In our “Spotlighted Blogger” series, we’re talking with people who are sharing their personal health experiences to help raise awareness of disease and change healthcare for good. For our latest interview, we’re talking with Tricia who’s writing about her journey with multiple sclerosis (MS) on her blog Love My MS Life. Some of you may know her on PatientsLikeMe as jakesmama. Check out her full interview below where she talks about the impact of connecting with others and why it took 11 years to get a diagnosis.

Why did you start blogging about your journey with MS and how has the community reacted?
I started blogging about my journey with MS last year. I’ve had MS for over 20 years and have been an avid fundraiser, MS Champion and MS Advocate ever since. My goal was/is to share my experiences with others living with MS to hopefully inspire and encourage them, while “telling it like it is.”

The reaction has been wonderful! When I hear people tell me they relate to my experiences because they “get it,” it makes me feel like I’m doing something good for others that share this disease.

In one of your posts, you mention that your first symptom started 11 years before you were officially diagnosed. Can you tell us about that?
When I was 13 years old, I had the virus mononucleosis. One afternoon the vision in my left eye became blurry but I disregarded it. The next morning I woke up and the vision was basically gone in my left eye. I was dizzy, nauseous and was taken to the hospital. The doctors called my bout of optic neuritis a “fluke thing” and I went home. During my high school years I would have bouts of optic neuritis in my good eye and would be given oral prednisone to bring the swelling of the optic nerve down. It wasn’t until my son Jake was nine months old that my ophthalmologist sent me for an MRI. This was 11 years later and when I was diagnosed with MS.

What’s it been like to connect to others with MS on PatientsLikeMe?
A friend of mine told me about PatientsLikeMe years ago. It’s a great way to connect with others living with MS, to compare symptoms and offer suggestions. I use it as a helpful tool to track my disease progression, keep notes, and learn from others.

What’s one bit of knowledge no MS patient should be without?
One of my favorite quotes is, “Never, never, never give up,” by Winston Churchill. I believe all patients living with MS struggle daily whether we can see it or not. I choose to have HOPE for my future and HOPE for a cure!

If you’re living with MS, find others just like you in our growing community of more than 31,000 MS patients on PatientsLikeMe. Learn what they’re doing to manage their condition with symptom and treatment reports and share your own experience with a personal health profile or in the community forum.

As part of our “Spotlighted Blogger” series, we’re talking with people who are sharing their personal health experiences to help raise awareness of disease and change healthcare for good. For our latest interview, we’re talking with Sarah and Keith. Sarah started writing about her fiancé Keith’s journey with a rare lung disease back in July of 2012 on her blog Taking a Deep Breath. In this first part of our three-part series, Keith and Sarah talk about why they started blogging, and the difficulties of finding the right diagnosis.

What prompted you to start blogging about Keith’s journey and what’s the reaction been? 

[Sarah] When Keith’s health took a turn for the worse in the winter of 2011, I asked him repeatedly if he would allow me to share his story, knowing that we were likely going down a very difficult road, and selfishly wanting lots of support while we (I) went down that road. He wasn’t comfortable sharing until the day we drove away from his respirologist’s office, after an appointment where the doctor said that Keith was “fine,” wasn’t a candidate for transplant, and didn’t need to be on oxygen. We knew different. I blogged, we got a second opinion, and Keith was on oxygen within 4 days, and referred to the transplant program at Toronto General Hospital (TGH) within 2 weeks.

At what point did you know that something was not right? What was your first symptom?
[Keith] I got a cold that wouldn’t go away, and it turned into a pneumonia. I was hospitalized in the fall/winter of 1997. I never fully recovered.

What was involved in finding a diagnosis? Did Keith ever receive an official diagnosis?
[Sarah] Keith visited various specialists and respirologists and was misdiagnosed with various diseases (BOOP {bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia}, COPD, asthma) before the final diagnosis of diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) was given. It was a strange diagnosis since the disease strikes people of Asian descent, and Keith is Caucasian. DNA testing was done to see if there was Asian blood in his makeup, but there was not. Interestingly enough, in the final pathology of Keith’s old lungs after removal – this diagnosis was confirmed.

What advice do you both have for patients that are struggling to find a diagnosis? 
[Sarah & Keith] Ask as many people as you can who have experience with lung disease, or know someone who has it. Find out doctors’ names, get referrals and stick to your guns. If you don’t feel right, tell someone!

Welcome to the latest installment of our “Spotlighted Blogger” series.  Earlier this year, we focused on psoriasis bloggers, including Lissa, Alisha B., Jessica and Joni, and today we’re pleased to add a male perspective to the mix.  PatientsLikeMe member Simon’s witty blog, entitled My Skin and I, discusses his decade-long battle with psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune condition that can cause itching, rashes and plaques.  What has he learned along the way?  Find out that and more in our interview.

1.     Why did you start blogging about psoriasis, and what’s the reaction been?

I started blogging as a way to vent my feelings. I don’t really talk about my feelings, even to my family, and found it very hard to explain what was going on in my head and in my life.

When I spoke to people about psoriasis, I kept a lot back and, to write it, even if I hadn’t published it, was a release. I decided to make it public partly as I needed my family to understand what I had been going through and also to help raise awareness.

The reaction has been positive.  I have been told I made a few people cry and even had other friends suddenly announce they also have the condition. This showed me that I wasn’t alone and that there are many people that feel the same way and hide their emotions. I am quite pleased that I haven’t had much in the way of sympathy as that’s not why I started the blog.  The worst thing is people saying, “you poor thing.”

2.     You write about your “war with psoriasis.” Are you winning these days?

Ask me this question on different days and I might answer it differently each time. I would say generally yes, although I have lost a few skirmishes lately. The last couple of months have been extremely stressful due to personal and work issues, which hasn’t helped, and psoriasis clings on to moments like that. Also, with the cold weather in the UK at the moment, especially with the sudden freezing weather, my skin is quite sore and dry despite using my creams.

My skin is still at a manageable state, though, and even though it has got a little worse over the last week, it’s nothing I can’t handle. I just have the slight wobble, then think of Christmas coming, and there has been plenty going on lately to keep my mind occupied. The dark space that psoriasis occupies in my head is quite small at the moment.

3.     You recently joined PatientsLikeMe. What’s your impression thus far?

My first impression is good. I haven’t been that active on the site but then I haven’t done much on the blog either recently, or on my food blog that I also write, purely because I’ve been so busy. The people I have come into contact with through the site have all been positive and friendly, which is great. There is a time when the purely psoriasis groups/sites get a bit depressive, and I find myself backing away.

Psoriasis does seem to bring a lot of anger with it, and I quite understand that.  I just wish my fellow sufferers were a bit friendlier to each other now and then. And there are some who are brilliant; in fact, you have interviewed a few already. It is quite sobering to read what others go through, and this helps me get some perspective on my own condition.

4.     What advice would you give someone who’s newly diagnosed with psoriasis?

I would say make sure you see your doctor (GP here in the UK) and ask for a referral if you think your skin is bad enough. Find one of the many supports sites, like this one, which can measure your severity. But if the doctor can’t seem to help you, ask to be referred no matter how bad your skin is. Also persevere with the medication, as your skin is very unique to you and, just because one treatment works for one person, doesn’t mean it will work for you. Give them time to work and, if there’s no response, try something else.

The other thing is to talk.  It doesn’t have to be to your family or anyone close. The most important person is your doctor – don’t just show them your skin, tell them exactly how it makes you feel. If you can’t tell anyone, then write it down. There are many support networks out there with people who have the same condition and who will understand what you are going through. One last thing:  do not give up the fight.

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Want to hear how other psoriasis patients are dealing with dry air, cooler temps and other seasonal changes?  Check out our recent Patient Voice report on coping with psoriasis in the fall.  Also, find all of our blog coverage of psoriasis here.

PatientsLikeMe member Bev Ribaudo (“YumaBev”) was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) at age 47, but it hasn’t dampened her flair for comedy.  “Humor comes naturally to me, and a little disease like Parkinson’s can’t take it away,” she says.

In fact, her condition has given her a new purpose:  entertaining other “Parkies” with her deep reservoir of funny stories.  She began a blog called Parkinson’s Humor, and most recently, she’s collected the tales from her blog into a book, Parkinson’s Humor:  Funny Stories about My Life with Parkinson’s (available in paperback and Kindle editions).  Find out what she’s gotten out of sharing her sense of humor in our interview.

1. Tell us about the role that humor plays in your life – and why it’s so important.

Humor has always been a part of my life. Both of my parents had good senses of humor; they needed it with five accident-prone kids. I had a lot of tragedy in my life when I was young – my first husband died in a car crash when I was 23 and my mother died of lung cancer 15 months later. She used to joke about her bald head (from chemo) and pretty much kept on laughing right up until the day she died.

My wonderful husband and I used to do comedy shows tailored for seniors. We traveled the country in a RV and did shows from Florida to Washington. I used to come out dressed as Dolly Parton and then I did a standup routine as Daisy Jane (Minnie Pearl’s niece). It was a lot of fun and we both enjoyed making people laugh.

When my mystery illness curtailed our travels, we performed closer to home. We stopped when I just couldn’t physically do it anymore. After diagnosis, I performed various skits at the RV Resort where we lived at the time. Whenever they needed some “entertainment” they’d just call me. I now live in a house and when I found a Parkinson’s chat room early one morning, and people who needed cheering up, I started sharing my funny stories with them and that’s how Parkinson’s Humor, the blog and book, began. I have seen what laughter can do for people, and I know that laughing helps me as well.

2.  You’ve tallied 59,000+ blog visitors to date. What have you gained from sharing and connecting with other PD patients online?

More than you can imagine. I am still not quite sure how it happened, how people from countries I have never even heard of found my blog, but the feedback I get inspires me to keep writing. My wonderful husband says, “Parkinson’s didn’t take anything away from you, it gave you a new life.” And he’s right. I have learned so many things from the people I connect with online and in turn, have shared right back.

I feel like I have a whole new family of brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and grandparents as well as a dozen or so new parents, LOL. I have one close online friend who ends every reply with “Love, Mom.” She had a daughter who was born the same year as I was, but died as a toddler and she thinks that her daughter would have looked just like me.

3. What led you to turn your funny stories into a book?

I made the blog stories into a book for just one reason: for people who are not computer literate. I had so many people say, “I printed out one of your stories for my Dad (Grandma, Aunt, Neighbor), who has Parkinson’s. He doesn’t do computers. Will it ever be a book?”

So, I spent most of this summer making it into book form. Sales have been pretty good considering I self-published and did all the marketing myself. I donated the first profit check of $250 to my local PD support group earlier this month. I hope to get a major sponsor soon, so I can send a book to every support group in the country for their library. I will not keep any money from the book for myself; it will all be donated to Parkinson’s. I hope to have huge sales for Christmas (fingers crossed).

4.  You had Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery on October 18th. What was that like, and how are you feeling?

The first part of the surgery went very well and I am feeling very good. Tomorrow is the second part and I am told that the recovery will be longer and more painful, but I hope to feel well enough to go to a Halloween Party Saturday night. I’ve got my costume all ready (complete with antennae, LOL). There is a blog post detailing the entire surgery on the www.ParkinsonsHumor.com website right now.

Today’s guest post is written by PatientsLikeMe member Jeri Burtchell (TickledPink), who has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for 13 years.  A tie dye apparel store owner and mother of two, she writes a blog entitled “Gilenya and Me:  My Story of Being an MS Patient, a Hypochondriac and a Guinea Pig.”  Her patient advocacy and social media presence led to her being invited to speak the Disruptive Innovations conference taking place in Boston this week.

Read Part I of Jeri’s guest post first!

Because blogging a clinical trial from start to finish was unheard of, I attracted the interest of not only patients, but those in charge of clinical trials. They are interested in the impact of social media on clinical trials, and how they can utilize it to their benefit. Sites such as personal blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and PatientsLikeMe are here to stay and people naturally want to share information.

I got a direct message on Twitter from Craig Lipset, who is Head of Clinical Innovation, Worldwide Research & Development for Pfizer. Social media brought us together to have a conversation about research that never could have taken place before the Internet. Everyone is more connected and approachable now. Naturally, I blogged about it.

But that was just beginning.  Tomorrow, September 14th, at 9:45 a.m. , I will be speaking along with Craig at the Disruptive Innovations conference, where the leaders in pharmaceutical research will be gathering to share ideas and come up with innovative ways of conducting clinical trials that take the “ePatient” into consideration. The 30-minute segment is entitled “Patient Leaders as Key Stakeholders in Clinical Trials,” and I will be there to represent – and put a human face to – clinical trial patients everywhere.

Knowing this is a chance of a lifetime for a trial patient to have the researchers as their audience, I wanted to reach out to those who have participated in past or current trials. My question to them is: “If you could ask or tell researchers just one thing about your own experience as a trial patient, what would that be?”

I plan to attend this conference and speak on behalf of all patients and put a face to the humans behind the data. I want to show them that we are connected now more than ever by social media. Researchers need to harness that power to their benefit. Soon they may use it to recruit and retain trial participants. I would like to see them provide a monitored gathering place for these trial patients to reduce the spread of misinformation as patients share data.

To people who are considering a trial I recommend using tools like PatientsLikeMe and ClinicalTrials.gov to stay informed about ongoing research and find a doctor willing to support your interest in participating. Remember that not every trial will culminate in a drug that wins FDA approval. By joining a clinical trial you will be taking risks, but you may also be reaping benefits long before the general public will have access to the drug. Never forget that you are a pioneer and by entering a trial you are giving the greatest gift possible. Without volunteers we would have no medical advancements.

I hope that researchers never forget the impact they are having on the lives of people everywhere. They aren’t just going to work every day; they are the makers of miracles. Often patients are joining these trials as a last resort. The work of researchers gives us all promise for a brighter future.

I hope that patients everywhere will take one clear message away from this: NEVER GIVE UP! It would have been so easy that day to end it all. I was depressed and certain my life could get nothing but worse. But, by choosing to fight, I have changed my life forever and doors continue to open for me. By reaching out through social media I know I am not alone. You never know what tomorrow may bring, so don’t give up on today!

Editor’s Note:  Jeri isn’t the only PatientsLikeMe member blogging about her experience in a clinical trial.  See our interview with PGen study participant PF Anderson for another patient’s chronicle!

Today’s guest post is written by PatientsLikeMe member Jeri Burtchell (TickledPink), who has been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for 13 years.  A tie dye apparel store owner and mother of two, she writes a blog entitled “Gilenya and Me:  My Story of Being an MS Patient, a Hypochondriac and a Guinea Pig.”  Her patient advocacy and social media presence led to her being invited to speak the Disruptive Innovations conference taking place in Boston this week.

One rainy day in April 2007, I was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, talking myself out of suicide. I was having another MS relapse. This time it was attacking the part of my brain responsible for controlling emotion. As a result I was having panic attacks almost daily. Along with the emotional issues, I was also having trouble walking and horrible spasticity.

I had been diagnosed with MS for eight years at that point and, although I was on one of the FDA approved treatments, I was continuing to relapse three to four times a year. It felt like standing in the ocean; every time I would stand up and catch my breath, another “wave” of MS knocked me back down.

Deciding against suicide, I made some proactive choices that led to my meeting with the lead investigator of the Fingolimod (now marketed as Gilenya) clinical trials in Jacksonville, Florida. At my first appointment we discussed the Fingolimod trial called TRANSFORMS. I took the informed consent document home and went over all the risks and benefits with my family. After extensive baseline testing, I officially started the trial on August 20, 2007, a.k.a. “Randomization Day”, when I received my first dose of medication. I would return for regular testing many times over the next several years.

Joining the trial changed my life. I was very fortunate that I did not suffer any major side effects, and I am happy to say that my last MS attack to date was the very one which led me to contemplate suicide that day in April 2007.

I was fascinated by the research during the trial. They did a lot of testing, and I have never felt more assured that my overall health was being tracked, observed and cared for as I did in the clinical trial. Since I did not have medical insurance, this was a plus on top of benefits I might be getting if on the real drug.

When the trial began, I wanted to know what to expect. I tried searching the Internet for a clinical trial from a patient’s perspective and could find nothing. I decided to share my experience with the world so others considering a trial might have their own fears put at ease. Thus my blog, www.gilenyaandme.com, was born.

I blogged all of my checkups and along the way something unexpected happened. Many people wrote to thank me for being the reason they felt able to overcome their own fears and join a clinical trial. We began connecting and sharing our personal experiences in a way only the Internet could enable.

Read Part II of Jeri’s guest post!

Welcome to the latest installment of our “Spotlighted Blogger” series.  This spring we’ve been focusing on psoriasis patient bloggers, starting with Lissa in March and Alisha B. and Jessica in April.

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Joni (girlwithspots), a PatientsLikeMe member who writes a blog called “Just a Girl with Spots.”  How has she found acceptance with this chronic skin condition (which can cause itching, rashes and plaques) as well as the courage to wear a bathing suit?  Check out our interview below.

1.  Tell us about being diagnosed with psoriasis.

My diagnosis at age 15 was frustrating and dramatic. I was already super awkward – tall and lanky with a mouth full of braces – so to me it was the end of the world. The spots seemed to come on overnight and they took control of my skin. I felt self conscious and ugly all of the time. Even the word psoriasis felt ugly to me. I wasn’t comfortable talking about my skin condition to even the closest of friends. My friends and family knew that I had psoriasis, but not any of the emotions and stresses that I felt as a result of it.

At the time of my diagnosis, I didn’t understand why there was no magic pill that I could take and the spots would go away. Though told over and over, I also didn’t fully understand that my lifestyle and choices would help to play a large role in controlling my outbreaks. I played lacrosse and danced on the kickline, so I wouldn’t allow it to stop me from doing the things that I loved. But there were always the extra steps I had to take to cover it up to feel a sense of comfort – always two pairs of dance tights, leggings and long sleeves in the heat, extra make-up, etc. So even though I did the things I wanted, there was always something that held me back from feeling as carefree as a teenage girl should be.

2.  You’ve blogged about finding acceptance with psoriasis.  What are your top tips, and how does blogging play a role?

Not talking about my condition stuck with me until very recently, and it feels amazing to have finally let go of that internal struggle. Growing up with psoriasis was a challenge that I’m glad I had, it’s allowed me to find myself in a way that may not have happened otherwise. Blogging about living with psoriasis has been extremely therapeutic for me and is the reason why my skin is currently under control. It’s allowed me to get to know my skin on a deeper level and pinpoint what is and what isn’t working for me. My skin is always top of mind, but I always felt stressed and emotional about it, which was actually making it worse. Through a daily journal and blogging, my treatment plan is focused and I feel more relaxed than I ever have about my skin.

Psoriasis treatment is so much about trial and error; there are things that work wonders for others and would do absolutely nothing for me. It’s helped me to organize my thoughts and my own personal research to discover the right formula for me. For me, it’s eating fresh and organic foods that are higher anti-inflammatory, it’s exercising 3-4 days a week, using tea tree oil and heavy moisturizing creams and taking several supplements that I’ve found to be beneficial (daily multi-vitamin, omega-3 fish oil, milk thistle, turmeric, biotin, vitamin B-12, acidophilus). But I always find my biggest relief through the sun, so maybe it’s time insurance starts picking up the tab for my tropical vacations!

3.  I see you vacationed in Florida over Memorial Day weekend.  How did you cope with being in a bathing suit and “having spots”?

I had really wanted to find a new bathing suit for the summer that was white with red polka dots, so I could call it my new camouflage. I decided that instead of running from my spots, I needed to own them in my own way! But unfortunately I didn’t find one in time before I left for Florida! But even knowing and deciding that, I still had anxiety about being in a bathing suit. The past few sunny weekends had pretty much cleared up most of my upper body. But the spots on my legs have always been stubborn, so prior to the trip I had been treating them with a steroid ointment. That only left me with red spots and dark bruises, so not much better!

I decided the day before I left to stop stressing about it. I was going to Florida to celebrate the birthday of a close friend and I wanted to focus on enjoying the weekend, not hiding my spots. I posted about it a few days before I left and got several emails from friends with words of only love and support. I know that attitude plays a large role, but I also believe it’s necessary to only surround yourself with people who love you for you. And that doesn’t just go for people with psoriasis, that’s for everyone.

4.  What’s the most helpful thing you’ve learned at PatientsLikeMe?

PatientsLikeMe has shown me that I’m not alone in my struggles and feelings about living with psoriasis. Having the ability to connect with people who understand exactly what I’m going through has reinforced the reasons that I started my blog. People with psoriasis are always there to provide guidance, treatment recommendations, and most importantly, their love and support. If I can help at least one person with my blog, then I’ve done what I set out to accomplish.

Answering frequent questions about my own condition lets me track my progress and allows me to take a hard look at how my skin is reacting from day to day, week to week, month to month. PatientsLikeMe really understands how different conditions can affect your day to day health, but most importantly how it affects your mental well-being. You understand how important a healthy mentality is and the large role it plays in battling any disease or condition.

“I don’t really know too many people around here with psoriasis.   It was hard to relate with somebody.  My family, my friends, my husband, they’re great support, but they can only see what I’m going through, they can’t go through it the way I do.  It’s really important to be able to connect with people who truly understand what you’re going through.”

– Psoriasis Patient Lissa

In March, we introduced you to Lissa, a psoriasis patient who had recently started blogging about life with this chronic skin condition.  At that time, she had begun UVB photo therapy treatment for her psoriasis.

Now, several months later, you can see how Lissa is doing after completing her 51st UVB photo therapy session – and how PatientsLikeMe continues to play a role in her wellbeing – in a Skype video interview with our partner Patient Power, a site dedicated to connecting you with the experts on your condition.  That means doctors and patients.

Lissa Conger: Managing Psoriasis and Harnessing the Power of Patient Communities from Patient Power® on Vimeo.

Check out Lissa’s engaging interview with Patient Power founder Andrew Shorr, a leukemia survivor, above.  And stay tuned for more Patient Power videos featuring PatientsLikeMe members – including patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and cancer.

Welcome to the latest installment of our “Spotlighted Blogger” series.  This spring we are focusing on psoriasis patient bloggers, starting with Lissa back in March and Alisha B. a few weeks ago.

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Gough, a 19-year-old from the UK who recently started a blog called Jessica and Psoriasis.  What kind of reaction has she gotten?  And what tips does she have for those who feel isolated due to this chronic skin condition, which can cause itching, rashes and plaques (scaly patches)?  Check out our interview below.

1.  How are you feeling about being a newly minted “psoriasis blogger”?

The best word to describe how I feel about being a psoriasis blogger is relieved. I chose relieved because there is so much I have experienced throughout my psoriasis journey – both positives and negatives – that I wanted to talk about that even my closest friends and family were unaware of.  By writing my blog I have been able to explain all of my experiences without having to face the challenges of approaching the subject in general conversation. I have also found that by using my blog to share my journey with psoriasis it has enabled me to talk and share information with other psoriasis sufferers, which I have found warming and comforting.  Since starting my blog the support and feedback I have received has been overwhelming.

2.  Tell us how psoriasis affects your daily decisions – from shaving to clothing.

I believe with psoriasis you choose how much you let it affect your daily life and decisions. For me I would say my psoriasis majorly affects my decisions based upon the way I present myself for the day. If I wake up and skin has flared up or has worsened, I find I have to choose the right kind of clothes. I tend to wear leggings most of the time as the material doesn’t rub my skin and they are cool in comparison to jeans for example. Also if I want to wear a jumper I make sure I have a top protecting my skin underneath so my skin doesn’t become itchy.

Dependant upon the look of my skin also affects decisions such as whether I can wear makeup or whether I can shave my legs in the shower. If my skin is red and flaky I try as much as possible not to touch it with products that could make it worse. This includes shaving my legs, although if I am going out to a nightclub or party, though, I will plan in advance in order to make sure I can shave my legs, and I will use moisturizers to make my face suitable for makeup. Other than clothes and personal care, I try to make sure my psoriasis does not affect my decisions.  However, sometimes with a flare-up my mood can be worsened, and I tend to find things harder to cope with generally.

3.  What is your personal recipe for getting through a psoriasis flare-up?

My personal recipe probably has to be not to give up. When you have a flare-up, it is a perfect opportunity to put tips and techniques to the test, ask other people what they would recommend or go back to your consultant and ask for help. I do usually have a routine of making sure I have a bath every night to relax and then covering myself in moisturizers and creams before bed to help me sleep better. I also wear socks and gloves depending how bad my skin is to stop me itching and making my skin bleed. I find the more I itch, the more distressed I become, which obviously worsens the flare-up. So I try to stop it from becoming a cycle.

4.  Any advice for someone who feels alone or isolated due to psoriasis?

I think feeling alone is a common feeling amongst psoriasis sufferers, and I certainly felt alone before writing my blog. My advice would be to talk to other people, find out about chat boards, blogs and charities relating to psoriasis, and use these resources to share ideas, stories and experiences with others.  You may be surprised at some of the feedback you receive. I used to feel that even though I had support from many people around me, no one ever actually understood what I was really feeling and what I was going through. Talking to other people gave me the freedom to say how I really felt and not be embarrassed. I personally believe that talking with others about living with my psoriasis has been part of my therapy.

Welcome to the latest installment of our “Spotlighted Blogger” series.  So far, we’ve interviewed patient bloggers living with gastroparesis, type I diabetes, bipolar I disorder, Parkinson’s disease and ALS, and today we introduce Alisha B., who felt alone in her struggles with psoriasis until “coming out” on her blog, Being Me in My Own Skin.

Alisha is currently participating in the WEGO Health Activists Challenge, which encourages health bloggers to write 30 posts in 30 days during the month of April.  To make it easy, WEGO sends out a daily theme to tackle.  Alisha has risen to the occasion and produced inspired posts such as “Dear 16-Year-Old Me” and “I Do This for One Reason.”  How has blogging changed her?  Find out that and more in our interview below.

1.  Tell us about growing up with psoriasis – the physical and emotional impact.

Growing up with psoriasis was not an easy battle.  I was not only dealing with the regular stuff like puberty and body image, but throwing psoriasis in the mix made it a lot tougher. I’ll be honest, confidence was not something I had very much of as a child. Although, I was not a depressed child. I was considered the class clown or goofy one among my friends, but deep down inside I was hurting.

I just wanted to be “normal” and in my eyes that was a life without psoriasis. I may have been this confident chick to somebody from the outside looking in, but I stopped myself from a lot due to my condition. Now that I look back on my teenage years everything I did was virtually shaped around my psoriasis. The decisions I made, the activities I participated in, the events I went to, even the clothes I wore.

2.  What’s it been like “going public” about your psoriasis on your blog?

I started my blog in June 2011 after going to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) conference. I remember sitting in a workshop they had about using social media to advocate for your condition. I had seen other psoriasis bloggers, and I remember saying to myself, “I can do that.” On the way home from the conference, ideas were flowing to my mind on different posts I could do, and it was a really great feeling.

Going public with my condition through my blog has been liberating! I wish I would have done this a long time ago. A lot of times I hid, uncertain of how people would accept my condition. But today, the more people I discuss my disease with, the more I realize that the things I was telling myself mentally were only because of my own insecurities. People are a lot more understanding than I could have ever imagined.

My outreach has also helped me to connect with other people dealing with psoriasis, and I no longer feel alone like I did just one year ago.

3.  What are the most helpful things you’ve learned from other psoriasis patients?

I met a young lady named Kasi at the NPF conference. Her psoriasis condition was equivalent to mine. Her skin was very visibly broken out. She was so confident with the way she walked and the clothes she wore, it really inspired me to stop hiding. Kasi as well as others at the conference really made me feel good and encouraged me. I’ve had this type of encouragement from family and friends, but nothing is like the inspiration that you receive from people who are actually living with this disease. Other psoriasis “conquerors” encourage me to not be ashamed and to embrace my condition.

4.  Tell us about the WEGO Health Activists Challenge and why you’re participating.

The WEGO Health Activists Challenge was suggested to me by the NPF. Doing the challenge is exciting because there are new topics to discuss everyday and I get to connect with other activists. I decided to participate in the challenge to bring more attention to psoriasis. A lot of people are silent about it out of fear of ridicule, and I was once one of these people. The more people who know about this disease, the faster the stigma will end.

Want to connect with and learn from psoriasis patients like you?
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Welcome to the sixth installment of our “Spotlighted Blogger” series.  So far, we’ve interviewed patient bloggers living with gastroparesis, type I diabetes, bipolar I disorder, Parkinson’s disease and ALS, and today we introduce Lissa, a PatientsLikeMe member who has lived with psoriasis for over a decade.  An early participant in our psoriasis forum room, Lissa appreciates the support of family and friends but has discovered an element of kinship through meeting other psoriasis patients.

Entitled Psoriasis Girl’s Point of View, Lissa’s new blog chronicles the ups and downs of recurring psoriasis outbreaks (which cover most of her body with itchy red plaques), working with a dermatologist and experimenting with different treatments and skin care regimens. Most recently, she explored UVB photo therapy and candidly showed the before and after photos of the initial results.  If you’re wondering how she finds perspective amidst these lifelong challenges, read on for inspiration.

1.  I see you first experienced psoriasis as a teenager.  How have things changed since you were first diagnosed?

You know how teens can be!  It was tough handling the criticism young people subject themselves and each other to.

My psoriasis became more of a permanent fixture on my body in my early-to-mid twenties, instead of coming and going as it usually did in my teens.  I suppose as the stress of being ‘part of the real world’ increased, so did my psoriasis outbreaks: working full-time in retail management and balancing going to school part-time, martial arts classes, and a relationship.  I eventually resigned from work in late 2010 to go back to college full-time and be a homemaker, with stress being an influential factor.  My stress level is fairly low these days, however the psoriasis remains uncontrollable.

My thinking about psoriasis has certainly changed.  When I was a teen, I didn’t really put any thought into the fact that this is something I will deal with my entire life.  I guess I just assumed it would be minor and come and go, not knowing that I would one day be 85% covered, with it affecting so many aspects of my life, including trying to treat psoriasis while trying to conceive!  It’s a struggle but I know I need to stay positive.

2.  Your blog conveys a great attitude. What is the most stressful aspect of having psoriasis, and what helps you to cope?

In my blog, I’m just being real, just being myself: someone who is learning to be positive.  I truly believe the mind is powerful, and while I wish I could just think my psoriasis away, I know that staying positive helps.

There are many frustrations to having psoriasis, and I’m sure they vary from person to person.  I get stressed about money and affording prescriptions and treatments, stressed about public interaction when it’s hard to hide my plaques.  But one thing that really gets me feeling like I’m spinning down a dark hole is when a medication or treatment seems to be working and it looks like I will finally get all the psoriasis to go away and then new plaques begin to crop up and quickly spread like wildfire.

I cope by talking to my husband and getting back rubs, trying to stay positive and keeping my mind focused on something else, like reading or cooking.  I also think it’s important to exercise to fight stress.  As far as providing comfort to psoriasis, a good lotion that’s geared towards itch-relief, is fragrance-free, and thick and creamy is the weapon of choice to slather on deliberately as often as necessary between topical Rx applications.  Other than that, gotta let “the attitude determine the altitude.”

3.  Great to see you updating your profile often. Which profile tools do you find most helpful, and why?

I like the charts.  I like having the ability to track my symptoms, my mood, my quality of life, and so forth to look for patterns and connections.  I find them all to be in-depth, and they ask good questions. I tried keeping a journal in the past to track my psoriasis, but this is better because it’s easier to read, all on one page, color-coded, and more detailed.  I also like the InstantMe tool.  It’s like a status update.

The community aspect is great.  Between the forums, personal messages, following people, commenting on other patients’ InstantMe [answers], and updating your own info, there’s a lot to do on the site. When I first signed up, I wasn’t expecting all the useful tools – I just thought it was a community.

4.  What have you learned from fellow PatientsLikeMe members? Anything that has surprised or inspired you?

I’ve learned that there are other people that have their good days and bad days, just like I do.  They worry about similar things that I do, so we can bounce things off one another, seek advice and solace in one another.  We’ve talked about treatments and medicines, lotions, make-up, and fashion, and how we relate these things to dealing with psoriasis.  I’ve been inspired by other patients to try to feel better, and to try to make others feel better too, help them stay positive.

It’s nice to know there’s a community of real people who truly understand how I feel.  My husband and friends and family are empathetic and there for me, but the other patients are people who really know what it’s like to feel the way I’ve felt.  I really feel like I can talk about anything to some of the friends I’ve made through PatientsLikeMe.

Want to connect with and learn from psoriasis patients like you?
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Welcome to the third installment of our new blog series featuring patient bloggers. Last week, we introduced you to Parkinson’s blogger Steve, and today, we’d like you to meet Rachael, a three-star member who has been a part of PatientsLikeMe’s flagship ALS community since the very beginning. In fact, she joined PatientsLikeMe in May 2006, just two months after being diagnosed with this progressive neurological disorder (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). Her blog is called “Notes to Self,” and it’s a candid and charming journal of the full life she leads, despite her condition.

1.  What role does your blog play in your life?

As the title suggests, my blog is [filled with] “Notes to Self.” I use it as an aide memoir and an excuse to be verbose as my voice fails me. It is useful to direct people who ask about events in my life when repetition of the story would be tiring. I also find that it helps me to work through my often complicated emotions in dealing with the disease and its incumbent challenges.

2.  Tell us about using an eye gaze system to write your blog posts and more.

As I have blogged on many occasions, the Eye Gaze System [a communication system directed by eye movements] is invaluable to me. I was fortunate enough to get the system before my voice and keyboard dexterity gave up entirely. I have become used to using it, and the transition has been less traumatic than it otherwise might have been. Low-tech communication is all very well in an emergency but cannot compensate for speech.

The Eye Gaze allows me to converse on an almost level footing, conveying thoughts and observations, expressing myself in my own style with all its complexities and idiosyncrasies. The Eye Gaze also allows me to indulge my “inner geek” and access the Internet and Skype to communicate with far flung friends and family.

3.  You’re a big user of the InstantMe tool at PatientsLikeMe.  Why?

I have always been quite an obsessive character. I am possibly overworking the PatientsLikeMe facility. I find it of immeasurable help to have a diarized record of my progression as it relates to my daily life. I tend to ramble, so I find the strict regimen of 140 characters helpful.

A while back, I worried about my memory loss. I had a test done, and it showed no signs of the frontal lobe dementia that terrified me. My consultant reassured me that my short term memory loss was within “normal” parameters. To me it was still unacceptable. Because I have so many small things to remember that people without this condition would find insignificant, something has to give. Having a log helps my recollection. It is also useful for caregivers to reference and saves me effort and energy that I often do not have. It makes my clinical review a whole lot easier and accurate.

4.  In your last post, you talk about reconnecting with friends you’d pulled away from.  Tell us about that.

When I was first diagnosed, I was given the usual prognosis “18 months to live”. Some friends ran away but I realize now that I also withdrew from many people in my struggle to come to terms with the disease. 18 months has come and gone a number of times. Over time I had to re-evaluate my response. Instead of planning for dying I needed to plan for living. Part of this included giving people the opportunity to be involved in my life.

It is, on reflection, a patronizing thing to withdraw friendship without at least offering the choice. Life with ALS is difficult, but the challenges are not insurmountable. I thoroughly enjoy my life and my friends both old and new. Anyone reading my “InstantMe” [history] will know that I have an active social life and a busy home.

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” about his Parkinson’s diagnosis and become more at ease with it. Check out our interview with Steve below to learn how he developed his “fighting spirit,” what he’s doing to raise PD awareness and who inspires him the most.

1.  What’s it been like “going public” about Parkinson’s on your blog?

Going public (“My Coming-Out Party”) on my blog has been a very emotional experience for me.  When I clicked “Publish” after writing the post, I felt as if the weight of the world was off my shoulders.  I became relaxed when talking about having PD with my family and friends just knowing they had read my blog and finally knew I had the disease.  I believe one of the reasons my tremors have become less frequent and not as pronounced is that I’m more comfortable with whom I am, a 55- year-old man with Parkinson’s.

I had basically been trying to hide that I had PD for seven years. Just try keeping a secret (of the magnitude of having Parkinson’s) for seven years.  It wears on you and can consume you if you let it.  Going public has also allowed me to create awareness of what Parkinson’s disease really does to a human being and their family.  The perception most have is that the disease is life-threatening and some have similar thoughts as if I had cancer and was going to die from it.  I use the opportunity to educate that PD does not kill you.  It only makes it more difficult to live a normal life due to the symptoms.

2.  What role does PatientsLikeMe’s Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (PDRS) play in your disease management?

The PDRS is the only tool I am aware of that a patient can actually use to track the progression of PD.  I have taken the test (a series of multiple choice questions about everyday activity) at least once a quarter for the past four years, and it has helped me immensely, especially from an emotional standpoint.  When I first took the test back in November 2007, my score between 0 to 100 (100 being the worst or the furthest along with Parkinson’s) was 7.  Just before I started to answer this question today, I took the test and scored an 11.  My high was a 22 back in May 2011.

Obviously, I have a very slow progression of the disease. That gives me confidence I can live a normal life for years to come.  The PDRS may not be an exact science, but it does give us a baseline in measuring PD.  Your score can be used in determining what your next step is in fighting the disease and/or increasing or decreasing your medication(s).  Over the years, every time I meet someone with Parkinson’s, I ask if they are aware of PatientsLikeMe.  If not, I direct them to the website and explain about the benefits of the site, emphasizing the use of the PDRS.

3.  What’s some of the best advice you’ve gotten from other PatientsLikeMe members?

The information and history on the PatientsLikeMe website of approximately 6,000 members [with PD] is phenomenal.  The wealth of knowledge you have at your fingertips is extremely powerful.  If you have PD and are not member, you are simply missing out.  Neurologists specializing in Parkinson’s, in my humble opinion, should have PatientsLikeMe and the forum as required reading in their daily practice.

The following is one example of an experience I had recently with PatientsLikeMe.  At 3:00 a.m. one morning, not able to sleep, I went online to the PatientsLikeMe website.  The following is an outtake I posted on the [Parkinson’s] forum within PatientsLikeMe:

“Over the past 2 years I have tried to go on Carbidopa/Levodopa 3 times, the 3rd time being this past week, in hopes it would help control my increasing tremors.  And now for the 3rd time I am stopping due to the side effects.  For the 3rd night in a row I could not sleep due to the constant high anxiety/buzzing feeling along with uncontrollable gyrations of my head and arms.”

Within 24 hours, four members responded with their advice, which was basically to start with a lower dosage and increase very slowly, but to give the drug a chance.  J. Marley, Lexiegirl, Parkinson’s Pete and equus, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  I made the dosage change and gave the drug a chance and now Carbidopa-Levodopa [brand name Sinemet] is my friend.

4.  You talk a lot about your fighting spirit on your blog.  Where do you draw inspiration and strength?

Good question.  My #1 inspiration in fighting the disease is having the right attitude and conviction to win the battles and the war against PD. This is why I am so obsessed with proper fitness and working out every day.  I made the commitment back in September 2009 that, at the very minimum, I would go to the gym six days a week and do 60 minutes of cardio, 30 minutes of weights and 15 minutes of abdominal work.  I am currently in the best shape of my life, which is an extreme confidence booster that I can win the war and hold off this disease until we find a cure.

Outside my family, there are three men that I draw inspiration and strength from almost daily.  They are Coach Jim Valvano (“Jimmy V”), Michael J. Fox and Mohammed Ali.  This past week was the anniversary of Jimmy V’s memorable speech at the ESPY awards on ESPN, when he was still alive fighting cancer.  I have heard and played the speech so many times I can almost recite it by heart.  The main strength I draw on is what Coach Valvano asked us all to try and do each day.  We need to be deep in thought about something important to us every day.  Each day we need to laugh and enjoy life.  And lastly, each day we need to have emotions that move us to tears.  If we can have deep thought, laughter and cry in the same day, that’s a BIG DAY.  The tagline of the V Foundation, “Don’t Give Up, Don’t Ever Give Up” is the mission statement on my blog (www.AttitudeFitnessWins.com).

As we go through life, we all have our heroes we look up to for inspiration.  For me that has changed as I have gotten older and hopefully wiser.  When I was young, my heroes were sports stars like Mickey Mantle, Pete Maravich and Jack Nicklaus.  In my adult life family members have become my heroes and support as I fight PD and try and live a normal life.  My Dad, my Mom, my Uncle Jack, to name a few, have always inspired me to be the best I can be.

Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, my motivation to make an impact and help others living with PD comes from Michael J. Fox and Mohammed Ali, both of which have had Parkinson’s for many years.  Michael J. Fox is an incurable optimist that I have respected since reading his book, “Always Looking Up.”  His quest through his foundation in finding a cure for the disease in his lifetime is unsurpassed and is my Holy Grail.  And then there is The Greatest, Mohammed Ali.  My blog’s mantra, “Attitude & Fitness Wins,” says it all.  I draw strength and a confident attitude every time I see it.  His jubilation and his commitment to fitness and being a winner are attributes I want to portray in my life and hopefully pass on to others and have an impact on their lives as well.

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To find out more about PD, check out our follow-up blog post, “Life with Parkinson’s Disease: What We’ve Learned.”

How do we know we’re truly living in a Health 2.0 age?  Recently, we’ve discovered that a number of PatientsLikeMe members have fascinating blogs chronicling what it’s like to live with their respective health conditions.  For example, we told you in August about the acclaimed gastroparesis blog “My Broken Stomach,” written by one of our members, Mollee Sullivan, and last month, we spotlighted diabetes patient Michael Burke’s blog “Life on the T List,” which shares his experiences before and after a kidney transplant.

As a result of this growing trend, we’ve decided to begin a blog series featuring some of the other amazing bloggers that are part of the PatientsLikeMe community.  To start things off, we’d like to share our interview with Andrea, a three-star member who started a candid blog about life with bipolar I disorder earlier this year called “Lithium and Lamictal.”  (The title refers to the two treatments she’s found that work best for her.)  Tune in below to find out why she began blogging and what she hopes to achieve.

1.  Why did you decide to start blogging about bipolar disorder?

I decided to start blogging about bipolar disorder after 21 years of living with this health condition. I was diagnosed with manic depression (now referred to as bipolar disorder) in 1989, and the main reason I bought my first computer in 1997 was so that I could try to connect with other patients and research bipolar disorder using the World Wide Web. I just knew there had to be more information out there than what I had gotten from my psychiatrists and the few pamphlets and books I had read before everyday people began using the Internet for research.

I’m still trying to learn as much as I can about bipolar disorder and health and wellness. I have always been interested in finding information about how people are living day-to-day with the condition. When I decided to start my blog, I wanted to give readers a view into my life so that I could provide an example of someone who is trying to do her best to manage the condition. I hope that my blog will inspire others to take charge of their physical and mental health, and also to remain hopeful and positive.

2.  Your blog is called “Lithium and Lamictal.”  How long did it take to find this treatment combination, and what difference did that make in your life?

When I was first diagnosed with manic depression in 1989, I was given lithium as a monotherapy. It prevented mania, but I still got depressed and I just had to deal with it because psychiatrists wouldn’t prescribe antidepressants since I had a history of severe manias and psychotic breaks. I think it was 2001 when my then-psychiatrist recommended that I try Lamictal at a time when I had been stable for a while. I took it and I didn’t get depressed for a few years, but I did have some unpleasant side effects, so I discontinued it and eventually experienced a serious depression.

Last year, when I was going through another serious depression, my new psychiatrist suggested that I try Lamictal again. After several months, my depression lifted, and after reflecting on my experiences with the medication, I realized that while Lamictal wasn’t great at relieving my depression, it definitely seemed to prevent my depression. At this point, I plan to take it indefinitely. I am taking a lower dose than with my old psychiatrist, and I also take medication and supplements to counteract the side effects. So now I take lithium and Lamictal and feel healthier than ever. All things considered, they are the best medications I have tried with the fewest side effects. Together they prevent mania and depression, and I hope I’ve found a combination of medications that will work for me for years to come.

3.  What have you gotten out of being a member of PatientsLikeMe?

I really like tracking all of my health conditions and medications as well as exercise and sleep. It’s a good way of figuring out what is working and what isn’t. It’s also a reminder that I need to continue to take good care of myself, and it lets me know when I am slipping and need to get back on track. My psychiatrist likes it when I bring the charts to my appointments. She has also started asking me to bring my blog posts.  The [PatientLikeMe] forums are a good way to learn from other patients about what is working for them. I post my new blog posts in the forum in the hope that they might help or inspire people.

4.  Your username at PatientsLikeMe is Yoga Lover.  What role does yoga play in your self care?

I was taking yoga from a great yoga instructor when I chose my username. Yoga is excellent for increasing strength, flexibility, relaxation, learning about mindfulness, and more. Not every yoga instructor focuses on spirituality, but mine did. We had candles burning, dim lighting, a picture of B.K.S. Iyengar and houseplants in the studio. We also had short discussions before class that everyone was encouraged to participate in.

Later in the class, as we went through the poses, he would talk to us about things we should be focusing on. Something that helped me the most was when he explained that just as a stomach digests, a mind thinks. The thoughts aren’t that important. We can decide who we are and what we want to do regardless of our thoughts. We don’t need to be embarrassed about our thoughts or judgmental of them, we just need to observe them.  He recommended reading the book Light on Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, by B.K.S Iyengar, which I did. If you are interested in yoga, I would recommend it highly.

Because of financial considerations, I stopped attending that yoga class and joined my local YMCA. I take a spinning class three times a week and walk on the off days, as well as doing some swimming and strength training. I’m not going to a yoga class currently, but I still focus on things I learned in yoga about breathing, meditation, relaxation and mindfulness.