--- description: Read AJ’s story of navigating complex autoimmune disease, delayed diagnosis, self-advocacy, and the search for answers and better care. title: "AJ’s Journey: Finding Answers After Years of Uncertainty" image: https://autoimmune.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/AJ2.jpeg --- [Skip to content](#content) [Donate](https://autoimmune.org/blog/aj-autoimmune-journey/?campaign=697841) September 15, 2026 0 Share this article FacebookXLinkedIn # AJ’s Journey: Finding Answers After Years of Uncertainty - [Autoimmune Heroes](https://autoimmune.org/blog/category/autoimmune-heroes/) ## Key Takeaways - AJ’s journey to an autoimmune diagnosis involved progressive, multisystem symptoms, fragmented care, and clues like a high antinuclear antibody (ANA) titer that were documented but not properly communicated to her. - As her symptoms worsened, AJ was encouraged to become her own advocate. She reviewed hundreds of pages of her own medical records, tracked dozens of symptoms, requested referrals, and pushed for a neurological evaluation. - She was eventually diagnosed with Sjögren’s disease with neurological involvement, autoimmune meningoencephalitis, and autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy-spectrum dysautonomia. - AJ now advocates for earlier recognition, stronger patient-provider relationships, coordinated care, and greater awareness of what it is like to live with a complex autoimmune disease. ## Living Through a Medical Mystery Long before AJ received an autoimmune diagnosis, she could feel that something was wrong; however, the medical system struggled to connect the dots. Her symptoms crossed multiple specialties and affected different parts of her body, making them difficult to fit into a single explanation. Accordingly, AJ’s condition was wrongly attributed to things like [hormones and perimenopause](https://autoimmune.org/blog/hormones-perimenopause-menopause/) or stress and anxiety. Many medical professionals even tried to convince her that her symptoms were not neurological. As doctors struggled to give her answers, AJ could feel her condition worsening, disrupting her independence, career, relationships, finances, sleep, and sense of safety. Still, the biggest challenge was having to continually demonstrate that what she was experiencing was real and deserved further investigation. “I was living inside a medical mystery that was progressing faster than the people around me seemed willing to recognize,” AJ recalls.  Her story is still unfolding, but she has managed to find some clarity and pull meaningful messages from what she has gone through thus far. You can read more about AJ’s transformational journey below. ![AJ headshot](https://autoimmune.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/AJ2.jpeg "AJ") ## An Overlooked Autoimmune Clue One of the most important moments in AJ’s medical history occurred after pituitary surgery in May 2023. Approximately two months later, she tested positive for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) at a high titer of 1:320, meaning her blood had a high concentration of autoantibodies that react against the nucleus of healthy cells. This [autoimmune biomarker lab result](https://autoimmune.org/blog/autoimmune-biomarkers-labs/) was documented in her medical record along with a recommendation for rheumatology referral and evaluation. Yet, AJ says the finding was not meaningfully communicated to her, explained, or followed up at the time. “That was a missed window,” she says. “In my case, the clue was seen, written down, and then functionally abandoned.” Retrospectively, it is clear that her ANA concentration was a sign of AJ being in the [autoimmune prodrome](https://autoimmune.org/blog/autoimmune-prodrome/), the preclinical, often asymptomatic stage of autoimmune disease, but that realization didn’t hit until the symptoms started popping up. ## When Symptoms Became Impossible to Ignore About two years after that ANA test, AJ started noticing changes in her body that were directly affecting her life. Some of the most prominent symptoms were: - Migraines when she woke up each morning - [Severe fatigue](https://autoimmune.org/blog/beyond-tired-fatigue-and-autoimmune-disease/) during the day and sleep disruption at night - Cognitive dysfunction - Lower urinary tract complications - Weight loss - Shortness of breath and inexplicable feelings of panic AJ also felt significant changes in emotional regulation. She has described feeling as though her nervous system had been “hijacked,” with her stamina, clarity, independence, and ability to function changing dramatically. ### How These Symptoms Impacted Her Life Before dealing with the symptoms mentioned above, AJ had built an impressive career as a senior technology executive. Eventually, her health made it impossible for her to continue working. She remains uncertain when she will be able to return because she and her care team are still working to identify a treatment that works for her. The growing number and severity of symptoms also made it increasingly clear that looking at each problem separately was not enough. It is important to consider the broader pattern. ## Becoming Her Own Advocate Eventually, AJ realized that she could not wait for someone else to connect every piece of her medical history. While dealing with significant cognitive and physical symptoms, she began taking on the role of investigator. Some time-consuming tasks she took upon herself include: - Downloading and reading through 746 pages of her medical records - Tracking more than 50 symptoms and building detailed timelines - Comparing laboratory results - Requesting referrals and pushing for additional testing At one neurology appointment, AJ even refused to leave until brain and spine MRIs were ordered because she knew something neurological was happening—that persistence ultimately helped lead to further neurological evaluation and a broader understanding of her condition. ### Uncovering the Aforementioned ANA Result When AJ downloaded her complete 746-page medical history, she found the earlier documentation of her high-titer ANA result and the recommendation for rheumatology follow-up. “That experience taught me that understanding your own medical history is not optional when you have a complex illness. It can be lifesaving,” she says. This is ultimately what helped AJ reveal complicated patterns in her health that pointed to [autoimmunity](https://autoimmune.org/resource-center/about-autoimmunity/). ## The Fight to Find Answers After pushing for more tests and thoroughly documenting her symptoms, AJ was eventually diagnosed with [Sjögren’s disease](https://autoimmune.org/disease-information/sjogrens/) with neurological involvement, autoimmune meningoencephalitis, and autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy-spectrum dysautonomia.  ### A Summary of Her Diagnostic Journey [Getting an autoimmune disease diagnosis](https://autoimmune.org/resource-center/diagnosis-tips/) was a rather grueling process for AJ. The table below breaks down how long it took to get answers and what had to be done in the process. | **Measure** | **AJ’s Diagnostic Journey** | | --- | --- | | Time to diagnosis | 360 days | | Medical appointments | 233 | | Specialists seen | 18 | | Assessments and tests taken | 89 | | Scans carried out | 24 | | Procedures executed | 8 | | Working differentials | 8 | | Emergency room visits | 9 | | Topical books read | 18 | Those numbers illustrate the scale of the journey, but they do not fully capture its personal cost. ### The Personal Cost of Delayed Diagnosis AJ went from a high-level career to being unable to work. She has experienced financial and relational strain, disrupted sleep, changes in her independence, and significant effects on her mental and emotional well-being. To her, work was about more than a paycheck; it represented independence, purpose, competence, and a future she understood. Plus, repeatedly having to prove that her symptoms were real also affected her trust in the healthcare system. When a patient is already dealing with cognitive impairment, physical decline, fear, and uncertainty, having to organize hundreds of pages of records and repeatedly advocate for additional evaluation can become an enormous burden. AJ describes the contradiction this way: “the sicker \[a patient is], the more capable \[they] are expected to be in order to access care.” ## Facing New Challenges Although AJ’s diagnoses finally provided names for what she had been experiencing, they did not provide an immediate solution.  “Diagnosis was not the end of the journey,” AJ explains. “It was the beginning of a new phase: trying to find treatment before more damage is done.” ### The Trials and Tribulations of Treatment AJ underwent high-dose intravenous steroid treatment, but after three infusions she experienced severe neuropsychiatric and autonomic destabilization. Her psychiatrist and primary care team sent her to the emergency department with a letter explaining the seriousness of her mental state and treatment reaction. Instead of receiving the coordinated response she hoped for, AJ waited for hours, learned that no psychiatric team was available that night, and ultimately left feeling worse and less safe.  This experience reinforced that complex autoimmune disease cannot always be separated neatly into individual specialties—many aspects can intersect, including: - Neurological symptoms - Autonomic dysfunction - Mental health - Sleep - Treatment reactions - Patient safety ### Moving Forward AJ’s care team is now considering advanced immune-directed treatment options, including intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasmapheresis, rituximab, and other [new, research-backed therapies](https://autoimmune.org/blog/new-autoimmune-treatments/), which inspires hope. However, she is expecting to face hurdles regarding things like: - Prior authorization and insurance review - Specialty pharmacy coordination - Infusion scheduling For people with rare or complex autoimmune diseases, AJ and many others crave a healthcare system where access is not dependent on whether a patient’s illness fits neatly into an insurer’s categories. ## Building a Supportive Community Even though she did a lot of legwork, AJ emphasizes that she could not have made it this far in her autoimmune journey alone. She was able to [find the right medical providers](https://autoimmune.org/resource-center/finding-a-physician/)—her primary care physician and psychiatrist have been particularly important sources of support.  ### How Her Primary Care Physician and Psychiatrist Helped Rather than treating her mental health history as a reason to dismiss her physical symptoms, they recognized that her mental state could be affected by medical illness, treatment reactions, sleep deprivation, fear, and the trauma of repeatedly being dismissed. They also helped AJ navigate bureaucracy, write letters, coordinate care, and advocate for her when she could not carry the burden herself. ### Turning to Other Patients Patient communities also provided immense support. AJ recognizes that [finding support groups](https://autoimmune.org/resource-center/patient-support/support-groups/) does not replace medical care, but three things they can provide are: 1. Practical knowledge 2. Emotional validation 3. A sense of connection Talking with other autoimmune and neuroimmune patients helped AJ understand that experiences such as diagnostic delays, dysautonomia, neurological symptoms, treatment difficulties, and dismissal were not unique to her. That recognition matters when living with an illness that can be invisible to others. ![AJ enjoying life](https://autoimmune.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/AJ1.jpeg "AJ") ## Advocating for Earlier Recognition and Better Care AJ believes autoimmune awareness needs to extend beyond individual diseases because patients do not experience their illnesses in neatly separated categories. Someone with Sjögren’s disease may experience neurological symptoms, dysautonomia, bladder dysfunction, migraines, cognitive changes, fatigue, pain, or psychiatric symptoms. Another person with a different autoimmune condition may experience an entirely different combination of symptoms while facing many of the same systemic challenges. Disease-specific communities remain important because patients need recognition of the particular ways their conditions can affect them, but AJ also sees value in bringing the [various autoimmune diseases](https://autoimmune.org/disease-information/) together around shared challenges, including things like: - Delayed diagnosis - Fragmented care - Insurance barriers - Invisible symptoms - The lack of interdisciplinary thinking She believes greater awareness could help shift healthcare toward earlier recognition and intervention. ## Making the Medical Journey Easier for Others AJ encourages other patients to trust themselves, document their experiences, and remember that a doctor’s uncertainty does not necessarily mean that nothing is wrong. You can follow in her footsteps by obtaining copies of your medical records, laboratory results, imaging reports, clinical notes, referrals, and medication changes. AJ also encourages patients to ask direct questions: What diagnoses are being considered? What has been ruled out? What has not been ruled out? What evidence supports the current explanation? Could something else explain the symptoms? “You are allowed to want answers,” she says. “You are allowed to insist that your suffering be taken seriously.” Like AJ, **the Autoimmune Association** wants every patient to feel seen and heard. If you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease or believe you may have one, check out our collection of [patient resources](https://autoimmune.org/resource-center/patient-support/), which features content on getting a diagnosis, choosing a doctor, navigating insurance, and more. Additionally, you can [contact our team](https://autoimmune.org/contact-us/) if you need to be pointed in the right direction. Share this article FacebookXLinkedIn ## Join our email list Receive the latest blog articles, news, and more right to your inbox! 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[Learn More](https://autoimmune.org/blog/michelle-autoimmune-journey/) [![Autoimmune Association Image Do Not Touch](https://autoimmune.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/placeholder.jpg)](https://autoimmune.org/blog/zuha-lupus-journey/) ### [How Zuha Refused to Let Lupus Write Her Story](https://autoimmune.org/blog/zuha-lupus-journey/) October 5, 2026 [Autoimmune Heroes](https://autoimmune.org/blog/category/autoimmune-heroes/) Key Takeaways Zuha Fathima’s lupus journey began with joint pain before affecting other parts of her body and leading to lupus nephritis, hospitalizations,... [Learn More](https://autoimmune.org/blog/zuha-lupus-journey/) [![Autoimmune Association Image Do Not Touch](https://autoimmune.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/placeholder.jpg)](https://autoimmune.org/blog/aliana-ms-journey/) ### [Aliana’s Journey: Living with MS and Finding Community](https://autoimmune.org/blog/aliana-ms-journey/) July 2, 2026 [Autoimmune Heroes](https://autoimmune.org/blog/category/autoimmune-heroes/) Key Takeaways After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), Aliana discovered the value of connecting with others who understood the realities of autoimmune... [Learn More](https://autoimmune.org/blog/aliana-ms-journey/) [![Autoimmune Association Image Do Not Touch](https://autoimmune.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/placeholder.jpg)](https://autoimmune.org/blog/hillary-lupus-pots-journey/) ### [Hillary’s Journey: Living with Lupus and POTS](https://autoimmune.org/blog/hillary-lupus-pots-journey/) June 29, 2026 [Autoimmune Heroes](https://autoimmune.org/blog/category/autoimmune-heroes/) Key Takeaways Among other diseases, Hillary has been navigating severe lupus and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) for nearly two decades. Before opening... [Learn More](https://autoimmune.org/blog/hillary-lupus-pots-journey/) ## Find more resources on autoimmunity Learn more about autoimmunity, diagnosis tips, how to find a physician, and more. [Learn More](https://autoimmune.org/resource-center/) ```json {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@graph":[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/blog\/aj-autoimmune-journey\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org","name":"Autoimmune Association"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/blog\/category\/autoimmune-heroes\/","name":"Autoimmune Heroes"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/blog\/aj-autoimmune-journey\/","name":"AJ\u2019s Journey: Finding Answers After Years of Uncertainty"}}]}, {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/blog\/aj-autoimmune-journey\/#BlogPosting","url":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/blog\/aj-autoimmune-journey\/","inLanguage":"en-US","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/blog\/aj-autoimmune-journey\/","headline":"AJ\u2019s Journey: Finding Answers After Years of Uncertainty","description":"Read AJ\u2019s story of navigating complex autoimmune disease, delayed diagnosis, self-advocacy, and the search for answers and better care.","articleBody":"Key Takeaways \tAJ\u2019s journey to an autoimmune diagnosis involved progressive, multisystem symptoms, fragmented care, and clues like a high antinuclear antibody (ANA) titer that were documented but not properly communicated to her. \tAs her symptoms worsened, AJ was encouraged to become her own advocate. She reviewed hundreds of pages of her own medical records, tracked dozens of symptoms, requested referrals, and pushed for a neurological evaluation. \tShe was eventually diagnosed with Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s disease with neurological involvement, autoimmune meningoencephalitis, and autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy-spectrum dysautonomia. \tAJ now advocates for earlier recognition, stronger patient-provider relationships, coordinated care, and greater awareness of what it is like to live with a complex autoimmune disease. Living Through a Medical Mystery Long before AJ received an autoimmune diagnosis, she could feel that something was wrong; however, the medical system struggled to connect the dots. Her symptoms crossed multiple specialties and affected different parts of her body, making them difficult to fit into a single explanation. Accordingly, AJ\u2019s condition was wrongly attributed to things like hormones and perimenopause or stress and anxiety. Many medical professionals even tried to convince her that her symptoms were not neurological. As doctors struggled to give her answers, AJ could feel her condition worsening, disrupting her independence, career, relationships, finances, sleep, and sense of safety. Still, the biggest challenge was having to continually demonstrate that what she was experiencing was real and deserved further investigation. \u201cI was living inside a medical mystery that was progressing faster than the people around me seemed willing to recognize,\u201d AJ recalls.\u00a0 Her story is still unfolding, but she has managed to find some clarity and pull meaningful messages from what she has gone through thus far. You can read more about AJ\u2019s transformational journey below. An Overlooked Autoimmune Clue One of the most important moments in AJ\u2019s medical history occurred after pituitary surgery in May 2023. Approximately two months later, she tested positive for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) at a high titer of 1:320, meaning her blood had a high concentration of autoantibodies that react against the nucleus of healthy cells. This autoimmune biomarker lab result was documented in her medical record along with a recommendation for rheumatology referral and evaluation. Yet, AJ says the finding was not meaningfully communicated to her, explained, or followed up at the time. \u201cThat was a missed window,\u201d she says. \u201cIn my case, the clue was seen, written down, and then functionally abandoned.\u201d Retrospectively, it is clear that her ANA concentration was a sign of AJ being in the autoimmune prodrome, the preclinical, often asymptomatic stage of autoimmune disease, but that realization didn\u2019t hit until the symptoms started popping up. When Symptoms Became Impossible to Ignore About two years after that ANA test, AJ started noticing changes in her body that were directly affecting her life. Some of the most prominent symptoms were: \tMigraines when she woke up each morning \tSevere fatigue during the day and sleep disruption at night \tCognitive dysfunction \tLower urinary tract complications \tWeight loss \tShortness of breath and inexplicable feelings of panic AJ also felt significant changes in emotional regulation. She has described feeling as though her nervous system had been \u201chijacked,\u201d with her stamina, clarity, independence, and ability to function changing dramatically. How These Symptoms Impacted Her Life Before dealing with the symptoms mentioned above, AJ had built an impressive career as a senior technology executive. Eventually, her health made it impossible for her to continue working. She remains uncertain when she will be able to return because she and her care team are still working to identify a treatment that works for her. The growing number and severity of symptoms also made it increasingly clear that looking at each problem separately was not enough. It is important to consider the broader pattern. Becoming Her Own Advocate Eventually, AJ realized that she could not wait for someone else to connect every piece of her medical history. While dealing with significant cognitive and physical symptoms, she began taking on the role of investigator. Some time-consuming tasks she took upon herself include: \tDownloading and reading through 746 pages of her medical records \tTracking more than 50 symptoms and building detailed timelines \tComparing laboratory results \tRequesting referrals and pushing for additional testing At one neurology appointment, AJ even refused to leave until brain and spine MRIs were ordered because she knew something neurological was happening\u2014that persistence ultimately helped lead to further neurological evaluation and a broader understanding of her condition. Uncovering the Aforementioned ANA Result When AJ downloaded her complete 746-page medical history, she found the earlier documentation of her high-titer ANA result and the recommendation for rheumatology follow-up. \u201cThat experience taught me that understanding your own medical history is not optional when you have a complex illness. It can be lifesaving,\u201d she says. This is ultimately what helped AJ reveal complicated patterns in her health that pointed to autoimmunity. The Fight to Find Answers After pushing for more tests and thoroughly documenting her symptoms, AJ was eventually diagnosed with Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s disease with neurological involvement, autoimmune meningoencephalitis, and autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy-spectrum dysautonomia.\u00a0 A Summary of Her Diagnostic Journey Getting an autoimmune disease diagnosis was a rather grueling process for AJ. The table below breaks down how long it took to get answers and what had to be done in the process. Measure AJ\u2019s Diagnostic Journey Time to diagnosis 360 days Medical appointments 233 Specialists seen 18 Assessments and tests taken 89 Scans carried out 24 Procedures executed 8 Working differentials 8 Emergency room visits 9 Topical books read 18 Those numbers illustrate the scale of the journey, but they do not fully capture its personal cost. The Personal Cost of Delayed Diagnosis AJ went from a high-level career to being unable to work. She has experienced financial and relational strain, disrupted sleep, changes in her independence, and significant effects on her mental and emotional well-being. To her, work was about more than a paycheck; it represented independence, purpose, competence, and a future she understood. Plus, repeatedly having to prove that her symptoms were real also affected her trust in the healthcare system. When a patient is already dealing with cognitive impairment, physical decline, fear, and uncertainty, having to organize hundreds of pages of records and repeatedly advocate for additional evaluation can become an enormous burden. AJ describes the contradiction this way: \u201cthe sicker , the more capable are expected to be in order to access care.\u201d Facing New Challenges Although AJ\u2019s diagnoses finally provided names for what she had been experiencing, they did not provide an immediate solution.\u00a0 \u201cDiagnosis was not the end of the journey,\u201d AJ explains. \u201cIt was the beginning of a new phase: trying to find treatment before more damage is done.\u201d The Trials and Tribulations of Treatment AJ underwent high-dose intravenous steroid treatment, but after three infusions she experienced severe neuropsychiatric and autonomic destabilization. Her psychiatrist and primary care team sent her to the emergency department with a letter explaining the seriousness of her mental state and treatment reaction. Instead of receiving the coordinated response she hoped for, AJ waited for hours, learned that no psychiatric team was available that night, and ultimately left feeling worse and less safe.\u00a0 This experience reinforced that complex autoimmune disease cannot always be separated neatly into individual specialties\u2014many aspects can intersect, including: \tNeurological symptoms \tAutonomic dysfunction \tMental health \tSleep \tTreatment reactions \tPatient safety Moving Forward AJ\u2019s care team is now considering advanced immune-directed treatment options, including intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasmapheresis, rituximab, and other new, research-backed therapies, which inspires hope. However, she is expecting to face hurdles regarding things like: \tPrior authorization and insurance review \tSpecialty pharmacy coordination \tInfusion scheduling For people with rare or complex autoimmune diseases, AJ and many others crave a healthcare system where access is not dependent on whether a patient's illness fits neatly into an insurer's categories. Building a Supportive Community Even though she did a lot of legwork, AJ emphasizes that she could not have made it this far in her autoimmune journey alone. She was able to find the right medical providers\u2014her primary care physician and psychiatrist have been particularly important sources of support.\u00a0 How Her Primary Care Physician and Psychiatrist Helped Rather than treating her mental health history as a reason to dismiss her physical symptoms, they recognized that her mental state could be affected by medical illness, treatment reactions, sleep deprivation, fear, and the trauma of repeatedly being dismissed. They also helped AJ navigate bureaucracy, write letters, coordinate care, and advocate for her when she could not carry the burden herself. Turning to Other Patients Patient communities also provided immense support. AJ recognizes that finding support groups does not replace medical care, but three things they can provide are: \tPractical knowledge \tEmotional validation \tA sense of connection Talking with other autoimmune and neuroimmune patients helped AJ understand that experiences such as diagnostic delays, dysautonomia, neurological symptoms, treatment difficulties, and dismissal were not unique to her. That recognition matters when living with an illness that can be invisible to others. Advocating for Earlier Recognition and Better Care AJ believes autoimmune awareness needs to extend beyond individual diseases because patients do not experience their illnesses in neatly separated categories. Someone with Sj\u00f6gren\u2019s disease may experience neurological symptoms, dysautonomia, bladder dysfunction, migraines, cognitive changes, fatigue, pain, or psychiatric symptoms. Another person with a different autoimmune condition may experience an entirely different combination of symptoms while facing many of the same systemic challenges. Disease-specific communities remain important because patients need recognition of the particular ways their conditions can affect them, but AJ also sees value in bringing the various autoimmune diseases together around shared challenges, including things like: \tDelayed diagnosis \tFragmented care \tInsurance barriers \tInvisible symptoms \tThe lack of interdisciplinary thinking She believes greater awareness could help shift healthcare toward earlier recognition and intervention. Making the Medical Journey Easier for Others AJ encourages other patients to trust themselves, document their experiences, and remember that a doctor's uncertainty does not necessarily mean that nothing is wrong. You can follow in her footsteps by obtaining copies of your medical records, laboratory results, imaging reports, clinical notes, referrals, and medication changes. AJ also encourages patients to ask direct questions: What diagnoses are being considered? What has been ruled out? What has not been ruled out? What evidence supports the current explanation? Could something else explain the symptoms? \u201cYou are allowed to want answers,\u201d she says. \u201cYou are allowed to insist that your suffering be taken seriously.\u201d Like AJ, the Autoimmune Association wants every patient to feel seen and heard. If you have been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease or believe you may have one, check out our collection of patient resources, which features content on getting a diagnosis, choosing a doctor, navigating insurance, and more. Additionally, you can contact our team if you need to be pointed in the right direction.","datePublished":"2026-09-15T11:12:04-04:00","dateModified":"2026-10-15T10:07:41-04:00","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Autoimmune Association","url":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/about-us\/","sameAs":[],"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2ef5ea00518ec46a7f8871bae64fa9022af70986138b6564fb0646327cc72b73?s=96\u0026d=mm\u0026r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"editor":{"@type":"Person","name":"collystring","url":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/blog\/author\/collystring\/","sameAs":[],"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2ef5ea00518ec46a7f8871bae64fa9022af70986138b6564fb0646327cc72b73?s=96\u0026d=mm\u0026r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Autoimmune Association","url":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org","logo":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo-horizontal.svg"},"image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AJ2-1200x675.jpeg","width":1200,"height":675,"caption":"AJ headshot","@id":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/blog\/aj-autoimmune-journey\/#primaryimage"},{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AJ1.jpeg","width":1440,"height":1085,"caption":"AJ enjoying life"}]}, {"@type":"NGO","@id":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/#ngo","name":"Autoimmune Association","description":"The Autoimmune Association serves autoimmune patients through research, advocacy for healthcare access, and collaboration across autoimmune diseases. Founded in 1991 as the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), it now reaches over 60 countries.","url":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org","address":{"streetAddress":"19176 Hall Road, Suite 130","addressLocality":"Clinton Township","addressRegion":"MI","addressCountry":"US","postalCode":"48038"},"logo":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo-horizontal.svg","image":"https:\/\/autoimmune.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/logo-horizontal.svg","founder":"Virginia T. Ladd","foundingDate":"1991","knowsAbout":"Autoimmune disease, autoimmune research, patient advocacy","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Autoimmunity","https:\/\/x.com\/AutoimmuneAssoc","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/autoimmuneassociation\/"],"contactPoint":{"@type":"ContactPoint","contactType":"customer service","telephone":"+15867763900","email":"hello@autoimmune.org"},"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","telephone":"+15867763900","email":"hello@autoimmune.org"}]} ```