You have a diagnosis and you're learning to manage daily life. What comes next? In the final episode of this series of The Sjö (pronounced "show"), host Shilpa Venkatachalam of the Global Healthy Living Foundation talks again with Dr. Dana DiRenzo, rheumatologist at Penn Medicine and member of the Penn Sjögren's Center, and patient advocate Melissa Taylor, known as Autoimmune Auntie. Together, they talk about how to take charge of your care.

Dr. DiRenzo describes what a good Sjögren's care team looks like. Melissa shares how she "interviews" her doctors, why she treats appointments like a meeting, and how she learned which symptoms are worth tracking.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Who belongs on your Sjögren's care team, and the role your rheumatologist plays• How to make the most of a short appointment by bringing your top 2–3 concerns, filling out symptom questionnaires, and sharing recent lab results• Where to find reliable information about Sjögren’s disease• What's happening in Sjögren's research and clinical trials, and why there's real reason for hope

Wherever you are in your journey, this episode will help you find the right partners, speak up for yourself, and know where to go from here.

Get ready for your next appointment with our free guide, "Tips for Talking with Your Doctor about Sjögren's"
Track your symptoms between appointments with PatientSpot

Find more Sjögren's resources at https://CreakyJoints.org/Sjogrens

The Sjö song was created with the assistance of Suno AI.

This podcast was made possible with support from Novartis. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

A podcast series produced by Amelia Violet Prouse.

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