The Food Hospital Tonight. Featuring crohns

I'm there!!

Tony

I'm not in he UK so I can't watch the show and the site won't allow me to stream it in my country Please fill me in if you can!

It mainly looks at the LOFFLEX diet, you should be able to view the information on the channel 4 website.

Just watched it, Found it quite interesting to see crohns disease being covered in this sort of program. I'm guessing this was shot a while ago so hopefully laura has been feeling much better and found a way to control the flares. Well done and thank you for sharing your experiences for the show.

Great to see someone highlighting this disease - I have only seen up to the point where Laura has been given the drinks, hope to watch the rest tomorrow.

I hope all went well anyway and that it has greatly helped and we will hopefully learn something about this technique.

I just watched it. Was good to raise a bit of awareness and I hope laura is doing well. I wish they had spoken about how differently everyone is effected though. This sort of diet is good for Laura as she was flareing so often, but for me it would be quite extreme usually.
I'm just thinking in terms of how people will view it who don't know anything about Crohn's. I also feel like they over simplified it, basically said it was all down to diet, when anything could trigger a flare and we dont know what it could be.

YUP, got it in one Miss V !

It really did send out the wrong message.

I got really angry watching it - I felt it totally made crohn's look like an almost trivial illness that can be "cured" through a liquid diet and a short course of steroids. Also, her symptoms aren't the most typical of crohn's and I felt it completely sent the wrong message and misrepresented the illness. They didn't even mention blood/mucus etc on the symptoms list! Now when I tell people I have crohn's they will think it's a skin condition.
Although that being said I hope laura gets well and wish her all the best - it's not her fault it's the program I'm annoyed at

xxxx

I sort of had a bit of an opinion along those lines aswell, but didnt want to say anything.... as im not having a pop at laura, more the show itself and how the disease was put across. It was good to see crohns get something on national tv but i agree with what everyone else has said about it giving a wrong image of the disease and how it can affect other people. I feel let down that it didn't seem to mention the need for surgery, something that around 80% of sufferers will need at some point. although i guess the whole point of the show was trying to treat a case of crohns by diet, its something that a lot of people aren't in a position to do. and after telling a few friends to watch it in the hope they can understand what i go through on a daily basis i feel they will have a blinkered view of crohns even more so now.

Yes Martin that's my worry too!
work colleagues are gonna think it's just bloating!
I told everyone to watch it in the hope it would raise awareness but it's made it sound like it's trivial and can be helped or 'cured' with diet.
so dissappointed, shame on you channel 4!

Totally agree with you guys. Watched it with great hope and expectation that a bit more info and understanding of crohns would come out of it. Instead I felt let down and even more concerned that there are a lot of people out there who think "You've got Crohns? That's not so bad. It's not like you're REALLY sick."

Saying that, I'll be interested to know how Laura gets on.

Yes, I agree with these comments- whilst (I assume) this was a useful approach for Laura the show did nothing to acknowledge how varied and difficult Crohn's can be. I hope that no-one I know saw it! If I ate some spinach at the moment I would probably explode!!

OK.... how about everyone watch the show again and realise that your being far to miserable and negative and perhaps should smile and be positive ?!?!?!?!

Firstly they said Crohns is incurable!

Secondly they said symptoms 'MAY' include.... XY&Z

Thirdly the 'SAFE FOODS' that are included in the LOFFLEX diet work for 95% of crohns sufferer's- which in 8/9 years of having crohn's disease i have NEVER been told about by any doctor SO THANK YOU channel 4 for telling me about this! I suggest Astra you should not 'shame' channel 4.... Cos they've done a hell of a lot of good for me and loads of the other people on the show .... FOR EXAMPLE did you see the very young boy on the first episode who suffered from migraines??? and used to say to his mum 'i want to die????' well he doesn't have migraines any more thanks to channel4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fourthly - This is a show NOT about crohns but about DIET.... thus they had like 10 mins to explain crohns - explain MY crohns and explain what might work for me.... and thus other people with crohns too.... it doesnt mean it will work for everyone. BUT i guarantee there are more people out there who it will benefit.

Fifthly they explain that is a 'TOOL' (not a 'cure') for me for life- for remission- for flare ups.

They explain crohns pretty dam well within like 10 mins- for people with or without crohns. If you wanna go into detail about crohns then you'd have to read books, read all research articles, watch documentaries, speak to LOADS of dif people with dif symptoms/stories etc etc etc

they ask me 'how are you feeling about YOUR ability to manage YOUR crohns'.... not everyones crohns in the world!

then i explain that 'it is definitely an ongoing process which i learn more about as i go along that there'll always be a trigger food but iv learnt more knowledge about recognising symptoms etc etc'

THEY end on the phrase if i can continue to do my own research on my self.... there is a CHANCE that i could put my crohns into remission for life'

AND you know what... there is a CHANCE (theres a chance for EVERYONE)

you can either believe that- try the diet, try other diets, try other treatments and have the hope and faith that you could also have a CHANCE of being in remission for life...... or you can be negative!

Laura can i ask you a few questions - how long ago was the filming? Are you still using the LOFFLEX diet when you flare up? Is it still providing you with relief? and have you came across many trigger foods?

It was interesting to see the different symtpoms Crohns can create. In many ways its probably not a surprise that so many of us don't get diagnosed for years due to the huge differences in symptoms between people.

Though i think Drs need to be more proactive in ruling out ibd instead of taking an ibs approach first.

Thats my two pence worth lol.

i applied for the show in April, only weeks after my third year dissertation was handed in and between April and June i did have one flare up once a month..
idid the screen test in April, then filmed from then through thesummer months and my final filming was September (i think) around the time i graduated.
im now usung the LOFFLEX diet with the foods that iv tried that work for me ALL the time. If i get a flare up im allowed to go on the liquid only diet to get me better [drinks are very yummy and satisfying]
Wheat was the 1st thing i tested after being on purly safe foods for like 4 weeks and that was bad ...it was completely obvious that iwas a trigger food

so i went back2basics then tried a new food when symptons deceased.

tomatoes dark choc caffinine white bread eggs citrus seemed fine BUT ..... now i want 2 go back to safe foods for maybe a month then try foods again to double cheak cos wheat was obvious but the rest werent so i want to give myself ime and be sure

I had wondered if they were as tasty as you said or did you just not want to say "eughhh!" on camera lol.

So are you currently off wheat or do you just stick with it till things settle down?

Also if you start feeling a flare today for instance, how long do you stick with liquids, then how long do you stick with safe foods before adding others.

I would imagine it is quite hard to know if food is a trigger or wether you just ate them at the wrong time, i've yet to discover a trigger food though, like yourself, found tomatoes to be fine.

Sorry for asking so many questions - but i'm just curious because i'm quite green about this sort of diet.

I was on them for a month and they taste pretty horrible especially the cartons the one on the programe fruits of the forrest tasted like bad cough sweets! eughhh!

So how many foods have you found that you cannot tolerate? And does it making eating outside your home (at friends or restruarants etc) difficult?

Would you be on this diet now if it wasnt for the programme? I once spoke to a nutritionist at the hospital but she was useless (eat a healthy and balanced diet even when you are feeling poorly was all she wanted to say)

Hi rygon ,check out Inflammatory bowel disease by Professor john Hunter, you can get it on Amazon .Its written by the guy who develpoed the diet and explains it all in detail.

Rygon - If she was a nutritionist rather than a dietition, then she isn't qualified enough to advise about diseases. She shouldn't really be talking to someone like you, and should have referred you onto someone who can help you.
We get told all the time on our course to only advise a balanced diet and to refer people who need more help. I wouldn't feel able to advise anyone on here about diet.

Laura my beautiful sister. All I can really say is ''Well said''.

To everyone else pro or anti ''The Food hospital'' I totally understand that no one on here is meaning to upset Laura, other people from the programme, or our family. I also get that people are not meaning to be rude but indeedy Laura people need to re watch the episode and revaluate what it was actually trying to achive.

I agree with you Lau in relation to some people being a bit negative about ''the food hospital''and not really understanding what the programme was focussing on and what the programmes message actually was. I.E :- ''Exploring Lauras personal situation and using diet as one way of dealing with crohns''.
As She has said the programme was tailor made for her and so it wont be totally relevant to every person with the condition. To do that you would have to have a six week series only about chrons!!!, and even then it wouldnt cover everyone and everything!. Their are alot of people in this world who are all unique and who will either love the show or have mixeed feelings about it. What we need to remember is that it was a 'snap shot' in one young ladies life.

Yes 'The Food Hospital' didnt explain all the in's and out's, but come on too be fair that wasnt what it was about!. The programme wasnt the ''A-Z of crohns'' it was delving into one small area. To fully represent the condition a programme and/or series would need to be made, with more than one subject and containing all elements. This was not the purpose of ''The Food hospital''.

As cheesy as it sounds 'at the end of the day the programme did its best to show how food relates to chrons in a short time span. And channel four did an amazing job in helping my sister. The population was given a sound understanding of the basics of crohns and how diet can help or hinder it. All of this was achieved in around 12minutes. I think this is pretty good going.

I personally dont think you all are getting the point of the programme and understanding the aim of it really. I think you all watched the programme thinking about what it would be about, and when it wasnt what you pictured in your mind youve got upset, angry and deffensive.
To here some of you have sent email's to Ch4 to make a complaints saddens me, but everyone has a right and a voice and if thats what you wish to do and have done thats your choice. I still stick by the view that your not really undertsanding the concept of this programme. Yes if a programme could be made to totally dedicate itself to crohns that would be great, as im sure Laura would agree, but this wasnt what 'The food hospital' intended to do.

For me overall Ch4 made a big positive contribution to all people with crohns by showing hope. So I hope this can help other people like my sister, because its important to always have faith and stay positive, because you just dont know whats around the corner....?.

So be proactive and use ''The food hospital'' as an experience and a learning curve. As Laura says moaning about the negatives does not help anyone, it just gets more people feeling down. Instead I suggest you all use this to be productive. Take all their advice or some of it and use it to move forward....

At the end of the day Ch4 is in my good books as its done 3 amazing things in my eyes:-
1) Made people aware of what crohns is in relation to diet
2)Made people talk about it, which is a good thing (I mean come on!, look what its created on here....abit of a storm!?!)
3) Got my sister through a tough summer and given her the tools to investigate, deal with and furthur live her life in the best way she can.

Ch4 has given Laura a new leaze in life, I can clearly see that and I cant think of a better gift for such a special sister.

So keep smiling everyone,lets be positive and stick together...its better that way

Em x

I just want to chime in to say i can totally see your point, Emma and Laura. I can also understand the frustration of people who were hurt and felt undermined by the show because it appeared to simplify it, i get that a lot with my illnesses, if i don't feel able to attend a social event or something, people saying things like: ''change the record'' or ''come on, you look fine, just suck it up''. It's very upsetting.

I also don't hold it against the makers of the food hospital for not giving the topic a more detailed examination. I think they did ok with the short amount of time they had. I agree that if there was a 1 hour or more long program about crohns, a lot more could be said and would be said hopefully. I hope that C4 helped to bring some attention to the crohns community with this and that there will be a more detailed documentary made on the subject.

Sorry to the folks who feel let down by it but i think that we all need all of the positive energy we can get and avoiding negativity in any way is a good thing.

I'd hope everyone found it clear that the main aim of the programme was to look at how the liquid diet and the LOFFLEX diet can help to bring Crohn's into remission by looking at one case in a 10 minute segment, and they were successful in showing that, and that's good.

I can't speak for everyone, but I think the part most people had issues with is the way Crohn's was represented and when outlining the symptoms, the four named, which many would hope would be the most important, were "extreme bloating, skin rashes, sores and abscesses". These are not what the majority of Crohn's sufferers would most closely associate with the disease, (but that's to say that they can't be part of it, obviously, because we saw it in the programme). The fact that there was no mention of diarrhoea, blood in the stools and excruciating abdominal pain is what was most upsetting.

I know the point of the segment was to focus on one case of Crohn's and how diet can help, but it didn't do much in the way of educating people who have never heard of it about what it is, because the symptoms described aren't the most prominent in most people. I know some people have had snide comments from people at their work about how "I told you it was to do with what you eat" (a quote from the other thread discussing the programme) and "It's not that bad then, is it?".

Again, I think what it did for Laura is fantastic, and I know the liquid diet works for me (and as far as I know, it's often the first thing tried at the hospital I go to) but the fact that some of the most common and embarrassing symptoms were ignored meant it wasn't a complete success in educating people about and raising awareness of Crohn's.

I agree with what Laura and Emma have said as well. In terms of representing and helping her they did a good job.
But why didn't they make the point that it is a very variable disease?
People told my mum to watch the programme after seeing it listed, which shows that people think of me when they hear Crohn's Disease. For people who don't understand Crohn's or really know how I am effected will think I am the same as Laura and tell me to go on this diet.
That is my main problem with it considering people misunderstand the disease enough as it is. Before I even watched the episode and I heard Crohn's disease was going to be on it I thought 'Oh no' for that reason.
I think I might watch it again after all this discussion!

Emma,
The people on this forum have suffered a lot of variable degrees of their illness, me included.
At some point during their illness, we have tried diets, liquid diets, juicing, exclusion, etc.
There comes a time during this process when nothing works, the scarring from years of inflammation has done it's toll, there is nothing left to try, and this includes meds and surgery.
NO DIET IN THE WHOLE WORLD CAN STOP SEVERE INFLAMMATION!!
Do you really think that people who get rushed to A&E with either a blockage or severe rupture will be helped with a diet??
You really need to know the difference between food acting as a trigger for symptoms, ie diarrhea and bloating and SEVERE INFLAMMATION, HUGE DIFFERENCE!
And as people with Crohn's, we KNOW the difference, you DO NOT.
I'm not over generalising here, I've been with these people for a long time, listened to their suffering, read their heartache, been there to support and cry tears of frustration with them.

With due respect, the programme wasn't a programme about Crohn's, I realise that.
It was a programme on how a particular diet can help an individual with a particular symptom, and well done, it helped that person.
But if you step out of the box for one moment and see the bigger picture, in time you'll realise yourself that this Crohn's disease isn't a one size fits all.
This programme did not give us hope. We are not naive or stupid enough to think that following this diet will help
Most important of all, this programme was very very dangerous!
If there was a Crohnie sat there not knowing what we know, then the message was, it's ok to do this diet, come off your meds, it's gonna be ok!
It's ok, no need to keep in close monitoring with your consultant!
My final word
Please do not call us negative, moaning or not proactive, I find it so offensive

I have just watched it again.
I think it was well described at the begining, and they have made their point that diet shouldn't be completely ignored - there is no harm in trying anything.
But it is still over simplified, food is not the only trigger.
They constantly talk about steroids as if it is the only thing we use when we get unwell. It is definately true that Laura wouldn't want to go on steriods every month. So if this is helping to control her symptoms then that is great. But every time I have had to go on steroids I have been at a point where things needed to be sorted more urgently and a diet wouldn't have been a option.
I don't really know what else to say - many good points have already been raised in this discussion, I don't think I can say anything else that hasn't already been said.

I have not seen the program and am not able to view due to regional constraints.

The members here are well versed with the diets that the program presented, we have an Enteral/Elemental Nutrition forum and a Diet forum in which information about these diets can be found, accompanied by a plethora of knowledge and experience.

Many people here do use diet to great effect in either gaining remission, maintaining remission, bringing inflammation under control before moving onto other forms of treatment or to settle certain symptoms as they arise.

As I said before, I haven't seen the program but I can see where the reactions of the members here are coming from. Perhaps they did hold too much stock in the content of the program and were therefore disappointed in what they saw but it must also be acknowledged that their reactions are natural and just and not borne out of pessimism or passiveness and to say so is unfair.

Dusty.

Hi Emma,

I've seen the programme after all the hype and I agree that no one is in anyway trying to offend you or Laura. In fact if you look around this forum, everyone is extremely happy for our other members when they find something that works really well for them.

I think there are just a few points that you have to consider when you think why people are upset.

1- A lot of people that don't understand crohn's well wouldn't of understood from the programme that not everyone with crohn's would of responded as well as your sister has to the diet. This has made a few people here feel like their crohn's will be taken less seriously as people may now think that a change in diet is all they need to get themselves better again.

2- Some people feel like there wasn't a sound understanding in the basics of crohn's when they mentioned the symptoms. It would of been expected that they would of listed the most commonly found in crohn's.

3- The programme didn't make it clear at all that the programme was tailor made for her crohn's only. They did make sweeping statements about what happens with most crohn's patients. Even a quick comment at the end saying that the diet would not be suitable for all crohn's patients would even have made the situation a lot better.

Obviously Crohn's can be a very embarrassing condition which isn't often spoken about in the media, so when it is, we all get very hopeful! Also as a hidden condition, people on here struggle to get other people in their lives including the work place etc to understand how hard it is to heal with and how serious it is. To put it simply, anyone who doesn't know much about crohn's could easily come away from watching that programme thinking that crohn's is about bloating, skin rashes and can easily be managed by diet adjustments. That is why so many people on here are upset.

Personally I think it may of been a little irresponsible of the programme to also say that Laura may stay in remission for the rest of her life due to the diet. Crohn's will be with her forever and treatments including diet very unfortunately often become less effective. Obviously I hope that she will continue to do well for a really long time. But she will be VERY lucky if the diet continues to keep her out of remission for the rest of her life. That's not me being negative, just realistic. We all need hope but if we become too hopeful, it can be a downfall as we are not mentally prepared when things go wrong.

We are all glad that Laura is doing so well on it. I think it's great that she went on the show. Being on the diet will be a lot healthier for her if it keeps her off the steroids. I think we'd all like for Laura to stay around and contribute her experience with the diet to help others in the fitness and diet forum to help others.

crazyness!. T.F.H divides viewers opinions of the show!

I think its best if we agree to disagree on The Food Hospital ~(T.F.H) matter because I can see this discussion will never stop otherwise!!!.

I do have to say one thing though to Astra and anyone else who has got the wrong perception of me. That by saying "I dont understand the full extent of what crohns is and peoples varying symptoms", is out of order. Yes Im no doctor and I dont know everything (as im sure u dont) but im not stupid and I have a sound idea of what it entail's, so by saying that I dont is not very fair. As im sure you and other people can appreciate watching a friend, family member or love one go through that is awfull and you learn alot along the way. Also by assuming my sisters symtems are milder is an iggnorant way to react. Just because she flares up and down every month does not mean she suffers more easier than u. She would not have been picked for the programme if she wasnt 'poorly' enough.
She has and does also suffer from other symptoms and has been for treatment/operations at the hospital, its just that ch4 didnt mention that in the programme (Because that wasnt what it was focusing on). So please dont speak to me like im iggnorant and that me and my sister dont understand some of what you guys go through, because we have a fair idea. Yes my sister maybe luckier than some other crohns sufferers in some aspects but not in other ways. At the end of the day what u read from her from a short tv programme isnt a full representation of her and so those sap shot views shouldnt be used against her.

I for one know that T.F.H has and will do Laura lots of good but want to add that this wont put her in remission for ever (Which some of you are presuming) because her crohns is more often set off by stress, so even the best tailor made diet in the world sadly cant cure her!!!. :-(

The thing with tv programmes and this forum is that it gives a snap shot into ppls lifes and experiences and doesnt give the full picture. Without talking to someone in real time and/or face to face it is hard to understand everything they have are and will go through. It is also hard to understand what people mean etc....
I assume no one means to be aggressive or similar but its just peoples emotions taking over. So I hope T.F.H doesnt make rifts between people because I no ch4, my sister and myself wouldnt want that.
At the end of the day crohns sufferers need to stick together no matter what, and I hope the programme and these T.F.H threads wont jeopodise that?....

I will close my input on this thread by saying that I still feel the programme achieved its objective "relating Lauras sytems to diet". I agree the full 'A-Z' of crohns wasnt explored, but as me and Laura have both said "THATS NOT WHAT THE PROGRAMME INTENDED!!!". I personally will go away satisfied with how Ch4 helped my sister.

I would like to also add that I can see why people are upset because they feel crohns wasnt explined properly, and again I agree but that wasnt ch4's fault because as ill repeat for a 3rd time "it wasnt the specification''.
I do think another programme would be great on tv. I think a special one off episode explaining in detail everything about crohns (which would be no mean feet) would be great...for everyone. I wish everyone who may have something to do with this success in achieving it. I also hope that people continue to live to a healthy a life as possible.

And I know that no one means to be hatefull to laura or I in any way, and understand some people r simply upset from the programmes content.

So ill bid the crohns forum farewell. Like I said I joined to raise awarness of the programme in the hope people would enjoy watching it. (Im kind of wishing I had not bothered now though!?!, but hey you win some u lose some! or so they say!?!). I can not say weather Laura will continue to use it as a source of communication or reserch, although I think I can guess....

Best wishes to all. I hope you all achieve your dreams....
Em

I hold my hands up, I take full responsibility for this thread and all that it entails.
I didn't intend to offend, I didn't realise it would get so heated.
I'm sorry if I've upset anyone, hateful is a very strong word, I don't believe anyone here is being that at all.
But......
I'm still writing to OFCOM.
My primary objective is for the programme makers to make it perfectly clear that this diet should not be used without a consultants supervision; and that by doing this diet will justify stopping any meds.
And for them to explain other symptoms that occur with CD not just skin rashes and bloating.

I've made it perfectly clear to you both that this is not your fault.
I've objected to the dumbing down of a potentially life threatening condition.
My father in law has diabetes and if TFH said a glucose free diet will 'cure' his condition, I would have the exact same reaction.
'Reality TV' has gone too far this time. It's time to put an end to it.

I for one know that T.F.H has and will do Laura lots of good but want to add that this wont put her in remission for ever (Which some of you are presuming) because her crohns is more often set off by stress, so even the best tailor made diet in the world sadly cant cure her!!!. :-(

Click to expand...

The narrator of the show did in fact comment that this diet may put her into remission forever. This is just one thing that has annoyed some of us. Everybody here knows that it's almost impossible (unfortunately) for it to put her into permanent remission or cure her.

I would like to also add that I can see why people are upset because they feel crohns wasnt explined properly, and again I agree but that wasnt ch4's fault because as ill repeat for a 3rd time "it wasnt the specification''.

Click to expand...

It doesn't need to be in the specification for something to be explained properly. The way in which Crohn's was described completely ignores the nature of the condition and how it affects the majority of sufferers and although you, I and everyone else on this forum knows that it extends beyond the symptoms named, a casual viewer would not. It would take all of two seconds to add "diarrhoea" and "abdominal pains" to the list of symptoms.

We can understand that you, Laura and your family are thrilled with what the programme has done for you, but the problem we have with the programme is the way Crohn's was presented to the general public. You can tell us we misunderstood the point of the programme and ask us to re-watch numerous times, but all we see is the way in which Crohn's was presented to a casual Tuesday night viewer, which did not fairly represent what many of us go through during a flare.

And while it's not supposed to be an exhaustive look at what having Crohn's entails, a casual viewer will probably not research further and decide it's a bit of bloating and a few skin rashes which can be cured by being careful about what you eat.

While we have listened to you tell us that the point of the programme was not to educate on Crohn's, you seem to be ignoring the fact that this is the effect it, rightly or wrongly, will have on some of the people who watched it. The only education the public get on such conditions is through things like this and many Crohn's sufferers for years have been asked "have you tried cutting out x, y and z".

I've not been here long, but I'd like to hope I'm not out of place in saying there's no need for you to leave the forum because there's nothing wrong with a bit of debate - otherwise what would be the point? You've unleashed a can of worms, but that is by no means a bad thing.

Astra. You have no reason to hold your hands up and take responsibility. I think it's clear to see that the majority of people have the same opinion as you.

No one has said anything hurtfull or offensive. Infact quite the opposite. If people are offended, It is because of a difference of opinion... But hey, would forums even exist if people didn't have a difference of opinion over things?

Emma I'm sorry that peoples difference of opinion has made you not want to use this forum anymore. I'll throw this one out there.... but to me it just seems like a knee jerk reaction to not getting the reaction to the show you expected. Just because of a difference of opinion of this particular matter doesn't mean you or Laura shouldn't feel welcome to share your experiences and ask for help and advice.

"Also by assuming my sisters symtems are milder is an iggnorant way to react"

I don't feel anyone has assumed your sisters symptoms are milder. The fact that a diet helps her that might not work for others doesn't mean they are less serious or painfull. Just a fact that some people have tried similar diets and it hasn't helped them, whether they have the same symptoms as laura or not..

I've found the people on this forum tend to only be supportive, and if person A has only just been diagnosed or doesn't have the same degree of symptoms that person B who may of had 5 surgeries and only have about a foot of intestine left, person B definatley doesn't make out that they have it worse or acts in an ignorant way. And if they did, I have no doubt they wouldn't last very long around here.

Thank you Martin
xxx

I really didn't want to comment on this again as I think Emma did a nice finishing comment, but I'm getting a bit upset reading the comments.

I'm sat here with really really awful pains and feeling terrible. I've been having a flare up with pretty much no relief since December 2010. Diets do not work for me, I've tried the polymeric diet and elemental diet. When emma said we were getting "upset, angry and deffensive" of course we are! We're all feeling like shit and we don't want people we know watching this thinking we're bullshitting all our symptoms, if I was well I wouldn't have batted an eyelid to the programme and I would be totally agreeing with Emma probably, but I think it's the fact that there comes a point when Crohn's isn't so simple and it's frustrating when it's perceived to be that way.

I agree that the programme was tailored specifically to Laura, but after watching the programme if you thought you had Crohn's and you were worried you would walk away convinced you didn't after watching this. Not listing the "typical" symptoms is not only misrepresenting Crohn's but it's also down right irresponsible of Channel 4.

I also think saying things like this is a slap in the face to those poor souls who've had to have resections or entire colons removed after being ravaged by Crohn's (something I hopefully won't but may have to face in the future).

If I was sitting at home with a colostomy bag watching this programme I would be absolutely fuming.

But sorry for going on, I just had to let it out!
I hope everyone's feeling okay
Vicky
xxx

Hang on in there Vicky luv
Did you start Humira? Remind me, I'm old!
Hope you feel better soon, take it easy
xxx

Did anyone watch it last night then?

Lol I didn't dare watch it. But I did tell my bf about the big debate that's been on here about it. Poor guy knows more about crohn's that most after sitting in the hospital for 9 hours by himself while I had my colon removed 6 weeks ago and has been looking after me in my recovery since.

But no, I wasn't fuming. Just worried about the points I made earlier. I actually Wish I could of done a documentary when I had my surgery, but then you risk worrying people who have been newly diagnosed!

xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx said:

Did anyone watch it last night then?

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NO!

When I saw it was about depression, I couldn't bear to watch it and then end up getting me knickers in another twist! :ylol:

Yeah, watched it. It's an interesting show. It makes me sad that the crohns ep. angered so many people

I watched it to, as I think I have already said I'm interested in what they do because of the course I am doing.
Also, I am doing a debate in a few months on 'The media does more harm than good when discussing food related issues'
So this is all good stuff for me - obviously I'm still angry about what has been said on a personal level.

In my opinion and this is purely my opinion this show missed an opportunity to really get the message out. I too felt it almost portrayed crohns as a skin condition and actually hardly mentioned the bowel?
The point is crohns is very individual specific.

Saying that I've just been approached to take part in a bbc documentary on crohns. Wish me luck!

Good on you and keep us posted on that one. Should be really interesting.

Good luck! That sounds amazing! (if they get it right!)
How did you get involved in it?