Talking with Your Gastroenterologist

Crohn’s disease can impact your life in various ways, both physically and emotionally. Managing your symptoms, finding appropriate treatment and staying informed on ways to maintain your overall well-being are all important in dealing with your condition.

The other really important aspect of your Crohn’s disease treatment is your relationship with your gastroenterologist. In most cases, people with Crohn’s disease are treated by a gastroenterologist. Sometimes your gastroenterologist may be an internist or family practitioner.

Whether you are seeing a gastroenterologist or a family doctor for your Crohn’s disease, you’ll want to establish honest and ongoing communication with him or her. It is important that you feel comfortable discussing your symptoms as well as how they impact your life.

Regular conversations with your gastroenterologist can help you find the appropriate treatments, learn about lifestyle changes you may need to make and keep you focused and positive about your health and the management of your symptoms.

How do you choose a gastroenterologist?

Since you probably don’t have a list of gastroenterologists handy, you may be a little confused or concerned about finding one, particularly a gastroenterologist with whom you’re going to feel comfortable.

It's a good idea to interview a prospective physician when you are feeling well, instead of trying to find a new gastroenterologist when you are ill and feeling stressed out. At the interview, ask yourself the following questions:

• Was the gastroenterologist respectful to me?

• Did he or she really listen to what I had to say?

• Did he or she spend a sufficient amount of time with me, or did I feel rushed during the appointment?

• Did the physician seem to have any useful suggestions?

If you are looking for a gastroenterologist, you may want to ask your family physician for a recommendation. Or you can locate and contact a healthcare professional with the Specialist Locator.

You can also consult the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). This organization recommends contacting one of their local chapters for a list of local physicians who specialize in Crohn's disease. You can contact the CCFA at:

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
1-800-932-2423
http://www.ccfa.org

Once you've selected a physician, check out his or her credentials. You can contact the American Board of Medical Specialists at 1-866-ASK-ABMS (866-275-2267) or visit its website at http://www.abms.org to find out if your physician is board certified in at least one of the following areas:

• Internal medicine
• Gastroenterology
• Family practice
• Pediatrics (for patients who are children)

Your local library can provide the following resources for finding a physician:

• American Medical Directory

• Directory of Medical Specialists

• Questionable Gastroenterologists

Contact your state medical licensing board to determine if your physician is fully licensed to practice in your state.