Crohn’s Has Hit the Big Time

When I was a kid, my Dad was in the hospital a lot. Trying to explain what was wrong with him was definitely an arduous task. There was not very much information available. When I was four years old, I would tell people that my Daddy’s tummy was trying to eat him. That’s how I understood the situation because Crohn’s was such an enigmatic disease. Some of his guts were bad and the doctor had to remove them because they did not play well with others. In less than 30 years, Crohn’s has exploded from a rare, enigmatic disease to an all star ailment. Crohn’s has hit the Big Time. For years, my dad was the only one I knew with Crohn’s and now almost everyone I meet has heard of Crohn’s disease.

Obviously, there are pros and cons to this development, these days approximately 500,000 people are diagnosed with Crohn’s in theUnited States. There are definitely more occurrences than when my dad was diagnosed. It is also much easier to pinpoint the symptoms of Crohn’s these days. Tests and biopsies are usually outpatient and no longer have to leave permanent scars, so more people are properly diagnosed.

The reason I think Crohn’s has become a “Big Time Player” is we now have public exposure (the good kind not the trench coat kind). We have resources that have not been available in recent years. I’m really happy because there is a plethora of information about Crohn’s and other Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. There are commercials, Public Service Announcements, web sites and Celebrity Spokespersons. Heck, there are even Class-Action lawsuits! Crohn’s and IBD are in the spotlight and I am thrilled. More awareness means more research, which leads to better chances of a cure!

With the new celebrity status, and celebrity patients, the internet is teeming with information for patients. That’s fantastic, but with great exposure comes great consternation. It can be hard to know which resource is the best for your needs. There are lots of books, web sites and WebTV channels out there; these are the sites, channels and organizations that I use. *Disclaimer-I am not a health care professional. I use these resources to research my posts and my own illness. Any information or regimen changes should be discussed with your own medical team.*

Websites:

The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation is the foremost expert about Crohn’s and IBD and also the most well known.

Webmd.com is known for their helpful information and a user friendly site.

Health.com I like this site a lot. I think it is very easy to use and answers a lot of the questions I have in slide show form. Fun!

Emedicinehealth.com is another great resource that explains the disease, symptoms and procedures.

Everydayhealth.com easy to understand and explains Crohn’s from the early stages through remission.

Wegohealth.com a web TV service where patient advocates share their stories and advice on the Crohn’s channel.

Painchannel.tv is more for the chronic pain that accompanies Crohn’s and other chronic illnesses. Each episode deals with different types of pain care and management.

Of course I also recommend www.healthierstay.com andwww.whatthejules.comfor more info and interaction with the Crohn’s, Patient Advocate and Chronically Awesome community.

I hope these will be of help to you. So much has changed since I was little and we now have great resources. I’m always trying to find new developments that will help us, as patients, lead healthier, more normal lives. One thing I have learned is Crohn’s is an autoimmune disease and my four year old explanation wasn’t so far off.