“In my own words” – PatientsLikeMe member Tam writes about (your) life with MS

If you were living with multiple sclerosis (MS) and someone said to you, “Well I get tired too, but I don’t go lay down in bed all day,” how would you respond? Invisible symptoms like pain and fatigue are hard to describe to someone who doesn’t get it or isn’t living with MS. But to… Continue reading “In my own words” – PatientsLikeMe member Tam writes about (your) life with MS

Food for thought: June edition

For the past couple months, we’ve been sharing about different members’ favorite foods and recipes, and we’re keeping it going with multiple sclerosis members discussing the pros and cons of smoothies, ALS patients talking about getting sleepy after steak, and the fibromyalgia community sharing about cutting foods out of their diets. MS forum thread: Nutrition… Continue reading Food for thought: June edition

Food for thought: May edition

Just last month, we shared about some of our community members’ favorite foods, and about how what they choose to eat can impact the conditions they live with every day. We heard from the fibromyalgia, type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis communities – and to keep the series going, we’ve got three new hot, or… Continue reading Food for thought: May edition

The Patient Voice- Fibromyalgia member Becca shares her story

  What does sharing about health experiences and donating #dataforgood mean to her? “I’m hoping that my contribution is going to help others who come behind me who have these conditions have an easier time of it.” -Becca If you missed our video interview with Ed, a Parkinson’s disease member, you can catch that here.

Spreading the word for arthritis

Lupus? Check. Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS? Check. ALS, cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease, mental health, schizophrenia, anxiety and depression? Check! There’s been a ton of awareness going on in May, but there’s still one more theme to go – National Arthritis Awareness Month. This month, the Arthritis Foundation (AF) is encouraging us all to spread the word to… Continue reading Spreading the word for arthritis

Food for Thought: Recipes, Diets and Tips

What’s for dinner? Does this phrase haunt you the same way it does us? It is hard to come up with something to eat for every meal each day, especially if you have dietary restrictions due to your condition. If you feel like you are stuck in a meal rut, the PatientsLikeMe community is here… Continue reading Food for Thought: Recipes, Diets and Tips

Coping with Nerve Sensitivity

Do you suffer from nerve sensitivity – or a feeling akin to pins and needles?  Known clinically as paresthesia, this uncomfortable sensation if often described as a tingling, pricking and/or creeping feeling.  For some people with nerve sensitivity, it can be painful for clothing to touch your skin.  Although there is no objective causes, nerve… Continue reading Coping with Nerve Sensitivity

Canine Caretakers: How Service Dogs Can Help Many Types of Patients

Now that PatientsLikeMe is open to any patient with any condition, we’ve noticed more patients with different conditions sharing similar lifestyle modifications. One example is the use of a service dog. What are the benefits – both expected and unexpected – of a four-legged assistant?  We asked some of our members to talk about their… Continue reading Canine Caretakers: How Service Dogs Can Help Many Types of Patients

Who’s Trying a Lectin-Free Diet?

Are you on a lectin-free diet?  Trade notes on this dietary intervention at PatientsLikeMe, where more than 120,000 patients are sharing their experiences with treatments, supplements, lifestyle modifications and more. But first, let’s talk about lectins, which are sugar-binding proteins that mimic insulin. Lectins bind to carbohydrates and various proteins, causing inflammation. As a result,… Continue reading Who’s Trying a Lectin-Free Diet?

Sharing and Learning with PatientsLikeMe

In December community newsletters (launched earlier this week), we asked some of our members to think about what they’ve shared and compared in 2010.  Below are highlighted answers from each interviewee across all nine community newsletters.  Thank you for your contributions. We also want to thank all of you who have contributed to the 90… Continue reading Sharing and Learning with PatientsLikeMe