Respiratory and Pulmonary

Renee, 28 (name changed on request), who was diagnosed with Multi-drug resistant Pulmonary Tuberculosis talks of the challenges of getting the right diagnosis, the stigma surrounding TB and how it affected her relationships and her work prospects.  I was first diagnosed with MDR-TB (multi-drug resistant tuberculosis) in 2011. The second time around, I was diagnosed with Pre-XDR (Pre-extensively drug resistant) in 2016. Initial TB Diagnosis After my graduation in 2011, my mother got…

Dev Yadava, 72 from Mumbai was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and in the 13 years since he has become an informed patient and continues to try all kinds of treatment options to deal with IPF. Please tell us a bit about your condition In Jan 2006 I was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) - Non-specific Interstitial Pneumonitis (NSIP) which causes scarring (or fibrosis) of the lungs. It falls under the broad group of Interstitial Lung Diseases. It is idiopathic…

Thirty five year old Deepthi Sudhir Nair, a person with Myasthenia Gravis, rings in 2017 with five heartfelt pointers that can help transform lives and bring in greater happiness, positivity and self-respect in the New Year. Before I bury my reminiscences of 2016, I want to thank it for making me a chronically ill patient (through myasthenia gravis, urticaria, bronchial asthma, migraines and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures) and taking away my freedom. At the same time, teaching me what life…

By Ujjwala Baxi, a dietician at Poshan - Cure thru Diet In 1 cup of boiling water, add a pinch of cinnamon powder or a small cinnamon stick, black pepper, cardamom powder and a teaspoonful of jaggery. Boil and sip warm. This tea builds resistance to cough and cold and keeps the body warm.   Updated with the poster on 26-Dec-2018

Naved Patel, 26 year old chef, entrepreneur, food stylist, suffered severe allergy from his pet dogs that left him acutely breathless, damaged his power to smell and scarred him for life. Here he narrates how it all began. We also talk to Dr. Anil Ballani to understand dog allergy. We are a family of passionate pet lovers. At age 20, when I landed up with 3 dogs in the house, I was over the moon. I was the proud owner of three puppies - two Labradors and one Pug. I named the Labradors Hugo and…

Atabuddin Mondal,53 from Chakdaha, West Bengal has been suffering from Bronchogenic Carcinoma, and is now in a better form after going through chemotherapy cycles. He shares his experiences of handling the Big C. Please tell us about your condition. I have been suffering from Lung Cancer. When were you diagnosed? I was diagnosed on 25/02/2018 with Bronchogenic carcinoma,1st stage. What were the early symptoms? Being addicted to smoking, first came the change in voice and then I had a…

Mona Balani, 43 from Delhi has had multiple rounds of TB and HIV. Motivated by her own experience of limited support and lack of knowledge, she now advises other patients and works actively with a support group of TB patients  Please tell us a bit about your condition I am a former Tuberculosis patient. After getting HIV in 1999, I had TB twice, once in 2000 which was TB in my lungs and second time in 2006 I had TB in my abdomen (extra-pulmonary). Abdominal TB can affect the lining of the…

And QUIT SMOKING. Akhileshwar Sahay, a seasoned industry veteran, has been living with bipolar disorder for the last 2 decades. In this interview, he talks about his troubled journey with multiple chronic illnesses including COPD, Depression, Diabetes and his commitment to removing stigma related to mental illness.  How did your bipolar disorder start? What were the early symptoms? Bipolar disorder is not like influenza that it is diagnosed at once. Its roots are biological and I was…

Specialty palliative care, in contrast to standard oncology care, can provide an extra layer of support for patients with lung cancer and their families. Dr Rajam Iyer, a pulmonologist and strong proponent of palliative care, enumerates its benefits for lung cancer patients. What is palliative care for lung cancer? In India, lung cancer constitutes 6.9 per cent of all new cancer cases and 9.3 per cent of all cancer related deaths in both sexes. At the time of…

Dr Rajam Iyer, pulmonologist and palliative care physician, gives us an overview of Nicotine Replacement Therapy, a treatment to help people quit smoking, and strongly recommends its promotion among smokers and the need to test it for smokeless tobacco (bidi) users. What is Nicotine Replacement Therapy? Nicotine replacement therapy is a treatment that smokers can benefit from. As smokers are addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes, that causes physical dependence, NRT helps in controlling the…