Bringing PatientsLikeMe into the Doctor’s Office: An Interview with Pediatrician Dr. Jim King

You may recall that in July we shared a video about Doctors 2.0 and You, a conference focused on how physicians are using web 2.0 technology.  Today we’d like to present a real-life example of this concept: Dr. Jim King, MSc, MD, FRCPC.  A pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa,… Continue reading Bringing PatientsLikeMe into the Doctor’s Office: An Interview with Pediatrician Dr. Jim King

Know Thyself. Quantify Thyself.

Are you someone who likes to track things about yourself?  For example, do you keep an exercise log of how many reps you did – or a food journal that details what (and how much) you consumed?  Do you monitor your health and disease progression at PatientsLikeMe? If so, you might not know it, but… Continue reading Know Thyself. Quantify Thyself.

Today’s Photo: Shake, Rattle and Roll

The heat isn’t letting up this summer – but that isn’t stopping our members from participating in disease-related walk/run events in their local communities. For inspiration, please meet some of the members of Parkinson’s disease patient daddytom’s team, who joined together to raise money and show solidarity at a Shake, Rattle and Roll Run sponsored… Continue reading Today’s Photo: Shake, Rattle and Roll

What Part of MS Are You Most Afraid of?

Can facing your fears help you come to terms with them? That’s the idea behind a recent discussion in our multiple sclerosis (MS) forum, in which one member asked, “What part of MS are you most afraid of?”  The answers poured in from dozens of MS members who found it cathartic to reveal their true… Continue reading What Part of MS Are You Most Afraid of?

Patients as Partners in Personalized Medicine

“It’s only when you really get into the experience of being a patient with a life-changing illness, where you’re dealing with the uncertainty and the process, that you start to learn things.  You start to learn that the experience you’re going through – the pain you’re suffering, or maybe a side effect or something that… Continue reading Patients as Partners in Personalized Medicine

Psoriasis Isn’t Contagious…But Awareness Is

Did you know that psoriasis cannot be transmitted through skin-to-skin contact – or any other type of interaction? August is Psoriasis Awareness Month, an annual event dedicated to highlighting the life-altering impact of psoriasis and dispelling the many myths surrounding it.  Beyond the misperception that it may be contagious, another major misunderstanding is that psoriasis… Continue reading Psoriasis Isn’t Contagious…But Awareness Is

Know Your ABC’s on World Hepatitis Day

Did you know that both hepatitis B and hepatitis C can be transmitted through blood-to-blood contact – but hepatitis B is commonly transmitted through unprotected sex as well?  Also, there is a vaccine available for only one of these forms of hepatitis.  Do you know which one it is? (Answer: hepatitis B) Because these “silent” infections… Continue reading Know Your ABC’s on World Hepatitis Day

Marcia Hirst: Don’t Let Multiple Sclerosis Take the Joy Out of Your Life

“The benefit of sharing on PatientsLikeMe is the support.  For me, it doesn’t matter what I’m going through, there are people there that understand.  They’re not judgmental.  They get it.  They’re there too.  I get lots of emotional moral support.” – Multiple Sclerosis Patient Marcia Back in June, we shared with you a video interview… Continue reading Marcia Hirst: Don’t Let Multiple Sclerosis Take the Joy Out of Your Life

PatientsLikeMe in the News: A Roundup

Check out some of the media outlets that have highlighted health social networks recently – including PatientsLikeMe and our members. Social Media a Godsend for Patients with Rare Diseases PatientsLikeMe is highlighted as a good example in this Chicago Tribune article. Medical Innovation Needs Silicon Valley Speed, Stat Fast Company cites us for providing “unprecedented… Continue reading PatientsLikeMe in the News: A Roundup

Navigating Healthcare on Twitter

More than five years after founder Jack Dorsey sent the very first “Tweet,” Twitter has exploded into a social media behemoth.  Today, billions of real-time Tweets are sent each year about all manner of subjects – including healthcare.  But how in the world do you keep up with all of them? That’s exactly the conundrum… Continue reading Navigating Healthcare on Twitter