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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 8 June 2020

A handy list of resources for living with the coronavirus and managing your chronic conditions. Just look for your condition below. If you don't find what you are looking for, please leave a comment and we will get back to you.    

We must live with Covid-19 pandemic for a while. For people with chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, rheumatic conditions, pulmonary conditions, it is even more essential to manage these conditions better. For e.g. a person whose blood sugars are under control is better equipped to deal with the coronavirus infection. 

As we prepare for the easing of restrictions, we must be aware of the risks of infection associated with it and mitigate these risks by practicing safety guidelines viz. mask hygiene, regular washing and sanitisation of hands, and maintaining safe distance at all times. 

We must also recognise that we cannot delay seeking help and treatment of our chronic conditions, and seek out the doctor. The process of these has changed in some places. While some places have started OPDs, most still require that you first connect and consult with the doctor through telemedicine. If the doctor advises you to go for tests or go see the doctor in person, please go ahead and not delay diagnosis and treatment. Do not let your fear of Covid-19 risk overtake your need for timely care.

We have also compiled resources for various conditions. Click on the topics you are interested in to get a detailed understanding of your specific condition. If you have specific questions, you can ask in our discussion forums or contact us at  https://www.patientsengage.com/contact

Cancer

1. How to manage cancer treatment during Covid-19 by Dr. Vinay Deshmane, Consultant in Surgical Oncology & Breast Diseases and Medical Director and Jnt. Hon secretary of the Indian Cancer Society. Link to the webinar recording.

2.Also, here is the link to the key notes from the recording of the above webinar    

Diabetes 

1. How to live well with Diabetes during Covid-19 by Dr. Debashis Basu, Diabetes Awareness and You

2. How to manage diabetes during Covid-19 lockdown by Dr. Piya Balani Thakkar. Summary of her webinar recording

2a. How to manage diabetes during Covid-19 lockdown by Dr. Piya Balani Thakkar. Link to the webinar recording

Dementia

1. Dementia Home Care, the COVID-19 infection risk, and Lockdown/ Unlock challenges

This is a good resource to track the impact of the changes due to lockdowns and re-opening of cities and areas and how it impacts dementia care and even elder care. Useful tips for family caregivers of persons with dementia.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

 

Changed
13/Apr/2021

Stories

  • Diabetes has kept me healthy
    SR Madhu, 73, has had diabetes for 23 years, and has avoided the health hazards faced by his peers. He thanks the diabetes lifestyle for his wellbeing. Plus, his experience of hypoglycaemia.  I was quite upset to discover in 1991 that diabetes had hit me. I had been "on the borderline" of diabetes for a few years whenever I had been tested in India. But when I crossed the international border in 1991 to take up a UN assignment in Zimbabwe, the diabetes crossed…
  • Why Meditation and Yoga Are Recommended for Breast Cancer
    Non-invasive alternative therapies can clear an anxious mind Up to 80% of American patients with breast cancer will undergo complementary therapies to manage anxiety and stress after they receive a diagnosis. Though there’s no clear consensus on which integrative and alternative therapies work and which are ineffective, more and more medical practices have incorporated practices like mindfulness and acupuncture into their offerings. But a new study published in the Journal of the…
  • A stock pic of an elderly person being cared for
    Its ok to cry and laugh, to take time out for yourself
    This touching and poignant documentary – “Portraits of Care” –  looks at the lives of four amazing Caregivers and gives a rare glimpse into the realities of long-term care in India. A husband as caregiver, a wife as caregiver, daughters as caregivers The caregivers share the issues with home care agencies, dealing with absent and interfering relatives, caregiver stress and the financial challenges How to take time out for yourself, how to deal with your anger and frustration…
  • Right-to-die advocate Brittany Maynard ends life
    Brittany Maynard, the terminally ill cancer patient whose viral YouTube video reignited the debate on assisted-suicide, ended her life on Saturday. Bioethicist Arthur L Caplan says that Ms Maynard's story has the potential to change the way many people - particularly younger Americans - view the issue. "I am terrified to think that my children will grow up in a culture that openly venerates suicide with this much unyielding passion” "A whole new generation is now looking at Brittany…
  • FDA Approval For Two-In-One Diabetes Pill XIGDUO™ XR
    U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved once-daily XIGDUO™ XR (dapagliflozin and metformin hydrochloride extended-release) for the treatment of adults with type 2 diabetes. It is already approved in Australia XIGDUO XR combines two anti-hyperglycemic agents with complementary mechanisms of action, dapagliflozin (trade name in the U.S. FARXIGA™), an inhibitor of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), and metformin hydrochloride (HCl) extended-release, a biguanide, in a once-daily oral…
  • Giant leap in Type 1 Diabetes treatment
    Harvard stem cell researchers today announced that they have made a giant leap forward in the quest to find a truly effective treatment for type 1 diabetes, a condition that affects an estimated 3 million Americans at a cost of about $15 billion annually. With human embryonic stem cells as a starting point, the scientists are for the first time able to produce, in the kind of massive quantities needed for cell transplantation and pharmaceutical purposes, human insulin-producing…
  • Diet for Chronic Kidney Disease patients
    Dietitian Ujjwala Baxi helps make sense of the diet guidelines and tells you what you can eat guilt-free. Good kidney function is essential for removing the waste material from food that we eat and other byproducts of the body. The kidneys excrete a dietary protein called urea, as well as sodium, potassium and phosphate. These substances can build up in the body if kidney function is impaired. If your kidneys are not working optimally, you need to follow a prescribed diet to lessen the…
  • Diabetes patient jabbing themselves with insulin
    Worried About Insulin Shots?
    Persons with diabetes often get extremely stressed when their doctor wants to move them from pills to insulin shots. Dr Shital Patel allays the fears and explains what to expect and how to go about it. The transition from pills to insulin injections can be a worrying experience for many Diabetes Type 2 patients. You should know that this does not mean that your diabetes has worsened or that your Type 2 diabetes has changed to Type 1. You are being prescribed insulin because after…
  • 3 As for Breast Cancer Recovery
    Plus other tips that got me through. A breast cancer survivor from Delhi shares. Diet 3As - Apple, Anar (pomegranate), Amla (gooseberry) Wheatgrass (if you can manage) Broccoli Do not eat fried and fatty food  If you go out once in a while, eat without making a fuss - so you don't get isolated Eat even if you don't feel like it Mental wellbeing Read The Secret by Rhonda Byrne Make a list of things you want to do - think forward into the future (even a child's wedding) Physical…
  • Mind over body...
    Minakshi Ray on her battle with breast cancer and what it took to win.  “Life is like a game in the boxing ring. Defeat is not declared till you refuse to get up” The line pretty much defines me – I am generally known as a very positive person among my friends and family and staunchly believe that the Almighty helps those who decide to help themselves! On a cold January morning last year, the doctor handed over the biopsy report of the breast lump to my husband with a little…