Lmst

Salty watercolor painting, glow wispy 2, glow wispy 1, and glow brush paintings of a brain having a grand mal seizure in Sketchbook
#Sketchbook #watercolor #watercolorpainting #seizureawareness #seizure #epilepsyawareness #epilepsy #medicalart #mixedmedia

Symptom: POTS Blood Pooling (+ Migraine) & Coat Hanger Pain

https://www.illmarks.com/symptom-pots-blood-pooling-coat-hanger-pain/

#art #bloodPooling #bloodpooling #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #bodymapping #cardiology #chronicIllness #chronicIllness #coatHangerPain #coathangerpain #Dysautonomia #headache #longCovid #longcovid #maskUp #mecfs #medArt #medart #medical #medicalArt #medicine #migraine #MillionsMissing #neurology #posturalOrthostaticTachycardiaSyndrome #POTS #pwLC #pwme #SaltingTheVibes #SciArt

The figure in the manila bookmark faces away from us. in their upper back and neck, where the coat hanger would be on a jacket hung up, radiated concentric dark red-purple rings pulsing outward in varying topographical levels of ouch. in their lower legs are large clunky so dark green they're almost black metallic geometric shapes which fill and overtake their lower legs, heels, ankles, and feet. The same is happeneing in their head, a jagged shape becomes their head, and a sharp triangle pierces inward. other angular geometric shapes dance just outside. The rest of the body is partially rendered in dark periwinkle curving shapes. the lower back and tail bone are both highlighted with rings inside them.

2025 September & October: So tired of this same MCAS nightmare

https://www.illmarks.com/2025-september-october-so-tired-of-this-same-mcas-nightmare/

#Allergies #art #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #bodyhorror #bodymapping #buildingbiology #chemicallysensitive #chronicIllness #chronicIllness #GI #immunology #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastcell #mastcellactivationsyndrome #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #pwLC #pwme

the figure on the manila anatomical bookmark is drawn roughly in dark green, dry thick ink. Their GI track is fully rendered, while their skin is partially, with areas of high contact with the outside world or other points of high sensitivity highlighted. their head is haloed in a giant ring of many many giant thick rods pushing inward. their face is both agonized and resigned. the page has water droplets (rain? tears?) on it, which have hit the ink and made it lighter green-brown (like moss) and green-blue (like sea glass) in places.

Symptom: Environmental Mast Cell Activation Syndrome Hypothesis – Mold

https://www.illmarks.com/symptom-enviro-mcas-hypothesis-mold/

#allergy #art #blackmold #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #buildingBiology #buildingbiology #chronicIllness #evironmental #fountainPen #fountainpen #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastCellDisease #mastcell #mcas #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #pnw #pwLC #pwme

the figure in the manila bookmark is roughly sketched over layers of green brown blue , well, moldy looking ink. the ink is watery and blends together and covers the bookmark, spilling out over the page and blobbing together in organic shapes. over top, the sketched figure makes an anguished face. their head is burst open and squiggles rain out , which bleed wet with the 'moldy' page.

Glow cross, glow brush, and glow neon painting of the nervous system sending rapid messages back to the brain in Sketchbook
#Sketchbook #nervoussystem #medicalart #neon

The nervous system is sending rapid messages back to the brain

Sneak peek of a little something 😜

@illmarks

#MedArt #SciArt #MedicalArt #DisabilityArt #DisabilityJustice

2025-8-22 Almost a week out of the house stopped me from getting worse, but healing is SO SLOW

The MCAS Environmental Exposure Nightmare Continues

https://www.illmarks.com/2025-8-22-almost-a-week-out-of-the-house-stopped-me-from-getting-worse-but-healing-is-so-slow/

#art #autoimmune #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #chronicIllness #environmental #inktober #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastcell #mcas #medart #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #pwLC #pwme #SciArt

the figure is divided horizontally. The top half contains scratchy dark ink outlines of a head shoulders and Face the Head and eye areas are especially dark as though somewhat bruised or banged up. The inside of the chest cavity is filled with red zigzagging textures and the throat Area as well as three offcasting drops contain dark green mucous. Below the horizontal division the feet have roots and up from them grow Beautiful dark blue purple undulating tropical plants and ferns rise and bloom filling up the body, the arms are filled with a similar ink color pink are within these areas and the person stands on pink land. This area is labeled expectation. The top area is labeled reality. A harsh contrast.

New Job Title Unlocked: Plague Artist !

Thank you so much everyone. To celebrate, here's some fun:

During quarantine I took self portraits in various costumes & disguises, since I didn't have access to other models. This was one of those shoots (this one had photo assist from my partner since I needed two hands for shadows 🩸 ♥️ ). @illmarks

#altText #altTextArt #PhotographyArt #SelfPortrait #MedicalArt #HorrorArt #Lighting #Chiaroscuro #PlagueDoctor

extreme close up high contrast photograph of a plague doctor in a white mask and black hat, and cloak. they hold, with black leather gloves peeking out from behind long dark sleeves, an old test tube full of dark red liquid. the lighting is cold sharp white-blue and there are sharp shadows cast on them and behind them.

wider shot, the plague doctor looks up at the vial of dark red liquid, which is silhouetted and framed by their own shadows. there are many layers of darkness, first their costume, then their shadows and the light's fignette, then architectural shadows from the edges of the frame, which give us a voyeuristic angle -- are we watching while hiding from the plague doctor? or are we a patient, but other objects... or equipment... are limiting our field of view?

the plague doctor dramatically brings a hand up and over the test tube of red liquid as if to lift the corked cap from it. a sharp line of light cuts vertically behind the plague doctor at an angle. the shadows of their hands are abstract and haunting on the walls. the vial's yellow label around the brim looks especially like a warning now that the promise of it being opened it upon us

the plague doctor turns towards us slightly. at the bottom of the frame are a handful of flowered herbs, vaguely like lavender. their shadow shows their beak and the herbs, slightly softer than previous images. the slightly less threatening nature of this image is... are these flowering herbs a more gentle treatment because things are going well? or... condolences?

Symptom: Arthralgia and Arthritis

I need to pick a “job title” to describe the work I do here. I initially tried to make a poll with a plug in, but alas it didn’t work the way I hoped.

Here are some of the options I’m considering. Feel free to reply/comment with any or suggest your own!:

Health & Care Advocacy Designer
Mast Cell Artist Syndrome
Chronically ill-ustrating Health Advocacy
Plague Artist

Rejected (not great for professional use) options that I’ll share with you because I love you, but don’t tell my PCP about any of these, k?

Notorious Self-Diagnoser
Health Insurance Reform Enthusiast
Creatinine-level Checking Creative
Medical System Subverter
Bruh They’re a Totally Sick Designer
Mario’s Brother Appreciator

https://www.illmarks.com/symptom-arthralgia-and-arthritis-and-a-poll/

#art #arthralgia #autoimmune #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #chronicIllness #eds #heds #hsd #hypermobility #hypermobilityspectrum #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastcell #mcas #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #osteoarthritis #pwLC #pwme #spondylitis #symptom #symptomVisualization #symptomtracking

there is a manila bookmark and the figure in the center is a human , with their joints in orange, like a ball-jointed doll or a crash dummy. The details on the joints are red. the components of the body are made out of purple-grey, and the parts of the body are lighter purple-grey. the figure has no face or fatures, just the fibrant orange red joints , of which there are many, more than we think of for an average human, two at each knee, two at each elbow, the shoulders and hips are large, the abdomen has 3 large joints going all the way across to give a range of motion, the neck, ankles, and wrists are also jointed. areas of the body including below the knees and over the neck also have grey lavender lines depicting the components of this doll person. it's hard to see in the scan, but the grey purple has iridescent shimmering particles in it irl, giving a somewhat ephemeral otherworld ly nature to this being. these components have a power to them and a kinetic energy, a life force. and yet by the colors, they burn.

2025_8_19 The symptoms are coming from inside the house.

We are in a severe Covid surge right now thanks to Late Summer/Back To School, and it will also probably worsen significantly again for the winter holidays. Because your risk for Long Covid increases with each infection, here are some steps you can take during the acute infection to lower your risk of Long Covid, or lower the severity of how a reinfection will worsen your existing Long Covid.

This is not medical advice, this is a summary of things I have read from various studies, journalists, and newsletters, and what I try to prioritize for myself. I send this to loved ones who accept my offer for it when they or someone they know gets infected, and I figured I should make it more broadly accessible.

Ways to Lower Your Risk of Long Covid &
Lower The Severity of A Reinfection’s Worsening Your Long Covid

Medicines, Vitamins, and Supplements

Increase Vitamin D ASAP and sustain it for at least a month. It’s a reserve vitamin so you can’t cram it all in 2 days, and should not. It is possible to have too much Vitamins A & D, so please be mindful of dosing.
Increase Iron ASAP and sustain it, similarly to above.
Zinc, like Vitamin D, is key to our immune system’s functioning & signaling. Zinc can help boost underactive immune features, calm overactive immune features, and reduce inflammation. Additionally, studies have found Zinc levels are significantly reduced during Covid infection, and reduced in relationship to severity of infection, so it makes sense to combat this.
Metformin has LOTS of evidence of decreasing Long Covid risk with typically few side effects, but it does require a prescription.
If you’re asking your doctor, I recommend supplying a trusted source: This 2023 Quadruple Blind RCT Study is a Gold Standard for clinical trials. If relevant, additionally add 2025 Study found added efficacy in Fat Folks, 2023 BMJ Blog, 2025 RECOVER Blog.
H1 Antihistamines have preliminary research to support them decreasing LC risk and SIGNIFICANT research supporting them as treatments in Covid-19 infections, plus ways to lower your Covid infection risk overall. All H1 antihistamines have shown in vitro benefits, however the ones I’ve seen most studied in humans are cetirizine/zyrtec, ebastine, azelastine, and loratadine. Most trials in humans used modern antihistamines, which I agree with. I do not generally suggest any first generation antihistamines including Dramamine, Benadryl, NyQuil, or their generic versions unless you have a medical reason for choosing them & their adverse anticholinergic effects. H1 antihistamines are typically available without a prescription in the US.
A recent study from Germany found a Nasal H1 Antihistamine, Azelastine Nasal Spray reduced covid infections by 69% (nice). More research is needed, but a 2x a day dose of Azelastine, or 3x a day dose of German Azelastine is extrapolated to be beneficial from a long covid precaution perspective, similarly to other H1 medications above. This is typically available without a prescription, and is inexpensive in the US.
H2 Antihistamines, especially Famotidine/Pepcid, reduce both symptom severity and viral load, leading to an earlier resolution of infection. These are available without a prescription in the US, and typically inexpensive.
Paxlovid is less effective at decreasing Long Covid risk in the acute phase, but does have other benefits, even if started late. It is additionally showing progress as part of a combination therapy. Stock up on mints and cough drops though.
Magnesium, Vitamin C and other immune-boosters can be very beneficial IF you are not autoimmune/don’t have other relevant considerations.
If you are on trans masculine HRT or similar medications please continue. Men & NB people with similar levels of hormones have lower risk and sometimes lower symptom burden than women & NB folks with similar hormone levels. We aren’t sure why yet.

Other OTC items which might help lower the viral load or otherwise make the acute infection less impactful:

A mouth wash containing PVP-I [povidone-iodine] or CPC [cetylpyridinium chloride]. This can be used multiple times a day.
Green tea (ECGC)
Hibiscus tea (ACE2)
Antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids (including flaxseed oil, fish oil) help remove oxidative stress, which is helpful in both acute Covid (infection and replication causes OS) and in multiple forms of Long Covid. I’ve read . Antioxidants are vitamins A, C, E, Selenium (Se), and Zinc (Zn). Vitamin A is possible to overdo, so please be mindful of dosing.
Nicotine, surprisingly to some, though Indigenous People of Turtle Island know Traditional Tobacco as Medicine. If you are already using nicotine (including patches), you can keep it up during the acute phase to hopefully lower some risk. It is also being investigated as a Long Covid treatment, I had a positive experience with my experiment.

Transmission Precautions (how to protect people you live with, etc):

COVID is most often transmitted via the air, not droplets like we thought early in the pandemic. As such:

Fresh air will be your easiest and most effective option, assuming climate safety. Even a slightly open window will be MUCH better than closed windows.
Masks are extremely effective, especially when both parties wear them. Respirators (aka a mask with a safety rating such as N95, KN95, KF94, P2, FFP2, DS) are best, but anything is better than none. Try to get as good of a seal as you can/minimize air leaks.
Air filtering with HEPA filters is great if you have access and funds. Try to make sure the filter(s) you use are sufficient for the square footage of the space. Earlier variants had a filter goal of 6 air changes per hour (ACH), but anything is better than nothing, especially when combined with opened windows, etc. If the filters are insufficient for the square footage/meterage or ACH, place them for largest impact: for example close to the sick person, in areas with poor ventilation, or areas of high social contact.
If HEPA filters are too expensive or unavailable, try to make a Corsi-Rosenthal Box (a DIY air filter alternative using MERV13+ filters and a box fan, free directions abound online). Same strategies as above.
Last home air filter precaution: most climate control systems have a filter, and if that filter is already or can easily be changed to a MERV13+ filter, that will be an additional help.
If you must run errands/go to work/etc, please prioritize one of the rated respirators above. Try to do curbside or other distanced, outdoor pickup options where available.
There are nasal precaution options including the aforementioned OTC H1 Antihistamine Azelastine and Profi Spray (which is highly effective, but their science was measured with nasal swab application, not spray).
It doesn’t take a lot: We have stopped the acute spread of Covid in our home two times (that we know of!–the real number is probably much higher) by using only a couple strategically placed HEPAs and window cracking.
When in doubt, think Swiss Cheese:

Please Take Care:

If you feel any sustained exhaustion or fatigue, please rest and do not push yourself for at least two-three months after infection, including physical and mental exertion. A lot of us long haulers had an inkling early on that something was off but we pushed ourselves to be “back to normal” and that caused immense lasting harm. It might sound like a long time now, but a few months is a short time in comparison to the rest of your life. Trust me.
I wish I had read this earlier: Indefinitely Ill – Post-Covid Fatigue
Pacing is the most helpful tool I have found for my health, and has been practiced by people with post-viral illness for a long time.
Intro to pacing: ME Action’s Stop Rest Pace
Scheduling breaks with reminder alerts is how I do it, and by having specific things I look forward to about downtime (slowed audiobooks, a nature soundscape, etc). Some people are better at remembering on their own.
Lastly, I recommend using a symptom tracker even for initial infection (and that couple month period after). Hopefully before too long there won’t be many symptoms to track and things’ll be mostly a-ok, and it won’t be needed, but the way covid makes the brain all squiggly, IMO tracking symptoms is super important for understanding what your body needs to have your best chance at maintaining your current health!
The app Visible is popular in some LC communities, but a journal or calendar is a-ok too. It helps to check in with your body and see how much feels safe to do and what to prioritize. (Visible is free for symptom tracking and I recommend the free version short-term. If you end up needing long term pacing help and want to include the paid wearable, though here’s my coupon code: https://join.makevisible.com/68284299c4dc3e )

Thank you for taking care of yourself and your communities. We need all the precautions, kindness, and care we can get right now.
Additional Covid Safety info from someone else’s patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/huge-free-covid-86871700

My other Long Covid & related topics info:
Illmarks Resources Page

https://www.illmarks.com/symptoms-are-coming-long-covid-prevention-tips/

#allergy #art #backToSchool #backtoschool #besafe #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #cdc #chronicIllness #covid #covidIsAirborne #covidIsNotOver #covid19 #covid19 #covidcompetent #CovidIsntOver #environmental #health #healthcare #longCovid #longcovid #maskUp #maskup #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastCellDisease #mastcell #mcas #medArt #medart #medblog #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #pwme #SaltingTheVibes #SaltingTheVibes #sarsCov2 #sars2 #sciArt #SciArt #WearAMask #WearARespirator

the figure on the bookmark is silhouetted in outline vs the shape of a house, outlined in red and filled with purpley blue textures. the head of the figure, angled to the side, is attacked from all angles with dark rough textures of inky depths with red/rust particles, and purple angular lines pointing inwards, and breaking past the lines of the house. the figure stands on a square of purple ink as well, which balances the composition

2025_8_18 I booked a hotel to try to identify/isolate variables. As soon as I walked in the hotel room, I felt my head swell.

https://www.illmarks.com/2025_8_18-i-booked-a-hotel-to-try-to-identify-isolate-variables-as-soon-as-i-walked-in-the-hotel-room-i-felt-my-head-swell/

#art #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #chronicIllness #chronicMigraine #chronicPain #chronicmigraine #covidIsNotOver #CovidIsntOver #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastCellDisease #mcas #meCfs #mecfs #medArt #medart #medblog #medicalArt #migraine #MillionsMissing #neurology #POTS #pwLC #pwme

the human in the center of the bookmark has their head and parts of their upper body obscured by a dark ink with dark red particles in it. Tons of red lines come in from all sides, swooping up into the dark ink parts of the body. the rest of the figure is outlined in deep purple dual lines, giving a sort of instability. behind them in dark green is a generic contemporary hotel bed with two night stands and lamps.

2025_8_14 I feel better out of the house, which is incongruous with ME/CFS Long Covid.

https://www.illmarks.com/2025_8_14-i-feel-better-out-of-the-house-which-is-incongruous-with-me-cfs-long-covid/

#art #autoimmune #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #cfs #chronicIllness #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastCellDisease #mcas #me #meCfs #mecfs #medArt #medart #medicalArt #medicine #migraine #MillionsMissing #neurology #pwLC #pwme #rheumatology

a manila bookmark, which has been adorned with vibrant inks. a human stands in the center, purple blotches covering their arms and shoulders, hatches down their legs. They smile happily, yet a red spike is in their forehead, and furthere red along their jawline and ear. a swirling center in their chest and a loosely implied circulatory system. they stand allongside a body of water, with evergreen trees behind them.

Symptom: MCAS Brain Fog

This post comes to you with a reminder that while “Brain Fog,” is an apt descriptor, it should not be used to undermine the severity of the condition.

“These are fairly identical functional symptoms that people with Long COVID have, to the symptoms that people within a traumatic brain injury have,” says Dr James C Jackson, psychologist specializing on cognitive rehabilitation and Long Covid.

“Strictly speaking, this is not a traumatic brain injury (TBI) because there’s no external trauma. Which is why if we go down deep, this will be not a TBI that people experience. It would be something called an ABI, the lesser-known cousin of a TBI. Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI) happen often due to internal processes, not external medical processes, inflammation, the 101 other mechanisms that drive these injuries. And when we look at the brains of some Long COVID patients, we see brain damage on MRIs, we see indicators that are not dissimilar from those of people with mild cognitive impairment or a mild TBI.“

Dr Jackson is the author of Clearing the Fog: a book on navigating life with the cognitive and mental health impairments that often accompany Long Covid.

Quotes from Dr Jackson’s appearance on the Me Myself & TBI podcast, edited for clarity & brevity.

https://www.illmarks.com/symptom-mcas-brain-fog/

#abi #allergy #art #autoimmune #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #brainFog #brainfog #chemicallySensitive #chronicIllness #cognitive #cognitiveImpairment #cognitiveImpairments #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastcell #medArt #medart #medical #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #neuro #neurology #neuropsych #psychiatry #Psychology #pwLC #pwme #tbi

the figure in the center of the bookmark is stretched and elongated, long limbs dripping in many layers. the center of the body and up over the head is obfsucated by smudgy dark ink with rust-colored particles inside it. Behind the figure are tall angular geometric shapes set in dramatic perspective.

Glow cross and glow neon brush of the nervous system sending multiple rapid messages back to the brain in Sketchbook
#neon #nervoussystem #medicalart

The nervous system is sending multiple rapid messages back to the brain

2025-8-17 The water isn’t the whole picture… but what is?

https://www.illmarks.com/2025-8-17-the-water-isnt-the-whole-picture-but-what-is/

#allergen #allergy #art #autoimmune #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #chronicIllness #chronicPain #chronicIllness #chronicPain #dermatology #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mcas #meCfs #mecfs #medart #medical #medicalArt #medicine #migraine #MillionsMissing #pwLC #pwme #rash #rheumatology #SciArt #sciartseptember #water

The figure is in the cup of water, but this time it's different. The water fills the cup entirely, and doesn't look realistic. It has choppy, undulating sharp patterns, including swirling lines, some of which are darker and greener and maybe reminiscent of kelp. they somewhat frame the figure, on two sides of the cup going up. the figure has red choppy angular insides, and scribbly dark purple/green limbs. the head is skull like but distorted black and red shimmer, as has been the migraines and anaphylaxis recently. the bode is less realistically rendered. the throat and armpits are also darkly scribbled. the water fills the entire top of the cup, and doesn't have a realistic waterline. teal dark swirls come to a point at the top of the cup and around them are many more light sharp swirls and sharp white negative spaces in the water. the water is still in the color scheme but the textures are jagged and the shapes are different. there's almost a horizontal line cutting across under the figure's knees in the water too

Blue sparkler radial painting in Infinite Painter. I made this painting with my eyes closed. This painting is called neurons and nervous system
#InfinitePainter #abstract #abstractart #abstractpainting #nervoussystem #medicalart

Blue Pronko pencil drawing with my eyes closed in Infinite Painter. This drawing is called multiple nerves
#Infinitepanter #abstract #abstractpainting #abstractart #nervoussystem #medicalart

Bonus drawing: glow wispy painting of the sympathetic nervous system triggering and activating a panic attack, while the parasympathetic nervous system triggers and activates relaxation and calmness in Sketchbook
#parasympatheticnervoussystem #sympatheticnervoussystem #panicdisorder #panicattack #relaxation #nervoussystem #medicalart

Parasympathetic and Sympathetic Nervous Systems

Glow wispy 1, glow wispy 2, glow cross painting of the nervous system sending rapid messages back to the brain
#nervoussystem #medicalart #infinitepainter #neon

#medicalArt

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