Switching to Biosimilars for RA, Part Two: My Experience as an ‘Outlier’ Trying (So Far) 3 Biosimilars
In April 2023, I received a letter from the Ontario government with information about the new biosimilar switching policy. I had until the end of the year to switch from the biologic medication I take to treat my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to a biosimilar. I did my best to be hopeful and believe it would…
You May Have to Switch to a Biosimilar for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Here’s Why.
In March 2023, I received a letter from the Ontario government. It informed me that a biosimilar switching policy was now in place. People like me who receive funding from the government to pay for Biologics for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Crohn’s disease, and other forms of autoimmune disease were given until the end of 2023…
The Path to better Treatment: 5 Tips to Get What You Need
“We have to do whatever we can to help our patients function.” – My rheumatologist Both my rheumatologist and my family doctor support my need for treatment that enables me to live my life. That includes prescribing opioids, steroid shots, or thinking outside the box to find solutions. I know that makes me a lucky…
It’s All in Your Head: Fighting for a Diagnosis
In the past month or so, two doctors have suggested that my extreme fatigue is due to depression and anxiety. And sure, I will accept that this may be part of the reason for Fatigue #1 (as I call it), which has dogged my days since the croup incident. But it doesn’t explain Fatigue #2…
Ontario Joins War on Pain Patients: Opioids, Stigma, and Human Rights
I used to start the day crying in the shower. The pain was so great that waking up and beginning to move was torture. So I sat in the shower, salty tears mixing with the fresh water. Every day. And then my doctor gave me a prescription for opioids and the pain subsided. No longer…
Longing for a difference: Super Bowl Ad and Opioid Addiction Insanity
A little over a week ago, this ad ran during the Super Bowl [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr78_7Kip3Q] It deals with opioid -induced constipation and is, in my opinion, both discreet and direct, as well as very, very charming. It’s a very subtle ad for a medication that might help, but it is also much more than that,…
Is the Term Patient Counterproductive in Advocacy?
Updated May 17, 2021 “We need to support the journey from passive patient to patient leader. “ – Annette McKinnon How do you include the voice of people who live with illness — chronic or otherwise (patients) —in the decisions that affect how healthcare is provided? And how do you do that without these voices being used…
Is It Discomfort or Is It Pain?
Discomfort. It’s a word often used in the medical world when referring to procedures or experiences that could involve pain. And it bugs me. This latest rant began when I read an article about dental implants that referred to “post-surgery discomfort.” This discomfort was described as being akin to that which happens when you…
Refusal of Care: Disabled Women and Breast Cancer Screening
Updated March 16, 2022 I was long past the recommended age to have a mammogram the first time I had one. The reason? Lack of accessibility in cancer screening equipment and procedures. And I’m not alone. Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer among women, yet women who have a disability are…
A Very Special Anniversary Gift
Heaven preserve us from really good doctors… What am I going on about, you ask? Isn’t having a good doctor a good thing? Well, most of the time it is. But sometimes meeting a good doctor who doesn’t know you can lead to situations that can best be described as “interesting.” Those of you who’ve…
A Problem & A New Vision for RA Pain Treatment
Updated August 30, 2020 “The type of pain associated with moderate-severe RA is comparable to bone cancer.” This is a quote from a HealthCentral article, now alas no longer on the site. The source of the quote was a rheumatologist treating the woman interviewed. And it has been reverberating in my mind since I first…
Ratings System
Yesterday, I read Trisha Torrey’s post about the ratingsystem. More specifically, how someone named Dr. Young has protested about his patients rating (judging) his services, calling some of them unfair. He also felt that people who didn’t “get over it” are “bad patients.” Trisha asks that since patients rate doctors, should doctors rate patients, too?…