Gut and bowel issues can be debilitating, affecting daily life significantly. While dietary changes and medications often help, those with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases such as Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis face these challenges every day.

This Monday marks the beginning of Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week, a campaign dedicated to shedding light on the hurdles faced by individuals living with these conditions, which result in painful sores and inflammation of the digestive tract. According to Crohn’s and Colitis UK, symptoms may include cramping, diarrhea, swollen joints, mouth ulcers, fatigue, and a decrease in weight and appetite. A TikTok influencer, who goes by the name letstalkcrohns, shared five revelations he wished he had known before being diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease, as reported by the Mirror.

He expressed that understanding these five points earlier “would have spared me a lot of stress, confusion, and anxiety.” He began by clarifying: “Flare-ups aren’t just about urgent bathroom trips or stomach pain. I didn’t anticipate experiencing joint pain, fatigue, fever, or brain fog. It affects your entire body, not just your gut.”

He further mentioned: “People might assume you’re not sick because you don’t look it, and that’s incredibly frustrating. Just because it’s invisible doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”

In his subsequent advice, he aimed to dispel myths about diet. “It’s not solely about food,” he noted.

“I used to think that merely avoiding trigger foods was sufficient, but stress, lack of sleep, and over-exertion all significantly impact your health,” he explained.

He went on to explain: “Hospital visits can become a regular thing, and not every treatment might work for you the first time. It’s a process of trial and error, having patience, and finding a solution that works for you.”

Discussing remission, when symptoms become less noticeable, he explained: “Remission doesn’t mean that you’re going to feel 100 per cent better. Hopefully you have good days, but you’re still going to have bad days, and because Crohn’s is a chronic condition, it still requires a certain level of management, but hopefully over time you’ll find something that works for you.”

He concluded by saying: “I wish I knew a lot of this sooner, but honestly, how are you supposed to know?”

In the video’s comments section, the presenter added: “I actually want to add to this and say… it’s not all doom and gloom. Hopefully you’ll still have very normal days along the journey, some days you might not be ok, and that’s ok!

“I used to get so frustrated when I felt a little off but it’s all part of it! Just take on your shoulders and be aware of the highs n lows!”

TikTok users shared their own experiences in the comments. One revealed: “Took me two years to find the right medication for Ulcerative Colitis disease. Been in a flare since last November and I’m only just starting to come out the other side.”

Another commented: “I could not have worded this better myself, well said. So sick of seeing posts and the first thing they talk about is how much they go to the toilet. It’s so much worse and more than that.”

A different user expressed: “I also wish I knew how opinionated people can be about an illness they don’t have. People always tell me what diets to try like that’s how it works.”

And another advised: “Place your mental health first. It’s a lot harder to do that than the physical. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel, even if it’s small victories at a time.”

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week runs from Monday, December 1, to Sunday, December 7. Find out more at crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/