One of the things many people don’t know about me is that I have never been a big fan of medications.
Much of that stems from things I witnessed growing up and a fear of becoming dependent on drugs. Add to that the fact that many medications prescribed for chronic illnesses come with a long list of side effects—side effects that often require yet another medication to manage—and before you know it, you’re taking medication to treat the medication.
Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly eager to become a walking pharmacy.
So, about six years ago, I made the decision to stop taking the medications prescribed for my Crohn’s Disease and began trying to manage it more holistically.
Every morning started with an apple cider vinegar shot. I added turmeric and cumin to many of my meals. I incorporated natural probiotics and became much more mindful about what I was putting into my body.
Now, mindful did not necessarily mean restrictive.
I wasn’t counting calories or banning entire food groups. Instead, I became a student of my own body. I paid attention.
I learned that if I ate something hot or spicy, it was probably going to come out just as hot—if not hotter. Dairy meant I should probably stay within sprinting distance of a bathroom. Caffeine often resulted in mysterious rashes and bumps appearing out of nowhere.
Early on in my Crohn’s journey, I also tried a low-carb diet. Let’s just say I learned the hard way about hypoglycemia. That was fun.
Not.
I also tried the keto diet at one point, and let me tell you—that was an epic fail.
I mean, I went all in with that idea. I bought countless books, created an entire Facebook page dedicated to my keto journey, and invited friends and family members to follow along. I shared recipes, posted pictures of meals I prepared, and enthusiastically discussed all things keto.
First of all, I have been a pescatarian my entire life, so my options were limited from the start. Second, and perhaps more importantly, keto did nothing but aggravate the digestive system of someone with Crohn’s Disease who was already battling malnutrition.
Looking back, part of me feels a little foolish. I probably should have known better. But another part of me recognizes that when you’re desperate to feel better, you’ll try almost anything.
Chronic illness has a funny way of making hope outweigh common sense.
Needless to say, keto and I broke up rather quickly.
And honestly, I don’t regret trying. Every failed experiment taught me something about my body.
Besides, if we can’t laugh at ourselves occasionally, what are we even doing?
We can dive deeper into that another day.
Over time, something remarkable happened.
My Crohn’s symptoms improved significantly. Eventually, I reached a point where my Crohn’s Disease entered remission.
For a while, I thought I had finally figured this chronic illness thing out.
Then Myasthenia Gravis showed up and changed everything.
One day, the apple cider vinegar shots that I had faithfully taken for years suddenly began causing severe spasms in my throat. The spasms would close off my airway, making it impossible to breathe.
The first time it happened scared the piss out of me—literally.
At the time, I had no idea what was happening. Later, I learned that the reaction was likely related to Myasthenia Gravis and the bulbar symptoms affecting my throat muscles.
Suddenly, many of the holistic measures that had helped me manage Crohn’s were no longer options.
And unlike my Crohn’s Disease, Myasthenia Gravis was not responding to holistic treatments alone.
That was a difficult realization for someone who desperately wanted natural remedies to be enough.
What I have learned is that healing doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing.
For me, the answer has become a combination of traditional medicine and complementary therapies.
One therapy that made a tremendous difference was acupuncture. With MG-related neck weakness, there were days when my head felt like a bowling ball sitting on top of a toothpick. The fatigue and heaviness were overwhelming.
I also began seeing a chiropractor.
Shout out to Dr. Alyssa, because there were times she quite literally snapped me back into place and helped me make it through another week. Anyone living with chronic illness knows that simply making it through the week can sometimes feel like an Olympic sport.
While acupuncture and chiropractic treatments helped with the muscle fatigue and neck weakness, they did very little to improve what had become my biggest concern—my breathing.
Reluctantly, I agreed to begin Rystiggo treatments for my Myasthenia Gravis.
If I’m being honest, it wasn’t an easy decision.
After spending years trying to manage my health as naturally as possible, accepting that I needed a medication—especially one requiring weekly infusions—felt like admitting defeat.
But it wasn’t defeat.
It was adaptation.
And in many ways, starting Rystiggo gave me something I hadn’t had in a very long time: the ability to breathe more easily.
My journey has taught me that there is no universal roadmap for chronic illness. Some people thrive with medications alone. Others find relief through complementary therapies. Many of us exist somewhere in the middle, blending conventional medicine with holistic approaches in whatever way allows us to live our best lives.
What matters most is finding what works for your body, working closely with your healthcare team, and remembering that changing course when your body changes is not failure—it’s adaptation.
Because chronic illness has a way of constantly rewriting the rules, and we learn to adapt right alongside it.
💭 Questions for Readers
💜 Have you incorporated any holistic or complementary therapies into your chronic illness journey?
💜 What treatments or lifestyle changes have made the biggest difference for you?
I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.
⚠️ Important Note
This post reflects my personal experience living with Crohn’s Disease and MuSK+ Myasthenia Gravis. What works for me may not work for someone else. Always discuss treatment decisions or complementary therapies with your healthcare team before making changes to your care plan.
Thank you for taking the time to read this entry from The Dual Diagnosis Diaries. Whether you are living with chronic illness, loving someone who is, or simply seeking to understand, I appreciate you being here.
My hope is that by sharing my journey openly and honestly, others will feel less alone in theirs. Chronic illness can be isolating, but none of us should have to walk this journey alone.
Until next time, continue advocating for yourself, extending grace to your body, and finding strength in the moments between the struggles.
Founder • Author • Advocate • Future Wellness Coach
Kia Lorice
The Dual Diagnosis Diaries 💜
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