As a natural biological process, every woman that hits middle age will go through menopause! In the United States, about 1.3 million women reach this change every year. With menopause come a wide range of symptoms and changes. Wildly fluctuating hormone levels can impact mood, sleep, your ability to concentrate, and so much more! Not… Continue reading Wondering Whether Menopause Can Affect Brain Health Long Term?
Category: Patient Experiences
Managing Fatigue with Friedreich’s Ataxia: Tips For Daily Life
For normies, a full night of sleep means waking up refreshed, ready for the day, and as if your energy battery is at 100%. For people living with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), it can feel different. PatientsLikeMe member, Tiffany, shares how the chronic fatigue she feels from her FA experience feels as if every morning after… Continue reading Managing Fatigue with Friedreich’s Ataxia: Tips For Daily Life
Why Cruising Can Be One of the Best Ways to Travel When You’re Living With FA
Taking a vacation when you have a degenerative condition like Friedreich’s Ataxia takes a huge amount of preparation. You cannot expect to just hop on a plane, get to your destination, and be able to enjoy everything there is to offer! New locations mean new accessibility challenges. Will the restaurants have ramps? Does the hotel… Continue reading Why Cruising Can Be One of the Best Ways to Travel When You’re Living With FA
Feeling Like Your Brain Is Full? How Women Are Managing Decision Fatigue and Mental Overload
One of the most common symptoms of depression is fatigue. Feeling like your body and your mind are just not up to the task is commonplace for people living with MDD! One variation of this is called decision fatigue. Simply put, this is the exhaustion that many people feel after having to make choice after… Continue reading Feeling Like Your Brain Is Full? How Women Are Managing Decision Fatigue and Mental Overload
The Unexpected Connection Between Better Sleep, More Energy, and Cardiometabolic Health
Sleep, it turns out, is incredibly important. Shocking, right? But for how important it is to both physical and mental health, the reality is that people do not get enough sleep. In 2022, the CDC took a survey to see how many American adults were getting the recommended 7 hours of sleep each day. Overall?… Continue reading The Unexpected Connection Between Better Sleep, More Energy, and Cardiometabolic Health
What Should I Actually Be Asking My Doctor? FA Appointments, PT, and Planning Ahead
Interview with PatientsLikeMe Patient Advocate, Kelly Gregory Doctor’s appointments can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure what questions to ask. In this Q&A, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about preparing for appointments, getting the most out of physical therapy, and planning ahead while living with FA. Q: How do you prepare before an appointment… Continue reading What Should I Actually Be Asking My Doctor? FA Appointments, PT, and Planning Ahead
What No One Mentions About the Mental Exhaustion of Trying to Lose Weight
Weight loss is often set up as a simple equation: eat less, move more, and the results will follow. But anyone who has actually been on a weight loss journey knows that is only part of the story. The reality is that losing weight can be exhausting! It is about making hundreds of decisions every… Continue reading What No One Mentions About the Mental Exhaustion of Trying to Lose Weight
Making Your FA “Elevator Pitch” – How to Explain the Condition
When it comes to explaining complicated medical conditions, people can find themselves at a loss. Parents and patients alike have a hard time telling friends, family, or even strangers exactly what is going on and how it affects them. This is especially true for a condition like Friedreich’s Ataxia, a rare disease that few have… Continue reading Making Your FA “Elevator Pitch” – How to Explain the Condition
My FA Experience: Hiking El Camino de Santiago
Kathleen Moore, 31, has been living with Friedreich’s Ataxia since getting diagnosed in college. A member of PatientsLikeMe, she has made staying active and pursuing her hobbies a priority even as the condition progresses. Recently, Kathleen went on a trip to Spain to complete the Camino de Santiago, a vast network of trails that extend… Continue reading My FA Experience: Hiking El Camino de Santiago
Cancelling Plans Constantly Because Socializing Suddenly Feels Overwhelming?
Everyone has been there. You have a party or group event coming up that has been on your calendar for weeks. Maybe you were excited about it when you got invited! But for whatever reason, as the day approaches, you start to feel more and more anxious about going. Cancelling plans is nothing out of… Continue reading Cancelling Plans Constantly Because Socializing Suddenly Feels Overwhelming?