When life hands you a diagnosis that upends everything, there's no pamphlet that tells you how to keep living--and laughing--through the chaos. In Side Effects May Include Everything, award-winning journalist, TEDx speaker, and lupus warrior Marisa Zeppieri offers the brutally honest, laugh-out-loud, and deeply compassionate guide she wishes she'd had twenty years ago. Drawing from two decades of hard-earned experience navigating autoimmune disease, she tackles every corner of life chronic illness touches--love, work, sex, friendship, self-worth, and the constant battle to be believed.
With empathy and wit, Zeppieri replaces medical jargon with real talk: how to deal with dismissive doctors, set boundaries that protect your energy, and find joy in a body that's still learning to cooperate. Whether you're newly diagnosed, still searching for answers, or supporting someone who's sick, this book is a lifeline--a reminder that even when it feels like your body is betraying you, laughter, love, and purpose are still possible.
Raw, funny, and fiercely hopeful, Side Effects May Include Everything is part survival guide, part sisterhood, and 100% proof that you can rebuild a beautiful life--no matter what your diagnosis says.
About the Author :
Marisa Zeppieri is an award-winning journalist, author, and health advocate whose writing has appeared in U.S. News & World Report, Healthline, Al Jazeera, and BBC. A TEDx speaker and founder of the global nonprofit LupusChick, she leads a community of over 100,000 followers and reaches more than eight million people monthly across platforms. Her first book, Chronically Fabulous, established her as a leading voice for women living with chronic illness. She lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her family.
Review :
Praise for Side Effects May Include Everything: "Real strength isn't just physical, it's the ability to keep going when your own body is working against you. I've spent my life pushing through pressure onstage, but what Marisa writes about is a completely different kind of fight. Watching my niece grow up with autoimmune challenges gave me a glimpse into that world, but Marisa lives it, and turns it into something powerful. Her important book is a testament to her strength, her resilience, and her ability to raise awareness and help others find purpose and hope."--Davey Oberlin, producer/artist - All The Damn Vampires, Korn; @daveyoberlin
"This heartfelt, candid, and often funny survival guide answer the questions we're afraid to ask about living with chronic illness. Marisa captures the messy realities of navigating relationships, work, and the medical world with honesty, humor, and heart."--Beverly Goodell, Executive Director of The Lupus Foundation of New England
Praise for Marisa Zeppieri:
"The journey of those battling chronic illness can be a lonely one. Chronically Fabulous gives hope to those suffering silently and reveals that there is a community of people who do understand." --Kazy Tauginas, actor, writer, producer, and president of New Lease Films
"Marisa Zeppieri offers us all an honest perspective of the challenges brought on by the reality of a chronic illness and using one's voice and courage to fight through the disease and build a new life. It is fabulous!" --Magdalena Cadet, MD, clinical rheumatologist, educator, and speaker
"Marisa Zeppieri shares her heart-wrenching and uplifting story in a uniquely delightful book, with the bonus of flavorful recipes." --Amanda Greene, LA Lupus Lady
"Marisa Zeppieri's personal story will grip you, her medical and nutritional advice will nurture you, and her heart will change you forever." --Tudor Dixon, news anchor for America's Voice News
"Marisa Zeppieri is a masterful storyteller who brings to life the experience of finding your footing and finding your family within the journey to a healthier you." --Caroline Pavis, senior communications director, Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
"Captivating and healing for anyone who is struggling emotionally or physically. Marisa Zeppieri touches your heart and soul and motivates you to trust that life has a purpose." --Beverly Goodell, director of The Lupus Foundation of New England
