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.

Can dogs detect disease? Studies say…

Can “Spot” spot cancer, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and more? We’ve rounded up some of what the initial research shows so far — and it’s not just fluff. “The full potential of dogs to detect human disease is just beginning to be understood,” says Claire Guest, chief executive of a U.K.-based organization called Medical Detection Dogs, which trains… Continue reading Can dogs detect disease? Studies say…

Parkinson’s Freezing Triggers and Fall Prevention

Gait freezing and falls are common among people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Take a closer look at patients’ experiences, common triggers of freezing and tips that may help prevent falls. What is known about freezing and falls? Researchers and movement experts have been studying gait freezing in people with PD for several decades. The exact… Continue reading Parkinson’s Freezing Triggers and Fall Prevention

Lupus Diagnosis and Lupus Self Test: Member Hetlena’s Pointers For Her Old (Newbie with SLE) Self

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

Spring Time Change (Spring Daylight Savings) and your Health

Many people feel off-kilter when the clock changes due to daylight saving time beginning or ending (as will happen on November 4 in the U.S. — well, most of the country). How do these changes affect you and your health? What do patients think? And what’s the latest state to propose ending or altering the… Continue reading Spring Time Change (Spring Daylight Savings) and your Health

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