What Is IBD Really Affecting Inside My Body?
The Gastro Girl Podcast
07/14/26
•21m
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Many people living with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis assume that if symptoms improve, their disease is under control. But with inflammatory bowel disease, inflammation can sometimes continue silently, even when you feel okay.
In this episode of Gastro Girl, Jacqueline Gaulin speaks with IBD expert Dr. Jessica Allegretti about what IBD may be affecting inside the body and why symptom relief is not always the same as healing.
They discuss the difference between feeling better and achieving remission, why ongoing monitoring matters, how flares can develop, and how proactive care may help protect long-term health.
This conversation is designed to help patients better understand what may be happening inside their bodies and feel more informed when talking with their healthcare team.
This education initiative is sponsored by Merck.
Previous Episode
After a Barrett's esophagus diagnosis, many patients ask: What happens next—and do I need treatment?
In this episode, foregut surgeon Dr. Caitlin Houghton of Keck Medicine of USC explains how Barrett's esophagus is treated in the United States and how doctors work to reduce the risk of progression to esophageal cancer.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• How doctors decide when treatment is needed • The role of reflux control, medications, and lifestyle changes • When endoscopic eradication therapy (EET) may be recommended • When surgery may be considered • Why ongoing surveillance is important for long-term care
If you or someone you love has Barrett's esophagus, chronic GERD, or long-term acid reflux, this episode provides practical, evidence-based guidance to help you better understand your options.
This episode is part of a 4-part patient education series sponsored by Castle Biosciences and produced by Gastro Girl in collaboration with leading U.S. clinicians dedicated to improving outcomes for patients with Barrett's esophagus.
Next Episode
A Barrett's esophagus diagnosis can leave you wondering what comes next. Understanding your follow-up care, surveillance plan, and individual risk can help you take a more active role in your health.
In this final episode of our 4-part U.S.-focused Barrett's esophagus patient education series, Advanced Practice Provider Tedra Gray shares practical guidance to help patients better understand ongoing care, surveillance, risk management, and how to advocate for themselves within the healthcare system.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why follow-up care and surveillance are important • Why monitoring Barrett's esophagus matters over time • How shared decision-making can help shape your care plan • How management may differ based on a patient's individual risk • What questions to ask and how to take an active role in your care
Whether you've recently been diagnosed or have been living with Barrett's esophagus for years, this episode provides practical next steps and evidence-based information to help you better understand your diagnosis and move forward with confidence.
This episode is part of a 4-part patient education series sponsored by Castle Biosciences and produced by Gastro Girl in collaboration with leading U.S. clinicians dedicated to improving outcomes for patients with Barrett's esophagus.
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