By CreakyStaff
“I signed up for the shot before I even Googled anything,” says Sarah Islam, a fourth-year medical student on immunosuppressant medications, who was eager to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
By Dibs Baer
“After nine months of this, I’m finally figuring out truths about my body I never knew before and because of that knowledge, I’ve stopped overreacting,” says rheumatoid arthritis patient Dibs Baer.
By Kelsey Kloss
If you really want to see someone outside of your household in person, this list can help you determine if it may be okay.
By CreakyStaff
In a year of many Ps — a pandemic, protests, and politics — members of the Global Healthy Living Foundation and CreakyJoints community reflected on another: the positive. Here’s what they had to say about the silver linings of a very challenging year.
By CreakyStaff
“It felt just like getting the flu shot,” says Archangela Klein, a health care worker with multiple autoimmune and chronic conditions who was eager to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here’s everything we know so far about the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines and allergic reactions.
By CreakyStaff
Public health experts and doctors want most people with autoimmune conditions, who are immunocompromised, or who take immunosuppressant medication to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s what you need to know.
The Global Healthy Living Foundation regularly polls the members of our COVID-19 Patient Support Program to understand the perspectives of chronic illness patients during the pandemic. Here is data about where people are getting their coronavirus news.
If you swear your arthritis symptoms get worse when you have PMS or during your period, you’re not alone.
By CreakyStaff
Read this before you trust what could be misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine you encounter online.
By Dibs Baer
Even though the end of the pandemic may be in distant sight, it’s getting increasingly difficult to motivate ourselves to focus and do much of anything. Here’s how Dibs Baer, who lives with rheumatoid arthritis, started to change up the daily routine.
By CreakyStaff
It’s normal to have concerns about getting a vaccine when you have an autoimmune condition or take immunosuppressant medication. Here is what trusted medical authorities are recommending.
By Deanna Kizis
“Because my disease doesn’t show on the outside, it’s all too easy for my family to forget that I could face a higher risk of serious complications if I were to get COVID-19,” says psoriatic arthritis patient Deanna Kizis.
By CreakyStaff
Public health experts and doctors want most people with autoimmune conditions, who are immunocompromised, or who take immunosuppressant medication to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s what you need to know.
By Kelsey Kloss
When you have underlying health issues, it’s especially important to take these steps to avoid getting sick when someone in your household gets COVID-19.
By Kelsey Kloss
When you have underlying health issues, learning that you’re infected with COVID-19 can be alarming. Here’s what to know about taking immunosuppressant medication while you’re sick, and what you can do to avoid complications, recover safely, and avoid infecting others.
By Susan Jara
People with chronic pain from arthritis and other conditions may be at an increased risk of having suicidal thoughts and behavior. Learn more about this link and when and how to get help.
By CreakyStaff
Learn more about what it means to enroll in this COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial if you have underlying health issues or are considered immunocompromised.
By Kelsey Kloss
These dining experiences may be “outdoors” but they increasingly mimic indoor environments as the temperatures drop.
There are no easy fixes, but Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, shares a small daily practice that can help.
By Dibs Baer
“The relentless, 24/7 goal of trying to avoid a deadly virus has actually turned me into a healthier person,” says rheumatoid arthritis patient Dibs Baer, who had avoided seeing certain doctors due to discomfort from being transgender.
By Kelsey Kloss
These are the new rules of thumb for protecting yourself and others.
Two new studies reveal the extent and nature of health issues that continue to face people after they are discharged from COVID-19 hospitalization.
The Global Healthy Living Foundation regularly polls the members of our COVID-19 Patient Support Program to understand the perspectives of chronic illness patients during the pandemic. Here is information about whether people plan to get a coronavirus vaccine when it becomes available.
The Global Healthy Living Foundation regularly polls the members of our COVID-19 Patient Support Program to understand the perspectives of chronic illness patients during the pandemic. Here is information about support for more stay-at-home orders amid rising COVID-19 infections.
A study of more than 140,000 Medicare patients with rheumatoid arthritis found that those on any biologic drug were 17 percent less likely than those using only a traditional DMARD to have developed dementia.
Important new data suggests that people with a psychiatric diagnosis were more like to contract COVID-19—and at the same time, people who got COVID-19 were more likely to develop a mental health condition afterward.
The holidays are never easy when you have a chronic illness, but this pandemic year is especially fraught with loneliness and anxiety. Here is advice to help you cope when things less than merry and bright.
The targeted therapy, known as a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, may help people who are hospitalized with COVID-19 recover more quickly when given with the antiviral medication remdesivir.
By Kelsey Kloss
Welcoming teen/adult children back home from a college campus can pose a risk, but there are simple strategies you can use to avoid getting sick when you have underlying health conditions.
By Dibs Baer
“I’ve felt compelled to be hyper-vigilant and often confrontational. On one hand, social shaming works and can help things change. But it’s also caused me resentment, anxiety, and exhaustion,” says chronic illness patient Dibs Baer.
By Kelsey Kloss
The winter months bring cooler, drier air, holidays, other viruses like flu, and a greater risk of coronavirus transmission.
The Global Healthy Living Foundation regularly polls the members of our COVID-19 Patient Support Program to understand the perspectives of chronic illness patients during the pandemic. Here is information about concerns amid rising cases during the ‘third wave.’
By Kelsey Kloss
Going up and down stairs may be painful if you’re living with arthritis in your knees, but these strategies can help.
By Susan Jara
Data doesn’t seem to show that people on disease-modifying medications are having worse COVID-19 outcome. Second, staying on medication is critical to prevent flares and maintain quality of life.
This advice from Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, can help you think differently about your negative emotions this holiday season.
By Kelsey Kloss
This year’s Thanksgiving will look and feel different, but it can still be safe (and yes, even fun!).
By Kelsey Kloss
No one wants to get infected with the coronavirus, but preventing infection is especially important if you have underlying health issues. Here, what the latest research says about preventing transmission.
Face masks continue to play a key role in managing the coronavirus pandemic and saving lives.
A slew of new studies presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology yields key takeaways for patients and providers.
This advice from Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, can provide some emotional TLC about this year’s holiday season.
By Kelsey Kloss
New research sheds more light on the racial health disparities that exist in arthritis treatments.
By CreakyStaff
Learn more about the importance of getting a flu vaccine when you have underlying health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Kelsey Kloss
The medication romosozumab may be more effective at boosting hip and spine bone density when it’s given before other kinds of drugs called antiresorptive medications.
More research is needed to understand why mental health conditions are linked to low “medication persistence” — the amount of time from starting to stopping a medication.
By Kelsey Kloss
Researchers say patients should be reassured that these common injections do not appear to cause progression of osteoarthritis.
While most studies have concluded — not surprisingly — that it's common for people with rheumatic disease to be depressed or anxious, there were a few interesting glimmers of positivity worth noting too.
Rheumatoid arthritis patient Eileen Davidson has had her share of doctor visits virtually and in person. Here’s her take on the good and bad of telehealth — and why it’s transformed her care.
This advice from Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, can help you recognize ambient stress and avoid succumbing to its effects.
By Kelsey Kloss
The findings may be helpful to parents, educators, and doctors as they consider the implications of sending kids to school during the pandemic.
Other research has shed light on racial and ethnic health disparities in COVID-19; now data on people with rheumatic conditions suggests similar findings.
By Kelsey Kloss
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the benefits of tuning in for your checkups virtually.
By Kelsey Kloss
Keep these pain prevention strategies in mind the next time you reach for your squeegee.
A new study found that people with rheumatoid arthritis patients had a higher risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism compared to the general population, but people in high disease activity were much more at risk than those in remission.
By Kelsey Kloss
Following these tips will put less strain on your joints as you’re tapping out messages, getting work done, and staying in touch with loved ones.
A task force of dermatologists, rheumatologists, infectious disease, and other experts reviewed the latest research to ensure psoriatic disease patients get the right care during COVID-19.
When conditions like arthritis and chronic pain cause pain, disability, and other physical changes to your body, it’s natural for self-esteem to dip. Here’s what other patients report about their experience coping with changes to their identity and body image.
Going barefoot while spending more time at home can further damage arthritic joints. Here’s how to avoid foot pain during the pandemic.
When treatment for inflammatory arthritis escalates, so does the risk of depression and anxiety — and there are many possible explanations for this link.
By CreakyStaff
The COVID-19 pandemic has uniquely affected people with arthritis and chronic illness. This webinar aims to help people living with these conditions understand how to prevent infection and engage in daily routines and activities more safely.
In Melbourne, Rosemary Ainley’s community is emerging from a second lockdown, which has her contemplating what yet another ‘new normal’ means when you live with arthritis and chronic illness.
By Kelsey Kloss
A CDC report details how one teenager spread COVID-19 to 11 members and what some relatives who did not get sick had in common. (Hint: It was following simple mitigation strategies.)
In fact, pulmonologists suggest that *not* wearing a mask is dangerous for people with respiratory issues, since they are considerably more at risk for COVID-19 complications.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are five important reasons infectious disease experts, rheumatologists, and other medical experts want you to get vaccinated for flu during COVID-19.
By Kelsey Kloss
The results are part of mounting evidence that show adults in the United States are avoiding the health care they need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By CreakyStaff
For World Arthritis Day, we wanted to capture what it’s like to be living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a person with arthritis. Here’s the scoop from Cecilia Rodriguez, a rheumatoid arthritis patient in Santiago, Chile.
Every country has handled the pandemic differently, but the experiences and concerns of people with arthritis and other chronic conditions has often been more similar than not.
By Kelsey Kloss
Many people with arthritis and chronic pain are experiencing the double-whammy of COVID-somnia and painsomnia, which are causing significant sleep disturbances.
By CreakyStaff
For World Arthritis Day, we wanted to capture what it’s like to be living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a person with arthritis. Here’s the scoop from Sheryl Chan, a lupus patient in Singapore.
By CreakyStaff
For World Arthritis Day, we wanted to capture what it’s like to be living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a person with arthritis. Here’s the scoop from Kasey Gardiner, a rheumatoid arthritis patient in Brisbane, Australia.
By CreakyStaff
For World Arthritis Day, we wanted to capture what it’s like to be living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a person with arthritis. Here’s the scoop from Simon Stones, a psoriatic juvenile arthritis patient in Manchester, England.
By CreakyStaff
For World Arthritis Day, we wanted to capture what it’s like to be living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a person with arthritis. Here’s the scoop from Padiki Narh, a lupus patient in Accra, Ghana.
By CreakyStaff
For World Arthritis Day, we wanted to capture what it’s like to be living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a person with arthritis. Here’s the scoop from Eileen Davidson, a rheumatoid arthritis patient in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada.
By CreakyStaff
For World Arthritis Day, we wanted to capture what it’s like to be living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a person with arthritis. Here’s the scoop from Alice Jones, an ankylosing spondylitis patient in Wellington, New Zealand.
By CreakyStaff
For World Arthritis Day, we wanted to capture what it’s like to be living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a person with arthritis. Here’s the scoop from Jed Finley, an ankylosing spondylitis patient in Lake St. Louis, Missouri.
By CreakyStaff
For World Arthritis Day, we wanted to capture what it’s like to be living through the COVID-19 pandemic as a person with arthritis. Here’s the scoop from Chantelle Marcial, a rheumatoid arthritis patient in Boston, Massachusetts.
The systemic inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis could raise the likelihood of someone developing diabetes in the future.
Fatigue isn’t just being tired. It robs us of our ability to think clearly and of our motivation. Your body feels like it’s powering off like a dying battery.
By Kelsey Kloss
A new study dispels the false notion that the United States could soon be immune to the coronavirus.
This advice from Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, can help you figure out better coping strategies as the pandemic continues. It’s time to turn to emotion-based and problem-based coping to deal with the months ahead.
By CreakyStaff
Up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis will go on to develop PsA and 85 percent of people with PsA also have skin psoriasis.
I’ll tell you this much: Quarantining for the second time is much harder than the first.
By Kelsey Kloss
Younger adults may be contributing to community spread of the coronavirus — and infecting those at high risk for complications.
By Susan Jara
Pneumococcal vaccines can provide important protection for people who are immunocompromised because of inflammatory conditions.
By CreakyStaff
The COVID-19 pandemic has uniquely affected people with arthritis and related health conditions. This webinar aims to help people living with these conditions make better informed decisions to manage their disease during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This autoimmune disease can share symptoms with other chronic conditions, but it’s a distinct condition that is often challenging to diagnose.
By Deanna Kizis
I was exhausted but couldn’t get a decent night’s sleep, I couldn't concentrate, and I felt like I could cry at any moment, like one of those weeping baby dolls from the seventies.
By Susan Jara
These medications are often called “immunosuppressive” but some research suggests they may actually be protective against COVID-19. Here’s what the latest research says.
By Kelsey Kloss
Data reveals Americans have been avoiding both routine and emergency care during the pandemic, but researchers urge Americans to get the medical treatment they need.
By Kelsey Kloss
As in-person classes and hybrid models have resumed in many school districts across the U.S., up to half of school employees are at risk for COVID-19 complications.
But it’s not entirely clear whether being unemployed, perhaps due to arthritis-related disability, leads to depression, or whether having depression and arthritis increases the risk of unemployment.
By Kelsey Kloss
In a reversal of controversial guidance issued last month, the CDC now states that people without symptoms should still be tested if they’ve been exposed.
When it comes to exercise, diet, mental health, treating aches and pains, and more, aren’t you a bit curious what advice doctors use in their own lives to prevent or minimize joint pain? We got the scoop.
By Kelsey Kloss
Could going out to eat at your favorite restaurants be raising your risk of COVID-19? New Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests there’s a link.
By Kelsey Kloss
Contrary to common misconceptions, children are not immune to the contracting or spreading the virus.
But getting the right RA treatment should help a lot in terms of reducing your heart disease risk.
By Susan Jara
This year, the flu vaccine is more important than ever. Here’s what you need to know about getting vaccinated safely when you have inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or axial spondyloarthritis.
By CreakyStaff
So now that COVID-19 is in my building, what has been done? Not much.
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