People with IBD are more likely to live with anxiety, depression, or other mood disorders than people who don't live with one of these conditions. For that reason, caring for mental health is as important as caring for physical health. But it doesn't always work out that way, as patients may not know how important their mental health is to their physical health, or may not have access to a mental health professional. Abri Bernstein shares her personal journey with ulcerative colitis (UC) and how somatic psychotherapy helped her cope with living with the disease. Abri explains somatic psychothe ..read more

Diagnosed with attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis (AFAP), retired Navy veteran Dan "Dry Dock" Shockley shares his remarkable journey of service, diagnosis, and advocacy. Following his diagnosis, Shockley became a passionate advocate for early detection and reducing the stigma associated with living with an ostomy. He emphasizes the importance of proactive medical care and maintaining a positive attitude in the face of adversity. Through his advocacy work and personal journey, Shockley serves as an inspiration, demonstrating resilience, determination, and a commitment to making a differe ..read more

What did you read over the past year? If you made a reading goal: did you hit it? The books I read in 2023 included biographies, fantasy, fiction, and romance. Plus, I had several authors who live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis on the show this year, so I read their books as well. Hear more about some of the books I enjoyed in 2023, how you can hear more from authors with IBD, and ways that you can hit those reading goals this year. IBD Author Episodes: The Plant-Based Crohn’s and Colitis Cookbook – About IBD Podcast Episode 127 Up and Adam: A Patient’s Experience on Winning ..read more

A diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBD) affects the entire family. When it’s a child that’s diagnosed, it changes so many things and brings a host of challenges. Families experience many unmet needs related to IBD. My guest is Lisa Fournier of IBD Connect. Lisa is the mother of two children who live with IBD. Her experiences in helping them manage IBD at different stages in life compelled her to be a support for others. She worked with her local hospital to start a support group and eventually founded IBD Connect. Learn about the programs IBD Connec ..read more

My guest is Stephanie Brenner of Chronic Illness Psychotherapy. Stephanie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has experience in working with clients with chronic illnesses. She also has a variety of roles in GI space, including serving on the advisory team for the Pediatric Crohn’s Guidebook and the recruitment committee for the Rome Foundation’s GastroPsych organization.   Stephanie lives with Crohn’s disease and a permanent ileostomy and is also a cancer survivor. I asked her to help us better understand PTSD and PTS as they relate to having a chronic illness like IBD. She defines ..read more

As an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and the Director of Translational Studies for the Crohn’s and Colitis Center, Dr. Damas sheds light on the misconception that IBD only affects certain ethnicities. Her extensive research explores the connection between of environment and genetics in the development of IBD, with a special focus on its impact on immigrants from Latin America. Dr. Damas shares insights into the challenges of studying the role of diet in IBD, revealing key findings from her research and e ..read more

What options are you wiling to try to manage your ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease? How about putting someone else’s stool into your own colon? Fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs) — using stool from a donor to repopulate bacteria in the colon — are being studied for use in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Filmmaker Saffron Cassady decided to try do-it-yourself FMT to treat her ulcerative colitis, using stool from the healthiest person she could find: her husband. The journey is captured in her film, Designer $hit, which explores both the science and potential behind FMT. Learn a ..read more

What do all the new oral drugs available for treating IBD have to do with military service? Being diagnosed with IBD might mean leaving the military for some service members. Part of the reason is that it’s not possible to be deployed while receiving a drug that’s an injection or an infusion. But when a medication works well and happens to be in pill form: that’s a game-changer. Dr Anish Patel, the Medical Director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Brooke Army Medical Center gives an update on how IBD is treated in the military, what he sees on the horizon for IBD, and his ..read more

Being diagnosed with a chronic condition is a major adjustment. Digestive conditions like IBD (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) wind up affecting every part of our lives. Learning to accept the ways in which the disease affects life can be helpful. But it’s important to make the distinction between acceptance and complacency. Maalvika Bhuvansunder, a young adult patient living with Crohn’s disease, uses her experiences to help bring the concept of acceptance into focus for other people who are living with a chronic condition.   Concepts discussed on this episode: What Is ..read more

Menopause is a topic that's not well understood in general and there's even less information when it comes to menopause and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). October is World menopause Awareness Month. World Menopause Day is on October 18 every year. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of menopause and the support options available for improving health and well being. Learn more about how IBD may affect perimenopause and menopause, as well as the reverse.   Concepts discussed on this episode: World Menopause Day: https://www.imsociety.org ..read more