AutoimmuneCancerfatiguepainWomen's Health

Save the Date; I’ll Be on HuffPost Live Tuesday (09/30/14) 12:45 pm EST

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UPDATE: Click here for the replay if you missed it!  Also, leave a comment while you’re there.

I am very excited to speak on HuffPost Live soon.  Next Tuesday, September 30, you can watch me live wherever you are at 12:45 pm EST.   http://live.huffingtonpost.com

I’ll be discussing the More Than Boobs Initiative, which I previously blogged about.  I’ll also be discussing women’s health in general:  Why is it that society often dismisses women’s pain?  Historically, female chronic pain patients are taken less seriously than male patients.  Why are men and women treated differently when they are afflicted with illnesses that affect both genders (example: heart disease)?   Why do diseases like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) go under diagnosed when one in ten women has PCOS?  Why do women also dismiss each others pain?  I’ve included a tweet I saw last weekend dismissing the importance of PCOS Awareness.  As Fashionably ill readers know, I have PCOS (with bipolar 2, asthma, psoriasis, and Myasthenia Gravis).

Recap of the More Than Boobs Initiative

The #MoreThanBoobs Initiative is trying to raise awareness for serious, under-diagnosed illnesses that affect women including: PCOS, ovarian cancer, vulvar cancer, cervical cancer, uterine cancer, and vaginal cancer.  In addition to being PCOS Awareness Month, September is also Ovarian Cancer Month.  You can join the month-long initiate here on Facebook.  Also, you can buy a Team Teal shirt to support funding for research.   The initiate was started by the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Awareness Association (PCOSAA).

A Heartbreaking Story I Heard Last Weekend

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many Fashionably Ill readers.  While people thank me for writing this blog, I have also been blessed by your stories.  I was talking with a mom about her very ill teenage daughter who has Myasthenia Gravis, a neuromuscular autoimmune disease I also have.  She talked about her daughter’s surgery and other procedures and the pain she is in, a pain I know intimately well.  She noted the difference in the way her daughter and another young man in the hospital are treated.  This young man has MG.  Every time  her daughter complains of pain and fatigue (even after surgery), neurologists ask her daughter, “Are you depressed?  Are you anxious?  Maybe you’re not trying hard enough?”  Their response is to the physical pain is to prescribe psychotherapy.  In stark contrast, the doctors’ response to the young man’s pain is IVIG (intravenous globulin treatment) and plasmapheresis.  I’ve had plasmapheresis; it’s an intense procedure where the patient is hooked up to machines that clean their blood in the dialysis room.

Let’s Figure It Out Together

The sad part of this story is that I’m not surprised. Sexism in healthcare is not a new story.  As I previously blogged about, female patients often get later diagnoses and less aggressive treatment than men.  For instance, when it comes to heart disease, a woman is 50% more likely to die the first year after her heart attack. And yet, historically we have received later diagnoses and inadequate treatment.  Sometimes the results are fatal. Women with multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, lupus, and other diseases, report similar treatment.  Next Tuesday, I’ll be unpacking some of the causes behind this disparity and how we as a society can tackle it.  I’m eager to hear your ideas.

Leave a Comment!

h-HUFFPOSTLIVE-LOGO-432x243Just go here to join me next Tuesday, September 30: http://live.huffingtonpost.com

You can leave a comment in the written form or a video.   To leave a comment, create an account on HuffPost Live.  It’s easy; you can use Twitter and Facebook to create an account.

 –Your Stylist, Jessica Gimeno

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JessicaGimeno

Hi there! I am a patient advocate, writer, and public speaker most well known for my TEDx Talk, “How to Get Stuff Done When You Are Depressed.” As someone who is juggling 5 illnesses: bipolar 2, myasthenia gravis, endometriosis, psoriasis, and asthma, I’m passionate about helping people who navigate life with both chronic physical & emotional pain. If you’re interested in hiring me to speak at your event, check out the CONTACT tab.

3 thoughts on “Save the Date; I’ll Be on HuffPost Live Tuesday (09/30/14) 12:45 pm EST

  • Megan Stewart

    AMAZING BLOG! As a woman with a blood disease and PCOS, I thank you for your amazing efforts to raise awareness! I will be watching your live video next week! Thank you again!

    Reply
  • Thank you so much, Megan! We need more awareness. Indeed, it’s hard when you have an ignored illness. I appreciate the positive feedback; it makes my pain worth it to know I’m helping others. Are you on Facebook? My blog and I are. Also, Fashionably ill has just been nominated for Best in Show Blog (and 3 other awards); you can vote here daily: https://awards.wegohealth.com/nominees/1618

    It’s so very nice to meet another cyster!
    –jessica

    Reply
  • Cynthia

    Jessica you amaze and inspire us through so many challenges. We are so grateful for your understanding of the issues so many women face. Thank you for always being there to support us. We look forward to all your future stories.

    Reply

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