Our information
If you have questions about Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, you're not alone. We’ve helped thousands of people just like you find the information they need to confidently manage their condition, and live freer, fuller lives.
We're sorry but we're not able to post printed copies of our publications at the moment. All of our publications are freely available to view or download online.
Read our information on coronavirus (COVID-19).
All of our information is research-based and produced in consultation with patients, carers, medical advisers and other health professionals.
Choose from one of these categories, or browse all information:
60 Publications
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Bloating & Wind
Managing symptoms
Crohn's and Colitis can often cause you to feel bloated and gassy. You might have questions about how to control excess gas and its effects,...
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Food
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
Living with Crohn’s or Colitis can mean making some changes to your diet. You may need to avoid certain foods to help your symptoms,...
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Infliximab
Drug treatment
This information leaflet aims to answer common questions you may have if you have been prescribed infliximab (also known as Remicade, Inflectra or Remsima) to...
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Azathioprine & Mercaptopurine
Drug treatment
This information sheet is a brief overview of azathioprine and mercaptopurine for Crohn’s or Colitis.
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Claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
Benefits and finances
You may be eligible for PIP if you have Crohn's or Colitis and you're aged between 16 and the state pension age. The guide explains what...
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Diarrhoea & Constipation
Managing symptoms
Diarrhoea is a common symptom of Crohn’s and Colitis. Some people also experience constipation. You may continue to experience diarrhoea or constipation even when...
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Employment & IBD: a guide for employees
Employment and education
If you have Crohn’s or Colitis – you may be concerned about your employment position. You may be employed or looking for a new job....
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Adalimumab
Drug treatment
This information is for anyone with Crohn’s or Colitis who is considering, or has started, treatment with adalimumab. Adalimumab is also known as Humira...
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Fatigue & IBD
Managing symptoms
Many people with Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease suffer from fatigue. This information sheet explains what fatigue is, what may cause it, and possible...
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Crohn’s Disease
Understanding Crohn's and Colitis
Knowing more about Crohn’s Disease can help you to feel better informed and able to take a more active part in decisions about your...
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Aminosalicylates (5-ASAS)
Drug treatment
This information sheet is a brief overview of aminosalicylic acids, also known as 5-ASAs, which are used to treat Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease....
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Ulcerative Colitis
Understanding Crohn's and Colitis
Knowing more about your Ulcerative Colitis can help you to feel better informed and able to take a more active part in decisions about your...
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Vedolizumab
Drug treatment
Vedolizumab is used to treat Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
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Bowel Cancer Risk
Surgery and complications
Crohn’s and Colitis can increase the risk of bowel cancer in some people, particularly for those whose condition affects all or most of their...
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Steroids
Drug treatment
This information sheet is designed to answer common questions you may have if you've been given steroids (corticosteroids) to treat your Crohn’s or Colitis.
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Ustekinumab
Drug treatment
This information is for you if you've been prescribed or are considering treatment with ustekinumab (Stelera) for Crohn’s or Colitis
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Surgery for Crohn’s Disease
Surgery and complications
People with Crohn’s are now much less likely to need surgery than they were in the past. However surgery does remain an important and...
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Biologic medicines
Drug treatment
Biological medicines are a form of treatment for Crohn’s and Colitis. In general they are prescribed for people with moderate to severe Crohn's or...
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Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis
Surgery and complications
This information is about the types of surgery that may be needed in the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis.
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Other treatments
Drug treatment
If you have Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, you may come across other treatments besides immunosuppressants, biological drugs and surgery.
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Top 8 things to do after a Crohn’s or Colitis diagnosis
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
Hearing you have Crohn’s or Colitis can be overwhelming, but there’s lots of support out there. Our practical to-do list will help you...
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Your Appointment Guide
Healthcare
Health appointments can be daunting when you have Crohn’s or Colitis – no matter how many you’ve attended before. - What...
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Mental health and wellbeing
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
Taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. This is even more vital when you live...
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What to do if you’re having a flare-up
Managing symptoms
Guidance for adults having a flare-up adapted to reflect the NHS response to coronavirus (COVID-19)
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Meet Our Crohn’s and Colitis Cats (children’s story)
Understanding Crohn's and Colitis
Our new story Meet our Crohn's and Colitis cats is for children affected by Crohn's or Colitis, whether they have the condition themselves or know...
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Tofacitinib
Drug treatment
This information is for you if you’re considering or have been prescribed treatment with tofacitinib (Xeljanz) for Ulcerative Colitis.
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Finances
Benefits and finances
Living with Crohn’s or Colitis can be expensive. You might worry about being too sick to work, or facing extra costs like prescriptions and...
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Joints
Managing symptoms
Joint problems are one of the most common symptoms outside the gut that people with Crohn’s or Colitis experience. They can limit mobility and...
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The Unstoppables (Young People): Our stories of living with Crohn’s and Colitis
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
The young people you’ll meet in this booklet all have Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis – and they want to share their stories with...
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Unstoppable (Adults): Our stories of living with Crohn’s and Colitis
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
The stories in this booklet are just a few examples of ordinary people with Crohn’s or Colitis who have overcome extraordinary challenges. They want...
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Reproductive Health and IBD
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and other forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) may sometimes affect reproductive health. This includes your sexual health as well...
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Supporting Someone With IBD: A Guide For Friends and Family
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
Crohn's and Colitis don't just affect the person living with the condition. They can also have a huge impact on friends and family too. We're...
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Golimumab
Drug treatment
This information sheet is a brief overview of some important points about golimumab (Simponi) for the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis.
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Living with a Stoma
Surgery and complications
Sometimes during surgery for Crohn's or Colitis, the bowel is brought to the surface of the abdomen. An opening is made so that digestive waste...
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Taking Medicines
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and other forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) may sometimes affect reproductive health. This includes your sexual health as well...
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Transition: Moving to adult care
Healthcare
If you’re a teenager with Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, or another form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease then an important milestone for you will...
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Sexual Relationships and IBD
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
Sexual relationships are, for many of us, a very important part of our lives. Even when we are not in a relationship, our sexuality usually...
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Managing Bowel Incontinence in IBD
Managing symptoms
The risk of bowel incontinence can be part of having Crohn's or Colitis. Bowel incontinence means the unintended passing of stools (faeces, poo). This information...
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Claiming DLA: Children under 16 with IBD
Benefits and finances
If your child has Crohn's or Colitis, this may create all sorts of extra expenses, such as higher heating bills, special diets, taxi fares, laundry,...
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Methotrexate: a guide for Young People
Drug treatment
Methotrexate is a drug used to treat Crohn’s and occasionally Colitis. You may be given methotrexate if you keep getting flare-ups even though you...
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Azathioprine: a guide for Young People
Drug treatment
Azathioprine is a drug used to treat both Crohn’s and Colitis. You may be given azathioprine if you keep getting flare-ups even though you...
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Methotrexate
Drug treatment
This information answers common questions about methotrexate as a treatment for Crohn’s and Colitis.
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Travel & IBD
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
If you have Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis (the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease - IBD) you may find the thought of...
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Tests and Investigations for IBD
Healthcare
This information looks at some of the medical tests and investigations you may be offered if your doctor suspects you have Crohn's or Colitis. The...
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Talking to my child about my IBD
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
As a parent or carer with Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, you may wonder whether to talk to your child about your condition. Some...
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Students with IBD: a guide for students
Employment and education
Planning to go to university or college can be an exciting but daunting time for anyone. If you have Crohn’s or Colitis you are...
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Students with IBD: a guide for Universities & Colleges
Employment and education
It is very likely that several students in your university or college will suffer from Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease, which affect at least...
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Smoking and IBD
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
If you have Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease and are a smoker, you’re probably wondering whether this could affect your disease.
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Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
This information is for people who want to know about the impact of Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and other forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)...
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Microscopic Colitis
Understanding Crohn's and Colitis
Microscopic Colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that affects the large bowel - colon and rectum.. There are two main forms of Microscopic Colitis – Lymphocytic...
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A-Z Medical Terms
Understanding Crohn's and Colitis
You are likely to hear and read many new medical terms when you are diagnosed with Crohn's or Colitis. This information explains some of the...
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Living with a Fistula
Surgery and complications
Some people with Crohn's or Colitis may develop a fistula. A fistula is an abnormal channel or passageway connecting one internal organ to another, or...
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Insurance & IBD
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
If you have Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis you may have difficulty finding insurance cover. Having a chronic (ongoing) condition such as Crohn's or...
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Employment & IBD: a guide for employers
Employment and education
The majority of people with Crohn's or Colitis are of working age when they are diagnosed. This means that they are likely to be concerned...
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Dehydration
Managing symptoms
Our bodies are made up of about two-thirds water. We only need the total water level to drop by as little as a few percent...
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Children & Young People with IBD: a guide for schools
Employment and education
This guide has been produced to provide school staff with some general information about Crohn's and Colitis and its likely physical and psychological effects. It...
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Bones
Managing symptoms
If you have Crohn’s or Colitis you may be more likely to develop weaker bones (osteoporosis) or low bone mass. This can mean bones...
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Supporting your child with Crohn’s or Colitis
Understanding Crohn's and Colitis
If your child has recently been diagnosed, it’s natural to feel worried about what living with Crohn’s or Colitis could mean for them...
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All About Crohn’s and Colitis
Understanding Crohn's and Colitis
Being told you have Crohn’s or Colitis can be a shock. You might be feeling anxious about what comes next and how your life...
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Living with Crohn’s or Colitis
Living with Crohn's and Colitis
Living with Crohn’s or Colitis will mean you have to make some changes. But you can still get the most out of life. And...
