Podcast: 2023 Top Episode Takeaways 

Full Transcript:
Released 12/26/2023

PODCAST OPEN:            
You’re listening to the Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast, created by the Arthritis Foundation to help people with arthritis — and the people who love them — live their best lives. If you’re dealing with chronic pain, this podcast is for you. You may have arthritis, but it doesn’t have you. Here, learn how you can take control of arthritis with tips and ideas from our hosts and guest experts. 

MUSIC BRIDGE  

As we’ve done at the end of each year of the Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast, we want to share top takeaways from some of our most popular episodes of 2023. These episodes cover a wide range of topics, including: 

-The challenges of dating with arthritis… 
-How what you eat can affect your arthritis symptoms… 
-Why laughter is good medicine… 
-How to make yourself heard about your challenges… 
-The relationship between arthritis and back pain… 
-How men cope with arthritis differently than women… 
-And understanding arthritis comorbidities. 

In this special recap episode, you’ll learn more, get tips and things to think about for you or your loved one’s journey with this chronic condition.  

Thank you for listening to our podcast, which is made possible in part by gifts from generous listeners like you. Now listen in — as we revisit some of this year’s top episode takeaways! 

MUSIC SEGUE  

Rebecca Gillett: 
We have this listener segment in the podcast where we post a question on social. We posted on Instagram: "What's the hardest part about dating with arthritis?" And I’ve got to tell you (laughing), this is the most comments we've had when we've posed a question to talk about on the podcast. We've had so far 113 comments, and man, it's a lot. 
 
Somebody wrote, it's actually Effie from Rising Above RA, she said, "Man, I could write a bad rom com on my dating experiences." (laughs) And I think that's hysterical. But what a lot of people have said their biggest fears are just being different and having somebody accept that you're different or accept that you have something that's lifelong. Most people say everything about dating is difficult when you have a chronic illness, or you have arthritis. 
 
Jacqueline Child: 
I think the hope in finding that partner who will be with you through it all is what keeps everyone going, and finding the one who you want to spend the rest of your life with. 
 
Rebecca Gillett: 
Yeah. 
 
Sadiq Jiwa: 
In golf, and in a lot of professional sports, you are going to have a lot more failures than successes, and unfortunately, that's sort of been my experience as well with dating with arthritis. Put yourself out there and be vulnerable with those. And then, tie that in with a little bit of hope that Jacqueline was saying, and hopefully that's the right recipe to finding what you're looking for. And also, you know, places like Dateability, which might help a little bit more than the mainstream dating apps. (laughing) 
 
Rebecca Gillett: 
Another one that somebody said is, “Trying to act like you’re just fine when you’re definitely not.” 
 
Jacqueline Child: 
Yeah. My advice to that is that everyone has their demons, whether they're physical or not. Everyone is going through something, and it's just important to keep that in mind. Eventually you'll find someone who you can open up to them and they'll open up to you. 
 
Sadiq Jiwa: 
Try not to compare yourself to what the normal is or what the stereotypical image is, because the reality is that you are unique and you have, you know, these unique characteristics and traits. And somebody is going to appreciate those. 
 
Rebecca Gillett: 
Somebody wrote, “In my early 20s, I was told by a man that I loved, ‘It’s not you, it's your arthritis.’ It destroyed me.” She was born with RA. 
 
Sadiq Jiwa: 
I wish I had some more positive advice for this, but it was the reason I barely dated through high school. Because that, as an initial experience, shattered any confidence that I had and any acceptance of my condition, along with the fact that it was changing so rapidly during that time. 
 
The real key is the more accepting and comfortable you are with your own conditions, at a micro and macro level, the easier it's going to be for you to open up yourself, open up to other people, be vulnerable, and, frankly, handle rejection. 
 
Rebecca Gillett: 
Everybody listening, you're a good person. You're not your arthritis. You are who you are. And if people can't accept who you are and that you might have this, then that's not the right person for you. This app, Dateability, I think you guys should check it out. 
 
We like to end each episode talking about our top three takeaways of our conversation. I’m going to start with you first, Jacqueline. 
 
Jacqueline Child: 
I think it's nice, you know, there's not many people that I can talk to who experience this. I don't think I've talked to any male with a chronic illness about dating, and it's really, I mean, it's bittersweet to know that you also go through that, but it makes me feel less alone. 
 
Sadiq Jiwa: 
I think bittersweet's the right word. One of the big takeaways here is the support network that you have, the people who make that impact physically and emotionally in your lives, family members, siblings, best friends, physiotherapists, right, in my case. 
 
I'm the mayor of a little village, right? I've got all these people that are working behind the scenes and know that thankfully they're in my corner and helping. And when it comes to dating and something that is, you know, a very, I would say in my case, emotionally troublesome, it's really nice to have and to be able to utilize. 
 
Rebecca Gillett: 
The more comfortable you are with who you are and what you're dealing with, and you can share that, then the less impact you'll feel from how other people treat you if they reject you or accept you. I've been through 17 surgeries, and my husband's still around. So, I think that you find the right person who can be on your support team, like Sadiq says. Jacqueline, you've got... we'll call it the Alexa factor. 
 
So, thank you, Jacqueline and Alexa, and thank you Sadiq, for joining us in this conversation. To learn more about their stories, you can check out our website. There'll be links in the show notes and more information. Thanks again for joining me. 
 
Alexa Child: 
Thank you so much. 
 
Sadiq Jiwa: 
Thanks for having us. 
 
MUSIC BRIDGE 

Bailey Cook:  
We like to always wrap up our episode with our top three takeaways from this discussion. So, what are your top three takeaways?  
 
Neha Shah, MD:   
OK, so I have to quote one of my favorite authors here, Michael Pollan. He's written some great books about food. “Omnivore’s Dilemma” is one of them. This is his quote: “Eat less, mostly plants.” I think that's a great take-home.  
  
Bailey Cook:   
Yeah.  
 
Neha Shah, MD:  
Then the second take-home is just add more anti-inflammatory foods to your diet. Simple things like substituting diet soda with some green tea, adding more spices to your diet. And, of course, things like turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and adding more fruits and vegetables. And then the last take-home, particularly for those patients who have inflammatory arthritis, is to keep a food journal, and then consider doing an elimination diet.  
 
Bailey Cook:  
We have had many, many take-homes from this episode. I am not well versed in all things diet, nutrition and all of that. So, this has been really important for me to better understand how I can help myself and I know it’s going to help our listeners as well.  
 
For our listeners who are interested in potentially learning more, we have already released some really great episodes on diet and nutrition, such as “Mindful Eating With Arthritis,” “Understanding Paleo, Keto and Intermittent Fasting,” “Food as Medicine,” “Anti-inflammatory Diet: Myths and Facts,” and “Microbiome Gut Health and Arthritis.” And we've also done a few webinars on it as well, such as “Taming Inflammation With Culinary Medicine,” “Gut Instinct,” “Chinese Nutritional Therapy for Arthritis,” “All About Fats,” “All About Carbs,” and “Arthritis and Plant-based Diets for Arthritis.” So, we have some really wonderful resources on arthritis.org. And we will also link them in our show notes. Dr. Shah, thank you so much for joining us.  
 
Neha Shah, MD:   
Thank you, Bailey. And thank you to the Arthritis Foundation for all the fantastic work you all are doing.  
 
Bailey Cook:  
Thanks so much. Bye-bye.  
 
Neha Shah, MD:   
Bye.  

MUSIC BRIDGE 

Pete Scalia:  
We've been talking about laughter is medicine with Matt Iseman. And Matt, we posed the question on social media, leading up to this episode, and we asked: How does laughter help you cope with your arthritis? One person said, "My pain is a fact, and focusing on laughter and fun things takes more effort, so I'm making a conscious effort to choose joy as part of my healing journey."  
 
Matt Iseman:  
Amen. Nobody cares about your health as much as you do. You need to be your own best advocate. You need to be the person who, instead of waiting for something to happen, says, “I’m choosing to focus on joy.” And I think it’s that conscious choice. And I think the more you do it, the more you realize you can develop that into a habit.  
 
Pete Scalia:  
And sometimes that can be difficult, too. Letting that switch sort of go off, saying, “I’m going to make this conscious effort to do that." And so, in this case, I mean, it’s literally making a conscious effort to allow yourself to be happy and to laugh.  
 
Matt Iseman:  
Yeah. And I think every time you do that, you build on your successes. And it becomes a little easier the next time.  
 
Pete Scalia:  
If there was something that you wanted someone who's listening to this podcast right now to sort of walk away with, what would that be?  
 
Matt Iseman:  
Well, laughter is the best medicine. When I say it's the best medicine, obviously the biologics have given me my life back. But I think that laughter is this thing that is free, it's universal. Every person on earth loves to laugh. And I think that when you can view this not as something silly or goofy or a distraction, but to say, "Wow, if I'm struggling, trying to find laughter is as good as getting a massage or stretching or treating your body right." And when you're in your dark times, and you're feeling like nothing is funny, lean on the community of the Arthritis Foundation. Because we can all relate to that.  
 
When you’re dealing with the most horrendous, challenging situations in life, you can either cry, be daunted by it, or sometimes you can laugh. This should be a priority. Do everything you can with traditional medicine, with your alternative medicine. But lean on this laughter, because it is such a simple and powerful tool.  
 
The other message is, especially if you're newly diagnosed, you're not alone. We're out here. I remember when I was newly diagnosed and everything felt terrifying. And to have people go: “It's all right, man. You get through it. You learn to live, you learn to have your full life.”  
 
Pete Scalia:  
Well, I love it, Matt. And it was exciting for me catching up with my fellow RA warrior.  
 
Matt Iseman:  
Yeah, buddy. (laughs)  
 
Pete Scalia:  
I know that laughter is the best medicine. I certainly feel better already.  
 
Matt Iseman:  
Yeah, absolutely. Even when it's on those days when you can't, don't give up. You’ll get back there.  
 
Pete Scalia:  
Well, I know that's one thing I firmly believe in, is just never giving up. And you certainly personify that, Matt, so we appreciate you taking the time to talk with us.  
 
Matt Iseman:  
My pleasure.  

PROMO: 
Whenever you need help, the Arthritis Foundation’s Helpline is here for you. Whether it’s about insurance coverage, a provider you need help from or something else, get in touch with us by phone toll-free at 800-283-7800. Or send us a message at https://www.arthritis.org/helpline. 

Courtney Wells, PhD, MSW, MPH, LGSW:  
We had some social media comments here, some listener questions or comments. And one of the prompts went out was: "What do you have to fight the hardest for?" These are some of the responses that we received: insurance to cover medication; strength, both physically and mentally; constant comorbidities that tag along with RA; accessibility, specifically elevators on campus and trying to get around in different spaces; and social aspects of the diagnosis; managing pain; building a treatment regimen. Any of these sound familiar?  
 
Stephanie Rosado, MSW, CWHC:  
These all resonate, you know? Insurance to cover medication... Two months ago, where a medication that I had already tried that had worked was denied by my insurance. Because they changed their rules and what they cover and all this stuff. So, now I have to go through step therapy and fail first before I can get it covered again. I resonate with that.  
 
Strength, both mentally and physically… You definitely need strength in both areas to move forward. And also the strength to seek help if you're struggling in that area, especially mentally. I'm a huge advocate for mental health. There's strength in getting the help that you need.  
 
The social aspect of having a diagnosis… In a study that I conducted last summer, and that was recently published, was that young people with osteoarthritis — and I assume it's the same with any type of arthritic disease — is the sex life component. You're young, you're in your prime, your intimate relationships may be a big component of your life during that time. We don't talk about it, because it's taboo, and so that's something that's underexplored and that needs to be talked about more.  
 
Yeah, all of this stuff. Building a treatment regimen… How do you do that, right? That's something else we need to be educated about. So yeah, I resonate with all of these.  
 
Courtney Wells, PhD, MSW, MPH, LGSW:  
Wonderful. Well, we typically like to close the podcast each time with the top three takeaways from the discussion.  
 
Stephanie Rosado, MSW, CWHC:  
One of them: You're still a person with needs, wants, goals, things that you want to do with your life. So, work with your providers to advocate for yourself, your life and the life that you want to live, to build a treatment regimen that is good for you and that helps you still feel good and feel whole. That's one. You want to go next?  
 
Courtney Wells, PhD, MSW, MPH, LGSW:  
Our conversation has made me think more about this idea that: Sometimes when we go in to see our providers, there's this clear doctor-patient... “I’m supposed to act this way. I’m not supposed to do these things.” And that's not how it needs to be. They're there to help us, and so if we don't tell them what we need and what we want and how we want it, then how are they going to help us, really? If we don't advocate and ask for what we need, and tell them when we're having a hard time… I think that I’m constantly trying to reframe that for myself.  
 
Stephanie Rosado, MSW, CWHC:  
Yeah. Another takeaway for me would be asking how we can give back, right? Even in the most difficult times, when we receive a diagnosis, or we're struggling with something, how can we look for that silver lining? How can we give back? How can we ensure that someone else doesn't go through the same thing? Or at least, if they do experience, for example, the same diagnosis, they have more tools, more education, more research out there for themselves to better handle that disease, that diagnosis, or that experience with the disease. Always ask yourself how you can give back with what you're experiencing, even though what you're experiencing may be a difficult situation.  
 
Courtney Wells, PhD, MSW, MPH, LGSW:  
Yeah, that's wonderful. I also really liked your points about being young and trying to train health care providers that young people do get these conditions. Just because somebody looks a certain way, you make a lot of assumptions about them, and that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with their truth.  
 
Stephanie Rosado, MSW, CWHC:  
That's a great point and a nice takeaway. Just because you're younger doesn't mean you can fight it better. Being able to verbalize that loss or that grief, or the things you're struggling with, for a provider can really impact your care in a positive way. Because, like you said, if you let them know what you're experiencing, then the responsibility is on a provider to kind of go, "OK, what can we do with this?"  
 
Courtney Wells, PhD, MSW, MPH, LGSW:  
Yeah, exactly. And then that helps pay it forward, right?  
 
Stephanie Rosado, MSW, CWHC:  
Yep.  
 
Courtney Wells, PhD, MSW, MPH, LGSW:  
Wonderful. Well, thank you Stephanie. It has been really great talking with you today. And I think we've all had a lot of good reflections on self-advocacy.  
 
Stephanie Rosado, MSW, CWHC:  
Thank you for having me, Courtney. I really enjoyed this.  

MUSIC BRIDGE 

Cristina Schaefer: 
We like to look at social media and post questions on social media on the Arthritis Foundation accounts. We'll pose questions to the audience related to the topic at hand. And we posted, "How does back pain affect your daily life?" Dr. Bykerk, I just wanted to share some of these responses with you and see your thoughts on them.  
 
Hurricane Liz Chronicles said, "Having ankylosing spondylitis means being in pain all day, every day. My back pain stops me from being with my family and friends. It means I miss out on a lot of stuff."  
 
Dr. Vivian Bykerk:  
Yeah, that totally makes sense. As I said, there's five, we call them health domains, that are impacted. And she's describing both function and social participation, not to mention what it means to be in chronic pain.  
 
Cristina Schaefer: 
Lexi 1927 said, "I always have back pain, every day. I don't remember when I didn't have back pain."  
 
Dr. Vivian Bykerk:  
Again, and I think that brings up an important point: People kind of get used to it. If you give someone a chronic painful condition, after a year, they will describe the pain as slightly less than they might have at the very beginning, because they have adapted to it. Depending on how bad it is, they're able to tolerate it slightly better. They've also made adaptions in their lives, so that it doesn't get worse.  
 
Nonetheless, you know, I think anybody who has that kind of pain warrants being seen by a specialist and trying some of the new therapies out there now. They're very effective. And they should reduce pain substantially in conditions like ankylosing spondylitis or psoriatic arthritis-related spondylitis.  
 
Cristina Schaefer: 
And one more comment that we had on social media, from KK Everyday 82. They said, "Waking up a lot at night" affects them not sleeping well, "which affects my day, and I have long-term health issues."  
 
Dr. Vivian Bykerk:  
And we certainly touched on that in our questions. The long-term health issues, as I said: You have pain. You don't want to move. You don't sleep well. Your energy is low. You don't go out for walks. You don't go out.  
 
The pain affects general health by virtue of how it limits life. And it's usually weight gain that's a problem. And then, of course, you can end up with a lot of metabolic problems: heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension or high blood pressure, central obesity, where you gain weight, we'll call it lower tummy fat, which is an inflammatory kind of fat. So, you know, trying to target pain is incredibly important.  
 
Walking is proven to be one of the best exercises for back pain, no matter the cause. Exercise pretty much helps all of these forms of back pain. Even if it's in water, even if it's very gentle, even if it's yoga. There is an exercise out there people can do, almost always. I won't say always, but almost always, and that's an important way to tackle living in pain.  
 
And just because you're too tired and too sore to do it doesn't mean you shouldn't try. I always say, "Just try. Go for two minutes, five minutes. See what you can do." Inevitably, people can do 15. When weight becomes an issue, I say, "If you can put in 30 minutes of walking a day, and I don't care if it's 10 minutes three times a day, if you can put that in, you can keep off 15 pounds." And so, you can imagine how to expand that thinking if you're trying to improve your general health.  
 
Cristina Schaefer: 
Very good. What are the top three takeaways that you'd like people to take from this episode?  
 
Dr. Vivian Bykerk:  
Obviously, inflammatory arthritis is important to diagnose because it's treated differently. But most back pain is not inflammatory arthritis. It's related to degenerative issues, but more likely to weakness and mechanical issues. So, you need a team to help you diagnose it and look after it. And you need to use your best self-discipline to get moving.  

Cristina Schaefer:  
We like to pose questions on the Arthritis Foundation's social media outlets to bring into these conversations. And the Arthritis Foundation posed this question: What is your top solution for relieving back pain? I'd love to hear your feedback on some of these, Dr. Bykerk. Cindy Seik said, “Yoga,” as you mentioned. “Water fitness and back decompression with meditation.”  
 
Dr. Vivian Bykerk:  
Check, check, check. I mean, yoga, I agree with all that. I think those are important. You know, when people are stressed and their muscles are tense, their pain will be worse. Their sleep will be worse. And then their pain will be worse. So, getting sleep, reducing stress, are all important ways to help yourself.  
 
Cristina Schaefer:  
Arthritis Rachy said, "Bath, hot water bottle or ibuprofen gel."  
 
Dr. Vivian Bykerk:  
All reasonable approaches. I think heat probably helps back pain more often than ice. And using that before you go to sleep, in however you choose to, and some gentle stretching, will probably lead to a better night or a better day.  
 
Cristina Schaefer:  
And one more here from Ryan Loves It 0115: "Using a heat blanket helps relieve the pain and helps me relax. Definitely recommend."  
 
Dr. Vivian Bykerk:  
Highly agree.  
 
Cristina Schaefer:  
Very good. Well, I think for me, one of the biggest takeaways is the reminder to always just keep moving, even when you're in pain. It sounds so tempting to just sit still when you're in pain, but it's so important to keep moving. What are your top takeaways that you'd like people to take from this episode?  
 
Dr. Vivian Bykerk:  
You know, I think there are solutions and ways to help everybody. No one should think there's nothing that can be done. If a doctor says that, if your general physician says nothing can be done, it's not true. Join support groups. Contact the Arthritis Foundation. Find the avenues for you.  
 
We've talked about medications that can help. We've talked about lifestyle factors that can help. We've talked about exercise being pivotal and other tricks that can help relieve pain. They're all important.  
 
Cristina Schaefer:  
Well, thank you so much for your time, Dr. Bykerk. You've shared so much great information in this two-part series, and we truly appreciate it.  
 
Dr. Vivian Bykerk:  
Great. I’m hoping that these messages get across to many more and that they'll get relief. Thank you for including me.  

PROMO: 
The Arthritis Foundation couldn’t do awesome things without your support. Your donation fuels our powerful movement to advance arthritis research and resources, like this podcast and much more. Every dollar makes a difference. Give a gift now at https://www.arthritis.org/donate.  

Pete Scalia:  
We knew that we were going to be doing this episode and posed the question online, asking people about their biggest mental, emotional or social obstacles that they've had to deal with living with arthritis. A couple of the responses we got, I wanted to share.  
 
There was somebody who has the handle JIAwanter, who said, “Not knowing what happened next. The unpredictability factor and hiding the physical and emotional fear that comes with it is one of the most difficult things” they’ve dealt with. And another one of our followers, Bionic RA, said, “Admitting that I need help.” And a third comment that we got, Gary, this sort of plays into what you were just saying there, from Abrewington, “That balance between it being OK to be in pain and not ‘manly’ to talk about or share my pain for fear of being labeled less than a man.” I mean, it’s got to be rewarding for you to have created this safe group for guys in particular to talk with other guys about these symptoms and know that they're not being judged for it, because that really is difficult for a lot of guys.  
 
Gary Ho:  
It's a huge factor. You know, men don't want be seen as weak, right? We're the ones with the club. And we're meant to go out there and look for food, and supply and look after our family. We don't want to be needy. We don't want to seem like we need help. But in fact, one of the first steps to freedom really is admitting that we have this disease, right? That was so freeing.  
 
When I accepted that I have gout, it was freeing. Now it's like, “OK, I have gout. What does this mean? And what do I need to do?” Because gout and I can get along. There is a way, because my rheumatologist says I can have quality of life and I can have a pain-free life. And I believe him. I have trust in my rheumatologist. “What is it going to mean for me?” And for me, it meant being open to trustworthy advice from my medical partner, professional, and following his instructions. And being patient, because it does take time to find yourself out of the woods, right?  
 
Pete Scalia:  
Yeah. Well, I know often on the podcast, Gary, we like to talk about three big takeaways that we come from in our conversation. What would you say your three takeaways are from this episode?  
 
Gary Ho:  
That's a great question. I would say the first takeaway is that, when it comes to gout, it's not your fault. Period. Full stop. That's it. It's not your fault. It's not because you're eating too much meat. It's not because you're drinking too much. Maybe. I mean, if you're drinking a case a night, maybe, but it's probably not the cause of your gout, right? So, it's not your fault. It could be genetics. It could be a number of things. So, get that out of your head.  
 
Secondly, if you're feeling alone and isolated, you're not alone. There are 9 million of us in America. Go find us: the Gout Support Group of America. You can find us, we have a website. We're also online on Facebook. If you find us, just answer the three questions, and then we will accept you into the support group, and you'll meet wonderful people that have journeyed with gout for many years, and there's many people that have just started the journey. People are always wanting to give back and help one another journey through this disease.  
 
And lastly, and I've mentioned this before, if it's over six, you need a fix. So, understand where your uric acid level is. Go ask for your doctor to look at your uric acid level, because a general blood test does not include uric acid. You have to specifically ask for that uric acid to be checked. So, if it's over six, you need a fix.  
 
Pete Scalia:  
I love that. I think I would agree, too. If I had to think of three things that I really took away from this that I would want our listeners to take away from, number one is being proactive. Making sure that you are taking control and, as you mentioned earlier, owning your own health journey. Making sure that if you notice that something isn't quite right, not being afraid to talk to your primary care physician, but then also to seek out maybe a specialist, a rheumatologist, someone that can help you in that journey.  
 
The second thing is, as you mentioned also, knowing that there are other people out there who are going through something similar, that you're not alone in this journey. I know that any sort of chronic illness like this that you're dealing with, that can seem like an invisible disease, it can feel very isolating, but it doesn't have to be. Knowing that there are support groups out there like the Gout Support Group of America, like the Arthritis Foundation, the local chapters, national groups, getting involved, and getting to know some of these other people who are going through something similar, I know has been a huge relief for me being able to talk to other people.  
 
And I guess the third takeaway is just knowing that you don't have to feel like you're invincible all the time. It's OK to own that sense of: “You know, there’s something that’s not quite right here.” It doesn’t make you weak. It doesn’t make you insufferable. And you’re not a burden to someone.  
 
Gary Ho:  
That’s right.  
 
Pete Scalia:  
I think it’s something else that’s important to take away. Knowing that this is something that there are options out there. They are treatable. And hopefully, there are some guys listening to us, Gary, that are going to walk away from this feeling a little empowered, saying, “You know what? I'm going to take control of this journey myself, and I’m not going to give up.” That, to me, is the biggest thing. Obviously, with the sign I have above me here in the studio, “Never Giving Up,” is definitely a message I want people to walk away with.  
 
Gary Ho:  
Love it. Thank you, Pete.  
 
Pete Scalia:  
All right. Well, Gary Ho, thanks again. And where can people find you and interact with you and the Gout Support Group of America?  
 
Gary Ho:  
You can find us at www.goutsupportgroup.org, or go to Facebook and look up the Gout Support Group of America, and you're going to see us, and all you do is just hit “Join,” and we'll let you in.  
 
Pete Scalia:  
I love it. Gary Ho, thanks. And I'm Pete Scalia here. I want to thank everybody for listening to the Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast. PSNeverGiveUp. We'll see you next time. Thanks, Gary.  
 
Gary Ho:  
Thank you. 

PROMO: 
If you have arthritis or are taking care of someone who does, we’ve got information you can trust. Get tips on healthy treatments, plus news and inspirational stories. Learn all about arthritis and the resources we offer. Go to https://www.arthritis.org/. 

Bailey Cook: 
Dr. Blazer, we did ask on social media: "What is one health condition related to your arthritis that has surprised you?" And I just wanted to read a couple of the responses that we have gotten and kind of get your opinion on what they had said. 
 
One person says, "I was a teacher. RA caused me to lose my voice in a very short period of time when speaking." That's something that you've heard of? 
 
Ashira Blazer, MD, MSCI: 
I don't hear that often, but I suppose it could happen, because your vocal cords have to contract and loosen for you to speak well, and there are actually little joints there. There are little bones that govern that. So, you know, could someone develop some inflammation there? Or could there be some side effect of the medication? It's possible. 
 
Bailey Cook: 
Interesting. Another one says, "All of my conditions — plantar fasciitis, gastritis, possible AMPS, hypermobility, sensitive skin, TMJ, I also have migraines and anxiety. BTW, I'm 18, was diagnosed with arthritis at the age of 14, and in the span of four years, I've had over 10 diagnoses and multiple maybe diagnoses." 
 
Ashira Blazer, MD, MSCI: 
I see that all the time. All the time. For example, in lupus, the majority of our patients will also develop fibromyalgia. I always explain it like, "Have you ever cut yourself, and you didn't notice it, and then you do notice it, and all of a sudden it really hurts, right?" (laughs) It's because it's not just what's happening to your body. Those pain signals go up to your brain. And your brain says, "How dangerous is this? How much does this hurt? Or how little does it hurt?" 
 
Your brain can sort of dial up or dial down the pain. And as you have chronic pain from your arthritis, you can then develop this sort of feedback loop. Or you just have pain all the time, whether or not you're having inflammation in your joints. And that can be a really hard problem. You know, it makes people's lives very miserable. And it doesn't respond so well to our therapies, our anti-inflammatory therapies. So, we have to have a holistic approach: exercise, sleeping at nighttime, taking care of our anxiety and depression. All of those things can help reset that balance. 
 
Bailey Cook: 
And then the last one, they said, "Interstitial lung disease and tachycardia, it's frustrating." 
 
Ashira Blazer, MD, MSCI: 
Interstitial lung disease can definitely go along with our arthritic conditions. And then you can get tachycardia either directly related, or some of our patients actually develop Pott's syndrome, which is just an inability to really regulate the blood pressure and the heart rate as we change positions, like laying down to standing up. 
 
Bailey Cook: 
We always end our episodes with your top three takeaways of the episode. So, we'll start with Dr. Blazer.  
 
Ashira Blazer, MD, MSCI: 
Top three… I would say certainly see your primary care doctor, as screening and prevention is really key. The second would be chronic illnesses travel together, and it's important for us to manage them in a holistic way. And then the third will be: Go to bed. Sleeping helps everything. Please go to bed. 
 
Bailey Cook: 
I love that. Rick, what are your top three takeaways? 
 
Rick Phillips: 
Health equity issues are very real and need everybody in the entire community to help address them. Comorbidities are also very real, and we cannot ignore them. It's not always related to the arthritis that we have. And third, I now think of my inflammatory diseases as traveling around in a school bus. 
 
Bailey Cook: 
(laughs) That's awesome. 
 
Ashira Blazer, MD, MSCI: 
I love that. 
 
Rick Phillips: 
"We'll move over here and stop for a few minutes." (laughter) 
 
Bailey Cook: 
Well, Dr. Blazer, actually, you totally touched on the two that I had written down, being that you need to see a PCP and that screening and prevention is key. And then I would also just say that one thing that I really took from this is that I need to be more cognizant of what other things might be going on that I probably don't even realize could be related to my arthritis. Probably another top takeaway would be to question things and wonder why something is happening now versus why it wasn't before. And I will also agree with you, go to sleep. That's a great top takeaway to take. (laughs) 
 
Dr. Blazer and Rick, thank you so much for joining us today. 
 
Ashira Blazer, MD, MSCI: 
Thank you. 

PODCAST CLOSE: 
The top takeaways you’ve just heard come from episodes in 2023 that we thought were good to revisit. We hope you’ve enjoyed them! Thank you for being a loyal listener of the Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast. Made possible in part by the generous gifts of donors like you! 

We’d like to thank all of our guest hosts and experts who contributed to our 2023 podcast episodes. And thanks to podcast staff and sponsors who also helped make it all possible. 

Come back in 2024 to new episodes that can help you live your best life with arthritis! 

The Live Yes! With Arthritis podcast is independently produced by the Arthritis Foundation. This podcast aims to help people living with arthritis and chronic pain live their best life. People like you. For a transcript and show notes, go to https://www.arthritis.org/liveyes/podcast. Subscribe and rate us wherever you get your podcasts. And stay in touch!