My first ACR Annual Meeting! (ACR18)
I went to the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting this past weekend! It was a bit of a rush to get there. I only found out that it was happening on Friday, and when I learned it was in Chicago, I knew I couldn’t waste the opportunity to go. It was awesome to get to see the most cutting edge research in rheumatology right now and be able to hear it directly from the researchers. I also made some really cool connections with the Arthritis Foundation. Here’s some of the coolest stuff I learned at the conference. Research A quick look at some conclusions I found cool from the…
“Disabled” doesn’t mean “unable”
I’ve been through “disability education” a few times now as part of employment. The most recent time was for my job working at the tutoring center of my university. Someone from The Center for Disability resources came to talk to us about how to work with people with disabilities: what to expect, how to adapt, what not to do. It was very short, so it couldn’t avoid being lacking. Surprisingly, it covered both visible and invisible disabilities, although not many of them. Those kinds of limitations aside, there was one main problem with the training: The entire time, the presenter talked as though people with disabilities were an alien species…
STEM burnout: A student’s perspective
It’s been difficult for me to keep up with making content lately because senior year of college is absolutely crushing me. It’s gotten to the point that I’ve actually looked into switching programs, switching schools, taking time off, dropping classes. I’ve considered dropping out senior year, when I only have 14 credits and 2 semesters left before I can graduate. Worse, it’s only 4 weeks into the semester and I’ve already considered it. What’s terrifying and sad is that I’m not the only one. I had a breakdown last night, was sure I couldn’t continue with the semester, but I did. I made it to class today and met with the…
Humira, Enbrel, and cancer risk
There’s a scary warning when you read about biologics like Humira and Enbrel: these drugs may increase risk of cancer. Scarier, Humira has a warning that it may cause a rare, deadly type of cancer in young people. After spending many bored hours in doctor’s offices, I’d read the warnings many times on pamphlets and posters. Probably too many, because it made me question whether it was the right choice to start a biologic therapy when my doctor offered it as an option. Simply put, biologic medications are drugs that are made from living sources, instead of mixing chemicals. They include medicines like Humira and Enbrel for autoimmune diseases and even…
My unnerving steroid injection experiences
Because of my problems with my shoulder, I’ve had corticosteroid injections (also called cortisone injections or steroid injections) more than once. Doctors (at least the ones I’ve had) don’t counsel you on anything to watch out for, they just give you the shot and send you on your way. Which is why, when I started having side effects, at first I thought there was something wrong with me. Harmless beginnings Corticosteroid injections are often given to alleviate pain in a specific joint or location, often due to arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, or some other condition that is causing inflammation there. The first time I had a corticosteroid injection was from a crazy…
What spondylitis is like
Spondylitis refers to arthritis of the spine. Instead of being caused by wear and tear on joints, this kind of arthritis is caused by the immune system attacking joints. This is my honest experience with spondylitis. It’s just the facts, not meant to be pessimistic. From the beginning My first symptoms started when I was in middle school: tendonitis in my ankles and then hip, knee, and back pain. In high school my shoulder became a problem, and eventually, smaller joints like my wrists and fingers. After many years, I finally found a doctor who would treat me while figuring out what was wrong. I had figured it out years…
My journey with spondylitis
This is the long version of what I’ve gone through with spondylitis, for anybody curious about what kinds of symptoms I’ve had. Maybe you’ll find something to identify with, or maybe you’ll get a better understanding of spondylitis. Or, maybe you’re looking for a shorter description over here. (If any of the medical terms get too confusing, check out the quick guide to medical terms.) A slow realization The first thing I had a problem with were my Achilles tendons. At the time, and even years later, I didn’t realize that it was connected to my later symptoms, but it’s actually not uncommon for tendonitis to be the first sign…
A quick guide to medical terminology
All the medical words that I throw around here can get confusing when it’s the first time you’re hearing them, but I find it a lot easier to understand and remember what words mean when I understand where the words come from. If that’s a method that works for you, then this post will be super helpful. Prefixes you might see arthr- : joint bursa : small fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints cyst- : bladder enthes- : enthesis (where tendons and ligaments attach to bone) my- : muscle spondyl- : vertebra, the bones in the spine Suffixes you might see -algia : pain -itis : inflammation -osis : a disease -pathy : a disease Some…
My exercise adventures, post-diagnosis
By the time I finished high school, I knew what was wrong with my body, and I had a better idea on how to manage it. “Better” meaning having an idea where to start, instead of not doing anything because who knows what would work. Exercise is important for helping pain from inflammatory arthritis, but finding exercise that I can do and feel motivated to fit into my schedule is, of course, a challenge. And more recently, it feels like I have to get a lot of exercise to get any benefit for my joints. I still roller skate in the summer, when I can, but it can take a lot…
My exercise adventures, pre-diagnosis
For awhile I dreaded that a doctor would tell me I needed to exercise more to help my arthritis. I envisioned miserable jogs or feeling forced to find time to go swimming. Exercise is an important part of being healthy, though, so why do so many people feel that way? For me, the problem was this idea that the exercise had to be a certain type, and that’s not true at all. I’ve been able to get myself a lot healthier by finding things that I genuinely enjoy doing, even if they’re not typical exercise options. That may seem obvious, but it’s been harder to accomplish than I thought. I’ve…
