Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Blog

Amy is a newcomer to our IBD forum, and she has some questions about her recent diagnoses of hiatal hernia and problems swallowing. She's looking to talk to anyone who has similar problems because this is a new diagnosis for her.

The cost of living seems to be out of control these days. Everything from gas to groceries are considerably higher than they were even just a few months ago. This means that many of us are looking for ways to cut corners and save a few bucks. Most of us take some form of medication -- if not for IBD than for a related or unrelated condition. Can you really save money on your prescriptions? Patient Empowerment Guide Trisha Torrey says that we can, and gives us five ways to do it.

Slippery elm is generally considered to be a safe remedy for digestive distress for adults and children. Irritable bowel syndrome Guide Barbara Bradley Bolen, Ph.D, has the info on this time-honored remedy for calming a tender tummy.

Some people think that IBD is "all in your head." Some people think that IBD is caused by stress or a so-called Type A personality. We know that these aren't true. But now apparently some people are also concerned that IBD could be contagious. Could you pass IBD on to your spouse, your children, or other loved ones? Not likely -- find out why.

A new drug has been approved to treat adults with moderate to severe Crohn's disease. Research has shown that Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) was effective in decreasing the symptoms of Crohn's disease. Of the patients who received Cimzia in one study, 47.9 percent were in clinical remission after 26 weeks. Cimzia is given by injection every four weeks and is expected to be used for patients with Crohn's for whom other drugs have not been effective.

Two clinical trials published in the New England Journal of Medicine examined Cimzia for the treatment of Crohn's disease. The first (PRECISE 1) showed that the drug can improve symptoms in the short and intermediate-term but cannot provide significant benefits, such as remission. The second trial (PRECISE 2) showed that maintenance therapy prevents relapse in those patients who have a good response to initial treatment.

Side effects associated with Cimzia include headache, upper respiratory infections, abdominal pain, and nausea. Patients who take Cimzia are also at risk for reactions at the injection site and serious adverse events, including infections.

Source:
"Cimzia® Approved in the US for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Crohn's Disease." UCB 22 Apr 2008.

We've already learned about the types of colostomies, and why a colostomy may be needed to treat some diseases and disorders. But what really happens when you undergo surgery? Learn about some of the things that may happen from the days leading up to the surgery to the weeks of recovery after.

This sounds like a very serious question. And it is. We don't know what causes inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The theory right now is that IBD is caused by a combination of genetics and environment. You might carry the gene, and then something (or a combination of somethings) happens that flips the switch and turns on the IBD.

For me, IBD really runs in my family. I had a mysterious rash one year that we suspected was Lyme disease. I had spent the summer doing local "clean-ups" and had spent a fair amount of time running around in rivers, streams, fields, and wooded areas, so it was not an unreasonable suspicion. I was treated for suspected Lyme disease with antibiotics, and the next thing I knew, the symptoms of ulcerative colitis had set in. I'll never know for sure what exactly caused my IBD, but it does seem as if the events of that summer had something to do with it.

How about you? What caused your IBD? Does it run in your family? Did you get diagnosed after a stressful event? Use the "comment" button below to tell me about it.

• The Epidemiology of IBD
• Know Your IBD History
• Does Stress Cause IBD?

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) is hosting a teleconference about medication choices in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The session outline includes an overview of IBD, a discussion of medical treatments, a look at upcoming treatments, and advice on dealing with side effects of medications. The program is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6 at 8PM. The speaker is Dr Edward Loftus, Jr, Director of the IBD Interest Group at Mayo Clinic.

The program is hosted by the CCFA and is sponsored by Shire, a pharmaceutical manufacturer.

For those of us who have inflammatory bowel disease, taking medication is a daily fact of life. It's hard to remember all the different meds, their doses, and whether or not you've taken them. It can be annoying for teens (who make up a large segment of people with IBD) because parents are constantly checking up on the medication schedule. Parents and teens can work together to make sure that the meds get taken on time and no one feels frustrated by the schedule.

April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day. This is a day where adults are encouraged to plan for their future care by providing information about their wishes for their own healthcare. Having these plans in writing helps healthcare providers to care for a patient in the way that the patient prefers.

Why is this day important to you? With chronic conditions such as IBD, healthcare decisions may need to be made quickly. When patients provide that information in advance, healthcare providers can make choices for the patient that are in accordance with the patient's beliefs.

I encourage you to have an advance directive. I also hope you will speak with those closest to you about your wishes for your care, particularly as they relate to issues surrounding your IBD. This can include decisions about medications, surgery or surgical complications, and mental health care.