Author: Reyna Baker

English Muchas personas que tienen dificultades con trastornos médicos crónicos difíciles de manejar han encontrado alivio con biofármacos. Podrías estar tomando un biofármaco sin saberlo. Algunos nombres de biofármacos comunes que podrías haber escuchado son adalimumab (nombre comercial: Humira), infliximab (nombre comercial: Remicade) y trastuzumab (nombre comercial: Herceptin). Los biofármacos pueden ser útiles para una amplia gama de problemas médicos, incluyendo: La diabetesLa psoriasisLa colitisLa enfermedad de CrohnLa esclerosis múltipleLa artritisCánceres de mama, pulmón y colon También pueden ser muy caros. Humira, por ejemplo, puede costar hasta $30,000 al año. Para algunas personas que usan biofármacos, podría haber una alternativa…

Retired registered nurse Michelle Clapham was 11 or 12 when she started experiencing migraine attacks, about six months after she started getting her period. “I told my mom and she explained that many women in her side of the family had them,” Clapham said. “When I have a migraine, it feels like my head is in a vise, like someone is squeezing. It’s throbbing, and I sometimes get nausea with light sensitivity. At their worst point, I would stand in the middle of winter in my garage in bare feet on the cold concrete floor. That felt better than my…

Dry eye disease doesn’t only affect your eyes. Symptoms like … Stinging or burning eyes Watery eyes Sensitivity to light Blurry vision … can also affect your quality of life Work Dry eye disease may affect your ability to work and may cause you to be less productive. Staring at a screen for long periods of time or working outdoors in windy or dry climates can make symptoms like dryness and irritation worse. People with dry eye disease may have a hard time functioning at work and may need to take time off because of it. Many worry about losing…

As told to Nicole Audrey SpectorIt started right after I graduated from law school. Piercing pain — not a throb but a shooting knife from one side of my head down to my shoulder. Sometimes it was so bad I’d throw up. Sometimes I’d be bedridden in darkness for days, wide awake in agony.I’d be unable to function and unable to fake my way through it. And the searing, blinding pain was totally unpredictable. At times, it would start when I was driving. I got used to traveling with ice packs – but it wasn’t always possible, especially in the…

Many people struggling with chronic, hard-to-manage health conditions have found relief with a type of drug called a biologic. You may be taking a biologic and don’t even know it. Some common biologics you may have heard of are adalimumab (brand name: Humira), infliximab (brand name: Remicade) and trastuzumab (brand name: Herceptin). Biologics can be helpful for a wide range of health problems, including:DiabetesPsoriasis ColitisCrohn’s disease Multiple sclerosis ArthritisBreast, lung and colon cancers They can also be very expensive. Humira, for example, can cost as much as $30,000 a year. For some people using biologics, there may be a less…

Did someone say reproductive rights on aisle 4? Well, it’s about time! The country’s first FDA-approved, over-the-counter (OTC) birth control pill is now available in some retailers across the country. That means you can walk in and purchase Opill, a progestin-only birth control pill, without a prescription. The FDA approved Opill back in July 2023. Now it’s showing up in major pharmacies and grocery stores including Walgreens, CVS and Walmart. Read: Why Access to Contraception Matters for Women of All Ages >>If you’re not seeing it in your local store, don’t worry: Shipments of the birth control started in March…

What are biologics? A biologic is a medication made from living materials. These sources include: Plant cells Animal cells Microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast Biologics are used to treat many different health problems, including: Diabetes Arthritis Multiple sclerosis Psoriasis and other chronic skin diseases Crohn’s disease, colitis and other chronic bowel diseases Breast, lung and colon cancers What are biosimilars? Biosimilar medications are also biological drugs that are made from the same types of living materials as biologics, and used in the same way to treat some of the same health problems. They are designed to match an already…

Did you know that women are three times more likely than men to get multiple sclerosis (MS)? And, while people most often think of the physical symptoms of MS, many women living with the disease experience mental effects as well.“Depression, stress and low self-esteem are more common among women with MS,” said Gayle Lewis, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and board-certified psychoanalyst who serves as a National MS Society Partner in Care. In our story, “Beyond the Physical: How MS Affects Your Life” we explore this critical topic and offer resources to find the support you need. The good news: While…

English Marzo es elmes de concientización de la EM La doctora familiar Lisa Doggett tenía 36 años cuando le diagnosticaron esclerosis múltiple (EM), después de que una mezcla de mareo, desfase horario y vértigo, seguidos de vista doble y cambios de su sentido del gusto, hicieran que acuda a un neurólogo. “Ahora que lo recuerdo, debí haberlo sospechado, pero incluso siendo doctora, ni siquiera se me ocurrió”, dijo Doggett, autora de “Up the Down Escalator: Medicine, Motherhood, and Multiple Sclerosis ”. “Cuando escuché las palabras esclerosis múltiple, me sentí aliviada de que no fuese un tumor en el cerebro, pero…

EspañolMarch is MS Awareness Month. Family physician Lisa Doggett was 36 years old when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), after a cross between dizziness, jet lag and motion sickness, followed by double vision and changes in her taste, drove her to see a neurologist. “Looking back, I should have suspected it, but even as a physician, it didn’t even cross my mind,” said Doggett, author of “Up the Down Escalator: Medicine, Motherhood, and Multiple Sclerosis.” “When I heard the words multiple sclerosis, I was relieved that it wasn’t a brain tumor but terrified because I had memories of…