[MUSIC PLAYING]
DAVID WEINSTEIN: Thanks
for coming.
AMANDA PHELPS: Thanks for having
me.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: I thought
we would start off by just
having you tell us how he met.
AMANDA PHELPS: So I had battled
with constipation for years,
and I had really bad stomach
pains off and on.
Didn't really think anything
of it until it was really
excruciating.
So I talked with a friend
and she recommended you.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: People, when
they think of Crohn's disease,
they often think that it
presents with diarrhea.
Your Crohn's, where it's located
in the small bowel,
you presented with constipation.
You have to categorize it.
It's important to know
and for you to know where
your Crohn's is located,
my stomach, or my upper GI
tract,
or is it located
in the small bowel.
AMANDA PHELPS: So how did I even
get Crohn's?
DAVID WEINSTEIN: It's actually
very hard to get Crohn's because
of the microbiome being
in balance.
Normal bacteria that are flowing
through you're small bowel that
normally would be eradicated,
it gets through the cell,
it triggers an immune response,
and that immune response,
for whatever reason,
doesn't turn off.
It becomes overreactive.
AMANDA PHELPS: Do you think
I had Crohn's for a really long
time?
DAVID WEINSTEIN: Your own story
that you told,
which is the most important
thing really, that I do.
I think it had been there
for several years.
You made the decision.
You understood, having had
the information
from the colonoscopy, surgery
was going to make you feel
better.
AMANDA PHELPS: It was really
beneficial.
I was at the point
where I was in so much pain
that it had to help.
It couldn't hurt anymore.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: And it was
helpful to meet the surgeon
before hand, right?
AMANDA PHELPS: Oh, it was
definitely helpful.
Having that relationship I think
is really important.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: The severity
of your Crohn's was significant.
That led me to begin
the discussion with you
about beginning biologics.
AMANDA PHELPS: I was a little
anxious
and apprehensive
about the possibility
of medication.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: And you wanted
to get pregnant too.
AMANDA PHELPS: Right,
and I decided that Remicade
would be a good option
because it is considered to be
safe during pregnancy.
Are my kids going to end up with
Crohn's?
DAVID WEINSTEIN:
There's certainly an increased
risk, but most likely, they
won't.
AMANDA PHELPS: I've been doing
really well overall.
I pretty much just manage
my disease with avoiding foods
that upset my stomach.
I have really good days
and I have not so good days.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: What foods have
you found
that upset your stomach?
AMANDA PHELPS: So I definitely
avoid corn.
Sometimes raw vegetables tend
to upset my stomach.
So if I'm going to eat
vegetables, I usually make
sure they're cooked because it
digests a little easier for me.
I also don't eat steak very
often.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: Fruits,
vegetables, and fiber.
They're obviously good for you,
but they will slow down
gastric emptying.
Those are foods you can still
eat, but I like what you're
doing by cooking them or eating
smaller, frequent meals.
Diet absolutely plays a role.
It affects the microbiome,
but no diet is going to control
the disease.
And my concern more
is that people begin to restrict
their diet so severely that they
begin to lose weight.
Have you got your pneumonia
vaccines?
AMANDA PHELPS: I have not gotten
my pneumonia vaccines.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: Have you gotten
your flu shot yet?
AMANDA PHELPS: I have not gotten
my flu shot either,
and I'm hesitant to add
any other medications
to my body.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: Everybody
understands there's opinions
on vaccines.
The benefit so far outweighs
the risk.
Part of preventive care
with Crohn's is we immunize
against things that we can
immunize against.
Have you had
your dermatology checkup?
AMANDA PHELPS: That I have had.
I'm good about that one.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: Biologics
increases the risk of skin
cancer.
It's important that you should
have an annual dermatology
evaluation as a part
of preventive care.
AMANDA PHELPS: We've been
through a lot together.
I've been seeing you for five
and 1/2, six years now.
I live a normal life, even with
Crohn's.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: Right,
and you should.
AMANDA PHELPS: It is
important for you
to have that good relationship
with your doctor.
And I appreciate you being here
to help me.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: I'm
lucky to have you.
AMANDA PHELPS: We make
a good team.
DAVID WEINSTEIN: Yeah.
[LAUGHS]