Category: Conditions

Living with a health condition? On the PatientsLikeMe blog, find helpful health information and patient stories about being diagnosed, trying different treatments, and living day-to-day with a chronic condition.

Getting Pregnant With Friedreich’s Ataxia: What Research Suggests

Family planning while living with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) stirs up a mix of hope, excitement, fear, and a thousand practical questions. While there are many questions around symptom severity and genetics of your children, the first pressing question is .. is getting pregnancy (realistically) possible? The research is limited but meaningful and points to something… Continue reading Getting Pregnant With Friedreich’s Ataxia: What Research Suggests

Friedreich’s Ataxia vs. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT) are conditions that can affect walking, balance and the nerves in your arms and legs. They are both genetic and can present in childhood, teen years, or adulthood. So how do healthcare professionals tell the difference? Well, the difference depends where the problem is in the nervous system.… Continue reading Friedreich’s Ataxia vs. Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Friedreich’s Ataxia Resources and Support Groups 

It’s been 28 years since the frataxin (FXN) gene, which is linked to Friedreich’s Ataxia, was discovered and still Friedreich’s Ataxia often comes with more questions than answers. Parents, patients, and caregivers can feel isolated while learning about a condition in real time when many clinicians rarely see it. Beyond chasing a diagnosis, daily life… Continue reading Friedreich’s Ataxia Resources and Support Groups 

Signs You’re an Emotional Eater and What You Can Do About It

Trying to lose weight is hard. If you have tried to shed pounds, you know that it takes a consistent approach to your diet, exercise routines, and mindset not only see change but maintain it. But it gets tougher when your emotions start driving how you eat! A key part of managing weight and diet… Continue reading Signs You’re an Emotional Eater and What You Can Do About It

Hobbies for People with Stage 4 and Stage 5 CKD

Chronic conditions touch every part of your life. The energy you have throughout the day, how often you have to leave (or go) home, and how you spend your free time. For people with advanced chronic kidney disease, it can feel like the things you enjoy doing are no longer possible! Hobbies can fall by… Continue reading Hobbies for People with Stage 4 and Stage 5 CKD

How to Lower Creatinine Levels Naturally

Often confused with its slightly shorter to spell cousin creatine, creatinine is a waste product that every person with chronic kidney disease needs to know about. Creatinine is a normal substance to have in your body. It enters the blood stream when you digest certain foods and when muscle tissue breaks down. If you have… Continue reading How to Lower Creatinine Levels Naturally

3 Suicide Warning Signs to Look Out For

In 2023, suicide claimed the lives of 49,316 people in the United States. When a person dies by suicide, it affects family, friends, and communities, leaving them lost, confused, and in some cases, feeling responsible for their death.   “Death by suicide” means intentionally ending your own life. It’s often a way for people who… Continue reading 3 Suicide Warning Signs to Look Out For

Flying with Kidney Disease: What You Need to Know

Have a trip coming up? Wondering what steps you need to take to prepare for your flight so that your chronic kidney disease does not throw you any curveballs? Whether or not you are at an early stage of CKD or more advanced, there are easy ways for you to travel safely. All it may… Continue reading Flying with Kidney Disease: What You Need to Know