More Than Just Fatigue: Managing Anemia with Ulcerative ColitisUlcerative colitis has many different faces. Sometimes, it can be explosive, other times sneaky. You might think a flare is under control, but your body could still silently be struggling...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
What Not to Say to Someone with IBDAs someone who has lived with IBD unofficially for 15 years and officially for 8 years, I have heard just about everything in the book when it comes to other...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
What to Expect: Iron InfusionsIron deficiency anemia is a symptom I've experienced with Crohn’s disease. Lack of iron is actually quite common in healthy people, so when you add a Crohn’s diagnosis it isn’t...Reactions0reactionsComments6 comments
Kale Pesto PastaIf you follow my recipes, you know I am a pasta gal. I cannot get enough of the classic spaghetti and meatballs, but I love mixing it up and trying...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Making the Shift to BiologicsIn the early days of my diagnosis, I was devastated that I might be on medication for the rest of my life. I was in college and very few of...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments
Finding Joy Despite IBD ChallengesIt's very difficult to process the life we lead as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Some days are good, some days are spent never leaving our bed, and other days...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
How To Support Someone With IBDSupportive family and friends are essential for those of us living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It’s not uncommon to feel isolated after diagnosis. You’re overwhelmed by all of the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
My Surgical Journey With Crohn'sSurgery is hard. With my Crohn’s I have lost track with the number of times I have had to have some sort of surgery. Whether that be major, life-threatening or secondary...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Managing IBD When Other Health Conditions Take PrecedenceAs someone who’s lived with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) for nearly 15 years now, I’m not stranger to the fact that Crohn’s disease is often on my mind. There have...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
When IBD Symptoms Don't Match Lab ResultsIsn’t it frustrating when you feel great but your lab results say otherwise? In fact, despite how great you feel, according to your labs you are doing poorly medically. It’s...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Do We Really Know the Root Cause of UC?As one who has suffered from ulcerative colitis (UC) for over thirty years, I’ve heard it all. People love to speculate about what caused my inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). But...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
When You Feel Like You Have No SupportThere are certain things in my life that I tend to take for granted--a roof over my head, clean water, and accessibility to healthy food. In addition to the basics...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Crohn's Disease is Not Your FaultDo you ever think to yourself, what did I do to bring this upon myself? Maybe if I would have eaten better I wouldn’t have been diagnosed? Maybe if I...Reactions0reactionsComments13 comments
My Top Flare-Friendly FoodsEven though we are labelled with Crohn’s or colitis, I have found that we all often seem to have different symptoms: from the foods we eat to the intensity of...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Medication Crossroads: Somewhere Between Comfort and ChangeSince being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC) almost six years ago, I’ve taken mesalamine religiously. Whether it was two of the pills when things were good or four when things...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
What to Do When an Infection Increases IBD SymptomsA few months back, I started experiencing some new symptoms, along with an uptick in my inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms. In addition to more frequent and urgent diarrhea and...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Managing Nausea with Ulcerative ColitisThere it is again, that feeling of nausea with ulcerative colitis. My stomach lurches. I run to the bathroom, ready to vomit, but it doesn’t happen. Still, I feel terrible...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Would You Switch Your Biologic If It Was Working?It is truly amazing how many new medications are hitting the market to treat ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease. Whether they are brand new, or medications that were once used...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
I Broke Up with My GI: The Dos and Don'ts of Switching DoctorsOver the years, I have visited numerous doctors seeking treatment for my ulcerative colitis. Through experience, I’ve learned that not all gastroenterologists (GI doctors) are created equally. If you are...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
What to Expect at Your First Gastroenterologist AppointmentI remember when my general practitioner (GP) told me that I had Crohn’s more than 3 decades ago. I will never forget it. After the initial shock of it all...Reactions0reactionsComments4 comments