Ian (pictured above) first began to experience stomach problems about eight years ago. “I started getting severe stomach cramps, violent diarrhoea and nausea,” he says. “At first I panicked, I had no idea what was wrong with me, I was too scared to go to the doctor.”
After some strong advice from friends and finally going to the doctors, he underwent a number of investigations including a colonoscopy, but at first the doctors were unable to find any reason for his symptoms. Eventually, after his illness got much worse, he was referred to University College Hospital were he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, which is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract.
“At one stage I was off work sick more than I was at work and this led to me being fired from one job and nearly fired from my current job. Crohn’s has made my social life really difficult too. I have to plan around only going to places with good toilets facilities and plot a route past pubs and hotels where I can use a loo in an emergency.”
When he first became ill, Ian found the provision of information about his disease “awful” but he was told about Core’s patient information leaflets and website which he said were hugely helpful.
“Core’s information about Crohn’s disease helped me to understand my illness and also to manage it. Knowing more also meant that I was much less stressed which itself helped to calm down my stomach problems.”
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Patient Info 
