A new diagnosis can bring relief, fear, and uncertainty all at once. In this episode, Leila and Deb share advice from the AiArthritis community on what they wish they had known right after being diagnosed with an autoimmune or autoinflammatory arthritis disease.

Leila and Deb explore the importance of trusting your body, especially when tests are inconclusive or symptoms are dismissed. This episode highlights how self advocacy, second opinions, and clear communication with your care team can shape your experience. Community members also reflect on the emotional side of diagnosis, including grief, patience, and the mindset shift that comes with learning to live with chronic illness.

Whether you are newly diagnosed or supporting someone who is, this episode offers validation and practical guidance for navigating the early stages of the patient journey.

Episode Highlights:

• Why trusting your body matters, even when tests are unclear
• How self advocacy and second opinions can change your care experience
• The emotional impact of diagnosis and the importance of grace and patience
• Practical tools like symptom tracking, rest, and shared decision making to support long term management

• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE

Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Leila is the Health Education Manager at the International Foundation for AiArthritis. She is a person living with Lupus and Sjögren’s disease. She is passionate about inclusion and diversity in health education and meeting individuals where they are at in order to learn in a way that resonates with them.

Connect with Leila:

• Tiktok: @Lupuslifestyle.lei

Deb Constien is a medically retired Registered Dietitian and a Representative for the AiArthritis with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Deb is also on the Advisory Council for WREN- Wisconsin Research Education Network and a Patient Family Advisor- PFA on an International PCORI research study for ACP- Advanced Care Planning.

Connect with Deb:

• Facebook: @deb.majcherconstien
• Instagram: @debconstien
• Twitter: @debconstien

Oral health is often treated as optional or cosmetic, but for people living with AiArthritis diseases, it can have a real impact on pain, fatigue, nutrition, and quality of life. In this episode, Leila and Bridget explore why oral health deserves a place in routine disease management and why so many patients are never told their symptoms are disease related.

The episode looks at how autoimmune conditions and common medications can affect the mouth, from dry mouth and gum inflammation to delayed healing and increased infection risk. It also breaks down the connection between oral health, the immune system, and systemic inflammation, helping patients better understand why issues can show up even when oral hygiene is strong.

Join us on this episode to hear practical, gentle strategies for protecting oral health when saliva is reduced or sensitivity is high. The discussion emphasizes adaptation over perfection and reinforces that oral health challenges are not personal failures, but part of living with complex chronic disease.

Episode Highlights:

• Why oral health is often overlooked and why it matters in autoimmune disease
• How inflammation, medications, and reduced saliva affect the mouth
• The link between oral health and conditions like Sjögren’s, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and scleroderma
• Gentle, realistic strategies to protect teeth and gums without causing more harm

• Go With Us! To ACR 2025: Oral Health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5XlwG4cNXo
• See more about co-existing conditions, disease management & more www.aiarthritis.org/patientjourney
• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE

Connect with our Co-Hosts:

Leila is the Health Education Manager at the International Foundation for AiArthritis. She is a person living with Lupus and Sjögren’s disease. She is passionate about inclusion and diversity in health education and meeting individuals where they are at in order to learn in a way that resonates with them.

Connect with Leila:

• Tiktok: @Lupuslifestyle.lei

Bridget Dandaraw-Seritt founded a patient based organization that advocates for access to compassionate care and provides community support. She’s a published author on therapeutic cannabis, presents at medical conferences, and is engaged in the policy making process.

Connect with Bridget:

Facebook: Advocates for Compassionate Therapy Now

As we close out 2025, this special episode looks back on some of the most impactful conversations from this year. This episode reflects on key moments that captured the real experiences of people living with AiArthritis diseases and the topics patients told us mattered most.

Listeners will hear powerful conversations exploring what it means to parent while managing chronic illness, the often overlooked neurological symptoms of lupus and Sjögren’s disease, and the long journey many mystery patients face searching for answers. These episodes go beyond symptoms to explore the emotional toll, physical obstacles, and systemic hurdles patients navigate, showing why knowledge and advocacy can transform the patient journey.

Whether you are hearing these stories for the first time or revisiting them, this episode brings the voices, clinical insights, and lived experiences that shaped AiArthritis patients in 2025.

Episode Highlights:

• Parenting and family life while living with chronic illness
• Neurological symptoms in lupus and Sjögren’s disease and why they are often missed
• The mystery patient experience and the impact of delayed diagnosis
• Why patient voices continue to drive education, awareness, and change

• Mystery Patient Guide: www.aiarthritis.org/undiagnosed
• IgG4-RD Resource :https://igg4ward.org/education-and-resources
• Have questions about this episode or topics you want to hear us bring to the table? Email us at podcast@aiarthritis.org
• Donate to Support the Show: www.aiarthritis.org/donate

Follow AiArthritis on all social media platforms @IFAiArthritis

Sign up for our Monthly AiArthritis Voices 360 Talk Show newsletter! HERE