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Long and Frustrating Autoimmune Patient Journeys (Part 1)
Slow & Uncoordinated Path to Diagnosis & Treatment Today, autoimmune patient journeys are typically long, convoluted, and frustrating; from first awareness of symptoms to scheduling medical visits, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care. Since many autoimmune & inflammatory diseases (AIIDs) emerge in youth or middle age and last a lifetime, the
Specialty Pharmaceuticals: The Highest Autoimmune Cost
Invisible Epidemic of Autoimmune Disease As we continue to illuminate the hidden costs of the long-ignored epidemic of autoimmune disease (AIID), we must shine a light on the highest autoimmune cost: Specialty pharmaceuticals. Current data largely underestimate total AIID costs, and accurate numbers are few and far between. Through our
The Total Cost Burden of the Autoimmune Epidemic
The Problem: We Don’t Really Know! The problem with estimating the total cost burden of the autoimmune disease (AIID) epidemic is that we really don’t know! A May 2022 NIH report validates our long-held belief that missing and inconsistent data for autoimmune diseases (AIIDs) are at the root of the
Five Medical Philosophies: What Are They?
We have noticed much confusion among our broad digital health/virtual-first care network about the definitions of conventional, lifestyle, functional and alternative medicine. To add to the confusion, each picks and chooses techniques from the others to incorporate into their approach. For more than a decade, our team has focused on
The NIH Report on Autoimmune Disease, Part 2: Enhancing Research
NIH Report Shows Why The AIID Epidemic is Invisible An NIH research report on autoimmune disease, published May, 2022, explains why, despite affecting more Americans than cancer, autoimmune and immunoinflammatory diseases (AIIDs) remain an invisible epidemic. Autoimmunity is an orphaned research field of patchwork studies of some 80-150 individual diseases.
The NIH on Autoimmune Disease: An Invisible Epidemic
A May 2022 NIH Report on autoimmune research makes clear why the AIID epidemic remains invisible & silent.
Where I am Now
I began sharing my story here in 2015, writing from a patient’s perspective. I had just left another specialist’s office, holding lab results that didn’t really point to anything clear. For years, I was sent from internal medicine to orthopedics, rheumatology, and endocrinology. Every specialist was considerate and ruled out
Why the Care Team Model is So Important to Autoimmune Patients
A decade ago, I became the CEO of my own health after growing frustrated with conventional medicine’s fragmented approach. I was bounced from one specialist to another—internal medicine, orthopedics, rheumatology, endocrinology, chronic pain—each insisting, “It’s just stress from working on Wall Street with four kids.” The time, money, and emotional
Unlocking Autoimmune Potential in Women’s Health
In the United States, over 35 million women live with an autoimmune disease1, yet less than 1% of women’s health funding is allocated to these conditions2. The impact is extensive: women often spend years trying to get a diagnosis, face daily symptoms that disrupt work and family life, and have
Why Autoimmune Disease is a Women’s Health Issue
The Disproportionate Burden of Autoimmune Disease in Women Autoimmune disease is a women’s health issue! Autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases (AIIDs) afflict more than 35 million women in the United States alone1. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 75-80% of autoimmune patients are female. These disparities are most evident
Menopause and Autoimmune Disease: A Complicated Relationship
The intersection of menopause and autoimmune disease represents a crucial yet underexplored aspect of women’s health. With 80% of autoimmune patients being female and millions of women experiencing menopause each year, understanding this connection is vital for improving health outcomes. The hormonal changes during menopause don’t just mark a life
Polyautoimmunity: When Autoimmune Diseases Converge
The world of autoimmune diseases is far more complex than medical professionals once believed. Emerging research reveals a fascinating phenomenon that challenges traditional diagnostic boundaries: polyautoimmunity. This groundbreaking concept suggests that autoimmune diseases are not isolated conditions, but are interconnected and can coexist and interact in profound ways. Defining Polyautoimmunity: