IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) Blogs

If you're looking for information on IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), you might try checking out the numerous blogs written by sufferers and medical personnel. Although regular web sites can provide a wide variety of information, blogs keep you up-to-date on the latest information, and many keep track of the progress of people who suffer from IBD.

1- I'd Like to Buy a Bowel
URL: http://idliketobuyabowel.blogspot.com/

This creative and unique IBD blog is written by 25-year-old Crohn's sufferer named Alicia. She goes into detail about surgery, chronic illness and medication, information that is interspersed with periods of wry humor and candid anecdotes. Alicia has an informal voice that she uses to connect with her readers, which is important for IBD blogs.

This is a relatively young IBD blog (started in October 2007), but there is plenty of good information here. It is also a wonderful place to go when you need some perspective on inflammatory bowel disease. For example, Alicia calls diarrhea "Big D" and refers to her supportive network of family and friends as "Team Alicia". She also posts funny comics for her "Toilet Humor" section, so the blog is good for a laugh on one of your "Crohns-y Days".

2- My Pink Button
URL: http://mypinkbutton.blogspot.com/

If you're looking for IBD blogs that tell it like it is, I recommend "My Pink Button". Written by a woman who lives life with an ostomy, this blog is sometimes a little too graphic, and frequently disturbing, but those with inflammatory bowel disease will understand where she's coming from. Topics on her blog including living with an ostomy, diet, exercise, sex, and dealing with embarrassing situations.

3- Life with Colitis
URL: http://blog.healthtalk.com/life-with-colitis/karen/

Some IBD blogs are written by patients, while others are written by the medical professionals who treat them. In "Life with Colitis", written by Karen Leigh Edelblum, you get the best of both worlds. Not only does she suffer from Crohn's disease, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, but she is also a medical researcher pursuing her Ph.D in cell biology.

Karen focused her professional life on IBD and the biomedical causes of such conditions, but she also deals with the daily struggles of Crohns. Her blog posts are intuitive, insightful, and simple enough so that the layman can understand, but she does go into detail about scientific research related to IBD.

Of course, as is common with IBD blogs, "Life with Colitis" isn't without a touch of humor. Recent posts include "Your bathroom or mine? Dating with IBD" and "You're not crazy - you have a GI disease!" She doesn't mince words, which is appreciated by those who suffer from IBD, but she has no problem getting technical.

These IBD blogs are some of the best on the Internet, but you can find others by conducting a Google search or clicking on the links provided by these blogs. Don't be ashamed of your gastrointestinal disease; instead, connect with others who face similar obstacles and might have tips or advice to share.