Enter the Healthy New Year Video Challenge

Did you make a health-related New Year’s resolution?  And are you using technology—such as a smartphone app or website—to achieve your goal?  Create a short video about it, and you could win prizes ranging from $250 to $2,000 if your video is selected as one of the best! Sponsored by the US Department of Health… Continue reading Enter the Healthy New Year Video Challenge

A Day in the Life of PatientsLikeMe User Experience Engineer Cris Necochea

What’s it like to work at PatientsLikeMe?  We are continuing to reveal just that with our monthly blog series “A Day in the Life,” which features various employees from different departments.  Last month, we featured an interview with Research Scientist Mike Massagli, PhD, and today, we share our interview with User Experience Engineer Cris Necochea,… Continue reading A Day in the Life of PatientsLikeMe User Experience Engineer Cris Necochea

Women: Protect Yourself Against Cervical Cancer

Each year in the US approximately 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and more than 4,000 lives are lost as a result. What makes this such a tragic statistic is the fact that cervical cancer can be prevented through vaccines and regular screenings in almost every case.  That’s the all-important message to spread during Cervical… Continue reading Women: Protect Yourself Against Cervical Cancer

Life with Cystic Fibrosis: Three Teenagers’ Perspectives

Unlike most of the health conditions we cover at PatientsLikeMe, cystic fibrosis is one of the few communities where the majority of our members are under the age of 29.  In fact, approximately 60% of our 440 cystic fibrosis patients report that they either fall in the 0-19 or 20-29 age brackets. What exactly is… Continue reading Life with Cystic Fibrosis: Three Teenagers’ Perspectives

What Do You Know About Thyroid Disease?

Let’s start with the basics:  do you even know where your thyroid is? A small, butterfly-shaped gland located at the base of the neck (just below the Adam’s apple), the thyroid influences the function of the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and skin.  That’s why it’s so important to know if you have a thyroid problem… Continue reading What Do You Know About Thyroid Disease?

Today’s Photo: Texans in Motion for ALS

Please meet ALS patient alsgirl (front and center in the wheelchair), who led a PatientsLikeMeInMotion-sponsored team at the 2011 Walk to Defeat ALS in Dallas, Texas.  A longtime PatientsLikeMe member who is part of the ALS Public Registry, alsgirl has been living with this degenerative disorder – also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease – for… Continue reading Today’s Photo: Texans in Motion for ALS

New Feature for Diabetes Patients – Monitor Your Blood Glucose

A few weeks ago, we launched a new blood glucose feature, which allows members with diabetes to record and monitor the concentration of glucose in their blood on a daily basis.  Here’s a look at the resulting profile chart: In a recent PatientsLikeMe Poll, 88% of responding diabetes patients said they have a goal for… Continue reading New Feature for Diabetes Patients – Monitor Your Blood Glucose

Glaucoma: The Disease That Steals Your Sight

Did you know that as much as 40% of your vision can be lost due to glaucoma – without  your notice? That’s why they call glaucoma the “sneak thief of sight.”  There are no symptoms, and once your vision is lost, it’s permanent.  This is one of the urgent messages of National Glaucoma Awareness Month, which takes… Continue reading Glaucoma: The Disease That Steals Your Sight

Our Patients’ Hopes, Thoughts and Resolutions for 2012

Many people look at a new year as a fresh start – a chance to begin new routines, eliminate bad habits and shift priorities.  But not everyone believes in making resolutions. Here are several different patient perspectives on approaching the new year: “In 2012, I will make daily exercise a priority. Research reveals it is the… Continue reading Our Patients’ Hopes, Thoughts and Resolutions for 2012

Does Microscopic Colitis Go Away?

You may have heard of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but have you heard of microscopic colitis?  One of several conditions under the IBD umbrella, this chronic, inflammatory disorder of the colon (aka the large intestine) can cause watery diarrhea and abdominal pain.  It gets its name from the fact that microscopic examination of the intestinal… Continue reading Does Microscopic Colitis Go Away?