PatientLead POV
Building systematic infrastructure for healthcare navigation
We share insights on self-advocacy frameworks, strategic communication, and the realities of navigating complex or invisible illness. Each post offers practical perspectives rooted in evidence-based approaches, trauma-informed care principles, and the lived experiences of patients building their own healthcare leadership capabilities.
Ask an Advocate: Abdominal Pain Dismissal
Doctor Chalks Up Concerning Symptoms to “Classic IBS” Question: My GI doctor keeps telling me that my abdominal pain is IBS, but the pain wakes me up…
Navigating Caregiver Advocacy Without Losing Your Voice
When Your Family Becomes Your Medical Team: Navigating Caregiver Advocacy Without Losing Your Voice Your mom starts taking notes during your appointments. Your partner insists on speaking…
Reframing Chronic Consumerism
“Buy To Survive”: How Chronic Consumerism Shows Up In Chronic Illness, And Five Ways To Reframe It When you live with complex or invisible illness, shopping can…
How to Build a Trauma‑Informed Care Team: A Complete Guide for Chronic Illness Warriors
How to Build a Trauma‑Informed Care Team: A Complete Guide for Chronic Illness Warriors A PatientLead Health GuidePost Many women with chronic illness carry a thick file…
Fibromyalgia Is Real: Breaking Down the Stigma and Advancing the Science
Breaking Down the Stigma and Advancing the Science of Fibromyalgia For too long, fibromyalgia has been relegated to the shadows of medical understanding. Dismissed as a mystery…
Your Medical Data Doesn’t Belong to You
Your Medical Data Doesn’t Belong to You: Understanding Healthcare Information Rights You might assume that since it’s your body and your health, the information in your medical…
Listicle: Symptom Simplification
7 Ways to Track Symptoms Without Getting Overwhelmed Symptom tracking is crucial for getting answers, but it shouldn’t consume your life. These strategies help you gather useful…
Listicle: You’re Not Imagining It
10 Ways to Validate Your Own Health Experience When the medical system fails to validate your experience, you can learn to trust yourself. Your body’s signals matter,…
Listicle: The Frustration of ‘Normal’
6 Things Only People With Normal Test Results Understand When your tests are “normal” but you’re anything but fine, these experiences become your invisible reality. You’re not…