What would someone who has lived with lupus (SLE) for decades tell her younger, newly diagnosed self? PatientsLikeMe member Hetlena (@TheLupusLiar), who was diagnosed with lupus in 1993, recently answered that question for us in the following personal essay reflecting on what she’s learned through the years… Tips For A Newly Diagnosed SLE Patient “This… Continue reading Lupus Diagnosis and Lupus Self Test: Member Hetlena’s Pointers For Her Old (Newbie with SLE) Self
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.
Ommm: People with cancer practice chair yoga for bone benefits
Chemotherapy and other cancer treatments can take a toll on your bones and overall strength, so some patients are turning to chair yoga to boost their bone health and balance. Things like bone health ‘seemed trivial compared to cancer’ We heard about chair yoga in this New York Times article, “Chair yoga for my funny bones.” The… Continue reading Ommm: People with cancer practice chair yoga for bone benefits
Spring Time Change (Spring Daylight Savings) and your Health
Do the spring/fall clock changes throw you off?
Fall feast: 3 ‘Parkinson’s-friendly’ recipes + cooking tips
Are you living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and looking for some dishes for Thanksgiving or another fall feast? Or just to boost your appetite? Our friends at Community Servings — a Boston-area nutrition and meal delivery organization for people with health conditions — handpicked three tasty recipes with a healthy balance of nutrients for people with PD.… Continue reading Fall feast: 3 ‘Parkinson’s-friendly’ recipes + cooking tips
Parents with lupus (or any health condition) ‘don’t have to be perfect’ — take it from this mom
PatientsLikeMe member Jeanette Alston-Watkins (JeanetteA6872) was diagnosed with lupus in 2006, when her kids were 11 and 14. “My kids are my strength and they gave me energy and willpower,” she says in this Q&A about parenting with SLE. Can you share a bit about your diagnosis and how it impacted your children? They were… Continue reading Parents with lupus (or any health condition) ‘don’t have to be perfect’ — take it from this mom
Stem Cell Treatment For MS
Stem cell therapy is a popular topic in the MS forum and some members are already tracking and evaluating their experience. How does it work? Are there risks? To find answers to your stem cell therapy questions, we asked our team of in-house health professionals to take a look at the current research What are stem cells?… Continue reading Stem Cell Treatment For MS
Lupus Weight Gain: Q&A with the founder of Making Lupus Look Good
Alyshia Merchant knows first-hand how lupus can affect you inside and out. After her diagnosis in 2012 and struggles with visible symptoms and self-esteem, she launched an organization called Making Lupus Look Good, which provides wigs and “glam sessions” to people with lupus-related hair loss and other symptoms. The organization currently serves people in Alyshia’s home… Continue reading Lupus Weight Gain: Q&A with the founder of Making Lupus Look Good
5 Tips for Life After Lung Cancer Surgery
Your body just went through a significant afront, and returning to regular life at home after lung cancer surgery can be daunting. Hopefully, you have a support network in place to help you adjust. But, if you could use an extra hand on your back as you recover, we are here to remind you that… Continue reading 5 Tips for Life After Lung Cancer Surgery
A possible Parkinson’s disease/melanoma link? Time for a skin check
Now that summer has passed, have you had your skin examined? Studies have shown that people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) may have an increased risk for melanoma, so skin screenings are extra-important. Take a look at recent research and get some tips on monitoring your moles and skin. Studies show… A 2017 Mayo Clinic study found that… Continue reading A possible Parkinson’s disease/melanoma link? Time for a skin check
The Pain Scale 1 to 10 falls short
As Pain Awareness Month (September) comes to a close, we’re exploring how pain is subjective, and expressing it using the classic 1-to-10 or “smiley face” scale can be tricky. What are the shortcomings of these scales? And what can help you communicate better with your doctor? Pain scale problems NPR recently reported about the trouble with… Continue reading The Pain Scale 1 to 10 falls short