This episode join your host, Tiffany, as she and co-host Deb Constien discuss the challenges faced by patients who experience atypical disease presentations, especially the need to advance our understanding of this phenomenon because the typical is not so typical. This concept is vital for early detection and improving outcomes. They also explore the ways that a lack of commonality among disease presentation and progression impact advancements in treatment options.

Autoimmune vs. Autoinflammatory: What's the Difference?

This episode join your host, Tiffany, and special guest Dr. Apostolos Kontzias from the Center of Autoinflammatory Diseases, as they discuss the distinction between these two sides of the immune system, and the diseases that stem from them. Inconclusive laboratory results, a shortage of experts in the field, and poor understanding of these conditions can cause diagnostic delays, leading to poor outcomes. This confusion also causes patients with adult onset diseases become a forgotten subgroup within the AiArthritis community.

Join your host, Tiffany, as she discusses the phenomenon of a shifting identity. The way we see ourselves can change radically after diagnosis or symptom onset of an AiArthritis disease. But, as Tiffany points out, “having these diseases isn’t the end of the world. It’s just another way of living in it.” YOU are still YOU ... and you're probably pretty awesome!

Tiffany Westrich-Robertson and Pooja Panchamia discuss the need for raising global awareness for autoimmune and autoinflammatory arthritis diseases. They talk about the problems patients everywhere face as a result of a lack of awareness of autoimmune and autoinflammatory arthritis diseases. They delve into the benefits that can be gained from online support communities for patients and caregivers. They also discuss how patients can make an important difference, both in management of their own health and in raising global awareness by speaking up.

Join patient co-hosts, Tiffany & Suz, as they speak with Dr. Alfred Kim about how the two stakeholder groups can work together to encourage differentiation of arthritis types to increase public detection and referrals to rheumatologists. These efforts could lead to earlier detection and, as a result, quicker diagnosis, higher rates of remission, lower disability, and improved long term outcomes.

In this episode, our co-hosts Leila, Charis, and Patrice put a new topic on the table: how to explain your AiArthritis disease in a 30-60 second elevator pitch. From your workplace to your personal life, our co-hosts will provide practical tips on how to tailor your elevator pitch to different audiences such as co-workers, family, friends or strangers to help you confidently communicate your AiArthritis and advocate for yourself. Join us in this episode to listen to varying elevator pitches as well as have the opportunity to share your own and continue to help us build patient resources!

We often talk about the importance of Precision Medicine (which involves finding the best pharmacologic treatment for each person’s individual needs), but as we, as patients, identify what works best for our unique needs, we have to consider all options (both pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical). Just as with our biologics and other disease modifying treatments - where one works for one person and not the other - we need to think about alternative therapies the same way. For example, just because you “tried diet”, did you try all the diets? We all need to find our own right combination of therapy - but what does that look like to you? In this episode Tiffany, Deb, and Bridget talk about personalized therapy, or complimentary, non-pharmacologic options, that are being researched and added to new recommendations for full disease management.

Join co-host, Tiffany, as she discusses the need to communicate what it feels like to have an AiArthritis disease. This is important because too often people living with these diseases are 'invisible', as the pain and other symptoms (fatigue, flu-like systems) usually cannot be seen by others. So how do you explain it? 

During this episode, Kerry Wong and Tiffany Westrich-Robertson are joined by Dr. Lisa Zickuhr, where, together, they share stories of Good, Bad, and Ugly in office communication experiences - with the goal to collect more stories, from YOU! Then, together, patient and rheumatologists will use these stories to develop best practice recommendations to improve patient-rheumy in office communications via a new e-book. In Part One, we focus largely on the good.

During this episode, Deb Constien and Tiffany Westrich-Robertson are joined by Dr. Al Kim ("Al", Tiffany's rheumatologist) , where, together, they share stories of Good, Bad, and Ugly in office communication experiences - with the goal to collect more stories, from YOU! Then, together, patient and rheumatologists will use these stories to develop best practice recommendations to improve patient-rheumy in office communications via a new e-book. In Part Two, we focus largely on the Bad and the Ugly.