LIVING WELL WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS

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1 Spring 2018 LIVING WELL WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS From arthritis and diabetes to eczema and allergies it s challenging to live with a chronic illness. By taking charge of your own health, you can feel more in control of your life. LEARN ALL YOU CAN Find out what causes your condition and what may improve it. Seek information from your doctor, health organizations, and government agencies. Look for a class that teaches disease management and self-care. Decide what you d most like to change about your illness. Set healthy goals and reward yourself for reaching them. TAKE ACTION Here are more strategies for managing your health: Take your medication. Medication can ease symptoms and sometimes slow the course of a disease. Tell your doctor how your medication is working. Make note of any side effects. This is especially important with new medications. Seek support from friends and family. Consider joining a support group. Studies show that support helps people cope with chronic illness. Maintain a normal routine. Keep up hobbies and continue to work and do household chores. Adapt them as needed. Stay active. Work with your doctor to plan a safe exercise program. Physical activity can often improve health and offer a sense of control over your illness. Visit us at DON T MISS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Let us know when you move or change your phone number. Call Member Services at (TTY: 711), Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you need help on Sunday, on a holiday, or after hours, we have a 24/7 Medical Answering Service. Call Hours of Operation: Feb. 15-Sept. 30, Mon.-Sat., 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 1-Feb. 14, 7 days a week, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. After 8 p.m., Sundays and holidays: 24/7 Medical Answering Service Water St., 3rd Floor New York, NY Phone: M PRSRT STD U.S.POSTAGE PAID METROPLUS HEALTH PLAN Health or Wellness or Prevention Information

2 Take Charge of Bladder Issues You may think of bladder leakage as an unfortunate part of aging. But this is a medical condition. And in many cases, it can be successfully treated. Causes of bladder leakage include: Infections Certain medications Nerve damage A blockage to your urethra A medical problem that makes it hard for you to reach the bathroom in time So talk with your doctor. Sometimes relief comes as easily as changing prescriptions or cutting back on caffeine. OTHER TREATMENT OPTIONS INCLUDE: Exercises to strengthen the muscles around your bladder Losing weight Timed bathroom breaks Devices that stimulate nerves Reach Member Services Medications Surgery INCONTINENCE CAN CAUSE INFECTIONS (AND VICE VERSA) Bladder control problems can be caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI). And untreated bladder control problems can lead to UTIs. Stop this cycle before it starts. See your doctor at the first sign of a UTI. Watch for these symptoms: A strong, persistent urge to urinate Pain and burning when you go Urine that s cloudy, dark, bloody, or foul smelling Pain in your back or sides Between Feb. 15 and Sept. 30, Medicare Member Services is here Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you have trouble hearing, you can call our TTY/TDD number, 711. Or visit us online at If you need help on Sunday, on a holiday, or after hours, we have a 24/7 Medical Answering Service. Call DIABETES MANAGEMENT CAN CHANGE AS YOU AGE The health problems that come with age may make it harder to control diabetes. Your doctor may recommend less strict diabetes control if: You have a hard time being active You have other chronic illnesses, like heart disease or emphysema You have thinking or memory problems Exercise is a good way to manage diabetes. If it s hard for you to move, do as much as you can. Try taking a 10-minute walk three times a day to start. Check with your doctor before starting to exercise. If you have trouble with any part of your diabetes treatment, talk with your doctor. He or she can help you find solutions to keep you healthy. Join the MetroPlus Step-Up Challenge to earn rewards just for walking! To sign up, visit Check Your Texts! You may have started receiving text messages from MetroPlus, or you may get some soon. This is part of a new text messaging program that will help us help you stay healthy! MetroPlus Medicare members are automatically enrolled in this program you don t have to do anything to sign up. You always have the option to opt-out of these messages, but you ll miss out on important information about your health, your appointments, and MetroPlus events you may be interested in. WELL BEING 2

3 Manage Weight to Control COPD Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that affects your breathing. There s no cure, but lifestyle changes and medicines can slow the progress of COPD and help you feel better. Being overweight can cause COPD to progress more quickly and make breathing more difficult. If you are overweight: Cut calories. To lose weight, consume 500 fewer calories every day. Get moving. Ask your doctor what type of exercise is safe for you. Even a walk around the block can help. In addition to losing weight, follow these tips to breathe better: Take your medicines. Your doctor may prescribe medicines to improve your breathing. Bronchodilators widen the airways by relaxing the lung muscles. Steroids help reduce swelling in the airways. Make sure you know how to use these medicines. Quit smoking. If you smoke, quitting is the most important thing you can do to improve your breathing. Bring Both Cards! MEDICATION MISTAKES CAN HURT YOU Two-thirds of Americans don t take their medicines as prescribed. Some forget doses. Others skip doses to save money or because they don t like the side effects. This can be dangerous. If you have high blood pressure, for example, taking medication the wrong way raises your risk for stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure. Do you have trouble taking your medications as prescribed? See your doctor. He or she can suggest solutions. If you are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, don t forget to bring both ID cards to every medical appointment. This will help ensure your care is properly covered. 3 3 SPRING Spring 2018

4 Ready to Quit Nicotine? Read This If you smoke or chew tobacco, chances are you d like to quit 68 percent of U.S. smokers want to kick the habit. But the nicotine in tobacco is extremely addictive. It s uncomfortable to withdraw from nicotine. Some people feel restless, sad, or irritable. Others gain weight or have trouble concentrating. But the benefits begin immediately. Just 20 minutes after you quit smoking, your heart rate starts to drop. Soon after you quit chewing tobacco, your mouth begins to heal. FIND YOUR MOTIVATION When you crave tobacco, remember why you re quitting. Ask yourself: What do I miss out on when I smoke/chew? What do I dislike most about smoking/chewing? How will quitting improve my life? TIPS TO TRY Are you ready to quit? Know your triggers. Avoid situations or people that make you want to use tobacco, or make a plan to handle them. Try a proven treatment. Medications and counseling can help you succeed. Do yoga. This calming practice sends oxygen to your brain. Remember it gets easier. Withdrawal is toughest at the beginning. NY Quitline can help. Visit or call NY-QUITS ( ). Member Services Do you speak a language other than English? We have Member Services staff who speak your language. If you need help making an appointment, our Member Services Department can help. MAKE THE MOST OF A YEARLY WELLNESS VISIT Seeing your doctor when you aren t sick may seem pointless. But an annual wellness visit (AWV) can keep you healthier longer. AWVs are covered by Medicare Part B, at no cost to you. At an AWV, your doctor may: Review your health history Update a list of your medications Measure your height, weight, and blood pressure Discuss any problems you re having with daily activities Your doctor may recommend vaccines and screenings that help detect diseases early, when they re most treatable. This is also a time to talk about advance care planning: making choices for your healthcare now, in case you cannot do so later. Nothing is more valuable than your health. Help protect it with an AWV. Attending your AWV makes you eligible to earn rewards through our member rewards program. Visit to sign up! Developed by StayWell. The covered entity does not discriminate on Visit us at the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in its health programs and activities. ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al , TTY: TTY: 711

5 Preventive Screenings Are Key for Living a Healthy Life Preventive health screenings are important at every stage of life. They can prevent diseases and also detect problems early, when treatments work best. Unfortunately, only a quarter of adults ages 50 to 64 and less than half of adults ages 65 and older are getting the preventive care they need. Simple screenings are the key to preventing diseases such as colorectal cancer. It s the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Americans, despite being preventable. Screening can detect polyps growths that doctors can remove before they turn into cancer. Today there are many different types of these screenings available. They include a colonoscopy, fecal occult blood test, and sigmoidoscopy. With some tests, such as colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, if your doctor finds growths that could lead to cancer, he or she can remove them during the procedure. Talk with your doctor about which test may be best for you and how often you should receive it. Screenings don t just help you stay healthy. They can also help you earn rewards! You can earn points in our member rewards program by getting your fecal occult blood test or colonoscopy. Visit for more information and to sign up. TEST YOUR COLORECTAL CANCER KNOWLEDGE WITH THIS QUIZ. Myth or Fact? 1. Only people at high risk need to be screened: those with a family history of colorectal cancer, people who are overweight, and smokers. 2. There s no single right way to be screened for colorectal cancer. 3. You may need to start testing before age 50 if you have inflammatory bowel disease. ANSWERS 1. Myth. All men and women should start colorectal screening by age Fact. There are choices for screening, so talk with your doctor about which one is right for you. One option is an annual test to check for blood in the stool. Others include: Every year: a fecal immunochemical test (FIT), in which a stool sample is tested for hidden blood Every five years: a flexible sigmoidoscopy, in which the doctor places a lighted tube into the rectum to check the lower part of the colon Every 10 years: a colonoscopy, in which a doctor inserts a tube into the rectum to view the colon 3. Fact. Screening before age 50 also might be wise if you or a close relative has had polyps or cancer.

6 Osteoporosis: What You Need to Know Staying active is key to living a healthy life as you age. Unfortunately, osteoporosis is a common disease that can lead to serious injuries and compromise your mobility. Osteoporosis causes your bones to become weak and fragile. As you lose bone mass, you re more likely to break a bone. Even a bump or fall can cause a fracture. The inside of a normal bone looks like a honeycomb. When you have osteoporosis, the holes and spaces in the honeycomb become much bigger. The outside of your bone also becomes thinner, which weakens your bones even more. WHAT CAUSES OSTEOPOROSIS? Many different risk factors can lead to osteoporosis. They include: Gender: Women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men. Age: Your risk increases as you get older. Family history: If you have a family member with osteoporosis, you may be at risk, too. Hormone changes: The drop in estrogen that occurs with menopause can lead to osteoporosis; low testosterone levels can cause osteoporosis in men. Diet: Low levels of calcium and vitamin D can lead to bone loss. Inactivity: Lack of physical activity or bed rest can weaken your bones. Smoking: Cigarettes are harmful for your bones. Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can result in bone loss and broken bones. Medicines: Certain medicines used to treat other conditions can cause bone loss. Medical conditions: Many different diseases can impact your bone health. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF OSTEOPOROSIS? There are no warning signs that you have osteoporosis. You can t see or feel bone loss. You may not know that you have it until you break a bone. IS THERE A SCREENING FOR OSTEOPOROSIS? A bone mineral density test is most often used to diagnose osteoporosis. The screening uses a technique called central dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or central DXA. It measures your bone density at your hip and spine. The results show whether you have osteoporosis and your risk of breaking a bone. Women older than age 65 should be screened for osteoporosis with a bone density test. If you re a woman younger than age 65 and have a high risk for fractures, discuss with your doctor when you should begin screenings for osteoporosis. There are no standard screening recommendations for men. Discuss with your doctor if you may be at risk for osteoporosis and whether you should get screened. HOW CAN I REDUCE MY RISK FOR OSTEOPOROSIS? Whether you have osteoporosis or are at risk of developing it, many of the steps you can take to treat and prevent bone loss are the same. They often include lifestyle changes and medication, if needed. Some lifestyle changes that can help protect your bones are: Eating a healthy diet that s high in calcium and vitamin D with foods such as low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, and foods fortified with calcium like orange juice and cereal Increasing your physical activity aim for about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, most days of the week Quitting smoking and limiting your alcohol intake If your doctor recommends medicine for treating your osteoporosis, there are several different options available. Many of these medicines target either cells or hormones involved in bone loss. All medication has side effects. Work with your doctor to weigh the risks and benefits to find the one that may be best for you.