It is very tough when family and friends don't believe. I can empathize. My family, years ago told me my AS was all in my head and all I needed was a psych med.
My sister then got AS too a few years after mine and all of a sudden the apologizes started to come. My Mom always tells me people are usually clueless about disease until something happens to them. I think there is a lot of truth in that.

I still have friends who don't believe and or who don't care to listen to my struggles so I have lived and learned who I can open up to and who I need to put a fake smile on for. My closest friends are friends with autoimmune disease now. It is so nice to be able to be yourself and have that understanding. When one door closes on a friendship or family member, another one will open.

Shari

Meds -Hizentra, leflunomide, Prednisone