When you are diagnosed with a life-changing illness, your doctor may prepare you for how the disease will affect your physical functions. But as our members point out, patients also need to be prepared for the changes in physical appearance they may experience. For example, how do you deal with hair loss, facial swelling, weight… Continue reading Coping with Changes in Physical Appearance
Category: Rare Diseases
A Patient Poem for the Modern Age
Can you be friends with someone you’ve never met in person? The members of our online health community think so. In fact, many of them say they depend on other members for support and encouragement, and for the all-important reminder that they are not alone. As evidence, here is a touching poem written by a… Continue reading A Patient Poem for the Modern Age
Searching for a Diagnosis: An Interview with Lyme Disease Patient Pampe
Getting the right diagnosis can take many years, or in the case of PatientsLikeMe patient Pampe, many decades. After experiencing her first Lyme disease symptom in 1973, it was not until 2012 that she finally received a diagnosis that explained her many symptoms. Discover what hindered the process and what’s she learned along the way… Continue reading Searching for a Diagnosis: An Interview with Lyme Disease Patient Pampe