reactive.

Weight in Teenage Years

Higher body weight during adolescence is linked with a higher risk of MS later in life. Scientists think this may be due to long-term effects on inflammation and hormones.

Where You Grow Up

MS is more common in countries farther from the equator. Interestingly, if someone moves to a different country when they are young, their risk often changes to match their new environment.

This suggests that childhood exposure is especially important.

4. It’s the Combination That Matters

MS usually doesn’t come from just one thing.

It seems to happen when:

A person has a genetic tendency They are exposed to EBV Environmental factors like low sunlight or smoking add extra pressure

When these factors overlap, the immune system can become misdirected.

5. What Happens in the Body

Once MS begins, the immune system starts attacking the protective coating around nerves in the brain and spinal cord.

This damage can:

Slow down nerve signals Cause symptoms that come and go And over time, lead to lasting nerve injury

Even when symptoms improve, some quiet damage may still continue in the background.

Summary

MS is not caused by a single trigger. Instead, it develops through a mix of:

Genetics (how your immune system is built) A common virus (EBV) Environmental factors like sunlight, smoking, and early-life conditions

Scientists are still working to fully understand it, but one thing is clear: MS is a complex condition shaped by many small influences coming together over time.

wishing everybody peace healing love lite no matter whom what or where you are... I'm drifting through the digital fog like a ghost ship in a magnet storm

Warlock Dark Chronic illness survivor, truth-teller, occasional bastard. From My Living Hell (For those who came here by accident: yes, my living hell is real. And yes, we still fight. Every shitty day. With defiance.)

@goblinbloggeruk - sick@mylivinghell.co.uk 𒀭𒊩𒆳 ᛞᚱᚨᚷᛟᚾ ᛏᚱᚨᚾᛋᚲᚺᚱᛁᛖᛞ ✦ ᚹᚨᛏᚲᚺᛖᚱ 𒀸𒀭 ᚢᚾᛒᛟᚢᚾᛞ

⚠️ Please read with care: This blog shares personal, sometimes painful experiences. My intention is to support and speak honestly not to harm. I’m not a professional, just someone who understands how hard it can get. If you're struggling, you're not alone please reach out for professional help.

please remember I suffer with severe cognitive dysfunction this may be a confusing read. no AI written content

A deeply personal story about life with multiple sclerosis, resilience, and why awareness must go beyond a single week.

Good afternoon fellow humanoids and nhi. It appears I have been living under a stone. It is MS Awareness Week. Indeed, yes it is. There is a problem though. It should be awareness all year round and not for one week of a year. Yeah? I think many of you would agree that there should be awareness about MS and all illnesses and all chronic illnesses. Not just for one week or just one day of a year. People should care all year. Why just for one week? It doesn't make any sense whatsoever does it really?

It's all very well. Some people who have MS, like myself, find it difficult to go on all these activities that everybody else seems to be able to go and do. I for one just don't have the energy anymore and I'm in a power chair and why would I want to go and do archery of all things. Now I couldn't even pull the string bow back. That's how bad things are with me and hell I'm retired now as well. My body is completely fucked. Why would I want to go doing things to make myself feel worse? No I don't.

So yes, I can appreciate some people with MS can do these activities, but there are a lot who can't. And I think probably we feel maybe a little bit left out somehow, because there's no MS groups anymore anywhere. People with MS don't go to meet anywhere. And does the MS nurse say, "Oh, I know, let's start an MS group up for people to go and meet once a month." You know, that would be a nice thing, but those sorts of things don't happen, do they? I think people would like to meet up and have a bit of fun, have a chat and just generally have a couple of hours of unabashed fun. Why not? You know, not just being stuck at home 24/7 doing nothing and being left to rot. But that's only my personal opinion.

There are many things I have had to give up because of multiple sclerosis, some of the things I dearly loved doing So yes, I tried to live on the edge up until I retired. I suppose I was a bit of a rebel. I was a bit of an outlaw. I did things my way. I always have. I'm not one of the sheep. I'm not one of the crowd. I'm an individual. I have a voice. Yes, and I'm different and I'm eccentric and I am very proud of that fact. I ripped my blinkers off many years ago.

I am still learning many many things. Yes, I am and I'm having a great deal of fun learning. I'm using my mind. Yes, I have severe brain fogs and yes, I have severe tinnitus and it is very challenging indeed for me, but I'm never going to give up, even if I can only do ten minutes in a day or even an hour in a day. That is an achievement. Doing a blog post is also an achievement for me as well. Going out, just the local shop, is an achievement for me as well. So yeah, things for me are pretty bad having progressive MS and also this autoimmune dysfunction, which means I can't go out in the summer now because of the histamine from the flowers etc... Well, the hay fever stuff. So there we go. I can't win.

But what I am doing, I am constantly evolving and changing my life around, so as my multiple sclerosis progresses, I progress in ways of trying to make my life better. So it may take away my motorcycle riding at the age of 65. Yeah, now that was a complete blast, I can tell you. Yeah, ha ha. But it was an 1100 trike I had specially built. and I managed to stay on the road with that for about 20 years. So that was a way of staying on a motorcycle. And yes, I even joined a few motorcycle trike clubs as well and got involved in clubs and all sorts of different weird things. But there we go. I did not let my illness stop me. In fact, my illness spurred me on further and further to be more than I was even.

So now, it's the computer and doing all the other things that I like doing as well. And I'm still learning and that makes me happy. So yeah, as long as I take it steady and don't overdo it, I think things might be okay. But I don't know the meaning of take it easy, so I always end up overdoing it or hurting myself. You know, that's just one of the things when you have in bought up like me, when you see something that might need doing, you do it. And well, when you're say 20, 25, 30, easy job, but when you're 66, Yeah, it's easier said than done.

So my words to everybody is, having a chronic illness, for me, has changed my life, perversely, for the better in some ways, but I will say, I'm never giving up, I'm gonna carry on fighting 'til the bitter end. And yeah, I'm not gonna let it beat me.

Still wishing everybody that reads this blog, peace, healing, love and light, no matter whomever or whatever you are, in the world or universe or multiverses even.

Warlock Dark Chronic illness survivor, truth-teller, occasional bastard. From My Living Hell (For those who came here by accident: yes, my living hell is real. And yes, we still fight. Every shitty day. With defiance.)

@goblinbloggeruk - sick@mylivinghell.co.uk 𒀭𒊩𒆳 ᛞᚱᚨᚷᛟᚾ ᛏᚱᚨᚾᛋᚲᚺᚱᛁᛖᛞ ✦ ᚹᚨᛏᚲᚺᛖᚱ 𒀸𒀭 ᚢᚾᛒᛟᚢᚾᛞ