The IBD Support site provides information and resources to people suffering from IBD
(inflammatory bowel disease) and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). The two diseases that
comprise IBD are Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease.
I am not a doctor; I am a fellow sufferer. I was diagnosed with universal ulcerative colitis
(pancolitis) in 1981. I also have IBS - in my case, triggered by inflammation. Some people have
IBS without IBD (no visible problem with the bowel). This isn't life threatening like IBD, but
it can be excrutiating and inconvenient. Many people with IBD also have IBS, though luckily not
everyone with IBS has IBD.
I'm what doctors call a "vigilant patient". I research everything, and I've learned
a lot over the years about bowel disease - what helps, and what doesn't help. I'm sharing
this information in hopes it will be helpful to others. Of course, the information you
find here should not be considered a substitute for competent medical advice.
My focus on this site will be IBD - ulcerative colitis, in particular, since that's what
I have and therefore what I know the most about.
Also, since I'm a patient and not a doctor, I will concentrate on things we can do as
suffering individuals to heal ourselves. Choosing a good doctor would be the first step,
of course, but the other obvious area where a patient can exercise some control is in
diet and supplements. Bowel disease can make a person feel very powerless. But there
are things you can do that will help.
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