For IBD patients in Ireland, Programme on TV tonight re: CD & UC

[Boroukee07]

For anyone who lives in Ireland, on RTE @8.30pm is the programme 'Life with......' and tonight's programme is covering CD and UC. This should be interesting to see and a as I have only been diagnoised for a year or so I have been telling everyone I know to watch. The RTE website says -

Programme Five: Life With Crohn's And Colitis

Thursday 10th November, 8:30pm RTÉ One

More than 15,000 people in Ireland suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. Colitis and Crohn's are chronic and often embarrassing conditions.

Eoghan Haugh from Gorey, Co Wexford got Crohn's Disease when he was seven-years-old. He was very sick and spent several months in Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin. His intestines became so ulcerated he had to get a colostomy bag. Eoghan is now a healthy 12-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a professional football player.

Colette Cotter from Cork got Ulcerative Colitis during her second pregnancy. She was on daily medication for 17 years to control the chronic disease, but she continued to get flare-ups. Many Crohn's and Colitis patients find diet, lifestyle changes and complimentary therapies helpful. Colette Cotter tried homeopathy and has now been in remission for over four years

 

[IAmTheWalrus]

Thanks, I'll watch this for sure.

 

[Tony]

Thanks will have a look tonight.

 

[Boroukee07]

Hey Guys

Did either of you manage to catch Life with.... Crohn's???

If not you can catch it on the RTE player.

There was a young boy Eoghan who is only 12, diagnoised at 7 and his story is truly an inspiration to us all. He doesn't feel sorry for himself takes everything in his stride, something that I will defo try to do (from here on in!!!).

I was only diagnoised last year and at 27 it felt like such a life sentence but to see someone so young and can deal with it so well after being through so much, I feel if Eoghan can do, why can't I??!!! His Mother is so wonderful, she understands him so well.

The only one negative I have to say about it is, there were a few friends of mine who watched the programme and I think that the voice-over information was not very informative (or fully correct) for viewers. There was a women on the prog. with Colitis. She has given up taken medication and is currently taken homeopathy theraphy and the voice-over on the programme made it sound as though that this is an option. A friend of mine asked if I would not just give up the regular meds and take this homeopathy and another asked would I not get myself 'cured' by having my colon removed....

The progamme mentioned diarrohea may times but did not mention blood or mucus or urgency and how often a patient requires the bathroom, felt a bit annoyed at that. Also they did not talk about how severe some meds are, I receive Infliximab which is a serious drugs, such as biologics which they didn't seem to mentioned...

Any way congrats to little Eoghan and to Colette who did us proud to highlight the problems of over 15k peps in Ireland, pity RTE didn't research enough so the voice-over could inform the general public more effectively.

Anyway I hope you are all in good health

Maria

 

[McStew]

Hi Maria,
Thanks a million for posting! I definitely would've missed this if you didn't mention it. I completely agree, I felt the stories were really interesting, and I'm so glad they highlighted the issue, but there were definitely very important parts missing to what it's like having the disease.

I was diagnosed with this disease at 25, and I can't imagine having had it at any younger of an age, it was very inspiring seeing such a young person getting on with his life...hopefully I can do the same some day.

 

[IAmTheWalrus]

I was diagnosed at 20 I'm 23 now. I was suffering with every symptom imaginable I even had little white painful lumps on my eyeball that hurt like a motherf***** when touched and little rashes on my shins.

When I passed blood for the first time my heart stopped as I thought it was something more serious, even though Crohn's Colitis can be serious, but even though it's hard to believe quite the majority are taking their daily meds and living a next to normal life.

It's certainly not a death sentence and the prognosis is that life expectancy is not effected unless of course you have a serious complication but you can say that with any chronic illness i.e Diabetes etc.

I remember a sense of relievement because of my initial worries and of course speaking with my doctors about how this IS manageable and with the advances in medicines,according to Dr.Corey Seigel one of the top Gastroenterologists in the world, it's an exciting time, I don't know how I would manage if I was a 20 year old newly diagnosed say in the 70's or 80's when all they really had was Sulfasalazine and steriods.

I'm enjoying life and have learned to take it day by day, IMHO, no point thinking 10-20 years down the line.

 

[Del]

I saw it on the player later...
While it was certainly interesting for me to watch, it was not to informative for people "outside" who may not have the disease..
It was still worth watching all the same....