Wheels up! Tips for traveling with a health condition

Got summer travel plans? For many, hitting the road with a health condition can take some extra planning, so we’ve gathered tips and tricks – from the PatientsLikeMe forums and beyond – to help you prepare for smooth sailing, start to finish. Before you go Bring a buddy. Traveling with someone – whether a spouse,… Continue reading Wheels up! Tips for traveling with a health condition

Team of Advisors member Kimberly’s care team fell apart and she was left with 10 days to build a new one

  Kimberly (firefly84) is part of the PatientsLikeMe 2016-2017 Team of Advisors. She’s living with autonomic neuropathy, a rare disease that  prematurely ended her career as a registered nurse. In her time as an RN, she was often charged with navigating the ins and outs of insurance companies on behalf of her patients, something she… Continue reading Team of Advisors member Kimberly’s care team fell apart and she was left with 10 days to build a new one

#MoreThan multiple sclerosis: Guest blogger Cathy Chester’s journey as a writer, mom, advocate and optimist

As part of our ongoing #MoreThan series, we’re continuing to highlight patients’ stories of all the ways they’re more than their diagnoses. Here, Cathy Chester – blogger, wife, mother and advocate – shares her diagnosis story and how she’s much more than MS. When I was in my 20s I was thrilled to work for… Continue reading #MoreThan multiple sclerosis: Guest blogger Cathy Chester’s journey as a writer, mom, advocate and optimist

Author, Reiki master, inventor, husband: Guest blogger Karl Robb shares why he’s #MoreThan Parkinson’s disease

Inspired by our new #MoreThan video series, patients have been speaking up about what makes them more than their diagnoses. Below, Karl Robb — blogger, author and advocate — shares his #MoreThan story about living with Parkinson’s disease. My name is Karl Robb. I have been blogging about Parkinson’s disease for over 10 years on my… Continue reading Author, Reiki master, inventor, husband: Guest blogger Karl Robb shares why he’s #MoreThan Parkinson’s disease

Highlighting the many faces of PTSD

  PTSD doesn’t have just one face, it has millions.  During any given year, there are about eight million adults who have PTSD, which is why for PTSD Awareness Day this year, we’re sharing just some of those many faces and the stories behind them. From grandmothers to soldiers, both women and men, the PatientsLikeMe… Continue reading Highlighting the many faces of PTSD

“I finally feel like there is hope for me to have a life that has purpose.” – Member Robin shares her story living with complex PTSD

Robin (survivinglife) is a PatientsLikeMe member living with complex PTSD. Recently, she shared her story with us, from her childhood to now, delving into the hardships she’s faced and how she continues to find the courage to forge through. Content within this story may be triggering for some readers. Here’s her story… I am a… Continue reading “I finally feel like there is hope for me to have a life that has purpose.” – Member Robin shares her story living with complex PTSD

Cannabis for PD treatment? Member Ian says it’s something to shout about

Member Ian (Selfbuilder) blogs and vlogs about using cannabis products to treat his Parkinson’s disease symptoms, even though marijuana (including medical marijuana) is illegal and stigmatized where he lives in the U.K. Why is he speaking up? “I know that I would not be here now if it wasn’t for the relief provided by my… Continue reading Cannabis for PD treatment? Member Ian says it’s something to shout about

We the Patients: New PatientsLikeMe poll finds a unified voice on a U.S. health care plan

Repeal? Replace? Revise? While politicians have spent months debating the details of a U.S. health care plan, a recent poll of 2,755 PatientsLikeMe members has found that patients are largely aligned about components of a strong plan for the country.   “Despite the partisan divide in Congress about what should be included in a health… Continue reading We the Patients: New PatientsLikeMe poll finds a unified voice on a U.S. health care plan

Bright ideas: Members share 7 head-to-toe tips for sun safety with lupus

With summer just around the bend, we’ve rounded up PatientsLikeMe members’ sun-safety and photosensitivity tips for people living with lupus. Photosensitivity is increased sensitivity to sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet (UV) light, sometimes causing a rash or other skin reaction. On PatientsLikeMe, thousands of people with lupus say they’ve experienced photosensitivity – more than… Continue reading Bright ideas: Members share 7 head-to-toe tips for sun safety with lupus

Living with depression? Grab your mat: 5-minute yoga video with Jamie from PatientsLikeMe

Studies have shown that practicing yoga can have positive effects on people with depression. So we tapped Jamie – a PatientsLikeMe research assistant who is also a certified yoga instructor – to show us some poses with mental health in mind. She put together a 5-minute, beginner-level flow that you can try at home. (As… Continue reading Living with depression? Grab your mat: 5-minute yoga video with Jamie from PatientsLikeMe