New scale could help public awareness, says Speen Crohn's sufferer

Twenty-two-year-old Gabi Cox, a former St Bartholomew’s School pupil, was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a painful condition that affects the bowel, when she was aged 16.
Her condition worsened so badly that, in 2012, she was hospitalised and last year had life-saving surgery which may result in her having to wear an ostomy pouch for the rest of her life. Her large intestine may have to be removed in the future.
The condition brings with it a number of side-effects, including arthritis and fatigue, and last week national charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK launched the IBD Fatigue Scale, an online resource which allows people living with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s and Colitis, to objectively measure their levels of fatigue.
It is based on research undertaken by King’s College London, University College London and Addenbrookes’ NHS Trust.
Miss Cox said: “Fatigue is an aspect of the disease which in the past had been greatly overlooked so it is a fantastic way to promote it and highlight it as a serious issue.
“I think it will help sufferers realise that fatigue is an incredibly important symptom.
“At its worst, I struggle to get out of the bed or walk up stairs. It is an overwhelming sense of tiredness that takes over your mind and body.
“Even reading a book or watching TV feels like a lot of effort. It is a constant juggling act, but you do get used to understanding your body and when to take a break.
“It easy to blame yourself or to think you just need to snap out of it or have a good night’s sleep.
“It is important for sufferers to be kinder and more forgiving to themselves.”
The campaign has received backing from the star of ITV’s reality programme The Only Way is Essex, Sam Faiers, who publicly announced she had Crohn’s earlier this year.
She said: “The exhaustion I experienced was horrible, life limiting and a typically untreated symptom for people with Crohn’s or Colitis.
“This new fatigue scale is a breakthrough and will make talking to my doctors much, much easier. This really is great news for everyone with IBD.”
A blog launched by Miss Cox to publicise how Crohn’s has affected her life has received more than 73,000 views and has been supported on social media by a number of celebrities including Lennox Lewis and Alan Sugar.
To read her blog, visit http://giftofthegab1.blogspot.co.uk/
The IBD Fatigue Scale is available at www.fatigueinIBD.co.uk