The bits about living with IBD that nobody warns you about.
Honest, first-hand stories about ulcerative colitis - plus the practical stuff that actually matters: getting heard by your team, your rights at work, travelling, and finding your own way through. Written by someone living with it since 2018. Never a lecture.
Not what to eat. How to live with it.
Everyone’s IBD is different, so I won’t tell you what to put on your plate. Instead, The Honest Colon covers the parts that are universal no matter what your body does - the parts nobody else is writing about.
What I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was Diagnosed With Ulcerative Colitis
I was 29, in a hospital bed, when a doctor told me I'd be living with this for the rest of my life. I was diagnosed back in 2018 - here's the honest version I wish someone had handed me.
Read the story“They told me, at 29, that I’d be living with this for the rest of my life.”
Four things I wish I’d known on day one
If you’ve just heard the words, or you’re waiting on a colonoscopy, this is the short version of what took me years to learn. Read the full story whenever you’re ready.
See the full Start Here guide- 1
Breathe - denial is normal
It might not sink in for a while. That's an ordinary first reaction to being told your body has changed, not a failure.
- 2
Contact your team early
The moment something feels wrong, get in touch. Waiting doesn't make it pass - it just delays the help you need.
- 3
A worst case isn't a forecast
You may be told frightening things early on. They're possibilities, not your set future. Try not to take them as a prediction.
- 4
Feeling better isn't cured
A good spell can catch you off guard. Keep your guard up and stay in contact with your team even when things are calm.
Be first to know when the book is out
I’m writing Have You Not Just Been?- an honest memoir of living with ulcerative colitis, the full story that doesn’t fit in a blog post. Join the email list and I’ll email you the day it’s released. No spam, no miracle cures, ever.
I’ll email you when the book launches, plus the odd honest update from The Honest Colon. Unsubscribe anytime. Your email is stored securely and never shared - privacy.