Sue had aches and pains in her shoulder for eighteen months and at first, she went for private physiotherapy to help her cope with it. Physiotherapy only helped her regain partial movement so she went to see her GP, who referred her to a specialist. The consultant recommended a steroid injection, but when that failed to work, she was told that surgery was her best option. Sue used the Technology Enhanced Patient Information (TEPI) website several times before her surgery. The information she found on the site made her feel well prepared and relaxed about her upcoming surgery. Her surgery went well and she has regained full movement of her shoulder. She is back at work.

Olivia was prescribed antidepressants as treatment for a condition called Trichotillomania but the main problem with this condition are issues of self-image and self-esteem which she feels cannot be properly addressed using medication. She has also taken antidepressants for an episode of reactive depression following a relationship breakdown and felt that they helped to alleviate her anxiety and distress. She no longer takes antidepressants, but uses a natural supplement that she believes helps to improve serotonin levels in the brain.

Eileen, age 62, was diagnosed with asthma in her early 40's. She is white British and works at a university as a finance officer. She is divorced with three adult children. At first she found it very difficult to manage her life as she suffered from very frequent asthma attacks. However over time she was able to learn how to self-manage her asthma through recognising the triggers in good time and to self-medicate early enough to prevent things from worsening, and nowadays she rarely has an asthma attack.