Doctor Reacts To Try Guys | Zach's Mysterious Illness

Zach Kornfeld from The Try Guys suffers from an autoimmune disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis. I realize it's a mouthful, so today I decided to react to a couple videos Zach as posted on the Try Guys channel as well as back on the Buzzfeed channel about his medical journey dealing with chronic pain, his experience with the medical system, and the reality of living with the disease to this day. We also discuss inflammation, Scoliosis, MRIs, Humira, physical therapy, Are there any other Try Guys videos you'd like me to react to? Let me know down in the comments if Ned, Eugene, Keith, or Zach has done anything else you'd like me to talk about!

I LOVE reading your comments and take your suggestions seriously. If there’s a subject you want me to discuss or something you’d like for me to react to, leave a comment down below. Many of my videos have been born out of suggestions directly from you, so don’t hold back!
-Doctor Mike Varshavski

ZACH'S VIDEOS

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* Select photos/videos provided by Getty Images *

** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional **

[LeilaDancer]

"We treat patients, not lab values" should be said by a lot more doctors.

[aaaaaaaabre]

"We treat patients, not lab results"
As a clinical chemist, I cannot stress enough how many times I have had this argument with certain physicians, which is extremely concerning in itself.

[twilightgirl]

I've been sick for 11 years now and I can't tell you how many times I have heard your labs are fine so you're perfectly healthy. Whenever I pushed they would just tell me it was all in my head or I just was doing it for attention. Alot of time has been wasted because of this, we need more doctors with Dr. Mike's mindset

[husseneluis]

Zach: "i had really bad back pain basically my entire life!"

Doc Mike: (enthusiastically)"Perfect!"

[kidney]

I'm really glad he was eventually referred to a rheumatologist that was actually to diagnose him. Knowing that you have an illness that cannot be diagnosed must be incredibly scary.

[unforgrettable]

I teared up when he said: "We treat patients, not lab values." It is always disheartening when a doctor tells you that you are perfectly fine based on numbers but you still have pain. It makes you feel crazy. It makes you feel like you're making a big deal out of nothing. It makes you feel like they're telling you to shut up and quit wasting their time.

[IraSpain]

As a woman, my experience with doctors when it comes to pain, is also the "nothing to see here - pain is normal" experience. Especially when it is an unreasonable amount of pain that is related to your menstruation - doctors would not even check if there was something wrong, just give me more painkillers. And when I fainted because of the pain, the thing I heard most was "that is not possible". Like, my friend brought me to the hospital because I feel face first into the table, but sure, I am imagining all of this!

[paw_prints_in_the_paddock]

Many thanks for reinforcing the importance of doctor transparency, especially when we as patients are already apprehensive and anxious. Very few things in life are worse than suspecting a physician is "sugar-coating" or holding back information. That heightens the anxiety a hundred-fold. Maintaining trust in the provider-patient relationship is definitely way more important and helpful in the long-run.

[Accio_Eloise]

I cried watching Zack's video when he released it. I have so much sympathy for him. but MY GOD did he use his platform well to get this information out there. It teaches people not to ignore their ailments and that medication and physio is not a quick fix. You have to work if you want to feel better. I loved it.

[justcallmejessz]

The thing about pain is it demands to be felt.

You never get used to pain. Ever. You get used to being in pain. It's not the same. It's exhausting. It hurts.

[kittyandrews]

Currently recovering from a radical hysterectomy due to “being dramatic, ” “depression, ” and “not exercising enough.” According to my other doctors the diagnoses are actually pronounced “endometriosis, ” “endometriomas, ” and “Adenomyosis.” My test results and scans mostly looked normal. Until I happened to have an abdominal ultrasound with several 9/10cm cysts there was nothing solid and so nothing was “real.” Open me up to find complete obliteration of my abdominal cavity. One month before my wedding and the possibility of having children was suddenly a pipe dream. Now, just over 6 years later and the fight is over, not even embryo adoption a possibility. Just the hope of less pain and better quality of life. My labs look great though.

[kittykatgaming]

I’m a female, and have Ankylosing Spondylitis as well. It’s rare as a female and wasn’t diagnosed until I was 32. It’s so painful and it really sucks. I feel so much for him.

[shannoncleveland]

As someone who lives with fibromyalgia, I totally get where Zach was coming from. Chronic pain is miserable, and though there are varying levels of it I think those of us who live with it can all relate. It's lonely, scary, fatiguing, makes communication difficult to those without it. I'm glad Zach talked about his story because the more people recognize chronic pain as not just an "older persons issue" the easier it will be on us. I have an invisible illness and disability within a 26 year olds body. Don't judge me, hear me

[hamsanandini]

His hips are almost completely fused. He's been quite transparent in his recovery, you should check out his other videos about this.

[Abbyj]

I went to the ED a few years ago with pain on the left side of my face, the dr at the time told me and I quote “stop wasting our time, you’re a DRUG SEEKER and there is nothing wrong with you, go home.” (I don’t use drugs)
The pain persisted and refused to go away but I was convinced there was nothing wrong with me because a doctor told me so. A couple weeks later of this pain every day and I had enough, I saw a different doctor and she referred me to have an MRI scan on my head. They found one of the blood vessels behind my ear had lopped itself around a nerve and each time the vessel pumped blood it was hitting the Trigeminal nerve and causing the connected nerves down my face to be affected . I was diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia and was scheduled to have the MVD procedure.
Always get a second opinion!

[cd]

My grandmother always said “if you don’t move you will get old”. There’s a lot to unpack in that small sentence but as I’ve aged into my 30s I’m already seeing how right she is about being active to have energy and strength. She lived to be 96.

[oscargill]

"We treat patients, not lab values." This hits harder than I think it should.

[jerritbaker]

As someone with AS, it's encouraging to see the disease talked about. The condition really makes you feel isolated. On the outside we often look fine, when in reality we are often struggling daily. Like Zach said, since treatment, I've been ok. But our definition of okay is different than that of many. We have baselines of pain. We are fatigued constantly. The person I once was I consider dead. Accepting who you were physically, mentally, and even emotionally is someone that you may never see again is heartbreaking, but almost necessary to carry on

[sinclari]

I hope the buzzfeed guys see this. Validation for chronic illness feels like (at least for me) is really important.

[niharika]

As someone with fibromyalgia, that took a long time to diagnose, who heard a lot of “nothing’s wrong, you’re good” from a lot of doctors, I’m so glad to you made this video