Do you worry that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) will get in the way of finding a romantic partner? Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can make dating challenging but they can also simplify it. It becomes clear pretty quickly if a potential partner is going to struggle to cope with chronic illness. This episode focuses on communication, as Amber and her husband, Mike, discuss how he reacted to his first introduction to ulcerative colitis and why it's important to check in with your partner before discussing IBD outside of the relationship. After more than 20 years, they finally put an incident of miscommunication to bed, and Mike gives his tips on being a supportive partner.

Concepts discussed in this episode:

• Advice for Partners of People With IBD
• How to Create Your IBD Elevator Speech
• The Differences Between an Ileostomy and a J-Pouch
• How to Prepare Yourself for Ileostomy Surgery
• Overview of J-Pouch Surgery
• What You Can Say to Your Friend With IBD
• Pregnancy and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Living With Prednisone

Find Michael Tresca on Facebook, Twitter, and Patreon.

Find Amber J Tresca at AboutIBD.com, Verywell, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Find IBDMoms on IBDMoms.org, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Credits: Mix and sound design is by Mac Cooney. Theme music, "IBD Dance Party,” is from ©Cooney Studio.