Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Guide for Patients
& Their Families, Stephen Hanauer, (Lippincott-Raven,
1997). ISBN 0397517718. (paperback).
The Complete Book of Better Digestion - A Gut-Level
Guide to Gastric Relief, Michael Oppenheim, M.D. (Rodale,
1990). ISBN 0-87857-869-2 (hardcover).
This is a very general book on the digestive
system, with only one small chapter on IBD, and not
much detail. However, if you're looking for a primer
on how the digestive system works, common problems,
and which drugs and over-the-counter remedies work
best, this is a good book. Curiously, he says under
the section on the ileum that there are no major
serious diseases of this part of the digestive tract!
He also reports an interesting study where doctors
tried to establish, by using endoscopy before and
after, the effects on the stomach of a bland meal of
meat and fries, a bland meal plus six aspirin or a
spicy meal containing either Mexican peppers or a
pepperoni pizza. Much to their surprise, although
they found definite damage from the aspirins, there
was no damage from the spicy food. Even when they
ground up hot jalapeno peppers and sprayed it
directly on the stomach lining, there was no damage.
This doctor has a very cynical approach to the
medical system and I much enjoyed his "advice"
Here I have quoted some of the best:
Helpful Hint: Never mind that physicians are
fairly intelligent. When explaining your problem,
assume that your doctor is rather dim. Use simple
world like "pain", "itch", "sharp",
"dull". Always describe your symptoms, but
never give a diagnosis, even it it's something any
idiot should know. Believe it or not, when a patient
says that he had "the flu", I haven't the
foggiest notion what that means.
Myth: Tasteless food is soothing , while tasty
food is irritating.
Deep Dark Secret: Now and then your doctor hasn't
the faintest idea of what your problem is. This
happens more often than you'd guess. I prefer to
stall. It takes a sophisticated doctor to
procrastinate properly.
Another Deep Dark Secret: When a doctor sends you
for a large series of "tests" one important
purpose is to give him time to think. While you are
having blood drawn, he may be poring though a medical
book, phoning a specialist, or simply planning his
next move if the tests are unrevealing, which they
usually are.
Helpful Hint: If you want a doctor to take you
seriously, insist that your symptoms occur at night.
People sleep at night, diseases don't. Daytime
symptoms are more likely to be stress-related.
Helpful Hint: Inaction is the best treatment for a
host of medical problems. Patients (doctors, too,
espeacially surgeons) should use it more often.
Helpful Hint: Cortisone makes everything feel
better, but it doesn't cure anything.
Helpful Hint: The less you take of a drug, the
fewer side effects it has.
Pearl of Wisdom: re the number of ulcers rising in
women vs. men: Blaming a disease on stress is an
ancient and honorable tradition, but it works best
when we're ignorant. Notice what happens to that
clever explanation when I add another statistic:
Heart attacks have also declined for the past thirty
years, but they're dropping equally fast in men and
women.
Myth: If a treatment is painful or dangerous, it
must be Powerful. Reading of the horrible ordeals
patients in primitive tribes willingly endure, no one
should feel superior. All humans believe this myth.
On a superficial level, my patients are convinced
that an injection works better than a pill.
A Deep, Dark Secret: Despite our years of
training, doctors draw many conclusions by looking at
a patient and thinking, Looks sick, or, Doesn't look
sick. Furthermore, we're usually right. When a
patient insists that he or she is sick, but I see
someone who looks okay, I know I'm in for a difficult
time.
An Oppenheim Rule: You can't prevent everything.
An Oppenheim Rule: Stress makes everything worse,
but it doesn't cause anything. Relieving stress makes
everything more tolerable, but it doesn't cure
anything.
The IBD Nutrition Book, Jan K. Greenwood (John
Wiley & Sons, 1992). ISBN 0-471-54630-5 (paperback).
Also available through the Crohn's & Colitis
Foundation Of Canada at 1-800-387-1479.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Clinical Approach,
Henry D. Janowitz, MD (Oxford Univ. Press, 1994) ISBN:
0195078306 (hardcover).
A Special Kind of Cookbook, Mary Sue Waisman
(CCFC Calgary Chapter, 1989).
Your Gut Feelings - A Complete Guide to Living
with Intestinal Problems, Henry D. Janowitz, M.D. (Oxford
University Press, 1994). ISBN 0-19-5089136-7 (paperback).
This is a more general book covering other
intestinal problems besides IBD, such as irritable
bowel syndrome, diverticulosis, colon cancer, food
allergies, the aging gut, gas, effects of medications
on the gut, and the brain-gut connection. The
illustrations of the digestive tract are well done
and much less technical than the above book, It had
some good information on the various places you can
feel intestinal pain and what they likely indicate.
The information on IBD is brief, but a good overview
for someone new to the disease or someone still
trying to figure out what their problem or problems
might be.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome And Diverticulosis, A
Self Help Plan, Shirley Trickett (Thorsons Pub, 1992).
ISBN 0722524013 (paperback).
The Wellness Book of I.B.S.: How to Achieve Relief
from IBS and Live a Symptom-Free Life, Deralee
Scanlon and Barbara Cottman Becnel (St. Martin's Press,
1991). ISBN 0312852266 (paperback).
IBS: A Doctor's Plan for Chronic Digestive
Troubles: The Definitive Guide to Prevention and Relief,
Gerard L. Guillory, M.D. (Hartley & Marks, 1996).
ISBN 088179130X (paperback).
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Natural Approach,
Rosemary Nicol and William Snape (Ulysses Press, 1995).
ISBN 1569750300 (paperback).
7 Weeks to a Settled Stomach, Ronald L.
Hoffman, M.D. (Simon and Schuster, 1990). Includes lots
of alternative medicine therapies. ISBN 0-671-68234-2 (hardcover,
also available in paperback).
Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Elaine Gottschall
(The Kirkton Press, R.R. #1, Kirkton, Ont., N0K 1K0,
phone 519-229-6795, fax 519-229-6969 1994). The
Gottschall Diet - an alternative dietary approach to
the treatment of IBD, diverticulitis, and chronic
diarrhea. ISBN 0-9692768-1-8(paperback).
Gastrointestinal Health - A Self Help Nutritional
Program to Prevent, Cure or Alleviate IBS, Ulcers, Gas,
and other Digestive Diseases, Dr. Steven Peikin. (HarperPerenniel,
1992) ISBN 006098405-8 (paperback).
This book is not specific to IBD and covers a lot
of information about the process of digestion and how
it works as well as a how to figure out what part of
the digestive system is giving you symptoms. Includes
a prescribed diet with recipes that is low protein,
low fat, high fibre and low in sugar and refined
foods. This diet is claimed to correct many digestive
disorders from IBS to acid problems to
diverticulosis, but although it may improve IBD, he
never claims a cure and suggests checking with your
doctor to make sure you can tolerate the high fibre.
Indigestion - Living Better with Upper Intestinal
Problems from Heartburn to Ulcers and Gallstones,
Henry D. Janowitz, M.D. (Oxford University Press, 1994),
ISBN 019508554X (paperback).
Good Foods for Bad Stomachs, Henry D.
Janowitz, M.D., (Oxford University Press, 1997), ISBN
0195087925 (hardcover).
Gastroenterology for the House Officer,
edited by David B. Sachar, Jerome D. Waye, and Blair S.
Lewis (William & Wilkins, 1989). Intended audience is
doctors, but is relatively cheap ($20) as medical
textbooks go. ISBN 0-683-07488-1 (paperback).
Healing Your Body Naturally - Alternative
Treatments to Illness, Gary Null (Seven Stories
Press, 1997). ISBN 1888363460 (paperback). Includes a big
chapter on digestive disorders.
As indicated by the title, this is a book of
alternative treatments to common medical problems-arthritis,
cancer, heart disease, etc. Some of them sound very
exciting and worth investigating if you suffer from
these problems. It has a chapter on digestive
diseases but doesn't deal with IBD specifically, and
again, it's high fibre, vegetarian approach, though
it's undoubtedly very good for most people, may not
be tolerated by those with active disease. There is a
distinct anti-medical bias with lots of stories of
wrong medication and diagnosis by the medical
establishment, but also lots of hopeful stories of
"spontaneous remissions" tied to health
food type cures.
The Self-help Way to Treat Colitis and other IBS
Conditions, De Lamar Gibbons, M.D.,(Keats
Publishing, New Canaan, CT., 1992). ISBN 0-87983-536-2 (paperback).
This book, written by an M.D. that suffered from colitis,
describes dietary approaches based on his personal
experiences.
Ileostomy Handbook - Stoma Care and Management
Techniques, Anita L. Price, C.E.T. (Certified
Enterostomal Therapist), Charles C. Thomas Publisher,
2600 South First Street, Springfield, Illinois 62717.
ISBN 0-398-04931-9 (hardcover).
The Ostomy Book: Living Comfortably With
Colostomies and Ileostomies, Barbara Dorr Mullen,
Kerry Anne McGinn, (Bull Publishing, 1992). ISBN
0923521127 (paperback).
Triumph Over Disease - By Fasting and Natural Diet,
Jack Goldstein, (Arco Pub. Co., c1977). ISBN 0668041382 (hardcover.),
ISBN 0668041404 (paperback). The author's experience with
Ulcerative Colitis.
3.1 Are
there other useful books out there about coping with
chronic illness?
After the Diagnosis: From Crisis to Spiritual
Renewal for Patients with Chronic Illness, Joann
LeMaistre (Ulysses Press, 1995). ISBN 1569750467. (paperback).
Alive and Kicking, Rolf Benirschke, (A K
Productions, 1996). ISBN 1885553404 (paperback).
Beyond Rage: Mastering Unavoidable Health Changes,
JoAnn LeMaistre, Ph.D. (Alpine Guild, Oak Park IL, 1993).
Another good book on coping with chronic illness, written
by a psychologist who developed multiple sclerosis as an
adult. ISBN 0931712114 (hardcover).
Colitis (The Experience of Illness), Michael
P. Kelly (Tavistock, 1992). ISBN 0963387707 (paperback).
Crohn's, Colitis, Hemorrhoids and Me,
Kathlene J. O'Leary (Anderson Press, 1995). ISBN
0964757133 (paperback).
Easy For You to Say: Q&A's for Teens Living
With Chronic Illness, Miriam Kaufman, M.D. (Key
Porter Books, 1995). ISBN 1550136194 (paperback).
If This is a Test, Have I Passed Yet?, Ferne
Sherkin-Langer, R.N., BScN (MacMillan Canada). ISBN 0-7715-9046-6.
Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal,
Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. (Riverhead Books, 1996). ISBN
1573220426 (hardcover).
Living with Chronic Illness: Days of Patience and
Passion, Cheri Register. (The Free Press, hardcover).
A Bantam paperback edition of this book can be purchased
from the author for $12 U.S. ($9.95 plus $2.05 postage).
Mail to: Cheri Register, 4226 Washburn Ave, Minneapolis,
MN 55410-1521. ISBN 055328438X.
I can't recommend this book highly enough, I just
couldn't put it down, which is high praise for a non-fiction
book. The author herself suffers from a recurring
invisible chronic illness (in her case liver trouble)
and interviewed thirty other people in the course of
preparing to write the book, several of whom had IBD.
She deals with all the issues we face in the course
of our illness: body image; effects on children,
spouse and family; fears; balancing dependence and
independence; work decisions; dealing with doctors
and hospitals; spiritual ways of coping, and much
more.
One of the things I liked best was that she showed
that different people often had very different ways
of coping with the same problem or feeling, but made
no value judgments as to the 'best' way. The book is
sprinkled with quotes from people who have 'been
there' and makes it clear that there is not just one
way of coping, but that each person must find their
own way. All the way through I kept running across
familiar feelings and problems and new ways of
looking at old problems.
Her discussion of the way society turns sufferer
from chronic illness into heroic figures (the brave
person bearing up under hardship) was eye opening.
Her question 'What if we don't feel like being
heroic? What if we want to complain and be angry
about it?' Should we feel we've failed if we give in
and express these feelings instead of suffering in
silence? After all, were we given a choice about it?
The only option besides "living with it" is
suicide, a rather drastic solution. We can perhaps
appreciate the 'character building' aspects of
illness, but still wish it didn't happen!
My favourite quote from the book was "Things
work out," something to keep in mind as you feel
yourself starting to panic under stress!