Before my diagnosis, I thought of myself as a traditionalist, at least when it came to the holidays. I baked cookies, decorated the house, and shopped for the perfect gift for everyone on my list. I planned get-togethers for family and friends and went to great lengths to pull off…

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is launching a fundraising initiative to help improve treatment for advanced lung diseases, including sarcoidosis. The fundraising effort — called the Lung Health Research Accelerator Fund — aims to generate a total $20 million for the creation of a new research…

It was my initial desire to explain my sarcoidosis diagnosis to the people around me. Whether they were individuals I have known for years or those I had recently met, I wanted to be honest and open. But one day I stopped doing that. It’s not that I don’t…

The soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) is more sensitive and specific than the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), one of the most common diagnostic biomarkers of sarcoidosis, at identifying people who might have the disease, a study found. The findings were reported in the study, “Sensitivity and specificity of…

As I mentioned in a previous column, relationships can be tricky when managing a condition like sarcoidosis. Unfortunately, not everyone can adjust to the challenges of a chronic health condition. But I’ve found that pets are a different story. Before I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, my husband and I…

Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy — a relatively new method of collecting lung tissue for analysis — safely and successfully helps to provide a definitive sarcoidosis diagnosis when the usual and less-invasive diagnostic tools are insufficient, a Portuguese study suggests. The study, “Diagnostic yield and safety of transbronchial…

Getting out of bed in the mornings has become an adventure. Even if I remember to guzzle water and rise slowly to prevent the onset of lightheadedness from my postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, there’s my trick leg to deal with. Several months ago, my left leg began checking out…

Tears in blood vessels of the heart can occur in people with cardiac sarcoidosis, a case report found, although the incidence of this complication appears to be low. The report, “Spontaneous coronary artery dissection in cardiac sarcoidosis,” was published in Oxford Medical Case Reports. Spontaneous coronary…

I eat well, get adequate sleep, and lead a balanced lifestyle overall. My routine includes trying to keep my life as stress-free as possible. But despite my best intentions, an event invariably occurs to disrupt my attempts to maintain calmness. Sometimes it’s an unexpected household issue or a sick dog…

Depression and anxiety may worsen the quality of life and lung function of patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, a study has found. The findings of the study, “Psychological burden associated with worse clinical outcomes in sarcoidosis,” were published in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research. Statistics…