You might want extra support to help you manage Crohn’s disease. In addition to your medical team, there are many resources you can use to get reliable information to feel better, including blogs, online communities, and nonprofit organizations. These outlets can offer you emotional support, tips for living with Crohn’s, and chances to meet others with the condition virtually or in person.
Your doctor may be able to refer you to in-person support groups. You can explore options online.
Online sources are useful to gain different viewpoints and find out more information. But you should never use a website or blog as medical advice. Ask yourself:
- Who created this website?
- Are they selling anything?
- Do they say things that sound too good to be true?
- Is the material up to date, reviewed by a doctor, and based in scientific study?
Nonprofit Organizations
These nonprofit sites offer information about living with Crohn’s and ways to connect to others with the condition.
- Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation: www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/
- CDC’s information on inflammatory bowel disease: www.cdc.gov/ibd
- Connecting to Cure Crohn’s and Colitis: www.connectingtocure.org/
You may also want to check out these professional medical organizations related to digestive disorders.
- American College of Gastroenterology: www.gi.org/
- American Gastroenterological Association: www.gastro.org/
If you’re worried about how to pay for Crohn’s disease treatments, there are resources available for financial help:
- Medicine Assistance Tool. This is a search engine that allows you to be matched with resources that can help lower medical costs, even if you don’t have insurance.
- NeedyMeds. This nonprofit group’s site can offer you a discount card for Crohn’s disease drugs and help with other medical costs.
- Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. Its site also has a Patient Financial Assistance Programs page that lists companies that can help with Crohn’s treatment and medication costs. They include options like scholarships, copay card programs, nonprofit options, financial aid, and more.
Blogs
Some people with Crohn’s disease blog about their experiences. These pages can offer you insight to how others live a successful life with a chronic condition. You may also be able to connect with people from your community in comment sections of blogs. But always check with your doctor first before trying anything that you found online. Never act on treatment suggestions without talking to your doctor first.
- Inflamed and Untamed:www.inflamedanduntamed.org
- Lights Camera Crohn’s:www.lightscameracrohns.com
- Ali on the Run: www.aliontherunblog.com/
- The Stolen Colon: www.stolencolon.com/
Online Communities
You can also find some of the organizations listed above on social media. They’ll usually link to their official social media accounts from their website.
Facebook. There are many pages that allow you to connect with others who have Crohn’s disease. Many groups are private, but anyone who has the condition can join. Some groups are broader, and some are specific to location, gender, or other characteristics. www.facebook.com/groups/1000889006625131/
Reddit. This site connects you with others who have similar hobbies or areas of interest. You can join different forums and learn more from people in the community. There are groups specifically made for people with Crohn’s disease. You can post your tips and read posts from others. www.reddit.com/r/CrohnsDisease/
Popular hashtags. You can search for #crohnsdisease, #crohnswarrior, or #crohns.
It’s important to always ensure that your content is reliable. Information online can often be incorrect. Make sure that you:
- Check that the social media account is who they say they are. Always go through an organization’s website to find their social media pages.
- Look for verified accounts. Major organizations have a specific symbol that ensures they’re real and not a spam account.
- Ask yourself the same questions about the quality of the information that you would for anything you read online.