chronic condition

When your doctor doesn't know the cause of your medical condition or how to make it better, but somehow knows enough to prescribe something you'll be on for the rest of your life.

Mark: Can you tell me what's causing this?
Doc: It's not really known.
Mark: Can it be cured?
Doc: Nope.
Mark: Can you give me something for it?
Doc: Definitely. Here's a prescription. It's a combination of multiflumoxytol and baffleonanon.
Mark: What'll it do?
Doc: It will reduce your flare ups from once every 10 days to about once every week and a half.
Mark: Is this a chronic condition?
Doc: You said it, unfortunately.
Mark: Should I do anything else - like with nutrition or whatever?
Doc: I wouldn't if I were you.
Mark: Why not?
Doc: It could interfere with your chronic condition.