This is so cool...

In the words of Hannibal from the A Team "I love it when a plan comes together"...

Me and IBD is all about young people, as you should know by now! And the blog was set up because we spend lots of time online and it's a great way to share experiences with other people (whether they have IBD or not). So you can imagine how pleased we were to find out that Steph and Gabi have become friends and are writing posts for each others' blogs. 

You may remember from their previous posts for us. Gabi wrote about her experiences trying to break into the fashion world while living with Margaret (her stoma). Steph wrote about Staying Strong with IBD and a list of the silly things that people often say about IBD.

Well, the two girls discovered each other through their posts on Me and IBD and have struck up a friendship. As Steph says, "I instantly felt a connection with her. And not in a, oh we have the same kind of story, kind of connection, but one where I felt we could be good friends."

Gabi said that, "Steph’s blog was one of the first I stumbled upon the day I found out I would be having an ileostomy. Seeing Steph pictured on a beach with faded scars, looking comfortable and confident enjoying a year abroad in Australia made me feel so much better about the impending surgery."

This is such a great thing that these two writers are doing. Spreading the word is so important; realising that you're not alone and sharing tips and inspiration. 



If you would like to write for us or become a media volunteer in order to spread the word through national/regional press, get in touch with us at crohnsandcolitisukpress@yahoo.co.uk

Guest Writer - Sadie

Hi, my name is Sadie and I have Crohn’s Disease.

I was delighted that ‘Me and IBD’ asked me to write a guest post on their blog as, after starting my own blog around my story and struggles, I am hooked!

IBD isn’t a very glamorous disease and I think some sufferers are reluctant to share their experience as it can be embarrassing. This, accompanied with the confusion between IBD and IBS, means that not a lot of people are aware of the severity of the disease, or fully understand how it can affect us!

I hope that by sharing my story and experience with the condition I can not only help others through hard times, but educate and raise awareness of the disease.

First of all, I will start off with life before my diagnosis. For me, and for lots of other people with IBD, it takes a long time to get diagnosed. I experienced extreme fatigue, bloating and urgent diarrhoea before I was diagnosed with Pernicious Anaemia and IBS by my GP. It was really tough going through school and college with these horrible symptoms and no medication that seemed to work for me. I was embarrassed to use the toilet anywhere other than my house, but sometimes I had to. My constant fatigue meant my exams were a struggle. But after I while I got used to it and thought that this was something I just had to put up with.

I managed to pass my GCSE’s and A Level and get a place doing Drama and English at Hull University. In my second year there, is when I really started to experience problems. My symptoms just seemed to get worse and worse until one day I rushed to hospital with severe stomach cramps and vomiting. It turned out I had an abscess and severe inflammation in the ileum of my bowel. This was when I was first diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

Since then I have been battling this disease head on. It was kind of a relief getting a diagnosis; I could now get treatment instead of being told I had to just get on with things. But it was a bit of a shock. I didn't realise how serious it was at first and just shrugged it off thinking I’d be fine and back to normal by September, when I started my third and final year at uni. But it didn’t…

I know I am lucky in some respects because my disease is in no way as bad as what others have experienced. It is classified as moderate- severe but thankfully I have not had to have surgery (yet) or be hospitalized for longer than a week! (I think this is mostly due to my moaning when I am in there, I am so stubborn even though the doctors and nurses are helping me, and I cannot stand to be told what to do. So being told I can't leave really grinds me gears :P)

I have tried several different medications and therapies since I was diagnosed. You can head over to my blog to hear my experience with each medication but remember everyone is different, so what works for me might not work for you or vice-versa :) 

Although I have only been diagnosed for 9 months, my journey so far has been a whirlwind. I think I have finally come to terms with it now. Having a chronic illness is tough and it has affected my life a lot, even without me or other people realising. It has affected university, my job, my social life; my relationships, my self-esteem, and even my fitness and hobbies.

BUT I always try and stay positive no matter what because I know there are people who are going through 100% worse. Now and then I even joke about it :) I don’t want to complain and I don’t want attention, I just want to try and live as normal a life as I can.

I’ve had so much help from my IBD team and am so thankful for the NHS. My friends and family; especially my mum and my boyfriend Sean have been there for me whenever I need help or support. The online community and social networking sites have enabled me to talk to other people in the same situation as me and help me realise I am not suffering alone.

IBD may not be life threatening but it definitely is life altering. I know I am a better person since I was diagnosed. I have learnt to appreciate the little things like being able to go out with friends and even eat! Happiness is a healer and although I have missed a lot of opportunities because of being ill; I know I will succeed not despite of it, but because of the person it has and will make me! 

I also hope I can help and offer advice to people who are going through similar things to me :) So feel free to message or comment on my blog for any advice or support! 

Confessions of a Crohnie

What's all this about then?

The Me and IBD microsite is brought to you by leading charity Crohn's and Colitis UK and has been set up with young people with IBD in mind. We've tried to get as much as information in one place as possible - without bombarding you with too much at once! 

You might have just been diagnosed, or have been living with IBD for a while and just want a bit more information. Maybe things are changing in your life and you want to understand how IBD might affect your next steps? Can you cope with Crohn's disease at University? Can you go travelling with ulcerative colitis? If you're taking your first career move and not sure if you have to tell your boss about your IBD? We've got information on how to deal with these things and more. Go to the Your Questions pages for more...

The microsite forms a part of the main Crohn's and Colitis UK website, but really focuses on what it's like to be a young person with Crohn's or colitis. It really hones in on the things that are important to you.

So check it out, have an explore and if there's anything you think is missing - let us know! It's all about you... what you need and expect out of life.