Auto Immune conditions

Hemalatha Rao was diagnosed with a hole in her heart at the age of three. Since then she has dealt with a slew of conditions and has even undergone a heart and double lung transplant in the midst of the Covid Pandemic. She shares her experience and her approach to building mental fortitude and resilience. At the age of 46, just before the 2nd Covid wave hit the country, I underwent a heart and double lung transplant. I have been waiting for this transplant since Aug 2019, when the world had not…

In this webinar we spoke with Dr. Nilesh Nolkha, Consultant Rheumatologist and Clinical Immunologist addressed some of the most common questions on Lupus as part of the “Know Lupus” series.  Dr. Nilesh Nolkha answers the following questions (marked with timestamps on the youtube recording) 03:52 What is Lupus? 05:30 What are the signs and symptoms of Lupus 10:00 How is Lupus diagnosed? Are there any tests for this? 12:00 What are the treatment options for Lupus? 16:05 Can a Lupus patient…

Waikhom Bimolata, 37, from Manipur, recounts her journey from being diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases Lupus and Sjogren's, her complex anxious-ridden pregnancy and successful motherhood. Here, she hopes to encourage other aspiring mothers in similar situation. You are a young mother with autoimmune inflammatory disease Lupus. Could you tell us when were you diagnosed with it and what were your early symptoms? I was diagnosed with Lupus nephritis in 2016. My early symptoms included fatigue…

Tushita Agrawal, a 16 year old from Akola, Maharashtra has been battling Behcet’s disease, a rare autoimmune condition, for 3 years now. She speaks of how she has tackled her challenges at such a tender age. Please tell us a bit about your condition? Behcet's disease (also called Behcet's Syndrome) is a rare autoimmune disease that affects blood vessels and can affect any system in the body. It has affected me neurologically as I have lost my sense of hearing. It has affected my digestive…

23 July is marked as World Sjogren's Day (WSD) to honour Dr. Henrik Sjogren who first identified Sjogren's syndrome as a systemic, autoimmune chronic rheumatic condition.  Sjögren’s India and PatientsEngage bring together patient experiences of living with Sjogrens and what can be done to Conquer Sjogren's syndrome in India led by Mrs Kirtida Oza, co-founder Sjogren's India With special messages from Dr. Sapan C. Pandya, Secretary Indian Rheumatology Association and Dr. Debashish Danda…

Jyoti Gada, who fought long with vitiligo, has in the last decade come to terms with her white patches. Today, she has an Instagram page where she models for her clothes and is willing to start any conversations on the challenges of Vitiligo. I have grey hair. I am fifty plus and fabulous. And, oh by the way, I have vitiligo. You can’t miss my white patches. I have them all over my face and body. Under my eyes, nose and a broad stretch running across the top of my forehead. But I am no longer…

Naveen, 27, from Noida was diagnosed with Lupus Nephritis out of the blue. It left him shocked and in immense physical pain, followed by a series of emergency visits to the hospital, each more critical than the previous one. Through all this, Naveen has emerged as a positive-minded warrior who takes each day as a gift. Please tell us a bit about the condition you were diagnosed with. What was the experience and what were the early symptoms? The diagnosis came a year after my symptoms first…

Dr Anshumala Kulkarni, Consultant Gynecological Surgeon, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital addresses questions on how thyroid hormones affect the reproductive system of women during various life stages. Thyroid hormone functions have a complex interplay with all the hormones of the reproductive system. Thyroid hormones act at the level of the pituitary gland and affect the release of stimulating hormones from the pituitary and estrogen, progesterone and testosterone hormones from…

Madhura Balasubramaniam, 27 from Chennai tried everything to manage Crohn’s disease, getting past the grossness of it. She considers the PEG tube as the best gift she has received and takes life one day at a time.   I am Madhura, a 27-year-old from India. I have a Master's degree in Development Studies and I am currently a PhD student and researcher learning more about the Tibetan exile community in India and India’s Himalayan borderlands. Please tell us a bit about your condition -…

Dermatologist Dr. Kruti Banodkar explains how hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism affects the skin, hair and nails of a person, the home remedies and self care strategies for the dermatological issues and when you should see a physician. The thyroid is a small, butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the front of the neck. It releases hormones to help the body regulate and use energy. It regulates the rate at which calories are burned, affecting weight loss or weight gain. It can slow down or…