Effie Koliopoulos's guest appearances

Effie Koliopoulos

Invisible Not Broken - Chronic Illness Podcast Network

The DISabled to ENabled podcast for people with chronic illnesses

The Real Life Show: Living with a Chronic Illness

Sneha Dave

Harper Spero

Jordan Ray

NITIKA CHOPRA

Lee Phillips

Lisa Sniderman

Sarah Ramey

Eva Minkoff

Lauren Freedman

Scott Mills

Laura Mustard

Nancy Jane Smith

Sara Robinson

Ginevra Liptan

Damian Washington

OwlTail

Our interview today on The Real Life Show: Living With A Chronic Illness, was with the multi-talented writer, creator, leader, and advocate, Effie Koliopoulos. Effie goes on to eloquently describe how a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis in her teens and a knee replacement in 2016 was the catalyst she needed to find the courage she has now to write her blog and share her journey and her struggles. Effie broadens our minds and vocabularies to think of a flare as the "disease activity" rather than with the guilt that is sometimes associated with it, even though we know it's usually out of our control. We also discuss the videos Effie made to bring awareness to invisible disabilities and illnesses. So for context and to learn more, watch the videos that are linked below!Rising Above Rheumatoid Arthritis Blog: https://risingabovera.com/Effie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risingabovera/?hl=enEffie's Twitter: https://twitter.com/RisingAboveRa?s=20Effie's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5kAFzGAMpc2mn39Sik96eQKeep It Real with Arthritis: https://www.instagram.com/keepingitrealwitharthritis/?hl=enI Am Invisible No More: Shining a Light on Invisible Disabilities and Illnesses Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrdgY1UY0g4Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrBD8HnK-wU&amp;feature=youtu.bePart 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az8PdhYRln8&amp;feature=youtu.beSocial Media:https://www.instagram.com/therealspooniesunite/https://www.therealspooniesunite.com/https://www.facebook.com/groups/2443751542368935E-book: https://chelseadcoaching.com/the-ebook MyWellnessHub: https://mywellnesshub.coMerch: https://teespring.com/stores/the-real-spoonies-uniteWorkbook: https://amzn.to/2GqFIi2Email: hello@TheRealSpooniesUnite.comSupport the show

Our interview today on The Real Life Show: Living With A Chronic Illness, was with the multi-talented writer, creator, leader, and advocate, Effie Koliopoulos. Effie goes on to eloquently describe how a diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis in her teens and a knee replacement in 2016 was the catalyst she needed to find the courage she has now to write her blog and share her journey and her struggles. Effie broadens our minds and vocabularies to think of a flare as the "disease activity" rather than with the guilt that is sometimes associated with it, even though we know it's usually out of our control. We also discuss the videos Effie made to bring awareness to invisible disabilities and illnesses. So for context and to learn more, watch the videos that are linked below! Rising Above Rheumatoid Arthritis Blog: <a href="https://risingabovera.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://risingabovera.com/</a> Effie's Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/risingabovera/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/risingabovera/?hl=en</a> Effie's Twitter:<a href="https://twitter.com/RisingAboveRa?s=20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://twitter.com/RisingAboveRa?s=20</a> Effie's YouTube Channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5kAFzGAMpc2mn39Sik96eQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5kAFzGAMpc2mn39Sik96eQ</a> Keep It Real with Arthritis: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/keepingitrealwitharthritis/?hl=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/keepingitrealwitharthritis/?hl=en</a> I Am Invisible No More: Shining a Light on Invisible Disabilities and Illnesses Part 1: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrdgY1UY0g4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrdgY1UY0g4</a> Part 2: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrBD8HnK-wU&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrBD8HnK-wU&amp;feature=youtu.be</a> Part 3: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az8PdhYRln8&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az8PdhYRln8&amp;feature=youtu.be</a> Social Media:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/therealspooniesunite/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/therealspooniesunite/</a><a href="https://www.therealspooniesunite.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.therealspooniesunite.com/</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2443751542368935" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/groups/2443751542368935</a> E-book: <a href="https://chelseadcoaching.com/the-ebook" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://chelseadcoaching.com/the-ebook</a> MyWellnessHub: <a href="https://mywellnesshub.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mywellnesshub.co</a> Merch: <a href="https://teespring.com/stores/the-real-spoonies-unite" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://teespring.com/stores/the-real-spoonies-unite</a> Workbook: <a href="https://amzn.to/2GqFIi2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/2GqFIi2</a> Email: <a href="mailto:hello@TheRealSpooniesUnite.com">hello@TheRealSpooniesUnite.com</a><a href="https://my-wellness-hub.mn.co/" rel="payment nofollow" target="_blank">Support the show</a>

Bringing Awareness to Invisible Disabilities and Illnesses with Effie Koliopoulos

Effie from Rising Above Rheumatoid Arthritis (RARA) stops by to discuss all things RA.  Starting 14 years ago when she was just a child. Effie was experiencing constant muscle pains, joint pains and inflammation. Fatigue, brain fog and she would come home from school and just sleep. Doctors passed it off as ‘growing pains’.  She found herself sitting out more and more at school during gym class.  Effie found it harder doing things on her own and she adapted as best as she could but still found it hard to be a young person. Changing her diet practically overnight made things difficult going out with friends. Especially where alcohol is approached.  ‘I searched the internet constantly because the internet is the only thing that listened to me.’  Blogs mentioned: The RA guyBarking dog shoes I was expecting my diagnosis so that didn’t scare her but the medication was the thing that really scared her. What helped is throwing the side effects list into the garbage!  The main way they diagnosed RA in Effie was by the blood tests and Xrays, the doctor also looked at Effies hands and knew straight away.  We chat about the compassion of doctors. During one of Effies trips to the doctor the doctor told her that if she tried an alternative treatment she would be in a wheelchair. She learnt afterwards that he said that because she had a particularly aggressive condition and that it wasn’t advised to not take the medication, however, he could have said it in a much better way! Have you ever experienced a doctors comment like that?  Effie wrote and starred in her own documentary.  Can you believe someone once called the cops of Effie for parking in a disabled space at a train station?  Watch the documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrdgY1UY0g4&amp;feature=youtu.be She also gives her best advice for working with charities and starting a blog. Effie has worked with so many different charities, organizations and companies.  Ever wanted to know more about arthritis? Effie talks us through what it is and the differences between the different types of arthritis. Did you know there are over 100 types?  The type Effie has is. Click here to find out more about it: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis Find Effie:Blog: https://risingabovera.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/risingabovera/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risingabovera/ Are you ready to join a secret underground tribe of people that ‘get it’? Search for the ENabled warriors on Facebook to ask your questions in future interviewsOr follow us on Insta: DISabledtoENabled Are you affected by stress? Take the 5 day stress challenge and see if you can live stress free: free 5 day stress challenge  __________Have you ever felt out of your depth in the kitchen? Do you keep cooking the same thing?Liven up your dinner tonight with Gousto and have meals like this... Get 60% off your first box and 30% off your first month (UK only) by clicking here: https://mmini.me/gousto

Effie from Rising Above Rheumatoid Arthritis (RARA) stops by to discuss all things RA.  Starting 14 years ago when she was just a child. Effie was experiencing constant muscle pains, joint pains and inflammation. Fatigue, brain fog and she would come home from school and just sleep. Doctors passed it off as ‘growing pains’.  She found herself sitting out more and more at school during gym class.  Effie found it harder doing things on her own and she adapted as best as she could but still found it hard to be a young person. Changing her diet practically overnight made things difficult going out with friends. Especially where alcohol is approached.  ‘I searched the internet constantly because the internet is the only thing that listened to me.’  Blogs mentioned: The RA guyBarking dog shoes I was expecting my diagnosis so that didn’t scare her but the medication was the thing that really scared her. What helped is throwing the side effects list into the garbage!  The main way they diagnosed RA in Effie was by the blood tests and Xrays, the doctor also looked at Effies hands and knew straight away.  We chat about the compassion of doctors. During one of Effies trips to the doctor the doctor told her that if she tried an alternative treatment she would be in a wheelchair. She learnt afterwards that he said that because she had a particularly aggressive condition and that it wasn’t advised to not take the medication, however, he could have said it in a much better way! Have you ever experienced a doctors comment like that?  Effie wrote and starred in her own documentary.  Can you believe someone once called the cops of Effie for parking in a disabled space at a train station?  Watch the documentary here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrdgY1UY0g4&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrdgY1UY0g4&amp;feature=youtu.be</a> She also gives her best advice for working with charities and starting a blog. Effie has worked with so many different charities, organizations and companies.  Ever wanted to know more about arthritis? Effie talks us through what it is and the differences between the different types of arthritis. Did you know there are over 100 types?  The type Effie has is. Click here to find out more about it: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis Find Effie:Blog: <a href="https://risingabovera.com/Facebook:" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://risingabovera.com/Facebook:</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/risingabovera/Instagram:" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/risingabovera/Instagram:</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/risingabovera/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/risingabovera/</a> Are you ready to join a secret underground tribe of people that ‘get it’? Search for the ENabled warriors on Facebook to ask your questions in future interviewsOr follow us on Insta: DISabledtoENabled Are you affected by stress? Take the 5 day stress challenge and see if you can live stress free: free 5 day stress challenge  __________Have you ever felt out of your depth in the kitchen? Do you keep cooking the same thing?Liven up your dinner tonight with Gousto and have meals like this... Get 60% off your first box and 30% off your first month (UK only) by clicking here: <a href="https://mmini.me/gousto" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://mmini.me/gousto</a>

36. Effie Koliopoulos | Juvenile idiopathic arthritis | My Story

Disability Parking Placard Documentary click to donateWebsite/Blog, Twitter, &amp; Instagram Handle@risingaboveraName *Effie KoliopoulosAge *31What is your disorder? *Rheumatoid arthritis (juvenile) At what age did your disorder become a daily issue? *18Who were you before your illness became debilitating? *Same person I am now, just transformed and evolved into the person I am meant to be.What would you do if you were not dealing with your invisible illness? *Travel the world and live in another state (which I could still do).What would you like people to know about your daily life? *Each day is different you don’t know what to expect at times.What would make living and moving in the world easier for you? *To have this disease disappear, lolDo you have any life hacks? *I have many depending on the subject. One life hack is stop explaining yourself to people and kick those out of your life who don’t have your back, to make room for those that truly do!What kind of support do you get from family or friends? *Family offers a differing support because they have been there from the beginning and know all the details of what I’ve gone through on a level friends don’t because they haven’t lived with me or even experienced it on the level family has. Unfortunately, support from friends has only been from a few and it can be offering social support, having someone to vent to or take you away from the daily grind of invisible illness to do something fun. Those who I thought supported actually turned out to be the opposite. Thankfully I found that out now than later. Times and hard times always reveal who is truly in your corner.Have you ever had someone not believe you have an invisible illness because of your appearance and if so are there any examples that stand out? *Yea, I had cops called on me for using a disability parking placard. Someone thought I was misusing it and issues a complaint. Cops showed up to my door. This was ten years ago and I’m actually creating a short film on this subject and have a crowdfunding campaign going on till 3/31. If we don’t make our goal we have plans to delay filming when weather is also better here in Midwest and to launch in October for invisible illness week. So hopefully we can! Regardless it’s worth keeping an eye out for, you don’t want to miss it!How has your invisible illness affected your relationships? *People not understanding, questioning you, getting impatient. My illness is also visible too in that physical signs can be seen but sometimes only if I point is out or it’s obvious if I’m not covering it up.Is there anything you are afraid to tell people in your life? *Nope. Those I’m afraid to tell things to shouldn’t be in my life and that’s how I know I’ll vibe and connect with someone.Does the fact that your disease is invisible change how healthcare professionals treat you? *No, but when I was having symptoms from 16 doctors said I was healthy and fine chalking it up to growing pains. I knew they were wrong and proved them wrong two years later after being diagnosed,What is your best coping mechanism? *Prayer, meditation, exercise, being in nature, swimming in the ocean if I’m by one, social support, watching a funny movie or tv show and bunch more.What are you the most concerned about and the most hopeful for in the future? *Concerned how I’ll manage a family if I choose to have one and surgeries I need for elbow and other joints. But honestly, I’ll worry about it when I get there- best advice. So many tools are out there to help cope and offer support and I know I can get through it by my supportive family. Hopeful to be in remission and researchers to find targeted solutions for diagnosis and treatment to cure this once and for all!What is your favorite swear word?F*ckIs there anything you want to make sure we talk about during the interview? Like an organization you want to promote or something specific that you deal with.My children’s book I’m working on for kids with juvenile arthritis, chronic illness and disability. Also the video project I talked about above.What is the hardest and/or best lesson your condition has taught you?Hardest- to stop saying yes and look after yourself.  Best- self love and knowing my worthWhat is the best purchase under $100 that helped your lifeMy pillow and dragon speaking program which I have yet to set up but I know it will help. These are first two things out of my head. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/effiek/disability-parking-placard-project" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Disability Parking Placard Documentary click to donate</a>Website/Blog, Twitter, &amp; Instagram Handle@risingaboveraName *Effie KoliopoulosAge *31What is your disorder? *<a href="https://www.rheumatoidarthritis.org/ra/juvenile/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rheumatoid arthritis (juvenile) </a>At what age did your disorder become a daily issue? *18Who were you before your illness became debilitating? *Same person I am now, just transformed and evolved into the person I am meant to be.What would you do if you were not dealing with your invisible illness? *Travel the world and live in another state (which I could still do).What would you like people to know about your daily life? *Each day is different you don’t know what to expect at times.What would make living and moving in the world easier for you? *To have this disease disappear, lolDo you have any life hacks? *I have many depending on the subject. One life hack is stop explaining yourself to people and kick those out of your life who don’t have your back, to make room for those that truly do!What kind of support do you get from family or friends? *Family offers a differing support because they have been there from the beginning and know all the details of what I’ve gone through on a level friends don’t because they haven’t lived with me or even experienced it on the level family has. Unfortunately, support from friends has only been from a few and it can be offering social support, having someone to vent to or take you away from the daily grind of invisible illness to do something fun. Those who I thought supported actually turned out to be the opposite. Thankfully I found that out now than later. Times and hard times always reveal who is truly in your corner.Have you ever had someone not believe you have an invisible illness because of your appearance and if so are there any examples that stand out? *Yea, I had cops called on me for using a disability parking placard. Someone thought I was misusing it and issues a complaint. Cops showed up to my door. This was ten years ago and I’m actually creating a short film on this subject and have a crowdfunding campaign going on till 3/31. If we don’t make our goal we have plans to delay filming when weather is also better here in Midwest and to launch in October for invisible illness week. So hopefully we can! Regardless it’s worth keeping an eye out for, you don’t want to miss it!How has your invisible illness affected your relationships? *People not understanding, questioning you, getting impatient. My illness is also visible too in that physical signs can be seen but sometimes only if I point is out or it’s obvious if I’m not covering it up.Is there anything you are afraid to tell people in your life? *Nope. Those I’m afraid to tell things to shouldn’t be in my life and that’s how I know I’ll vibe and connect with someone.Does the fact that your disease is invisible change how healthcare professionals treat you? *No, but when I was having symptoms from 16 doctors said I was healthy and fine chalking it up to growing pains. I knew they were wrong and proved them wrong two years later after being diagnosed,What is your best coping mechanism? *Prayer, meditation, exercise, being in nature, swimming in the ocean if I’m by one, social support, watching a funny movie or tv show and bunch more.What are you the most concerned about and the most hopeful for in the future? *Concerned how I’ll manage a family if I choose to have one and surgeries I need for elbow and other joints. But honestly, I’ll worry about it when I get there- best advice. So many tools are out there to help cope and offer support and I know I can get through it by my supportive family. Hopeful to be in remission and researchers to find targeted solutions for diagnosis and treatment to cure this once and for all!What is your favorite swear word?F*ckIs there anything you want to make sure we talk about during the interview? Like an organization you want to promote or something specific that you deal with.My children’s book I’m working on for kids with juvenile arthritis, chronic illness and disability. Also the video project I talked about above.What is the hardest and/or best lesson your condition has taught you?Hardest- to stop saying yes and look after yourself. Best- self love and knowing my worthWhat is the best purchase under $100 that helped your lifeMy pillow and dragon speaking program which I have yet to set up but I know it will help. These are first two things out of my head. Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Effie Koliopoulos : RA, Crowdfunding Disability Placard Documentary, and Writing Kidlit