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PODCAST

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD)

Rachel (@bottomlineibd) and Nigel (@crohnoid)

Two long-term IBD patients, Rachel and Nigel, share their experiences and perspectives on living with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn"s disease and ulcerative colitis).

health & fitness medicine

All Episodes

39:57

#32 How to find resilience in chronic illness: IBD...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2026/04/11

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 32 of Wrestling the Octopus: The IBD Patient Podcast, we meet Crohn's disease patient, Neil Barker. Neil recounts his history of living with IBD, bowel and brain cancer. His story offers an honest, deeply human look at what it means to manage a chronic illness while trying to maintain hope, identity and everyday life. Neil reflects on the early signs of Crohn's, the long road to diagnosis, and the emotional and physical toll of living with unpredictable symptoms. H...

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33:27

#31 Understanding Blood Clots and IBD - with...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2026/03/29

Send us Fan Mail Blood clots are not the first thing most people think of when they hear Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis - but they should be on the radar of each one of us living with inflammatory bowel disease. This episode of Wrestling the Octopus IBD dives into clots and thrombosis in inflammatory bowel disease. Our guest is Professor Beverley Hunt OBE, consultant in thrombosis and haemostasis at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in London, UK. She joins us to explain why IBD increases ...

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45:21

#30 Top tips for living with a stoma in Crohn's...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2026/03/14

Send a text For Episode 30 of Wrestling the Octopus: the IBD patient podcast, we are joined by Lead Stoma Care Nurse, Natasha Rolls at University Hospital Foundation Trust Bristol and Weston. Natasha provides brilliant tips and practical guidance for everyday life and gut health for people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. 🌟 Key themes discussed 💬 Why stomas are not a last resort Natasha explains how early conversations about stomas can reduce fear and help inflammatory bowe...

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28:22

#29 Understanding Liver Disease in IBD - with Dr Sree...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2026/02/28

Send a text Did you know that up to 30% of people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) will have abnormal liver tests at some point? In this episode of Wrestling the Octopus IBD, Nigel and I are joined by two expert hepatologists from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London to explore the link between IBD and liver disease - what causes it, what to look out for and how it's monitored. Our Guests Dr. Sreelakshmi (Sree) Kotha – Hepatology Consultant and Clinical Lead for Endoscopy, St....

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32:08

#28 Wrestling the Octopus IBD is one year old! An...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2026/02/18

Send a text We can hardly believe it's been 12 whole months since we started this podcast on patients' reflections on living with inflammatory bowel disease. Happy first birthday, Wrestling the Octopus IBD! During this year, we have spoken with fellow patients and also healthcare professionals to further patient education on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. We are indebted to all our guests for donating their time so generously, but also to all of you, our listeners, for your supportiv...

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44:38

#27 Understanding colorectal cancer risk in IBD -...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2026/02/12

Send a text The fear of developing colorectal cancer (CRC) when living with inflammatory bowel disease can weigh heavily on our minds as patients. So Nigel and I resolved to get an expert guest on the podcast who could talk us (and our patient listeners) through the risks and how we can minimise them when living with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Enter Professor James East! Prof East is a consultant gastroenterologist at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, UK and lead author of th...

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39:20

#26 IBD flares and diet - What does the new PREdiCCT...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2026/01/30

Send us a text Welcome to Episode 26 of Wrestling the Octopus IBD! After 10 years studying IBD patients in remission, the first results from the PREdiCCt study have now been published - and it's essential reading: https://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2026/01/19/gutjnl-2025-337846 Nigel and I took the opportunity to sit down with Nathan Constantine-Cooke, a postdoctoral researcher from the University of Edinburgh and inflammatory bowel disease patient himself, to unpack these interesting first re...

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35:53

#25 Medical cannabis use in IBD - with Dr Jami...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2026/01/17

Send us a text We've seen a shift in mood around conversations on medical cannabis in inflammatory bowel disease. While it's most definitely an area that needs tightly controlled monitoring and evidence-based advice, there's a thaw in the discussions that is seeing more IBD healthcare professionals having open talks with their patients about it - and vice versa. So we were delighted when Dr Jami Kinnucan, IBD specialist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida - definitely the doyenne of compl...

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39:28

#24 An introduction to IBD surgery - with consultant...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2026/01/03

Send us a text In this episode of Wrestling the Octopus IBD, Nigel and Rachel talk with Mr Raj Mankotia, Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust, to demystify the world of IBD-related surgery. With over 25 years’ experience, Raj talks us through first‑time elective or semi‑elective surgery for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis - why it’s needed, what it involves and how patients can prepare for it. 🔍 Key Topics Covered1. Why

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39:58

#23 Intestinal ultrasound (IUS) in IBD - with Dr...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/12/19

Send us a text In episode 23 of Wrestling the Octopus IBD, Nigel and I welcome consultant radiologist, Dr Gauraang Bhatnagar (Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust) and consultant gastroenterologist, Dr Will Blad (Barts Health Foundation Trust) to our podcast to discuss intestinal ultrasound (IUS) in inflammatory bowel disease. 🩺 Key Discussion Points 1. What is Intestinal Ultrasound (IUS)? Non-invasive imaging technique for assessing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitisPerformed by

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29:16

#22 IBD Then & Now: Patients' Reflections for Crohn's...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/12/02

Send us a text Welcome to Episode 22 of Wrestling the Octopus IBD! A reminder of our new email address if you'd like to get in touch: wrestlingtheoctopusibd@gmail.com In this Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Week special, Nigel and I take a look in the rear view mirror to ponder our decades of lived experience with inflammatory bowel disease - from treatment and attitudes, to advocacy and patient empowerment, to stress and stigma. And of course, our definition of patient‑centred care. We hope ...

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34:25

#21 Nigel’s A–Z of Crohn’s: Biopsies, Blowtorches &...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/11/13

You can now email us at wrestlingtheoctopusibd@gmail.com - we'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas and feedback on our IBD patient podcast! And if you like what you hear, please spread the word to others with an interest in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In this specially curated episode - for want of another phrase! - Nigel takes us on his personal and often amusing journey through his A–Z of Crohn’s disease experiences. From bone marrow biopsies to varices, stomas to sedation, he sh...

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22:19

#20 Nigel reflects on 15 years post-Crohn's op, and a...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/10/25

The tables are turned in this episode! Now Rachel interviews Nigel about his life-changing bowel surgery in 2010. Fifteen years on, Nigel reflects on the symptoms that led to his Crohn's surgery, the emotional and practical preparations, and the highs and lows of recovery - including living with a temporary stoma and navigating postoperative ileus. With his trademark candid storytelling and humour, Nigel shares how planning, shared decision-making and trust in his healthcare team helped...

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20:40

#19 Rachel reflects on staying in Crohn's remission,...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/10/25

In this anniversary special, Nigel interviews me about my decision to stop taking medication (infliximab, aka Remicade) for my inflammatory bowel disease, and what reflections I have on staying in remission four years later. Discussion Points My rationale for stopping infliximab after nearly a decade of IBD remissionThe emotional weight of sharing my decision publicly and the need for sensitivityThe importance of not being labeled “anti-medication” when choosing to de-escalateHow my con...

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45:16

#18 When long-term stability on a Crohn's drug meets...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/10/23

Meet Olie Bosley. Olie is an IT and cybersecurity expert from Oxford, UK who has suffered from Crohn's disease symptoms for nearly 30 years. We invited Olie to join us for this episode as he has an important story to share: what happens when the drug that has kept you well for so long - in his case Humira (adalimumab) - without notice causes you side effects that mean you need to stop taking it. Olie speaks with candour to Nigel and me on the practical and psychological challenges this ...

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21:42

Understanding the gut-brain axis in IBD - with...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/10/11

In this episode, we gaze deep into the gut-brain axis with Dr. Gita Robson, a clinical psychologist who specialises in gastroenterology. Our brains and guts chatter in both directions constantly, and we wanted to understand if this had an implications in how Crohn's and ulcerative colitis patients can better manage their disease. 🔍 What We Cover Why the gut might be our “first brain”The bidirectional nature of the gut-brain axisHow inflammation, stress and mood are interconnectedThe vag...

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32:19

#16 Learning the basics of diet in IBD - with...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/09/24

In Episode 16 of Wrestling the Octopus: The IBD Patient Podcast, we're talking a perennial favourite with Crohn's and UC patients: diet and nutrition in inflammatory bowel disease. Our expert guest is Dearbhaile O'Hanlon, principal gastroenterology dietitian at Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital in London, UK. We discuss everything from emulsifiers and ultra-processed foods to prebiotics, probiotics and the Mediterranean diet, Nigel shares his journey through a food additive trial (and hi...

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33:29

#15 Understanding bile acid diarrhoea / malabsorption...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/09/11

In Episode 15 of Wrestling the Octopus: the IBD Patient Podcast, Nigel and I cover a topic that receives not nearly as much attention as it should: Bile Acid Diarrhoea (BAD) / Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM) in Crohn's disease. Our expert guest is gastroenterologist, Professor Julian Walters from Imperial College London in the UK. Through Nigel's story, we also get a candid view of what BAM feels like for inflammatory bowel disease patients who have had their terminal ileum removed. What ...

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39:55

#14 Iron Deficiency and Anaemia: What Every IBD...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/09/02

Every IBD patient will have likely had a run-in with iron deficiency or anaemia at some point while living with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. And for many of us it’s a constant problem. So in this episode of Wrestling the Octopus: The IBD Patient Podcast, Nigel and I wanted to invite an iron expert to join us and talk us through what inflammatory bowel disease patients need to know about managing iron deficiency and anaemia. And who better to invite than the iron guru himself?! Profe...

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27:24

#13 Nigel and Rachel Reflect on Recent Life with IBD...

Wrestling the Octopus (IBD) ·

2025/08/25

Welcome back, folks! Think of this episode as a commercial break between our interviews with patients and healthcare professionals. In Episode 13, Nigel and I shoot the breeze about our lives with inflammatory bowel disease... with a little bit of insight into what it means to be a patient with either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. We also swap notes on the annoying healthcare-related things we would like to consign to Room 101, given half the chance! We hope you enjoy listening t...

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