"ELLER'S WHAT??" It was after yet another painful, failed, physical therapy attempt that my observant naturopath said, "I think you may have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome."   

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EDS is a largely unknown (but far more common), genetic connective tissue disorder. I was diagnosed after decades of suffering constant pain and the added grief that resuls from multiple misdiagnoses, ill-matched therapies, and incurious doctors.  Learning in July, 2020, that I have EDS was an amazing moment, as I'd been without answers, bouncing from doctor to doctor, for over twenty years. 

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EDS is a group of syndromes (13) which are genetic, heritable connective tissue disorders. Each type has its own set of features, but some features may be seen across all types:

       * Joint hypermobility - leads to sprains, injury, dislocation; join instability can cause acute and chronic pain.

       * Hyperextensive skin - can be stretched farther than usual; soft skin, easily bruised, slow to heal.

       * Tissue fragility - body's organs and other structures more vulnerable to damage; poor wound healing.

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EDS explains my being prone to accidents (poor proprioception), the random bruises, the weak and easily sprained ankles, the slow healing, and the strange pain unresponsive to over the counter medication. EDS and its comorbidities explain why I can't keep up energy-wise with my peers, why exercise is so difficult, sports impossible, and why this this brain of mine struggles in conversation. 

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The EDS patient usually has a host of other conditions that tag along, like POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS). I am no exception... in fact, I am discovering that MCAS is probably the greater issue I deal with on a day by day basis, and something I am trying to better understand/manage. It has its own list of insidious symptoms affecting all parts of the body, as mast cells are everywhere... Despite these conditions, those with EDS can look perfectly fine. They often have soft skin which makes them look younger. I so often hear, "You look great!"  when I feel quite the opposite!

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Ehlers-Danlos sufferers are called Zebras...

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Have you seen a Zebra?