Shows
Wrestling the Octopus (IBD)#13 Nigel and Rachel Reflect on Recent Life with IBD...Welcome back, folks!Think of this episode as a commercial break between our interviews with patients and healthcare professionals. In Episode 13, Nigel and I shoot the breeze about our lives with inflammatory bowel disease... with a little bit of insight into what it means to be a patient with either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. We also swap notes on the annoying healthcare-related things we would like to consign to Room 101, given half the chance!We hope you enjoy listening to our patient podcast on living with IBD. Please...
2025-08-2527 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#12 Mental Health and IBD with Clinical Psychologist, Dr Stacey BoardmanAsk anyone living with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis what their main concerns are and you'll find the topic of mental health in IBD right up there, top of the list.So Nigel and I were delighted when we found out a mental health expert wanted to come onto our podcast to share a few pearls about supporting good mental health in IBD.Welcome to Dr Stacey Boardman, an IBD clinical psychologist at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust. Stacey talks to us about her role on the gastro psychology team and how...
2025-08-1244 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#11 Author Vicky Ball Discusses Life With IBD - Plus Her Famous Viral Moment!Author Vicky Ball has lived with mild inflammatory bowel disease since 2021. She has published two teen fiction books, with a third adult fiction book in the works.In this episode of Wrestling the Octopus: The IBD Patient Podcast, Vicky talks to us about how she manages her career as a writer while living with IBD. She also tells us about her now-famous viral moment with her book sales.We hope Vicky's story spurs on many aspiring writers with IBD to achieve their publishing dreams!You can follow Vicky on X...
2025-08-0716 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#10 IBD and Ageing - Gastroenterologist, Dr Adam Faye Tells Us What We Need to Know!Getting older with inflammatory bowel disease - be that Crohn's or ulcerative colitis - comes with specific challenges and tailored decision-making with our healthcare teams.This includes considering drug safety as we age, other conditions (co-morbidities) we develop as we get older, plus the safety of procedures - and much more besides.So we are delighted to welcome to this episode Dr Adam Faye, gastroenterologist at NYU Langone in the US, who delivers a tour-de-force guide to ageing with IBD. Dr Faye specialises in this subject in his New York practice....
2025-07-2947 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#9 Travelling With IBD - Our Interview With IBD Passport Founder, Kay GrevesonGoing on your summer holidays? Travelling with Crohn's or ulcerative colitis? Join us on our latest episode of Wrestling the Octopus: The IBD Patient Podcast as we chat with Kay Greveson, Kay is the founder of IBD Passport - a brilliant resource and educational website for people with IBD who need information on travel with their disease. We talk about the Sunflower Lanyard; what to do if you need the toilet when the seatbelt signs are on; adapting to diet in different countries; travelling with medication - and much more besides.See ibdpassport.co...
2025-07-2229 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#8 From Birkenhead to Philadelphia - an IBD Patient's StoryIn this episode of Wrestling the Octopus: The IBD Patient Podcast, Nigel and I are delighted to welcome Rob, our first IBD patient guest on the show!Rob talks to us about his diagnosis of Crohn's as a Brit in the USA. We absolutely loved speaking with him - highly relatable and a really nice guy to boot!Let us know what you think - plenty more patient episodes coming up!Follow Rachel at @bottomlineibd Follow Nigel at @crohnoid
2025-07-1730 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#7 Having a Colonoscopy - Top Tips and Musings from Two Veteran IBD PatientsWho can believe we've notched up 7 episodes already?!But indeed we have!If you have Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, you will doubtless have had (or are due to have) a colonoscopy or three.In this episode, we reflect on our past experiences of having colonoscopies. As well as the ouch! moments, there are some top tips along the way...As ever, please let us know your thoughts too - and we welcome suggestions for future topics to cover.Follow Rachel at @bottomlineibd Follow Nigel at @crohnoid
2025-07-0520 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#6 Part 2 - More IBD patients' questions answered by Dr Mark SamaanIn Part 2 of Episode 6 of Wrestling the Octopus IBD, we put some more IBD patient questions to consultant gastroenterologist, Dr Mark Samaan from Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital in London.This time we're asking what is the definition of an IBD flare, how frequently patients should be monitored - both in active disease and remission - and whether there is a place for surgery as an early treatment option.Nigel and I would like to thank Dr Samaan for generously donating his time as a medical guest on these two podcasts.We'd love to...
2025-06-1733 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#6 Part 1 - IBD patients' questions answered by Dr Mark SamaanNigel and I had the pleasure of recording a two-part podcast for Episode 6 of Wrestling the Octopus with consultant gastroenterologist, Dr Mark Samaan.Dr Samaan treats IBD patients at Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital in London - where the service has around 6,000 patients on its books.We are really grateful to Dr Samaan for answering some of the common questions that Crohn's and UC patients have about their disease.This episode is Part 1 of 2.Follow Rachel at @bottomlineibd Follow Nigel at @crohnoid
2025-06-1232 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#5 Good Medicine in IBD - Through the Eyes of PatientsIn Episode 5 of Wrestling the Octopus, Nigel and I discuss our definition of "good medicine". What does this term mean to us as patients - and how might it differ from how healthcare professionals define it?Should "good medicine" take in all the softer clinical skills that go beyond academic knowledge, or is the focus on getting the right drug to the right patient?As ever, we welcome your feedback on this episode. And don't forget that we're always glad to hear your suggestions for future topics!Follow Rachel at @bottomlineibd ...
2025-06-0329 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#4 World IBD Day special - Shooting the breeze on IBDIn our fourth episode of Wrestling the Octopus IBD, recorded to mark World IBD Day, Nigel and I busk our way through various IBD topics. Whatever comes to mind - in whichever order - that we think merits discussion. Some serious, some silly.We talk managing fatigue, the cost of living with Crohn's, the crazy things that steroids made us do, and why neither of us like the idea of wearables to track our IBD. Plus lots more.We'd love to hear your opinions too and, as ever, let...
2025-05-1948 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#4 World IBD Day special - Shooting the breeze on IBDIn our fourth episode of Wrestling the Octopus IBD, recorded to mark World IBD Day, Nigel and I busk our way through various IBD topics. Whatever comes to mind - in whichever order - that we think merits discussion. Some serious, some silly.We talk managing fatigue, the cost of living with Crohn's, the crazy things that steroids made us do, and why neither of us like the idea of wearables to track our IBD. Plus lots more.We'd love to hear your opinions too and, as ever, let...
2025-05-1948 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#3 Advocating for yourself as an IBD patient - what it means and how to do it!Welcome to Episode 3 in our 8-part podcast series on living with inflammatory bowel disease. In this episode we're talking about how to advocate for yourself (and others, if you're a carer) to give your health the best opportunity to thrive. Nigel and I give our opinions on what we think advocacy is and some examples of when we used to it to good effect, plus a personal anecdote of how not advocating can cause disadvantage,We hope you enjoy this episode - as ever, we would love to hear yo...
2025-04-2832 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#2 How Do You Like Your IBD Medication Served... Oral, IV or Injection?Welcome to Episode 2 in our 8-part podcast series on living with inflammatory bowel disease. We’re talking how we take medication in this episode: IV infusions, self-injectables (sub-cut) and oral tablets. What are the pros and cons of each method and how do anxiety, disease state and other factors influence patient decisions on how to receive medication? And why might oral medication not necessarily be the choice of patients even though it’s undoubtedly convenient? We also mention a recent study on whether to discl...
2025-03-1925 minWrestling the Octopus (IBD)#1 To start or stop IBD medication? We debate this hot topic!Welcome to the first in our 8-part podcast series on living with inflammatory bowel disease.Two IBD patients. Both in remission. One used to be on medication, but isn't anymore. The other didn't used to be on medication, but is now.With a total of 70 years of lived IBD experience between us, Nigel (@crohnoid) and myself (@bottomlineibd) discuss our different opinions on starting and stopping our Crohn's medications.We also have advice for patients and healthcare professionals who are navigating this difficult topic.We hope you enjoy this podcast... a...
2025-02-1826 min