Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a progressive autoimmune condition can be difficult. While there are ways to treat and manage RA, it can be hard to find which ones work best for you. To make things even more challenging, rheumatoid arthritis probably isn’t the only condition you’re trying to treat. Studies show that patients… Continue reading Rheumatoid Arthritis Comorbidities: 7 Conditions You Are At Risk For
Category: Patient Experiences
Here’s What You Need to Know About Epstein Barr and Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive autoimmune disease that affects nearly 1 million people in the United States. In MS, the immune system attacks myelin, the protective sheath that surrounds the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Damage to these cells causes symptoms like pain, fatigue, impaired coordination, and vision loss. It can also… Continue reading Here’s What You Need to Know About Epstein Barr and Multiple Sclerosis
What is Medical Racism?
Racial discrimination has saturated healthcare systems around the world. Disparities in care have led to negative consequences for people of color and other marginalized groups. Some of these consequences include gaps or lack of access to health insurance, limited access to services and high-quality physicians, and poorer health outcomes among certain populations. Over the last… Continue reading What is Medical Racism?
5 Signs of Cognitive Impairment in MS
If you’ve been living with multiple sclerosis, you might have noticed that you don’t feel as sharp as usual. Maybe you’re having trouble remembering information or concentrating on certain tasks. You may even feel like your brain is constantly in a fog. If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Although many of the… Continue reading 5 Signs of Cognitive Impairment in MS
How Is Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosed?
If you’ve been having unexplained symptoms like numbness, fatigue, or cognitive changes, you might suspect a neurological disease like multiple sclerosis. However, getting a definitive multiple sclerosis diagnosis can be difficult and can often take years. Because MS is often confused with other conditions like lupus and Lyme disease, your doctor will have to rule out… Continue reading How Is Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosed?
What is Clinical Depression?
It’s normal to feel down sometimes. It’s even normal to feel hopeless or in despair about a particular situation or circumstance. These feelings are temporary. They may last anywhere from a few hours to a few days and cause minimal disturbance in your day-to-day activities. But, when these feelings become constant, more intense, and lasts… Continue reading What is Clinical Depression?
6 Treatment Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you’ve been living with rheumatoid arthritis, you know that the symptoms can be unpredictable. You may feel good one day and have a flare-up the next. It’s not possible to eliminate RA symptoms, but several treatment options are available that can help you manage them. The first line of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis… Continue reading 6 Treatment Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is Spoon Theory?
Living with a chronic illness can be debilitating. Some days, you may wake up with enough energy to climb Mount Everest. But on other days, you can barely roll out of bed and every action takes every ounce of energy you have. Because chronic illness can be so unpredictable, it can be difficult to explain… Continue reading What is Spoon Theory?
Member Story: Living with Major Depressive Disorder
Meet TrixieSwizzle, PatientsLikeMe member since 2017. TrixieSwizzle has been managing her Major Depressive Disorder for as long as she can remember. She has also been living with HIV since 2002. She believes strongly in the power of sharing your story as a form of therapy and is an open book about her condition. “I have… Continue reading Member Story: Living with Major Depressive Disorder
4 Types of Multiple Sclerosis (Plus Two You Didn’t Know About)
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune condition that impacts the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. It affects nearly one million people in the United States and more than 2.3 million people worldwide. MS is a progressive disease, meaning it can get worse over time without treatment. However, treatment can’t always slow the progression of the disease. There are four types of multiple sclerosis: clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting MS, primary progressive MS, and secondary… Continue reading 4 Types of Multiple Sclerosis (Plus Two You Didn’t Know About)