People living with IBD who have suppressed immune systems because of medication are understandably concerned about their risks surrounding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. Jamie Horrigan, a medical student and founder of "Sweetened By Nature," lives with Crohn’s disease and gastroparesis and was diagnosed with COVID-19. She describes her experiences with symptoms, diagnosis, isolation, and recovery. She also gives some insight on why a common complication of coronaviruses, called a cytokine storm, may be an important factor of COVID-19 for people with IBD.

Concepts discussed on this episode:

• Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing: What you should know (UC Davis Health)
• Mount Sinai COVID-19 Plasma Donation
• National COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Project
• IOIBD Update on COVID19 for Patients with Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
• The Coronavirus Patients Betrayed by Their Own Immune Systems (Cytokine Storm)
• Coronavirus and IBD Reporting Database
• IBD-AID Diet (Anti-Inflammatory Diet for IBD)
• The Specific Carbohydrate Diet for IBD

Find Jamie Horrigan on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and on her web site Sweetened by Nature.

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

Credits: Sound engineering courtesy Mac Cooney. "About IBD With Amber Tresca" ©Cooney Studio.