Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Health Insurance
Volume 31, April 13, 2012
Jennifer C Jaff, Esq, and Michael D Kappelman, MD, MPH
If you or someone you know has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), navigating today’s plethora of health insurance plans may seem like a challenge. This issue of Your Digestive Health will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about health insurance. Whether you’re interested in the difference between an HMO and a PPO or have questions about preexisting conditions, we’ve got you covered.

Virtual Colonoscopy
Volume 30, March 02, 2012
Brooks D Cash, MD, FACG, AGAF
This issue of the newsletter will focus on virtual colonoscopy. Virtual colonoscopy uses a CT scanner to noninvasively create images of your colon. Like conventional colonoscopy, it can also be used to detect polyps (precancerous growths), cancer, and other diseases of the large intestine.

Good Nutrition for a Bad Gut: Focus on Calcium, Vitamin D, and Bone Health
Volume 29, November 29, 2011
Colleen D Webb, MS, RD, CDN and Ellen J Scherl, MD, AGAF, FACG, FACP, FASGE
Nutritional deficiencies can be a problem for people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), often due to the effects of inflammation on vitamin and mineral absorption and dietary restrictions. This newsletter focuses on calcium and vitamin D deficiencies and their impact on bone health. It also discusses steps you can take to promote strong bones.

Living With IBD at Different Ages and Stages of Life
Volume 28, September 14, 2011
Biomedical and Nutrition Communications
Different stages of life bring different challenges and rewards. For people living with a chronic illness, the challenges can be greater. In this article, we share the stories of 3 individuals who discuss the challenges of living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and their personal coping strategies. Although their ages range from 14 to 36, Peter, Melanie, and Chris share the same goal: to live life fully, despite their IBD.

Take As Directed: Getting the Most from Your IBD Medication
Volume 27, July 01, 2011
Peter Higgins, MD
When you have ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD), taking your medication as directed can help reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms, maintain remission, and prevent flare-ups. Because there is no cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), you will likely need long-term treatment. It is important to remember that taking your medication even when you are feeling well can lengthen your time in remission. This newsletter will provide tips about how to keep your IBD medication organized, partner with your doctor, fill and refill prescriptions, and travel with medication.

Fertility, Pregnancy, and Breastfeeding with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Volume 26, May 01, 2011
Uma Mahadevan, MD
If you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and are thinking about starting a family, you may wonder how your chronic illness and the medication you take can affect fertility, pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. The good news is that most people with IBD have normal fertility, and most women with IBD can expect a normal pregnancy and delivery, as well as a healthy baby. This newsletter will answer some of the more common questions you may have.

Take Steps Toward Colorectal Cancer Prevention
Volume 25, March 01, 2011
Carol A. Burke, MD, FACG, FACP
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month -- a good time to reflect on the fact that, although inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) increases your colorectal cancer risk by about two to five times the average, colorectal cancer is largely preventable and one of the most treatable cancers if detected early. The most important step you can take is to follow your doctor’s recommendations regarding surveillance colonoscopy. For example, if you’ve had IBD for eight to ten years, your doctor will probably recommend that you schedule a colonoscopy every one to two years. This newsletter focuses on some of the additional steps you can take toward general colorectal cancer prevention and good health.

How to Stay Fit When You Have Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Volume 24, January 01, 2011
Alan V. Safdi, MD, FACG
Exercise is good for almost everyone, but it can be a challenge to stay fit when you have a chronic illness like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). This newsletter reviews the benefits of physical activity and includes tips about how to work with your disease instead of against it. If you have not yet made a New Year’s resolution, it’s not too late to make physical fitness your goal for 2011. For inspiration, read about Carrie Johnson, an Olympic kayaker who doesn’t let Crohn’s disease get in her way.

Managing IBD During the Holidays: Tips to a Stress-Free Holiday Season
Volume 23, November 01, 2010
Betty White, MN, ARNP
Most of us experience some form of stress during the holidays. If you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), holiday stress can increase symptoms such as diarrhea or abdominal pain, causing you to miss out on family gatherings, travel, and the joy of the holiday season. This newsletter will focus on suggestions to help you get through the holiday season feeling healthy and happy.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease -- Separating Fact from Fiction
Volume 22, September 01, 2010
Jeffrey A. Tuvlin, MD
Thanks to the Internet, we now have 24-hour access to medical information from the comfort of our homes. This has made it easier and faster to find answers to health-related questions, which may be especially useful if you have a chronic illness like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). But, keep in mind that a wise consumer of medical information must have a discerning eye. Of the thousands of Web sites providing health-related information, many are misleading or inaccurate. This newsletter will debunk some of the most common myths you may have heard about IBD. It will also walk you through how to evaluate medical information you find online and provide information about credible online resources.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Restroom Access
Volume 21, July 01, 2010
David T. Rubin, MD
When inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is active, it can be accompanied by an urgent need to use the bathroom. This is due to a combination of diarrhea or bleeding, as well as the inability of the rectum to stretch or store waste as effectively as it should. When this occurs, there is cramping and pain with the urgency to evacuate. It is a terrible feeling and the loss of control is one of the hardest things about IBD. Although the goal for all our patients is stable remission, it is important to have strategies to cope with your condition when it is active, so you are not socially isolated. When the disease is active or when you feel that your control is unpredictable, the thought of leaving your home becomes a daunting prospect, in part because it may be a challenge to find a restroom quickly when you are out and about. In addition, although there are bathrooms in almost every place of business, they are often for employee use only and not available to the public. The good news is that a number of states now have passed Restroom Access Acts -- legislation that helps make venturing out from home a little easier.

Good Nutrition for a Bad Gut: Focus on Iron
Volume 20, April 01, 2010
Gina Storrs, RN, CNP
Good nutrition is always important, but it is especially important when you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Maintaining adequate nutrition is one of the ways that your body can restore itself to health. This can be a challenge when your IBD symptoms affect both your appetite and your ability to absorb nutrients from the food you eat. This newsletter will focus on iron, which is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies seen in people with IBD.

The Scoop on the Scope - Prep Tips from a Pro
Volume 19, March 01, 2010
Lawrence B. Cohen, MD and Laura Strohmeyer, RN, CGRN
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and the best way to celebrate is to have a screening examination in order to reduce your risk of developing colon cancer.

Here’s to Your Health: A SMART Strategy for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions
Volume 18, January 01, 2010
Alan V. Safdi, MD
Do you make New Year’s resolutions to control your inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but find them difficult to keep? If so, you’re not alone. Many people who make resolutions each year find it hard to keep their resolutions over the long haul. However, the fact that you make New Year’s resolutions gives you an advantage over people who don’t. People who resolve to change are much more likely to make lasting positive changes, compared to people who don’t resolve to change.

Bring Out the Best in Your Healthcare Team
Volume 17, December 01, 2009
Brooks D. Cash, MD
You have probably found that your circle of healthcare providers has expanded since you were first diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This newsletter will help you understand the role of each member of your healthcare team, find good healthcare providers and build good relationships with them, coordinate your care, and get a second opinion if you need one. By following just a few simple steps, you will become the captain of your healthcare team and ensure that you get the care you need and deserve.

Mind Your Meds -- An Updated Review
Volume 16, October 01, 2009
Nisa Kubiliun, MD and Jamie S. Barkin, MD
Medication for ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) can help control your symptoms. The goals of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) therapy are to reduce inflammation, relieve symptoms, maintain remission, and prevent flare–ups. It's important to remember that, for your medication to do its job, you must take it as prescribed. IBD is a chronic disease, therefore long–term treatment will likely be necessary, and you need to take your medication even if you are feeling well. This newsletter will describe the many effective drugs available and provide tips for taking your medicine.

Taking Control of Your Medical Records
Volume 15, August 01, 2009
Randall Brinson, RN
Your medical records are the paper (or electronic) trail you leave behind as you make your way through the medical system. They can give you insight into your condition, your progress, and the care you are receiving. When you have a chronic illness, like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), these records take on added importance, since an accurate medical history can be vital to your treatment. Understanding your medical records and your rights regarding their accessibility is a critical part of being an active participant in your healthcare.

Finding Support When You Have Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Volume 14, May 01, 2009
Laura Strohmeyer, RN, CGRN
People with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis are continuously seeking education and support to help them manage their disease. They often find that dealing with the psychological impact of living with a chronic disease proves to be the greatest challenge. It is not surprising that chronic disease and its consequences can lead to stress, anxiety, and depression, or can worsen pre–existing emotional problems. Although we know that emotional distress does not, by itself, cause inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), it is often a reaction to chronic diseases and can lower your tolerance to pain. This newsletter will address several support strategies that may help you cope with IBD: attending support groups, seeking individual psychotherapy, or accessing online support alternatives. Whether you are a new patient or have had IBD for years, these options can help you develop strategies to cope with embarrassing or painful symptoms and manage fears about possible surgeries and unexpected complications that may accompany your illness.

Know Your Rights: IBD and Employment
Volume 13, January 01, 2009
Jennifer C. Jaff, Esq.
If you are one of the approximately 1.4 million Americans with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), your rights have begun to receive notice and protection, but there is much more to be done. Federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have, until now, focused primarily on people in wheelchairs, the blind, the deaf, and not those of us with largely invisible chronic illnesses like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. And, until recently, the law did not incorporate the notion of "chronicity" – the one–word label I use to distinguish chronic illness from either illness from which you recover or terminal illness – which left those of us with chronic illnesses trying to fit our disease into a model that was not designed with us in mind, like trying to put a round peg into a square hole. This newsletter will focus on some of the employment–related questions that you may have as you try to navigate life with IBD. It will also explain how disability–related legislation can work in your favor.

IBD and Colorectal Surgery
Volume 12, October 01, 2008
Steven Wexner, MD and Yair Edden, MD
Although surgery is not always the initial treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), approximately 70%–80% of patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 30%–40% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) will need surgery at some point. While there have been significant advances in the medicine available to treat IBD, surgery continues to be an important part of treatment for many patients. There are many reasons that you might need surgery; we will address a few of the more common ones in this newsletter. We will also provide information about the types of surgery that are usually performed and suggest steps for you to take both before and after surgery to make sure you have the best possible outcome.

Colon Cancer Screening
Volume 11, July 01, 2008
Douglas K. Rex, MD
In the United States, colorectal cancer (which is sometimes simply called "colon cancer") is the second leading cause of death from cancer and third most common cancer diagnosed in men and women. The good news is that, if diagnosed while still confined to the colon, the five–year survival rate for patients with colon cancer is 90%. Early detection is critical, since the survival rate drops to 68% if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and to 10% if the cancer has metastasized to other parts of the body. Although there is no question that early detection is critical, less than half of Americans aged 50 or older undergo routine screening.

Raising a Child with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Volume 10, February 01, 2008
Marla C. Dubinsky, MD
If you have recently learned that your child has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), you are probably feeling concerned and perhaps overwhelmed. But keep in mind that your child is not alone – about 1.4 million people in the U.S. have IBD, and about 140,000 of them are under age 18. Although IBD is a chronic disease, that doesn't mean that your child has to feel sick every day. There are many things you can do to help your child keep symptoms under control. In fact, most people with IBD are healthy more often than they are sick. This newsletter will help you understand your child's diagnosis and treatment, as well as the steps you can take to help your child manage the disease.

A Patient's Story (And Their Loved Ones)
Volume 9, October 01, 2007
David T. Rubin, MD
There are two submissions in this newsletter "One Patient's Story." One is from the fiancé of a patient with ulcerative colitis and one is from the mother of a patient with Crohn's disease. These articles very effectively share the emotions, fear and uncertainty that family and friends face when someone they love is affected by a chronic disease, and both echo a similar sentiment that not knowing what was ailing their loved one was much more stressful than (finally) finding out the diagnosis and moving forward with successful therapies. So often we don't acknowledge that the other people sitting next to our patients in the waiting room or in the exam room are profoundly affected by all that is happening. These articles provide an opportunity to reflect on this and to thank them for all that they do.

IBD and Cancer
Volume 8, July 01, 2007
David T. Rubin, MD
It's likely that you know someone who has been affected by cancer. The most common risk factors include family history, smoking, and exposure to toxins. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can also increase cancer risk. But despite the increased risk, it is important to remember that most people with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) never develop cancer. This newsletter will focus on IBD and colorectal cancer. It will also address lymphoma and small bowel adenocarcinoma, two other types of cancer that are sometimes associated with IBD.

IBD and Your Diet
Volume 7, January 01, 2007
Ellen J. Scherl, MD
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for two chronic gastrointestinal diseases: ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Because IBD affects the digestive tract it is very easy to associate food with the diseases and be concerned that your eating habits caused your IBD. Your disease was not caused by your diet, nor can your diet cure your disease. However, what you eat can affect your symptoms.

IBD and Your Lifestyle
Volume 6, October 01, 2006
Ellen J. Scherl, MD
In addition to taking your medication and watching your diet, there are many other ways to manage your wellness that can influence your inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This newsletter will focus on lifestyle choices you can make to help you control IBD symptoms, limit its impact on your activities, and lengthen the time between flare-ups. Specific sections include exercise, stress, smoking, travel, and sexuality and reproductive issues.

Treating Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Medication Side Effects
Volume 5, April 01, 2006
Gary R. Lichtenstein, MD
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for two gastrointestinal diseases: ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). These are chronic conditions that require life-long treatment for most patients. As has been highlighted in Dr. Kornbluth's newsletter, Treatment of IBD, many treatment options are available and treatment is tailored to the needs of the individual patient. Medications are available as oral tablets or capsules, liquid or foam enemas, suppositories, and injections. Like any medication that is taken long-term, some patients experience side effects when taking IBD medications. This newsletter will review the classes of medication used in the treatment of IBD and discuss the more common side effects patients encounter. As we discuss the side effects of these medications, it is important to keep in mind that these are life saving drugs and that while some people have significant problems with side effects, many more have few problems.

Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Volume 4, November 01, 2005
A. Asher Kornbluth, MD
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) consists mainly of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). Although no cure for IBD (other than surgery for advanced UC) exists at present, effective treatments are available. Active participation of patients in the treatment of their IBD and open communication with their physician is critical for a successful outcome. This newsletter will review the treatment options available and some steps you as the patient can take to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The Clinical Course of IBD
Volume 3, December 01, 2004
Maria T. Abreu, MD
For many patients receiving a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be quite a shock. Often there is an initial feeling of relief that the blood in their stool is not a sign of cancer; but this feeling can be fleeting when patients realize they have a disease that will require life-long management. Patients want to know what is going to happen to them and what they can expect in the future if their disease progresses. The development of a disease over a period of time is called the clinical course. This newsletter will focus on the clinical course of IBD to help patients and their families understand how their disease may affect them over time.

What Causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
Volume 2, June 01, 2004
Daniel H. Present, MD
Etiology is the term used in medicine to describe the cause or reason for the development of a disease or condition. My patients who are newly diagnosed with either ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohns disease (CD) are often concerned about how they developed these diseases and what it means to their future and their families. They want to know what causes it, and if there is anything they did to provoke the illness. They would like to know if there is anything they can do to prevent anyone else in the family from developing the same problems.

Staying on Medication - Your Health Depends On It
Volume 1, February 01, 2004
Stephen B. Hanauer, MD
People being treated long-term with medications for chronic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), often don't like taking their medicine. You may feel like it's a constant reminder that you have a disease. It can be hard to remember to take medicine, especially when it is inconvenient. You may feel like there are too many pills and worry about side effects or the long-term consequences of taking medicine all of the time. You may not understand why you have to take medicine when you feel just fine, and you may want to take medicine only when you have symptoms. Other people share these same concerns. You're not alone. Approximately one million people in America have IBD. Many take daily medication to control symptoms. Millions of people need to take medicine everyday for other conditions too, sometimes several times a day. You probably have family members taking daily medication for high blood pressure, arthritis, or other conditions.