Daily tasks had become unbearable due to the pain and weakness in my left hand. I struggled to hold a plate with one hand or to cut food with a knife. Simple activities like getting dressed or gripping an envelope caused significant pain in my left thumb and wrist. Given the amount of typing my job required, I could no longer manage with just ice packs or wrist braces for my basal thumb joint. I had reached a breaking point and needed a more effective treatment strategy.  For years, I had placed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and fibromyalgia at the top of my treatment plan, while osteoarth ..read more

Learn more about our FREE COVID-19 Patient Support Program for chronic illness patients and their loved ones. Credit: Jae Walker My last rheumatology appointment was at the end of January. There I sat with my N95 mask on, and my rheumatologist had nothing on his face — not even a surgical mask. I observed multiple patients in the waiting area wearing N95 masks, yet none of the staff were wearing any type of mask on their faces. In the last couple of months, I had to take a Lyft to my local pharmacy to get my medication. My pharmacy is one of the busiest I have ever had — prior to COVI ..read more

“Sorry, I shouldn’t be complaining.” This is something I’ve said many times, and I’ve also heard it in some iteration or another from many friends. Our culture tells us to be positive — keep smiling, don’t complain, have a good attitude. Philosophies such as manifesting tell us that we get what we put out into the world. In other words, if we’re being negative then it is only natural that negative things are happening to us. There’s an unspoken (and sometimes spoken) idea that if we don’t put on a positive face that we’re a downer, and that nobody is going to want to be around us if we comp ..read more

Experiencing pain and discomfort is something many of us with chronic illness know all too well. It’s not just about feeling it physically; it can also take a toll on our emotions, leaving us feeling out of sorts and overwhelmed. And let’s not forget how it can throw a wrench into our day-to-day activities, making it harder to do the things we love and rely on. Recently, in one of our #CreakyChats sessions titled “Cloudy with a Chance of Pain,” our amazing community members came together to swap stories and share tips on navigating joint pain and flare-ups during seasonal shifts. We delved ..read more

As cancer research progresses, there is new hope for longevity after diagnosis with cutting-edge treatments like immunotherapy. This treatment has emerged as a key player in cancer therapy by helping your immune system fight cancer. Cancer cells tend to evade the effects of your normal immune system, but immunotherapy helps your immune system fight against those cells more effectively, per the National Cancer Institute. However, as with most treatments, immunotherapy has its side effects. More specifically, experts are learning more about immune-related adverse events (irAEs) that may occur ..read more

This story was told to CreakyJoints by Kara N. Corps, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVP, Director of Comparative Pathology & Digital Imaging Shared Resource at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. As a result of immunotherapy treatments for triple negative breast cancer, Kara experienced irAEs — immune-related adverse events, an emerging area of study observing the potential side effects of immunotherapy. Kara tells her story and offers advice for others with this trifecta of conditions who may find it difficult to know where they “fit.”  My Cancer Diagnosis Story In Septem ..read more

Learn more about our FREE COVID-19 Patient Support Program for chronic illness patients and their loved ones. Credit: Jae Walker It took me a month to get over COVID and the draining, squeezing bronchitis that took over my body. My symptoms began on Monday with an extremely stuffy head. By Wednesday, I had moved onto intense leg nerve pain, trembling, struggling to breathe (and feeling exhausted after short bouts of talking), loss of appetite, a migraine, nausea, and more. I took the in-home COVID test, and although I was supposed to wait 15 minutes, the results came back positive before f ..read more

Learn more about our FREE COVID-19 Patient Support Program for chronic illness patients and their loved ones. As COVID-19 variants continue to pose new challenges, many wonder: Are COVID-19 shots still necessary? A recent groundbreaking paper by the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) provides crucial insights into this question. The report, titled “Quantifying the Economic and Health Benefits from Rapid-Development COVID-19 Vaccines and Boosters,” authored by Michael Mandel, PhD, Chief Economist, Progressive Policy Institute (ppi), Robert Popovian, PharmD, MS, Chief Policy Science Officer ..read more

Learn more about our FREE COVID-19 Patient Support Program for chronic illness patients and their loved ones. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is considering dropping the COVID-19 isolation recommendations for the first time since 2021, which may shorten the isolation period guidance for all Americans. Under the new guidelines, those who test positive for COVID-19 would use clinical symptoms to decide when to end isolation — rather than staying home for five days, per a report from The Washington Post. Those infected would no longer need to stay home if ..read more

Living with chronic illnesses can bring persistent pain and feelings of frustration and discouragement. Many of us mourn the life we had before our diagnosis or the life we envisioned but now seems out of reach due to our condition. Loving yourself and staying motivated can be difficult journeys. This Valentine’s Day, and always, remember that you are not alone in your struggles. To offer words of encouragement and support, we reached out to members of the CreakyJoints and the Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) patient community. Their messages serve as a reminder that we are all in t ..read more