February is AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month, sponsored by Prevent Blindness America. Affecting part of the back of the eye called the macula, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can cause the center area of your vision to become blurry or wavy. It can also create a blind spot right in the center of your vision. As the… Continue reading What Do You Know About Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)?
Category: Patient Experiences
The Personalized Medicine World Conference in Photos and Tweets
Last week, PatientsLikeMe Co-Founder Jamie Heywood had the honor of speaking at the Personalized Medicine World Conference (PMWC), a two-day event held at the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley. His presentation was entitled “Patient Driven Convergence of Clinical Discovery and Care.” In recognition of the conference’s venue as well as the role that technology… Continue reading The Personalized Medicine World Conference in Photos and Tweets
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?
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
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?
Spotlighted Blogger: Parkinson’s Patient Steve Ploussard of “Attitude & Fitness Wins”
Last week we kicked off a new blog series featuring patient bloggers, and today, we’re pleased to present our second installment. Please meet Steve Ploussard, a longtime PatientsLikeMe member who writes a blog about living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) called “Attitude & Fitness Wins.” Steve decided that blogging was the perfect way to “come out”… Continue reading Spotlighted Blogger: Parkinson’s Patient Steve Ploussard of “Attitude & Fitness Wins”
Are Your Lungs Trying to Tell You Something?
Chronic coughing and wheezing. Frequent shortness of breath. Struggling for air. These are some of the symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which affects 24 million Americans (or approximately one in five adults over the age of 45). As many as half of them don’t realize they have COPD, however, as many people mistake… Continue reading Are Your Lungs Trying to Tell You Something?
What Patients Are Thankful For
Thanksgiving is a time for remembering all the reasons you have to be grateful. For patients who face numerous health challenges, this can mean reminding yourself of all the things you have gained – not lost – since your diagnosis. One theme that we’re especially proud to hear our 120,000+ members express is how thankful… Continue reading What Patients Are Thankful For