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Real life support groups?

L

Lizzie

Location
East Midlands
I'm just wondering whether anyone belongs to real life IBD support groups (assuming they even exist, maybe the only support available is through online forums)? Does anybody belong to one, and are they helpful? I'm going through a very hard time with my disease, newly confirmed to be Crohns, more mentally than physically right now to be honest, and I have been thinking how good it would be to actually meet others in the same boat.
 
Ian_H

Ian_H

Location
Charleston,
Your doctor or someone in the office should know of a support group. I have gone before. It helps see other people in your shoes. I am sure your area has a Crohn's and Colitis foundation close by that holds meetings. Best of luck!

Feel better :)
 
Absentminded

Absentminded

I have belonged to a local "real life" support group for about 5 years. Through the group I have met about 15 people with IBD all of whom have had very different experiences with their disease.

We visit each other in hospital, take each other to hospital appointments or to A&E when needed, meet up quarterly or more regularly in smaller groups. Within the group I have 4 really good friends who are very important to me and we are very close; I'm going for a walk and a coffee with one of them tomorrow.

They were also an incredible support when I had my Stoma, I don't know what I would have done without them! One of my friends let me have a look at her Stoma before my op as I'd never seen one before and another friend calmed me down over the phone at 3am and then came round to my house the next day with loads of Stoma products and showed me how to use them when I was struggling with leaks in my first week at home.

So, yes I definitely think that real life support groups are great!
 
ronroush7

ronroush7

Absentminded said:
I have belonged to a local "real life" support group for about 5 years. Through the group I have met about 15 people with IBD all of whom have had very different experiences with their disease.

We visit each other in hospital, take each other to hospital appointments or to A&E when needed, meet up quarterly or more regularly in smaller groups. Within the group I have 4 really good friends who are very important to me and we are very close; I'm going for a walk and a coffee with one of them tomorrow.

They were also an incredible support when I had my Stoma, I don't know what I would have done without them! One of my friends let me have a look at her Stoma before my op as I'd never seen one before and another friend calmed me down over the phone at 3am and then came round to my house the next day with loads of Stoma products and showed me how to use them when I was struggling with leaks in my first week at home.

So, yes I definitely think that real life support groups are great!
Click to expand...
That sounds cool.
 
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