How terrifying would it be to fight an unknown enemy, one you didn't recognize and didn't see coming. What if that enemy was coming from within a disease that even doctors couldn't identify. The way I would describe it is like an elephant setting on you. It was debilitating, and there really was no one else to turn to. Their doctor doesn't believe them. They've been told it's in their head, the symptoms because they can be vague again, they come
and go. That's living in a real nightmare. That's a horror movie happening in real life. Nearly half of all Americans suffer from some chronic illness, and many struggle for
an accurate diagnosis. I'm Lauren Bright Pacheco and each week on Symptomatic, an original podcast from my Heart Radio, when we unravel the medical mystery of a person's baffling symptoms and explore how their lives were turned upside down in search of answers, from the first sign of trouble, through a swirl of misdirection and failed treatment attempts, to the final relief of a confirmed diagnosis. These are their stories. This is Symptomatic. Listen to Symptomatic, a medical mystery podcast
every Monday starting October. You can find it on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.