Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: A Patients Guide

Dr. Saibil's [book] should be required reading for those individuals and families who live with the realities of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. It is a treasure trove for those who are new to the illnesses, and a wonderful reference even for those who have long experiences with them.
-- Bruce E. Sands, M.D. M.S., Dr. Burill B. Crohn Professor of Medicine Chief, Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes two chronic conditions, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. It has remained for too long the secret illness no one wants to admit to having, let alone discuss. One percent of North Americans have IBD, yet its cause is unknown and there is no known cure.

Revised, updated and expanded, Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis is the complete practical guide for anyone dealing with inflammatory bowel disease. Dr. Fred Saibil, a renowned expert on IBD, provides concise and current practical information on Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and related conditions. There is an entirely new chapter on self-management of IBD, with 7 added tables and drawings to guide you.

Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis includes important information on:

• Why people get IBD, including the hygiene hypothesis, and new genetic data
• Diagnostic methods, including enteroscopy, capsule endoscopy, CT, MR, and PET scans
• Effects of diet, including foods and food components that can cause diarrhea and gas
• Surgical options
• The expanding choice of drugs, plus probiotics and prebiotics
• Issues specific to children with IBD
• Effects on sex, child-bearing and drug usage during pregnancy and breast-feeding
• Self-management -- how to help your medical team help you
• How to take care of your bones
• How to cope with being in hospital.

For patients, their relatives and caregivers, Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis explains the plain facts about this terrible disease, which seriously affects the daily lives of so many.

Fred Saibil, MD, studied Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis at New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine, a world center for IBD treatment and research. He has been on the Medical Advisory Council of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada since its founding in 1974.