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IBD

When our son was diagnosed with Crohn's disease at the age of thirteen, my initial reaction was one of fear, what would this mean for him, how would his life change? Then disbelief, how could this be happening to our previously super healthy, athletic son? Then guilt, was it something I’d done to cause him to develop Crohn's, was it genetic or lifestyle, could I have done something different to protect him from this wretched disease?

Hello my lovely Comfizz readers! November 20th is Universal Children’s Day #UNChildrensDay.  Having been given a diagnosis of Crohn's disease at 7 years old, this is obviously something that had significant impact on my childhood. A question I get asked quite frequently is: "What were your first signs of Crohn's?" In this blog, I am going to answer this & give you a bit more insight into having Crohn's disease as a child (what I can remember of it any way, with a little help from my Mum!) Malnutrition As a toddler, I suffered with bouts of Malnutrition (where your body doesn't have the right nutrients) from being a very picker eater, weight loss & had loose stools & diarrhoea...

Hello lovely! November 8th is National Cappuccino Day! I am definitely partial to a coffee or two myself, but have definitely cut down on my coffee and tea intake (caffeinated) in the last year. Coffee or caffeine doesn't really impact my bowels as it used to since ileostomy surgery in 2011, but it does have a noticeable impact on my body in different ways such as my anxiety, sleep problems & feeling wired. Disclaimer: Before I start this blog post, I'd just like to remind you that I am writing this from my own experiences & the things I have learnt & understand from my own research. By no means is this medical advice so, as always, if you are concerned...

Men's Health Week has nearly come to an end (14th - 20th June). Obviously from my blog posts here with Comfizz, you read a lot about how life is for me as a female with IBD and a stoma. It's widely known that women often seem to be a lot more forthcoming in talking our their struggles & experiences in general, let alone with something so personal, so it's been really nice to hear from Neil, Andy, Lee, Sean & Keith about their experiences. Thank you so much guys for being so open & sharing your stories & tips.

Crohn’s Disease can affect anywhere in the digestive system, from the mouth to the anus. It causes inflammation which can then lead to symptoms such as abdominal pain, fatigue, blood and mucus in your stool, diarrhoea or constipation, weight loss & mouth ulcers.

May is National Teen Self Esteem month. As I'm sure many of you can unfortunately relate to, having Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) as anyone of any age, let alone being a teenager, definitely can come with impacts on self esteem to varying extents. That being said, there is thankfully a lot of treatments for IBD and coping mechanisms to put in place to help that, but still, it can be quite the minefield to work through when you're right in the midst of it.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) & Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are two different conditions and it is vital that the right diagnosis is made in order to have the best chance of managing and treating either condition.

Seeing your child ill, whatever age, is never easy. As a mother, I felt I'd failed Amy, It was my fault she was born with this illness. Amy had frequent problems which intensified as she started Junior School. She had school work sent home many times as she was so weak she couldn't attend her classes.

Whether an invisible or visible disability, this question is something that understandably sparks a lot of thought, discussion & personal reasons for the individual. The views you will read in this article are mine only so please remember this is just how I see it. They are not medical guidance or otherwise and I am not speaking on behalf of those with disabilities. Everyone has their own views. As always, please consult a medical professional or legal professional for help with the things in this blog post before acting upon them. This blog post is merely how I interpret things combined with my experience of living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) & a permanent ileostomy. What defines “disability?” Under the...

However, I believe it’s important to also focus on the other things that Crohn’s Disease & IBD causes. It isn’t just a “toilet disease” and unfortunately, often due to lack of education on the subject rather than ignorance, people are often quick to judge & think IBD basically means you go to the toilet more & have more upset stomach difficulties than others.