Newly diagnosed

When you receive a diagnosis, you will want to know exactly what APS is. Following this, you will no doubt have a great many more questions to ask about the condition and how it can affect you so, to help you answer some of the more common questions, we have compiled a list of the most Frequently Asked Questions to act as a starting point.

The next thing you can do is…

Learn about APS

As knowledge of APS amongst medical professionals can be inconsistent, it is vital that you educate yourself as much as you can about your condition. Our section What is APS helps you learn about the important facts including the causes, outlook, diagnostic pathway and treatment.

APS rarely affects people in the same way and can involve almost any part of the body, so it could be helpful to familiarise yourself with all the possible symptoms and learn about the unpredictable nature of the condition.

We have produced some factsheets which you can download and save, email and/or print out to give to your GP, hospital, dentist, employer and/or family and friends or anyone who you think might benefit from reading them. You can find them in our resources section.

Find support

One of the first things you can do to get help is join our charity. Being a friend of our charity means you will receive your welcome pack, get regular updates with our eNews and know you’re allowing us to continue with our vital work.

Finding an APS expert in your local area can sometimes be difficult, so we have created a directory of doctors with a special interest in APS compiled from information supplied by patients.

Getting support from your close family and friends can really make a positive difference in your life, but talking about your illness is not always easy. To help you explain what you may be going through and how it can affect you day-to-day, you can print out or email our fact sheet: Family and friends – helping people understand APS to anyone who you think it might benefit.

We have also grouped together some useful websites for you to get further help including related charities and online support groups.

Take control of your health

APS can have an effect on many areas of your life so, to help you improve and cope with your day-to-day living, we have collected information on a variety of topics – from diet and exercise to life insurance – in our Living with APS section.

If you are one of the many APS patients who have to take lifelong warfarin, then you may be interested in reading about INR and self-testing as this can give you a certain degree of control over your lifestyle despite being on this medication.

Our factsheets also provide you with practical advice including what to do if you need to stay in hospital or visit the dentist, how to inject with heparin, how best to talk to your doctor and advice on employment and benefits.