PF Patients Need Help!

As PF patients, we need all the help we can get, no matter where we are in the progression of this disease. Newly diagnosed patients often feel shocked, confused, angry, sad, or anxious, and desperately need information to figure out what is happening to them. It is normal…

  Managing a chronic illness can be difficult. There are many different medications to take (often at different times), appointments to remember, symptoms to keep track of, and lots of information to absorb. Thankfully, living in a digital age means that there are numerous mobile apps that can help you…

The financial impact of living with a life-threatening illness like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) can be overwhelming for patients. Thankfully, in Canada, we don’t have as much of a financial burden when it comes to medical costs. However, patients living with IPF still have several expenses related to care.

Only a minority of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) swiftly receive a correct diagnosis, while more than half are misdiagnosed at least once, finds a Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) survey of 600 ILD patients. Meanwhile, patients go through invasive and costly diagnostic procedures — often without the desired result.

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation plans to expand its U.S. Care Center Network from the existing 45 facilities, which provide diagnosis and treatment. The network started with nine sites when it was launched in 2013. The foundation wants to see enough centers so 90 percent of patients in urban areas…

For the general population, it is widely known — via literature, social media, and personal experiences shared from others — that stress is not good for our health. It can have all kinds of implications for our bodies and minds that manifest in different ways. As a physical…

Although it’s changing in today’s society, it was previously presumed that someone with a disability was completely dependent on others. It’s quite common for people to think that because someone has a disability, they’re unable to complete daily tasks on their own. It’s this type of thinking that cultivates dependence…

Researchers identified a molecular pathway called ER stress, and a molecular factor known as PI3K, as promoters of pulmonary fibrosis in mice. This research suggests that PI3K and ER stress inhibitors are potential therapeutic options for pulmonary fibrosis. The study reporting the findings, “Involvement of ER stress, PI3K/AKT activation,…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Wn8GgOeU4 This video from the British Lung Foundation emphasizes the importance of keeping active if you have a chronic lung condition. MORE: Find out about the diagnostic tools needed for pulmonary fibrosis Pulmonary rehabilitation is recommended for most people who suffer from severe lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis.

Health Canada has issued a safety warning on Boehringer Ingelheim’s idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis therapy Ofev (nintedanib) after patients in a number of countries developed liver injuries and one died. IPF patients should stop taking Ofev and seek medical assistance if they develop signs of liver damage, Canadian officials said. Those…