Crohn’s Disease and IBD can make life very difficult. Gut pain, bloating, anal discharge, urgency, and fecal incontinence are all difficult subjects to discuss. Here is a list of items that have made my life with Crohn’s Disease a bit easier.
Here are some items I personally recommended that can help make your life with Crohn’s or IBD so much easier. I have personally purchased and/or used every item I recommend. These are items that help me get through my day with Crohn’s.
By means of full disclosure, I may earn a small commission from Amazon for links to any products or services from this website.
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$37.41$32.48Buy NowEnsure Max Protein drinks are great when you are having trouble eating and need both calories and protein. They come in several flavors, have only 1 gram of sugar, and 30 grams of protein. I always keep a few in the fridge for those days I just don't feel like eating, so I don't get shaky or weak.
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11/21/2024 04:27 am GMT -
$35.99See More DetailsDripDrop electrolyte powder can really help you stay hydrated during medical issues and recoveries. Both my cancer and GI nutritionists recommended it, and it is available in a variety of flavors. Fruit Punch is my favorite, with Grape as a close second.
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11/20/2024 09:51 am GMT -
$35.99See More DetailsWhen chronic diarrhea strikes, can dehydration or electrolyte imbalances be far behind? (Pun intended.) DripDrop has fabulous flavors that you mix with water to increase your hydration. This electrolyte powder comes in a variety of great flavors!
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11/21/2024 04:27 am GMT -
$9.99Buy NowThese compact emesis bags were the most essential thing I needed (and used) during radiation and chemo! I always kept one in my bag, in my car, and much of the time, in my hand!
I can't tell you how many times this kept me from throwing up in an Uber or friend's car while traveling to or from the cancer center, or what a relief it was to have one of these on my bedside table for those times you need one and there is no time to get up and run to the bathroom! Trust me, these are essential while going through chemo and radiation.
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11/20/2024 11:18 am GMT -
$24.95See More DetailsIBDassist IBD Relief works wonders for the symptoms of IBD and it is made to work in conjunction with IBDassist. (As with any vitamin or supplement, you should consult your doctor to make certain this is an appropriate product for you.)
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11/20/2024 10:22 am GMT -
$22.99See More DetailsA sitz bath is so helpful in reducing the pain from hemorrhoids and anal itchiness and sensitivity. This one can collapse for smaller storage. While the description doesn't say it fits an American oval toilet seat, it does. The squeeze bulb can be used to push water to just the right place. A soak in a warm sitz bath can provide so much relief.
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11/21/2024 03:53 am GMT -
$25.00$19.99See More DetailsAdd a small amount of these Sitz Bath Salts for Hemorrhoids to warm water in your sitz bath and soak for about 10 minutes. You can't imagine how much pain it will relieve. This is the best brand I've found so far.
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11/21/2024 03:54 am GMT -
$45.99See More DetailsA wedge can help you get more comfortable in bed while recovering from a variety of surgeries. It can also help with GI issues such as GERD. This memory foam wedge is extremely comfortable.
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11/21/2024 03:54 am GMT -
$35.99$24.99See More DetailsWhy a stethoscope? You can use it to listen to your bowel sounds in your gut. You can tell if they are faint and slow, or loud and gurgling. The most important reason to have one? If you hear nothing, then your bowels may not be moving at all. This could be a sign that things are blocked and that you may even have a possible partial or full obstruction. If nothing else, this stethoscope (which is long enough to reach my belly) gives me some peace of mind.
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11/20/2024 09:51 am GMT -
$8.67See More DetailsExam gloves are essential when using anal/rectal suppositories or for applying ointments. They are especially necessary if you are dealing with any cream that is made of zinc oxide (such as Calmoseptine or Destin) because otherwise, it is really difficult to wash the cream off of your fingers (it resists water and moisture.) Gloves just make it so much easier.
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11/21/2024 03:53 am GMT -
See More DetailsFecal incontinence is a very unwelcome side effect to GI issues and sometimes from radiation and chemo. These pads can help with this embarrassing situation.
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$7.95See More DetailsHere's a link to my first book, Embracing Life's Limitations: Letting Go of Who You Were Supposed to Be. It is a story of growing up with bilateral hip dysplasia, living with psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, and talks about my first cancer journey, months in hospice, and the incredible doctor who tried a very risky surgery that ultimately saved my life. It's about learning to adapt to, and even embrace, our many limitations.
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11/20/2024 10:23 am GMT -
See More Details$14.99We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
11/20/2024 09:51 am GMT -
See More Details$8.99We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
09/18/2024 04:15 am GMT -
$16.97See More DetailsThese soft, unscented wipes are so much easier on your bum than toilet paper, especially if you are dealing with anal pain or hemorrhoids. (Don't forget, these are not flushable. Put them in a covered trash can and not in the toilet!)
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11/20/2024 10:23 am GMT -
See More DetailsThis self-opening and closing bathroom trash can opens by motion, and closes tightly afterwards. It is a small size, and it keeps unsightly trash (such as wipes, used gloves, used incontinence pads, etc.) out of sight. I got one of these for each bathroom specifically to make sure my dog didn't get into the trash and causes a mess.
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$19.99See More DetailsIf you are recovering from abdominal surgery, these women's panties can provide the support you need during the healing process. They are supportive, comfortable, and the fabric breathes well. The higher waist helps prevent having underwear elastic directly pressing on the radical hysterectomy incisions. These certainly are more comfortable than the abdominal binder you may be given at the hospital (and they happy to be pretty, as well.)
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11/20/2024 09:51 am GMT -
$44.95See More DetailsWhen you have IBD it can be really hard to absorb certain vitamins. IBDassist has the vitamins we need in the dosages we need to help keep us healthy. It is so much easier to take one capsule than dozens of individual ones. (As with any vitamin or supplement, you should discuss its use with your doctor.)
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11/20/2024 09:51 am GMT -
$17.99See More DetailsRollin' With My Crohnies! I just happen to love this t-shirt. It is available in Men's, Women's, and Youth sizes. They also have many color choices. Sometimes, you just have to have a sense of humor about things. You could laugh or you could cry -- I'd rather laugh!
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11/20/2024 10:23 am GMT -
$27.99See More DetailsIf you end up with a hernia because of Crohn's or IBD, or if you've had one surgically repaired but still want to have some extra support, I think you'll like this hernia belt. It gives great support and allows you to be more active without making things worse. You can just use the belt portion to provide support after an open radical hysterectomy, as well.
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11/20/2024 10:23 am GMT -
$22.96See More DetailsIf you have bile acid malabsorption and have to take a bile acid sequestrant, such as Cholestrymine, Colesavalam, or Colestopol, then you know how hard it is to mix the bile acid powder with juice or another liquid. It clumps. It floats. It is thick and grainy, and hard to drink. But if you have a Helimix Vortex, you simply pour the powder and the liquid in, shake it up and down 20 times, and it will be thoroughly mixed. I've never found anything that works this well. I highly recommend the Helimix Vortex.
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11/20/2024 11:17 am GMT -
$19.95$14.44See More DetailsCalmoseptine Ointment temporarily relieves discomfort and itching around the anus. It provides a multiple purpose moisture barrier. It has a numbing agent to reduce the pain from hemorrhoids, or the itchiness caused by excessive diarrhea. This is my "go to" product for anal itch, burning, and pain.
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11/20/2024 11:18 am GMT -
$19.99$5.58See More DetailsGreat for learning the basics about Crohn's and colitis.
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11/20/2024 10:23 am GMT -
$11.86$8.98See More DetailsDesitin with the purple label can be so helpful with the irritation and skin breakage that can happen during and after radiation. It contains zinc-oxide (so you have to wash it completely off prior to any radiation treatments) but it can help skin in the anal areas to stay dry so it can heal. (Itis always best to wear exam gloves to apply this because it can be hard to rinse off bare hands._
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11/20/2024 10:23 am GMT -
$31.95See More DetailsDo you love to swim but fear having a fecal accident while in the pool? These adult swim reusable pants can be worn under your swimsuit, or in many cases, instead of swimsuit bottoms. They fit snuggly around the waist and legs to prevent leaking. While they aren't the most attractive thing in the world, they can give you the chance to return to swimming without fear of fecal accidents.
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11/20/2024 11:18 am GMT -
$38.99See More DetailsWith Crohn's or IBD, while recovering from hip replacement surgeries, and during medical treatment for cancer, a bidet is an essential piece of equipment. Easy to add to your toilet, and easy to use, a bidet cleans your bottom with a stream of water and helps reduce toilet paper irritation. It also reduces the need for a twisting motion (to wipe.)
If you've never used a bidet, you don't know what you are missing. Thisis a basic model that uses room temperature water, but they also come in deluxe models that use heated water, and ones that have two streams -- one for your bottom and one for women during their menstrual cycle. Once you have a bidet, you'll never understand how you did without one!
(This bidgt is easy to install. I didn't need a plumber, my retired neighbor came over and installed it in less than 30 minutes.)
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11/21/2024 03:54 am GMT -
$29.99$24.99See More DetailsThis sofa or bed cup holder is amazing! It can hold cups of coffee, cans or glasses, as well as other items. I personally keep my glasses in one section for safekeeping, along with my Roku remote. When I adjust my adjustable bed, this cup holder stays in place. It is so helpful whether on a bed, a couch, or a table top.
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11/21/2024 03:54 am GMT -
$101.92$42.55See More DetailsThis bedside commode is inexpensive yet sturdy, and able to accommodate a person up to 350 lbs. During recovery, using a bedside commode is so much safer than taking risky walks in the dark to the bathroom.
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11/20/2024 10:23 am GMT -
$23.99See More DetailsThese pads and liners make keeping a bedside commode so much easier. They also reduce smells that accumulate overnight or in-between being emptied.
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11/20/2024 11:08 am GMT
awesome suggestions! I already have a few of these things but like your suggestions. I have IBS -c.