Made With RA: Asking ‘Why’ Can Get You the RA Life You Want
It’s natural to have questions about your rheumatoid arthritis. In my new column for HealthCentral, I explain why those nagging questions you have for your doctor (or yourself) are worth asking out loud: “WHY? IF YOU have children, chances are that word starts a little twitch around your left eye. It’s the favorite word of toddlers…
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…
#AskLene July 2018
This month on the #AskLene Facebook Live, I talked about disability benefits — what’s good about them, what isn’t, and what it takes to qualify — as well as what to do when people don’t believe you have a chronic illness.
Build a Good Relationship with Your Doctor
When you have a chronic illness, your doctor is one of the most important people in your life.When you find a good one, they’ll be with you for years, even decades, sometimes more than other relationships. My new post for Mango Health shares tips on how to build a good relationship with you doctor: “If…
Nothing More than Feelings: How Doctors Minimize RA Reality
Updated August 30, 2020 Catastrophizing is a popular concept in medicine, particularly when dealing with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic pain. You’ll find endless studies and articles on the concept, described as negative self statements, feelings or coping strategies. For instance, someone saying “this is the worst pain I’ve ever had” or “what if I can’t…