Supporting Family with IBD

Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or IBD, is a condition that affects over one million Americans today, yet it remains largely misunderstood by the general population. Although IBD is not immediately life threatening, it is in most cases a chronic condition that will affect all aspects of a patient’s life. Learning to live with IBD is certainly possible, but it is very hard to do without the dedicated support of friends and family members.

Causes of IBD

While not all of the causes of IBD are fully understood, some cases have been linked to the use of Accutane, a popular drug that was used to treat severe cases of acne until it was removed from the United States market in 2009. In fact, there have been successful lawsuits brought by people who developed some form of IBD after using Accutane. IBD is also much more likely to develop in people whose family members suffer from the disease.

Support for an IBD Patient

People who receive a diagnosis of IBD face a series of challenges as they fight to regain some semblance of a normal life. While many of the symptoms of IBD can be brought under control through some combination of medication and diet, learning to live with IBD is far from a straightforward process. Aside from the immediate symptoms like persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, and muscle and joint pain, people with IBD also often suffer from chronic fatigue as a result of their inability to eat properly and absorb nutrition from their food.

These are, of course, challenges that can be overcome, but there will always be setbacks along the way. Patients learning to cope with IBD can easily become frustrated and discouraged by the struggles they encounter, and that is why the support and understanding of friends and family is so vital to the recovery of these patients.

Do you believe you or a loved one has been injured by Accutane®? Goldberg & Osborne can help.

The law firm of Goldberg & Osborne is dedicated to helping injured people nationwide and is currently accepting cases for Accutane® victims. For a FREE case evaluation, please call us toll-free at (800) 935-2770 or submit a short and simple online case form here.