Lisa on Living with PAH

One thing people with PAH should be aware of is swelling caused by having too much fluid in their bodies. People with PAH who take Letairis can experience swelling in their hands, legs, ankles, feet, and other parts of the body within weeks after starting Letairis.

One way to help combat swelling is to cut back on the amount of salt you eat, because salt helps regulate the balance of fluids in your body.

Lisa’s approach

“I try to be very conscious of the sodium [salt] in my diet. My doctor said I really needed to take control of how much sodium I eat, and also how much fluid I drink. So I try to be careful when I’m at the grocery store. I try to look at labels a little more carefully and put back those items that I really shouldn’t get.”

Another thing people with PAH may have to deal with is “bad days,” when you have extra difficulty breathing or have bad swelling, or your muscles are fatigued. It’s OK to have bad days. It’s important that you try to take advantage of the good days and do what you can to make the most of the days when you aren’t feeling as well.

Tips for dealing with bad days

There are a lot of days that are not your best day. Some days are much more challenging than others, and that’s when you really have to pull yourself up and decide: am I gonna live my life letting this disease rule me or am I gonna take charge?

Read more of Lisa’s story:

Part 1: Lisa’s diagnosis
Part 2: Dealing with the diagnosis
Part 3: Lisa’s PAH story includes Letairis