Author: Emma Yasinski

Emma Yasinski

I am a freelance science and medical journalist, fascinated by how the scientific process leads to incredible discoveries, but also can lead to publication bias leaning toward positive findings and minimizing negatives. With a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Lafayette College and a Master’s in Science and Medical Journalism from Boston University, I’ve written about clinical trial transparency, organ donation, and basic molecular biology for publications like The Scientist, The Atlantic, Undark.org, Kaiser Health News, and more. At MedShadow, I research and write about the sometimes unexpected ways that medicines can affect us, and what we can do if and when it does.

Diabetes is one of the biggest challenges of our generation, and I’m at heightened risk for developing it. As some MedShadow readers might already know, I am one of the many women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS.) That condition puts me at a substantially higher risk than the average woman for developing diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 4.8% of people between the ages of 18 and 40 (with or without PCOS), and 18.9% of those aged 45 to 64, in the U.S. have diabetes. But by the time they’re 40 years old, more than…

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At MedShadow, we regularly interview patients about their experiences with medications. Time and time again, we have patients tell us that shortly after starting a new regimen, they gained weight. They don’t always know whether the drug directly caused their weight gain, but the timing is often suspect. Weight gain around your midsection is often associated with something called “insulin resistance,” a condition that researchers are finding more and more to be a side effect of drugs. Take Masonia Traylor, for example, who told MedShadow she gained 40 pounds after she switched to a new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) medication.…

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The Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) outbreak in the US hit its peak in August of 2022, and has declined from causes about 400 illnesses a day to just one, but that doesn’t mean the danger is completely gone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained in a teleconference on May 18, 2023. In May 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an end to the global health emergency. While cases are fewer, breakouts are still happening. Between mid April 2023 and early May, experts identified an outbreak of 21 men with Mpox in the Chicago area. “All have…

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Usually, our immune systems protect us from all kinds of outside invaders like the bacteria that causes strep throat and the virus that causes COVID, but what happens when our immune system’s highly-specialized antibodies, white blood cells, and inflammatory molecules glitch and turn against us, attacking our body’s own tissues and organs? We get autoimmune diseases.  There are 80 types of autoimmune diseases, and they’re often difficult to diagnose. The symptoms of autoimmune diseases can vary widely based on the parts of the body that are affected. Often, the symptoms of autoimmune diseases, like painful swelling and inflammation, change from…

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Do you wake up with stiffness and joint pain? Have you been wondering whether you’re injured, you’re developing arthritis or if you just need a good stretch? Even if you do have arthritis, diet and exercise may go a long way toward mitigating your symptoms. MedShadow explains. What Is Arthritis? There are more than 100 types of arthritis, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but one thing they all have in common is that any arthritis damages the cartilage in your joints. In some cases, only a single joint will be affected, whereas for others, the…

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Wegovy (semaglutide), a popular diabetes drug, has gotten a lot more popular over the last 18 months. In June 2021, it was approved for a new indication—weight loss for patients with obesity, even if they didn’t have diabetes. While it’s only indicated for those with obesity, celebrities with seemingly healthy weights have claimed to be giving themselves the at-home injections in hopes of fitting into particularly form-fitting outfits for special events. If you Google “wegovy” even once, you’ll likely start seeing ads on social media for telehealth companies that help manage weight, and of course, have doctors ready to prescribe…

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When Zoe was 13 years old, the doctors told her she had juvenile arthritis, a diagnosis that could impact the rest of her life. For the year prior, her pain had been so severe she was walking with crutches and wearing two wrist braces. Today, she manages the condition with a combination of prescription drugs, diet, and thoughtful exercise. While physical activity is an important part of her routine, she recognized in high school that certain types—such as rowing and running—caused her more joint pain, so she switched to activities that were easier on her joints. What Is Juvenile Arthritis?…

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Uterine fibroids, non-cancerous tumors that grow on the uterus, are common in women of child-bearing age. In fact, they may affect up to 25% of all women, and between 30% and 40% or those in the perimenopausal age range [as young as 30 and to age 44], according to E.A. Stewart in the 2015 article “Uterine Fibroids,” in the New England Journal of Medicine.  Many times, the fibroids have no symptoms at all. However, as they grow, they can put pressure on your organs, causing pain and other symptoms. Sometimes, they can make it difficult for you to get pregnant…

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When personal trainer and nutrition coach Erik was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), he says he felt almost betrayed: “The foods I consider paramount to my physical success are now turning against my body.” He says medicines haven’t helped much either, so he’s been experimenting with different foods and testing out an anti-inflammatory diet. None of those attempts have yet managed to end his first months-long IBS flare-ups. What Is IBS? IBS is “chronic abdominal pain with altered bowel movements in the absence of an identifiable cause,” says Aniruddh Setya, MD, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Kidz Medical Service in Hollywood,…

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