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Awareness days come and go, but life with inflammatory arthritis shows up every single day, especially when your hospital appointments disappear into the system. In this episode, Debbie and Katy talk candidly about the reality of being “lost in the system”, from missed biologic reviews and last‑minute phone calls to the emotional and practical fallout when admin goes wrong. Alongside the realities of recovering from surgery, grief, family pressures and the mental load of chronic illness.They also explore the many awareness days and weeks in May, from Axial SpA to mental health, fibromyalgia, auto‑inflammatory conditions, and International Nurses Day and why awareness shouldn’t be limited to a calendar date. Life with IA is every day, and so is the need for understanding, compassion, and community.Key Topics
The reality of hospital admin and biologic funding renewals
Navigating unexpected appointment changes
Surgery recovery, anaesthetic effects, and medication timing
Grief, family responsibilities, and emotional load
Mental health and long‑term conditions
The importance of self‑compassion
Awareness days in May: what they mean and why they matter
Axial SpA, auto‑inflammatory conditions, fibromyalgia, and arthritis awareness
The role of nurses and consultants in IA care
Misdiagnosis and overlapping symptoms
Why awareness should extend beyond awareness days
Keywords
inflammatory arthritis, IAUK, biologics, rheumatology, Axial SpA, psoriatic arthritis, fibromyalgia, auto‑inflammatory disease, mental health, chronic illness, grief and illness, patient experience, arthritis awareness month, nurses day, long‑term conditions, self‑compassion, lived experience, inflammatory podcast
Awareness Days & Weeks Mentioned
Mental Health Awareness Week
Axial Spondyloarthritis Awareness Day — 2 May
Fibromyalgia Awareness Day — 12 May
International Nurses Day — 12 May
Auto‑Inflammatory Awareness Day — 20 May
Arthritis Awareness Month (US)
Mental health support: If you are struggling or need help with your mental health,below is where you can find support: Suicidal thoughts can be distressing, you can find help here:
· Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org/ 116 123 always open
· Mind https://www.mind.org.uk/ 0300 102 1234 Open 9am to 6pm weekdays
· Shout https://giveusashout.org/ Text Shout to 85258 open 24/7
Episodes referenced:
Episode 5 You are not alone : Mental health discussion
Interviews with Rachell Smith, Adam Newton, James Hollens and Charlie Robards
Episode 56 with Dr Rosemary Hollick
Episode 52 with Andy Kelly good practice of mental health services
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We love hearing from you — your stories, your experiences, your questions.Follow, like, share and comment to help us reach more people living with inflammatory arthritis.
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If you'd like to share your lived experience, email us at info@inflammatoryarthritis.org.
Disclaimer: Debbie and Katy are not medical professionals. They share personal experiences of living with IA to build connection and community. The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. We talk about our personal health journeys and the podcast is not intended to provide professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We are not medical professionals and in no way claim to be medically trained. The podcast does not take responsibility for any losses, damages, or liabilities that may arise from the use of the podcast. The podcast does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of third-party content. For more information, head to https://inflammatoryarthritis.org/
