Do you find that people, specifically at your work, just don't take you that seriously vs when people are just sick?

I have a condition similar to RA, that causes me daily pain and fatigue, amongst MANY other things (literally affects every part of me). It causes chronic fatigue, iritis (inflammation in the eyes, which in turn causes eye aches), headaches, neck aches, back ache, hip ache (in advanced cases it causes the spine, neck and sometimes rib bones to fuse). It also causes issues with your organs, in my case it causes liver damage. It causes regular nausea, anemia, arthritis (for me, specifically in my thumbs), hair loss, occasional insomnia.

Because it causes inflammation in the body it also causes stomach issues occasionally and even high acidity (my knees get so sorry and stiff at night). It's a serious illness, with no cure and the only treatments are either painkillers (my dad is on schedule 7 painkillers) or chemotherapy, basically.

I battle to get through the day and I'm lucky that I work from home so I can manage it. But it's a battle. I'm exhausted and often spend my lunch hour napping.

Anyway, this is what I live with and I find that when people have the flu or the stomach bug or something at work, even just the cold, people are all over them and basically making out as if they're dying. My manager currently has glandular fever and my boss was like, she's really sick.

Every time someone is sick and the people just go on and in and pity them and ask how can they help, it's kind of like... I'm sick every day...

I know it's not a competition, and I don't want people to not feel well, but their actions made me wonder if this is something people with chronic illness experience often, or is it just my company?

*Edit*

I will say my manager, who has been experiencing fatigue with her glandular fever, has said she doesn't know how I manage now that she's had a taste of what I go through.

@Desiree that's terrible of your boss. Sorry.

@Sarah you're very lucky to have a supportive team.

@jojo well spotted. Not many people know about AS though which is why I didn't mention it. But well done indeed. I am not taking any medications because I don't want to start on them early on (I'm only 33).

@Rachel I can still work, I won't qualify for disability yet.

@M it's work.

@Jade, that's really scary. Sorry you went through that.

@H that's also really nice of your company. Some of you guys work for really nice places.

@Meh there's really not much more tha can be done unless I go down the biologics / heavy painkillers route (which I don't at my age).