--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: EDS is a scary and challenging diagnosis…" description: "\"“EDS is a scary and challenging diagnosis, but the consequences of not knowing are far greater than that of a correct diagnosis. EDS symptoms can range..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/michael-bihovsky-42694_chronic-illness_eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis_3190818.jpg" --- # EDS is a scary and challenging diagnosis, but the… ![“EDS is a scary and challenging diagnosis, but the consequences of not knowing are far greater than that of a correct diagnosis. EDS symptoms can range from the very mild to the extremely severe. One thing is certain, though: If I had received a diagnosis back when my symptoms were mild, I would be…” quote by Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/michael-bihovsky-42694_chronic-illness_eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis_3190818.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/michael-bihovsky-42694_chronic-illness_eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis_3190818.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/michael-bihovsky-42694_chronic-illness_eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis_3190818.jpg) > ““EDS is a scary and challenging diagnosis, but the consequences of not knowing are far greater than that of a correct diagnosis. EDS symptoms can range from the very mild to the extremely severe. One thing is certain, though: If I had received a diagnosis back when my symptoms were mild, I would be living a very different life now. Every single day, in my struggle to actualize the person I still can be, I cannot help but mourn the person I could have been.”” [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being diagnosed early with a serious condition can dramatically change life outcomes, while delayed diagnosis leads to missed opportunities and regret. **In simple terms:** Early diagnosis changes life; late diagnosis causes regret. Key Takeaway Seek timely medical evaluation. Themes health self-awareness regret Mood reflective somber Type personal cautionary When to use this quote - medical appointments - genetic counseling - support groups - career planning Key Concepts diagnosis early intervention life trajectory Questions to Reflect On - How might earlier testing have altered your path? - What barriers delay diagnosis? A Different Perspective Late diagnosis may not always be preventable due to symptom ambiguity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chronic illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chronic-illness/) [Chronic-illness-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chronic-illness-quotes-32397/) [Diagnosis Consequences](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diagnosis-consequences-5884140/) [Diagnosis Eds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diagnosis-eds-5884138/) [Diagnosis Symptoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diagnosis-symptoms-5884141/) [Different life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-life/) [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Disability-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability-quotes/) [Eds Scary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eds-scary-5884139/) [Eds Symptoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eds-symptoms-5884137/) [Ehlers-danlos-syndrome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ehlers-danlos-syndrome/) [Every single day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-single-day/) [Invisible-illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invisible-illness/) [Patients](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patients/) ## Related quotes > [“Every EDS patient knows that one of the hardest parts of our day is the moment we open our eyes and waken into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/every-eds-patient-knows-that-one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-our-day-is/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“Every EDS patient knows that one of the hardest parts of our day is the moment we open our eyes and waken into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/every-eds-patient-knows-that-one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-our-day-is-2/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“Pushing our pain aside...diminishes our human experience.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cindee-snider-re/pushing-our-pain-aside-diminishes-our-human-experience/) [Cindee Snider Re](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cindee-snider-re/) ## More by Michael Bihovsky > [“Every EDS patient knows that one of the hardest parts of our day is the moment we open our eyes and waken into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/every-eds-patient-knows-that-one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-our-day-is/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“We EDS patients are accustomed to being doctors’ first cases of something in virtually every medical specialty. We’re just as used to being dismissed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/we-eds-patients-are-accustomed-to-being-doctors-first-cases-of/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“When a surgeon refuses to operate on you because it’s dangerous and unethical, you have no options. Just 'Here’s one more permanent loss to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/when-a-surgeon-refuses-to-operate-on-you-because-it-s-dangerous-and/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“Usually I take this opportunity to say something inspiring, about how my illness has changed me for the better and given me a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/usually-i-take-this-opportunity-to-say-something-inspiring-about-how/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“My doctors, who are not cavalier with prescriptions, give me this medication because I have earned their trust. And yet, with mounting government and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/my-doctors-who-are-not-cavalier-with-prescriptions-give-me-this/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“We liberals and progressives need to do a better job at verbalizing what we are for, and not just what we are against. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/we-liberals-and-progressives-need-to-do-a-better-job-at-verbalizing/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“We have a genuine and devastating epidemic of opiate abuse in this country, and it is of critical importance that this problem be addressed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/we-have-a-genuine-and-devastating-epidemic-of-opiate-abuse-in-this/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“Every EDS patient knows that one of the hardest parts of our day is the moment we open our eyes and waken into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/every-eds-patient-knows-that-one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-our-day-is-2/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“Since my symptoms began 13 years ago, I’ve tried every form of pain management I could access — NSAIDS, nonopioid analgesics, neurologic medications, acupuncture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/since-my-symptoms-began-13-years-ago-i-ve-tried-every-form-of-pain/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) [Explore all 10 Michael Bihovsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) ## More Chronic illness quotes > [“Every EDS patient knows that one of the hardest parts of our day is the moment we open our eyes and waken into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/every-eds-patient-knows-that-one-of-the-hardest-parts-of-our-day-is/) [Michael Bihovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/) > [“Behind every stressful thought is the desire for things to be other than they are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bernhard/behind-every-stressful-thought-is-the-desire-for-things-to-be-other/) [Toni Bernhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bernhard/) > [“Mental illness People assume you aren’t sick unless they see the sickness on your skin like scars forming a map of all the ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emm-roy/mental-illness-people-assume-you-aren-t-sick-unless-they-see-the/) [Emm Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emm-roy/) > [The vast knowledge we have to prevent cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses is staggering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/the-vast-knowledge-we-have-to-prevent-cancer-heart-disease-and-other/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [“Listen, I wanted to say, I don't need your judgment, okay? I have enough to deal with without you contributing, so can we just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-verdi/listen-i-wanted-to-say-i-don-t-need-your-judgment-okay-i-have-enough/) [Jessica Verdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-verdi/) > [If you're recovering from surgery or need long term care for a chronic illness or you have a loved one facing a similar situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john/if-you-re-recovering-from-surgery-or-need-long-term-care-for-a/) [John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john/) > [“Before I knew it, I was racing across the highway. For the first time in my life, I didn’t know what to think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-todd-hammer/before-i-knew-it-i-was-racing-across-the-highway-for-the-first-time/) [Sarah Todd Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-todd-hammer/) > [“Waiting for a late friend. Waiting in line at the movies. Waiting for the phone to ring. Waiting for the mail. Waiting at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyo-maclear/waiting-for-a-late-friend-waiting-in-line-at-the-movies-waiting-for/) [Kyo Maclear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyo-maclear/) > [Addiction is a chronic disease of the brain and it's one that we have to treat the way we would any other chronic illness:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivek-murthy/addiction-is-a-chronic-disease-of-the-brain-and-it-s-one-that-we-have/) [Vivek Murthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivek-murthy/) > [“That’s the point. This healthy-feeling time now just feels like a tease. Like I’m in this holding pattern, flying in smooth circles within sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-verdi/that-s-the-point-this-healthy-feeling-time-now-just-feels-like-a/) [Jessica Verdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-verdi/) > [“We don’t always have a lot of control over our circumstances. Nobody purposely chooses financial ruin or chronic illness. But we can choose to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramon-presson/we-don-t-always-have-a-lot-of-control-over-our-circumstances-nobody/) [Ramon Presson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramon-presson/) > [“Physiological stress, then, is the link between personality traits and disease. Certain traits — otherwise known as coping styles — magnify the risk for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/physiological-stress-then-is-the-link-between-personality-traits-and/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [“Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disabling condition characterized by severe unexplained fatigue and a mixed profile of symptoms such as sore throat,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-a-jason/myalgic-encephalomyelitis-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-me-cfs-is-a/) [Leonard A. Jason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-a-jason/) > [ “ME/CFS has a greater negative impact on functional status and well-being than other chronic diseases, e.g., cancer or lung diseases\[8\], and is associated with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-twisk/me-cfs-has-a-greater-negative-impact-on-functional-status-and-well/) [Frank Twisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-twisk/) > [My son, Sam, is 15 years old, and he's been a diabetic since he was 2. When you're a parent of a child with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-millard/my-son-sam-is-15-years-old-and-he-s-been-a-diabetic-since-he-was-2/) [Bart Millard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-millard/) [Browse all 120 Chronic illness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chronic-illness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“EDS is a scary and challenging diagnosis, but the consequences of not knowing are far greater than that of a correct diagnosis. EDS symptoms can range from the very mild to the extremely severe. One thing is certain, though: If I had received a diagnosis back when my symptoms were mild, I would be living a very different life now. Every single day, in my struggle to actualize the person I still can be, I cannot help but mourn the person I could have been.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Bihovsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis-but-the-consequences-of-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Chronic illness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis-but-the-consequences-of-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/michael-bihovsky-42694_chronic-illness_eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis_3190818.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/michael-bihovsky-42694_chronic-illness_eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis_3190818.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e53/michael-bihovsky-42694_chronic-illness_eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis_3190818.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“EDS is a scary and challenging diagnosis, but the consequences of not knowing are far greater than that of a…” — Michael Bihovsky", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Bihovsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bihovsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“EDS is a scary and challenging...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis-but-the-consequences-of-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bihovsky/eds-is-a-scary-and-challenging-diagnosis-but-the-consequences-of-not/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```