The IBD Starter Kit
An essential self-advocacy guide for people with IBD and their caregivers
We designed the Starter Kit with you in mind.
To give you the tools you need
Language matters, so we give you the essential vocabulary terms that will help bring context to your plan of care.
To save you time
We highlight other medical disciplines that serve people with IBD, so you can ask the right questions to coordinate your care efficiently and effectively.
To help you be your best healthcare advocate
And of course we include the most commonly cited nutrient-related deficiencies in IBD so you can ask your care team to check your nutrition status.
We deep dive into:
Essential vocabulary
We define the key terms used by your doctors and health insurance companies that you need to know in order to effectively advocate for yourself
Your IBD care team
We introduce you to the members of your IBD care team, including some you might not know were important! We share what their role is and what they can do for you.
Questions to ask
We share sample questions you should be asking your care team about your plan of care, medications, communication preferences, and insurance logistics.
Nutrition-related labs
We go over the most common nutrition-related deficiencies in IBD and why they're important to monitor. We also share which labs to ask your doctor about.
How to request labs
Requesting labs from your doctor can be intimidating. We provide a template script you can use to ask your doctor about labs related to your IBD.
When to ask for a referral
We also review a number of scenarios when it might be in your best interest to ask for a referral, and how certain members of your care team can help you through challenging aspects of IBD.
We answer these questions and many more
