10 Things to Know If You’re Newly Diagnosed with Chronic Illness

Because apparently, no one gives you a user manual.

So you’ve just been diagnosed with a chronic illness. Welcome to a club you didn’t sign up for. Here you are with a new label, possibly a new pile of prescriptions, and a whole bunch of questions that Google and Reddit are probably making worse.

Managing chronic illness in Las Vegas comes with its own set of challenges; insurance drama, pharmacy shortages, finding doctors who actually listen. Chronic illness is confusing and exhausting. There’s also a massive shortage of medical providers in the city, which is frustrating when you’re trying to find a rheumatologist, neurologist, or another specialist who accepts your insurance. There are things nobody tells you, like how weirdly territorial insurance companies are or how hard it is to explain fatigue without sounding lazy.
Here are some things I wish someone would’ve told me at the beginning of my journey.

1. Choose your pharmacy like your life depends on it—because sometimes it kind of does.

You’ll be dealing with prescriptions more often now, and not just one-time things. Refill delays, out-of-stock meds, prior authorizations… it can all add up fast. Big-name chains like CVS or Walgreens tend to offer less support when something goes wrong. If your prescription is out of stock, they’ll probably just send a notification that it’s out of stock. Sometimes they won’t tell you at all. If you're managing chronic illness in Las Vegas, smaller local pharmacies or grocery store pharmacies tend to offer better service—and they’ll actually call your doctor or offer alternatives when meds are backordered. A good pharmacy can save you a lot of headaches. My personal recommendation if you live in NW Las Vegas or Centennial Hills: Sav-On Pharmacy off of Deer Springs and Hualapai.

2. Your energy is now a non-renewable resource.

Pacing yourself isn’t weakness; it’s wisdom. You might need more breaks or more sleep. You might even need to cancel plans last-minute. Let go of the pressure to “keep up” with your old life. You’re not falling behind; you’re adapting and adjusting. Something I often tell my clients is “just because you could do it in the past, doesn’t mean you can do it now or in the future.

3. “No” is a full sentence, and you don’t need a PowerPoint to back it up.

You don’t need to give a long, guilt-ridden explanation about why you can’t go out, take on an extra task, or join that group hike.
“Not today” works just fine. So does “Thanks for inviting me, but I’ll pass this time.”
Boundaries are survival tools, not selfishness. Normalize saying no without the follow-up guilt spiral.

Normalize saying no without the follow-up guilt spiral.

4. Keep a symptom log

Brain fog is real, and it’s rude. You’ll forget what day your symptoms started or which med made your stomach weird. A notes app, a journal, even voice memos—just something to track what’s going on.
Trust me, future-you will appreciate it at your next appointment!

5. Find one doctor who gives a shit about you

Ideally, all of your doctors would give a shit about you and not make you feel like a burden. But unfortunately, this just isn’t reality.
You need someone who listens, doesn’t treat you like a Google-obsessed hypochondriac, and actually reads your chart. If you’re navigating chronic illness care in Las Vegas, there are providers out there who get it—you just might have to do some digging.
It’s completely okay to get second opinions or fire your doctor if they’re making your life worse instead of better.

At Wandering Pine Wellness, we get it. And we’d love to be the providers who give a shit about you. Read more about our approach to chronic illness here: wanderingpinewellness.com/chronicillness

*I’m adding a caveat to this one: make sure you have a backup and/or schedule an appointment with a new provider before you fire one.

6. You’re going to be filling out a lot of paperwork

Prior authorizations. FMLA. Insurance claims. Medical records requests. New patient intakes. It’s a lot. Set up a folder—digital or physical—and keep things in one place. You’ll thank yourself later when you need to reference something quickly. You’ll need it more often than you think. I also recommend keeping a running list of your medications that you can print out, copy/paste, or “attach” to your client intake forms when you visit a new provider. It’s a huge pain to type or write out all of your medication, dosage, etc. each time you see a new provider.

7. Grief might sneak up on you, and that’s normal.

You might cry about something random like not being able to go grocery shopping alone anymore. It’s part of the process. You’re not just managing symptoms, you’re mourning the version of life you thought you’d have. Musician Patrick Droney describes grief like glitter, and I think this is the perfect metaphor for it. You might think you’ve cleaned it all up, but you end up finding pieces of it in your car, months (or even years) later.

8. Get yourself some chronically ill internet friends.

There is a whole world of memes, vent posts, and strangely specific advice out there.
People who get it without needing a full backstory. Facebook groups, Reddit threads, Discord chats—whatever works for you.
If you're looking for in-person support, there are also some chronic illness support groups in Las Vegas worth checking out.
It was a Facebook group that helped me prepare for surgery better than my own doctor could—they helped set realistic expectations based on their own experiences.

9. Assistive tools are not a sign of defeat.

It’s not cheating to use mobility aids, pill organizers, heating pads, compression stockings, etc. You are not “failing” because you need help. You are living smarter, not harder. Anyone who side-eyes your shower chair can fuck off.

10. You can go to someone’s house and not lift a finger.

Just because you used to jump in and help with dishes or volunteer to help cook doesn’t mean you still can—or should. It’s 100% acceptable to sit down and simply be a guest. You’re not being rude. You’re being chronically ill. Don’t let your fear of looking “rude” stop you from enjoying time with people you care about.

Final thoughts

Whether you’re living with chronic illness in Las Vegas or anywhere else, know this—you are not alone. You’re allowed to take care of yourself without apology.

Our chronic illness experts: Gina Romero