Bethan Youd has Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or PCOS. It’s a hormonal condition so common that one in ten women of reproductive age have it. Many of them, like Bethan, will be told upon diagnosis that it’s primarily a reproductive issue that can cause fertility problems. But Bethan’s message is that although it can mean difficulties getting pregnant, it should also be seen and treated as an overall medical condition – one that can cause significant weight gain that is not easily remedied by intensive exercise and diet, as well as blood sugar spikes, irregular periods, inflammation and hair loss. In this episode Bethan explains what major holistic based changes in lifestyle and how she eats has helped her overcome her symptoms. 

Bethan Youd on Instagram: healing_pcos_mama

Wellbeing Magazine: Why is PCOS Misunderstood

The New York Times : Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: What It Is, How to Manage It

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StuffThatWorks is a crowdsource-based research platform empowering people with medical conditions to transform their experiences into an organized knowledge database aimed at figuring out which treatments work best and for whom.

Learn more about StuffThatWorks.

We're using crowdsourcing to gather data about chronic conditions and treatment effectiveness. 

• Contribute to the PCOS Community
• Find your condition community. 

Music for The Patient Is In courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions.

When Heather Foisy was diagnosed with an autoimmune illness called Sjogren's Syndrome, she felt her world was falling apart. The disease had already been making her nauseous at every meal, and had caused such bad abdominal pain that even walking down the hallway could bring her to tears. But now, with the diagnosis, depression and loneliness set in. At the same time, however,  so did a measure of denial. Heather, intent on distracting herself, continued to go out frequently with her hard-partying friends. That is, of course, until her body crashed and she realized she had to retool her life, all the way down to the way she socialized and made friends.  In this episode Heather describes what she learned in forging a supportive network of friends and family in the wake of chronic illness.

Related Links:

Heather Foisy's advocacy blog: Phoenix Soul Warrior 

Heather on TikTok: @PhoenixSoulWarrior   

Free Prepping For Your Rheumatologist Appointment Worksheet: https://www.phoenixsoulwarrior.com/resources-1

Facebook Online Support Group

Sjogren's Foundation 

Butyoudontlooksick.com: The Spoon Theory 

The New York Times: Five Things I wish I'd known before my Chronic Illness

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StuffThatWorks is a crowdsource-based research platform empowering people with medical conditions to transform their experiences into an organized knowledge database aimed at figuring out which treatments work best and for whom.

Learn more about StuffThatWorks.

We're using crowdsourcing to gather data about chronic conditions and treatment effectiveness. 

• Contribute to the Sjogren Community
• Find your condition community. 

Music for The Patient Is In courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions.

Phantom limb pain is the very real, sometimes excruciating pain and discomfort that occurs after a limb has been amputated. As many as 80 percent of amputees experience it. For some, it is accompanied by a related issue: residual limb pain, which refers to pain in the part of a limb that remains after amputation.  Listen in to this conversation between two experts: Kiera Roche, a life-long athlete whose right leg was amputated below her knee after a car accident and Keren Fisher, a psychologist who researches this type of pain and helps people adjust to limb difference.

Related Links:

Limb Power: Advocacy for individuals with limb difference

The Financial Times: Breakthrough in amputation narrows gap between human and machine

Amplitude Magazine: New Wrinkles in Phantom Limb Treatment

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StuffThatWorks is a crowdsource-based research platform empowering people with medical conditions to transform their experiences into an organized knowledge database aimed at figuring out which treatments work best and for whom.

Learn more about StuffThatWorks.

We're using crowdsourcing to gather data about chronic conditions and treatment effectiveness. 

• Contribute to the Phantom Limb Syndrome and/or Residual Limb Pain Communities
• Find your condition community. 

Music for The Patient Is In courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions.