Crohn’s – Page 5 – Own Your Crohn's

Coronavirus, COVID-19, Crohn's, immunocompromised, J-Pouch, Minority Health, Ostomy, Pregnancy in IBD, Ulcerative Colitis, Vaccinations

Demystifying the COVID Vaccine for IBD Patients

January 10, 2021

By Tina Aswani Omprakash Originally published in Everyday Health on January 8th, 2021 We open the new year with hope after a dreary year filled with ups and downs from the COVID-19 pandemic. As a woman with Crohn’s disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), I have been practicing every precaution recommended by my doctor, from masking up to practicing social distancing and avoiding crowded, indoor spaces. While I’m used to being home a lot as a result of surgeries related to my disease and regular flare-ups, the pandemic was doubly hard for me because I have been in remission, and in good health to go out and about.…

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Tina Aswani Omprakash

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AIBD 2020: Hot Topics for IBD Patients

December 22, 2020

This year’s Advances in IBD conference was my first time attending and it sure as heck did not disappoint! AIBD may have been virtual due to the ongoing pandemic but it was nevertheless very well-organized and informative. The sessions shared many important studies and topics for us to learn and know all about. As a patient advocate who was sharing information across platforms, there were several topics buzzing in the IBD patient community around the world. Below are my picks for the top highlights from AIBD for IBD patients: COVID-19 & IBD According to the SECURE-IBD registry, IBD patients are not necessarily at greater risk of contracting COVID-19. Rates of…

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Tina Aswani Omprakash
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~OYC Trailblazers~ Mara Living Her Best Life with a Kock Pouch in Germany

December 7, 2020

My name is Mara and I am from a small state in Germany called Bremen. I was diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease in 2016 when I was 21. Shortly after my diagnosis, I celebrated my 22nd birthday. I am pursuing my Ph.D. in Marine Microbiology working to learn more about unknown microorganisms found on the seafloor. One week after handing in my Bachelor’s thesis, I became severely ill with sudden and bloody diarrhea. I could not leave the toilet at all. A few days after having these initial symptoms, I was admitted to the hospital. The verdict was clear: I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. I thought this would be…

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Tina Aswani Omprakash

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Pain and Fatigue in IBD: Provider and Patient Perspectives

December 5, 2020

Raise your hand if you’ve dealt with chronic pain and fatigue living with IBD. Pain and fatigue are two common complaints amongst Crohn’s & ulcerative colitis patients whether disease is active or in remission. And oftentimes, it’s the least addressed or acknowledged. Many of us patients live with different types of chronic pain from abdominal pain and cramping related to disease flare-ups to post-surgical pain and pelvic pain. Some of us also tend to have pain from extraintestinal manifestations including severe joint pain and pain from dermatological manifestations (erythema nodosum, pyoderma gangrenosum, etc.). And fatigue appears to be a staple living with IBD where even if we have relief from…

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Tina Aswani Omprakash

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Managing Ostomy Care in the Era of Covid-19

October 21, 2020

Many of us with chronic illnesses have struggled throughout this pandemic with accessing timely care. One issue I’ve faced is because of my gastroparesis and other functional gastrointestinal conditions (IBS, SIBO etc.) acting up, my weight has been fluctuating a lot these last several months. As a result, my stoma size has been changing every week or two. With that, I’ve suffered a lot of ostomy leaks but even more skin irritation. While I’ve worked with my ostomy nurse virtually the last couple months to get my skin issues under control, I keep thinking of my ostomate family online and how you all may be handling your ostomy care in…

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Tina Aswani Omprakash

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IFFGD #DDHChat: Nutrition for the Ileostomy – The Dietitian & Patient Perspectives

October 18, 2020

The Diet & Digestive Health (#DDHChat) Twitter chat series with the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD), co-host Tina Aswani Omprakash and lead host dietitian Neha D. Shah, MPH, RD, CNSC, CHES. We are excited to help to educate patients, caregivers, and others about Nutrition for the Ileostomy: The Dietitian and Patient Perspective. Recap originally published by IFFGD on October 6th, 2020: https://www.iffgd.org/blog/october-2020-ddhchat-recap.html IFFGD – introductory tweets and remarks: The views and experiences shared by our participant are their own and do not reflect the official positions of IFFGD. Each patient is different. Always consult with your health care provider or a registered dietitian (RD) on a diet treatment plan…

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~ OYC Trailblazers ~ Amy & Terrell: Crohn-ically Ever After

September 23, 2020

My name is Amy Btiebet Washington, I’m 34 years old and live in Ohio. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease when I was 26 (in 2012). Initially, I thought I had a terrible flu, but after a few days of symptoms, I was rushed to the hospital with a 106-degree fever. I was immediately treated for sepsis, which led to 5 days in the ICU. After multiple tests, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. The sepsis was a result of a severe infection caused by Crohn’s disease. At the time of my diagnosis, I knew very little about the disease and didn’t know anyone who lived with Crohn’s or ulcerative…

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Tina Aswani Omprakash

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MM&M Transform Talks: Prioritizing the Patient Voice

September 20, 2020

I recently had the opportunity to work with the MM&M Transform conference on a panel discussion on Prioritizing the Patient Voice in anticipation of their conference on September 29th-30th. A panel of 3 of us patient advocates (Tonya Cherie Hegamin, Type 1 Diabetes; Teresa Johnson, Multiple Sclerosis & Heart Disease; and me, Crohn’s Disease & Gastroparesis) discussed why it’s so important to engage patients in healthcare discussions, from digital health to biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. At the forefront of our conversation was a topic near and dear to all 3 of us: diversity, inclusion and health equity as well as medical accessibility for patients of color like ourselves. Check out our…

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COVID-19 & IBD: GI Perspectives on Fall 2020 & Beyond

September 16, 2020

Given all the chatter about COVID-19 this upcoming fall season, I thought it best to inform ourselves as patients as to what to expect. Because rates of COVID infection are so variable across the U.S., I spoke to several leading gastroenterologists around the country to get their take on what they’re recommending to their IBD patients about vaccinations, medications, surgery in addition to attending social gatherings and returning to school and/or work. The 5 IBD specialists I spoke to are located in various parts of the country and include Dr. Jordan Axelrad (Adult GI at NYU Langone Medical Center), Dr. Sabina Ali (Pediatric GI at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital), Dr.…

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University Accommodations in the COVID-19 Era

September 7, 2020

The last few weeks have felt daunting and overwhelming as I’ve been battling intense floods of illness and considering whether or not to resume graduate school part-time again this fall. You see, even contemplating a graduate program was a huge undertaking for me a couple years ago when I was accepted into a Certificate of Public Health program. As I slowly mustered up the courage to transfer into the Master’s in Public Health program, I felt scared yet hopeful all at once. And in between it all, I’ve had to take a trimester off to tend to my health. But all that aside, now we are in the midst of a…

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