Autoimmune Fatigue: Closing a Major Gap in Patient Care

presented by Dr. Alison Danby, ND

Autoimmune disease is rapidly increasing, and fatigue remains the number one concern for people living with autoimmune conditions. It is also one of the most commonly gaslit symptoms in the medical community. Autoimmune fatigue is fundamentally different from regular fatigue and requires a different clinical approach. Yet many clients continue to experience profound exhaustion that is misunderstood, minimized, or left unaddressed, even when other aspects of disease management appear stable. In this talk, we explore why autoimmune fatigue is so frequently overlooked, how this contributes to medical gaslighting, and why addressing it can lead to meaningful improvements in quality of life. We will examine key, often-missed contributors to autoimmune fatigue, review the evidence behind them, and discuss practical strategies clinicians can use to support recovery. Learning Objectives:

• Explain why autoimmune fatigue is one of the most commonly gaslit symptoms in autoimmune care.
• Differentiate autoimmune fatigue from general fatigue and understand why it requires a distinct clinical approach.
• Recognize commonly overlooked contributors to autoimmune fatigue supported by current evidence.
• Apply an evidence-informed framework for assessing fatigue in autoimmune clients.
• Implement practical strategies to support autoimmune fatigue that can be used immediately in clinical practice.