UnabridgedMD

Why do some people with psoriatic arthritis or inflammatory arthritis fail multiple biologic medications and still don't achieve remission? In this video, Dr. Isabelle Amigues explains how rheumatologists approach patients who have tried several biologics without success. She discusses why the diagnosis may need to be revisited, why other conditions like osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, or gout...

How do we treat Lupus? A rheumatology 101 live with Dr. Amigues, a board-certified rheumatologist. What is the real goal of lupus treatment? Many people believe lupus medications are meant to be taken forever—but that's not always the plan. In this video, Dr. Isabelle Amigues explains why rheumatologists aim for full remission as quickly as possible, then work toward maintaining disease contr...

What if healthcare gave patients more time, more access, and more control over their treatment decisions? In this conversation, Dr. Isabelle Amigues discusses the power of direct care medicine and how removing insurance barriers can improve the patient experience. Direct care allows physicians to spend more time with patients, create personalized treatment plans, communicate directly, and make adj...

Could your sleep habits be making your autoimmune symptoms worse? In this episode, Dr. Isabel Amigues explores the powerful connection between sleep, inflammation, and autoimmune disease. Learn how poor sleep quality can increase inflammatory cytokines, worsen fatigue, contribute to joint pain, and even trigger autoimmune flares. Dr. Amigues also shares practical sleep strategies, including reduci...

Could your nervous system be affecting your ability to conceive? In this conversation, Dr. Isabelle Amigues and chiropractor Dr. Lisel Lewis explore the fascinating connection between the nervous system, stress regulation, fertility, pregnancy, and overall health. They discuss the role of the sympathetic ("fight-or-flight") and parasympathetic ("rest-and-digest") nervous system...

Did you know that fat tissue is metabolically active and can contribute to chronic inflammation throughout the body? In this conversation, rheumatologist Dr. Isabelle Amigues and obesity medicine specialist Dr. Lindsay Ogle explore the powerful connection between obesity, inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and metabolic health. They...

What happens when your labs are “normal” but your symptoms are very real? In this powerful conversation, rheumatologist Dr. Isabelle Amigues sits down with allergist/immunologist Dr. Kara Wada to discuss one of the biggest frustrations autoimmune patients face: being told that everything looks “fine” despite ongoing symptoms. Together, they explore the reality of seronegative autoimmune disease, M...

What’s changing in rheumatoid arthritis treatment in 2026? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Isabelle Amigues and Dr. Diana Girnita discuss the latest breakthroughs in rheumatoid arthritis care, including precision medicine, biologics, remission strategies, tapering medications, vagus nerve stimulation, stress reduction, and the future of autoimmune healing.  They explore how rheumatology is evol...

Methotrexate in Rheumatology: Methotrexate is a very old drug and is known to be chemotherapeutic. Let us see how this medication reduces inflammation, alleviates joint pain, and slows down disease progression. We'll see some dosage, administration, and monitoring considerations as well as the benefits of Folic Acid if taken along with Methotrexate. Like, comment and subscribe for more inform...

Can someone with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (high CCP, inflammatory synovitis, severe flare) go into full remission without long-term medication? In this powerful interview, Dr. Isabelle Amigues speaks with Brandon, a patient diagnosed with textbook rheumatoid arthritis who experienced: • Severe joint inflammation • High anti-CCP antibodies • Debilitating flares • Prednisone and methotrexat...

Can you decrease inflammation naturally, without stopping medication? In this in-depth masterclass, Dr. Isabelle Amigues, double board-certified rheumatologist and metastatic breast cancer survivor, explains the science behind the nervous system and inflammation connection. You’ll learn: • The relationship between the immune system and the autonomic nervous system • What the inflammatory reflex is...

Medical gaslighting is one of the most discussed topics in modern healthcare but what does it actually look like? In this powerful episode of the Unabridged MD podcast, Dr. Isabelle Amigues sits down with Dr. Uzma Khan, psychiatrist, obesity medicine specialist, and menopause expert, to discuss: • How gaslighting presents in medical settings • Why women are often told “it’s just anxiety” • The wei...

Join Dr. Isabelle Amigues as she introduces Dr. Susanna Chatterjee-Morris, an expert in both gynecology and obstetrics. They will discuss important topics concerning women's health and reproductive health. This discussion offers valuable insights into female health within the broader healthcare landscape. Why are women with autoimmune diseases more likely to feel dismissed or “gaslit” in heal...

In this episode of Rheumatology 101, Dr. Isabelle Amigues explores a topic that may be even more powerful than medication: mindset. What’s the difference between cure and remission? Can your thoughts influence your healing journey? Why do some patients struggle to tolerate treatment, until something shifts internally? As a board-certified rheumatologist with over 20 years of experience, Dr. Amigue...

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you should NOT be stuck suffering for months without a plan. In this live, Dr. Amigues explains: • Why early treatment in rheumatoid arthritis matters • Why you don’t have to “just tolerate” methotrexate side effects • What true remission actually means • Why steroids are NOT remission • When to switch medications • How biologics and DMARDs should be adjusted • Th...

What happens when a rheumatologist and a naturopathic doctor sit down to talk about women’s health, hormones, autoimmunity, and the broken insurance model? In this powerful conversation, Dr. Isabelle Amigues, rheumatologist and founder of direct specialty care in Colorado, sits down with Dr. Erin Ellis, naturopathic doctor specializing in women’s health, to discuss: • What “root cause” really mean...

✔️What if your diagnosis isn’t your identity? In this powerful conversation, a rheumatologist and a holistic health expert dive deep into the truth about chronic illness, healing, and why your symptoms are signals, not definitions of who you are. Too often, we’re taught to see lab results and diagnoses as permanent labels. But what if they’re actually data points guiding you toward healing? In thi...

Join holistic rheumatologist Dr. Isabelle Amigue and "Sparking Wholeness" host Erin Carey as they explore the intersection of the nervous system, trauma, and autoimmune remission. Erin shares her incredible story of moving beyond a "manic depressive" label given 26 years ago to living a life of stability and health. What you’ll learn in this video: ✔️The Power of Labels: Why we...

Hashimoto’s disease is one of the most common autoimmune thyroid disorders, yet many patients struggle for years before receiving the right diagnosis. In this conversation, rheumatologist Dr. Isabelle Amigues and hormone specialist Dr. Dana Gibbs explain how Hashimoto’s thyroiditis affects the entire body—not just the thyroid. They discuss: • Why autoimmune thyroid disease causes fatigue, brain fo...

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming healthcare. From symptom checkers to diagnostic algorithms and predictive analytics, AI tools are becoming more powerful every year. But can AI actually replace a rheumatologist? In this video, we explore the real role of artificial intelligence in autoimmune care and rheumatology — including: • What AI does well • Where AI falls short • Why autoimmu...

What happens when an Infectious Disease specialist and a Rheumatologist look at the same gut? 🩺✨ Dr. Coulter and Dr. Amigues team up to break down the latest 2026 research on the Microbiome and Inflammation. This isn't just about digestion—it's about how the trillions of bacteria in your gut dictate your inflammatory "set point." Key Highlights: ✅ How the microbiome "tr...

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is one of the most commonly misunderstood inflammatory conditions—yet it affects thousands of people each year, often suddenly and severely. In this episode, Dr. Isabelle Amigues breaks down exactly what PMR is, why it happens, how it's diagnosed, and how patients can reach full remission. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or supporting someone who’s struggling, this...

Adipose tissue (body fat) isn’t just “stored energy”—it’s biologically active and can release inflammatory signals. For people living with inflammatory arthritis (like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and lupus), that matters because it can influence pain, fatigue, disease activity, and sometimes even how well treatments work. In this video, Dr. Isabelle Amigues e...

Behçet’s disease is a rare inflammatory condition (a type of vasculitis) that can affect multiple parts of the body. Because symptoms can come and go, it’s often missed early. In this episode, Dr. Isabelle Amigues covers: What Behçet’s is Common symptoms (recurrent mouth ulcers, genital ulcers, skin lesions, eye inflammation, joint symptoms) How it’s evaluated (there’s no single definitive test) T...

Reactive arthritis can come on suddenly—often after an infection—and leave you wondering why your joints (or tendons/back) are inflamed seemingly out of nowhere. In this video, Dr. Isabelle Amigues explains what reactive arthritis is, what commonly triggers it, how it’s diagnosed, and what treatment and recovery can look like. We cover: --Common symptoms and patterns (joints, tendons, back pain—an...