About Lisa & immunoloco

My Personal Story

While studying for my BSc in general management, it became more and more apparent, that my immune system behaved somewhat differently from that of other people, giving cause to all sorts of problems which more often than not left my doctors puzzled. Around that time, I found myself more and more fascinated by the complexity of the human body, especially the inner biochemical and physiological workings and I seriously considered switching to study medicine.

However, my immune system had a mind of its own and after a nice and sunny vacation, it decided to cause havoc and I found myself confined to my bed for six months.

I was lucky that I managed to complete my Bachelor’s degree successfully beforehand, but the career that I dreamt of now seemed unachievable, considering the constraints my body kept imposing on me.

Nobody really knew what kind of disease I had, even though the symptoms were severe enough to keep me confined to my bed for months. Had it not been for an attentive nurse who helped me to find a caring and experienced physician, who diagnosed me and took over my treatment, I might as well have died.

The aphorism “When you hear hoofbeats behind you, don’t expect to see a zebra” Is widely known in medical circles. Coined by professor Theodore Woodward, Medical School University of Maryland in the late 1940’s it certainly has its merits.

but the downside is, that if you really happen to have one of those rare “zebra diseases”, finding appropriate treatment can be very challenging and the way until the correct diagnosis is established can feel like an odyssey.
At this point, I like to extend a huge “thank you” to those doctors and therapists, who have chosen to work tirelessly for us “zebras”!

In 2015, I was diagnosed with autoimmune hypophysitis, an inflammation of the pituitary gland caused by my own body attacking itself. This gland controls – among other things – thyroid and adrenal functions as well as sex hormones. Only later it became clear, that this was not an isolated problem but was actually part of and associated with a much larger pattern of other autoimmune diseases.

A year later in another relapse, it became apparent that I had suffered from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) for quite some time without this being appropriately noticed. Additional diagnoses added even later included Samter’s disease (AERD) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) which finally explained the unexpected but severe anaphylactoid complications I had experienced during and following operations and the strong increase of allergic symptoms over the years.

The last diagnosis added to my growing list of rare diseases I call my own was small fiber neuropathy and dysautonomia as part of my rheumatic condition, finally explaining some of the other symptoms I have to deal with in my daily life.

Despite the amount of medical baggage I carry, I do my best to live a life as joyful, happy and productive as possible and call myself lucky to be surrounded and supported by my great friends and family.

To this day, I live with my wonderful partner and an immune system gone wild as well as disturbed mast cells near Würzburg/Bavaria and work as a naturopath in my own practice.

Although restrictions and medications are part of my daily life, I am better and much happier than I could have dreamed of being confined to my bed in 2014.