The Pain of Re-Diagnosis...This is a topic I haven’t hit on a lot because I’m honestly still trying to navigate it and understand it myself. But I also realize the importance of it...reactions1comment
IBD: Fear of the Flare...I could write forever about the things I’ve learned during the last 10 years living with inflammatory bowel disease, but today I want to focus on one thing in particular:...reactions2comments
Last Sentences...Somewhat recently, my father was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). When I first heard the news, it was devastating, yet familiar. In moments of crisis, time seems to slow...reactions2comments
I Avoided Two Stomach Surgeries...I laid in my bed for two months straight. I didn't have enough energy to cook my food. I didn't have enough money to go to the grocery store. I...reactions4comments
Find Your Own Tribe...It’s no secret. No matter how many times you tell your loved ones how you are suffering with Crohn’s symptoms, unless they actually have the disease themselves, they just cannot comprehend...reactions4comments
Advocating for Crohn’s Disease on Capitol Hill...At a health conference a few years back, I was fresh off the hill. Capitol Hill, that is. I was feeling pretty spiffy about my new-found change-making abilities. And then...reactions5comments
Crohn's Disease & Motherhood: Tips for Breastfeeding (Nursing or Pumping) During Infusions...Before becoming a new mom, I knew my Crohn’s disease and the medication I take for it could impact my ability to breastfeed. I wrote here about the questions I...reactionscomments
Doing Things I Never Thought I’d Be Able To: Horseback Riding with Ulcerative Colitis | Part 2...This is Part 2. Part 1 is here. As badly as I wanted to go horseback riding, I knew it wouldn't end well. My disease has caused so much trauma...reactionscomments
Dating With IBD...Dating with IBD can be tricky. Many years ago, I got involved with a cute brunette from Ohio. We met on vacation in Florida. A few weeks after we got...reactions5comments
Newly Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, Real Words From Someone Who's Been There...Someone recently reached out to me, saying they are newly diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. They told me their medications and basically implied hating them. They told me they were really...reactions1comment
Planning a Family While Living with Crohn’s Disease...I was diagnosed with Crohn’s at the age of 22. I had just graduated from college, was living with three friends and had just started my career, so having kids...reactions2comments
Is there such a thing as a Crohn's-friendly antidepressant?...My mental health and IBD have always been closely intertwined. Like many people with Crohn's, I worry. I worry that I'm never going to feel well. I worry that when...reactions2comments
Bathroomphobia...It was very hard to come up with a title for this article since I am not really sure that "bathroomphobia" is a real word. Then I thought that you...reactions20comments
Explaining Your Crohn's Disease to Loved Ones...Unless you walk a mile in our shoes, it is nearly impossible to know what it is like to live with Crohn’s disease. People are always quick to judge how...reactions6comments
Coping with UC Flare-Ups...Each year we ask people with inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis, to tell us about their lives in the IBD In America survey. For the 2019 survey, 1,705 people...reactionscomments
Water causes painful burning and cramping...Different brands of bottled water, tap water from various cities, it doesn't matter. If I drink water during the night or before eating in the morning, I almost instantly have...reactions2replies
Don't Compare Yourself to Other Patients...One of the biggest downfalls of living with Crohn’s disease is comparing ourselves to other patients. We often hear “this worked for me, perhaps it will work for you” or...reactions2comments
8 Things I Wish I'd Done Differently on My Crohn's Disease Journey...It's coming up to 6 years since I was diagnosed. Six years isn't that long a period of my life, just under a sixth of it in fact (I'm 34)...reactions11comments
How do you know if it's ulcerative colitis?...How do you know if Colitis is ulcerative? I am newly diagnosed!! Have a question? Ask it here!...reactions2replies
What I Wish Employers Knew About Crohn’s Disease...Today’s workforce is unlike anything predicted in the past two decades. The internet, along with technology advancements, has opened the door to so many new possibilities in the workforce. But...reactions9comments