How can one live happily with IBD

About 7 million people worldwide have IBD.¹ Although it is not a common disease, an increasing number of people have been diagnosed over the last 20 years.

It is affecting people in their productive years and unfortunately IBD is a lifelong disease, with remitting and relapsing course. Do note delay colonoscopic examination when your doctor advises so . At times it can be very challenging to diagnose  IBD as it mimics many other diseases especially tuberculosis . So your doctor may advise you number of investigations .

Diagnosis is based on imaging (MRI bowel) colonoscopy , biopsy 

Some patients may have what is known as Indeterminate colitis where clinical condition , biopsy are not classical of IBD.   

When diagnosed with IBD , one   can adopt a healthy lifestyle to improve overall health.

Some tips are as under 

• Keep up your IBD medication regimen. You may be started on step up regimen with biologics as the last resort  
• Follow your doctor’s advice to manage pain.
• Drug , dose and side effects need to monitored at regular intervals .Now with the help of non invasive markers the disease is monitored by CRP, Fecal tests without colonoscopy 
• Once diagnosed  the patient should have  recommended vaccines on time.
• Stop smoking if you currently smoke.
• Engage in moderate physical activity.
• Limit or stop alcohol drinking.
• Get enough sleep.
• Achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
• Have balanced diet . Avoid commercial , packed foods with preservatives .Vegetarian diet is always helpful. Keep a food diary as one can have secondary lactose intolerance or bile salt malabsorption .Your doctor can guide you   
• Reduce stress. A positive approach can help to tackle the disease. Join IBD support groups of your locality .One can share with other patients and get confidence .Word of caution , however, is that all  patients do not have similar course and  complications .

REFERENCES :

1. GBD 2017 Inflammatory Bowel Disease Collaborators. The global, regional, and national burden of inflammatory bowel disease in 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2020;5(1):17‒30. doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(19)30333-4