News, articles, resources and more for the person with Crohn’s Disease.

I want you to know that I appreciate your interest in receiving this information, and I promise you that I will endeavor to make it worth your time, both now and in the future.

If you enjoy this month’s edition and find it valuable, then I would appreciate if you would forward it to other people you know who have Crohn’s Disease or are the family or friends of someone with the disease. If they would like to subscribe, have them send an email to

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Many thanks!

1. Our Personal Story Feature
2. The Results Are In! Natural Supplement Survey
3. New Reader Poll - Foods to Avoid
4. Latest Medications & Treatments

1. Our Personal Story Feature

We are always inspired by your personal stories, and do our best to feature as many of them as possible. This one comes from Fiona:

"My name is Fiona. I was diagnosed with Crohns in 2003. I was 36 years old, fortunately with 3 sisters with the disease...also I had a quick diagnoses. From the start I had trouble with flare ups - 7 in the first six months each time getting more severe.

My doctor was unable to help as she didn't take the time to consult a specialist even when requested. I eventually got that bad I couldn't even drink water it caused severe pain, with no pain killers and still trying to work. My weight got down to 52kgs from 65kgs. I finally found a doctor who sent me to sydney two days after seeing her. I then had 60cms of bowel removed. The relief was almost instantly no more pain.

It has now been 15 months since my operation and my disease is back. I wanted to scream, shout and throw a huge tantrum...life's not fair. I know what it's like to want to die when your body has had enough and you don't think you can get through another day.

I dont want to go through that again but I know with the support of my family I can conquer anything."

Thank you for your story, Fiona. We appreciate you taking the time to write to us. For those wishing to do the same, feel free to contact us. We welcome your feedback.

2. The Results Are In! Fish Oil & Natural Supplement Survey

One of the new questions on our survey of the recently diagnosed is:

Have you ever tried fish oil to reduce inflammation or any other natural alternatives?

Although some contributors said that had not, or were not aware of natural treatments, an overwhelming number of you have tried fish oil, and results have been favorable.

Following are some of the many comments we have received...thank you to all who contributed to our survey!

"Yes, I believe fish oil helps the cramping."

"No, I have not, but I have heard a lot about it. It certainly would not hurt to give it a try."

"I have yes! It worked for me."

"Yes. I take fish oil, slippery elm tea, and ground flax seeds to reduce inflammation. Slippery elm tea seems to be very helpful, with no side effects and very nutritious too. It tastes like thin oatmeal."

"I do 6 months of fish oils on then take 6 months off. Probiotics seems to be my main natural alternative i've done for 2 yrs straight. Sometimes I'm taking up to 6 pills a day which is expensive but it's better than having an inflamned sour belly"

"Yes and it is extremely helpful as well as adding fish to your diet. Try drinking green tea too!"

"I have just bought it but I haven't really tried it yet, but I heard good things about it!"

"Yes I take fish oil. I am also on salazopyrin so can't say how effective it is. I've been pretty stable since I started taking it."

"No, but at the beginning I used to eat alot of sardines and I was feeling good. For no reason I stopped eating them, and I started having problems again. So I conclude that sardines actually help."

"No. But I am seriously considering it. My doctor even mentioned it."

If you've tried fish oil or any other natural supplements to help reduce your flare-ups, please drop us a line and let us know about it.

To learn more about fish oil and Crohn's Disease, just follow the link provided.

3. New Reader Poll - Foods to Avoid

We have received countless emails over the years asking us what foods Crohn's sufferers should avoid so as not to aggravate the condition.

This is not an easy question to answer, as the disease varies significantly from person to person, and what works for one individual might not work for another.

Some cut out carbohydrates that are difficult to digest, others refrain from alcohol, but the best advice seems to be "trial and error". Find out what your body can tolerate, what it cannot, and adjust your diet accordingly.

However, we'd like to hear what YOU have to say about it. As such, we are conducting a poll to gauge the top 5 foods that cause the most problems for our visitors.

Want to weigh in? Just send us your top choices here.

4. New Medications & Treatments

The FDA has given clearance this week to Given Imaging Ltd, an Israeli company, to sell their Agile Patency Capsule, a PillCam video capsule that is able to help doctors make better diagnoses of gastrointestional disorders. It has already received approval in Europe and Australia.

Any tool that will enable doctors to get a clearer picture of the intestinal tract is welcome news for Crohn's sufferers and those with similar disorders.

An application for a new Crohn's medication has been submitted to the FDA as well the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) by UCB, a leading global biopharmaceutical company. The new drug is called CIMZIATM (certolizumab pegol, CDP870) and if it is approved it will be the "first and only biologic administered by monthly subcutaneous injection" as a treatment for Crohn's patients, according to an article in Medical News Today.

A once monthly medication that is delivered under the skin rather than a daily pill regimen will no doubt be preferable to millions of patients. We will follow the progress of this new drug.

Well, that's all for this month's issue...until next time, here's to your health!



Health Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided for information only and supplied “as is.” It is NOT intended to substitute for the services of a licensed health care provider in the diagnosis or treatment of Crohn’s Disease or any other disease, condition, or injury.