Tag: doctors

Peeling the Diagnostic Onion

This isn’t going to be a post on how specifically to diagnose the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) or Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) per se, as that’s already been covered here. Rather, I want to draw attention to the many “red herrings” or false leads that we and our doctors often identify and manage to recognize and

Beware of Hammer Syndrome

Hammer syndrome? Wait a minute Jan – you’re already talking about Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), multiple Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) among other things. You could say you’ve put the “syn” in syndromes, don’t you think? So what’s “Hammer Syndrome”?? Good news: it’s not a disease

50,000 Shades of Grey

2017 editor’s note: I wrote this post in early 2016 a year before the new EDS nosology and diagnostic criteria were presented in March 2017, so some of the diagnostic information below is now outdated. E.g. the Brighton (with an “r” to be clear) Diagnostic Criteria are now obsolete, but the Beighton 9 pt scale

Our Stories of Strength coming out May 2015

I’m thrilled to share that my short “story of strength” was included in the first edition anthology of Our Stories of Strength: Living With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome that came out on Kindle May 8th, 2015 for EDS Awareness Month! And as of June 1, it is now also in Print on Amazon too! It is co-edited

MCAD linked to Autism Spectrum April 2015

Editor’s note April 2024: I’m behind on updating all my pages to reflect the change in terminology in the mast cell disease world. Mast Cell Diseases, or just MCD (no “A”) is now the official umbrella term for all forms of mast cell diseases, including Mastocytosis (all the forms), HaTS, and MCAS among other less

Calling All Geneticists

Wow, who would have thunk it? Careful what you ask for –  you may get it: we seem to be raising enough collective awareness finally through regular and social media that more people are suspecting they may have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and seeking out a diagnosis finally, yay. I see increasing numbers of media stories, both

Medical Education Opp for Doctors

Sorry for my radio silence recently – I’m pleased to say I’ve been consumed with recovering from busting not one, but TWO huge (for me) moves recently I will share more about in another post soon. (They both involve bridges, stay tuned!) Meanwhile, I just can’t help sharing sooner than later the newly announced FIRST

Avoid Cipro!

Originally written and posted in 2014, updated in Feb 2024: Official FDA Black box warning against using Cipro with EDS patients from 2018 <—-link Original post with updates: Okay, at the risk of sounding like a simple ranter, I’m dropping in a quick cautionary post to urge ALL who are hypermobile (whether you have a