I'm recently realising I likely have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, currently going through the diagnosis but it's delayed because of COVID.

I experience a lot of pain. To list a lot of my symptoms would take far too long. Importantly, if I do too much walking I need to spend a couple days lying down and I struggle to move. I have to wear knee braces and I have IBS so struggle to go out to eat or eat with other people due to a restrictive diet because of food intolerances. I went out without my knee braces for a date two days ago because I find them embarrassing to wear, and I had to leave work early today and was limping because of the strain on my joints because I didn't listen to my body and rest.

I feel like a burden. My last partner made me feel like such a burden whenever I asked for help when I was in pain. I'd partially dislocate/subluxate my hip and not be able to walk for hours, and he'd just be irritated when I'd not be able to cook/clean and would ask him to pitch in or help me around, it's just made me feel so insecure about the whole thing. It's been a few months, I have a strong FDS mindset now, but I've had a painful flare-up today and it's just knocked the wind out of my sails. I've just started dating someone new and I'm finding it hard to feel desirable/ like a prize when I have this problem that affects my life in so many ways.