Crohn's Commercials on TV

I have nolticed lately that there are quite a few commercials on TV about Crohn's Disease.  This disease has been around forever and I wonder why they have just started airing these ads llast year.  This is a good thing as it raises awareness to our plight.

I am very open and do not have a problem discussing anything with anybody, and when my Crohn's disease comes up in a conversation, other people start telling me about about themselves or a family member or friend who has it also.  It almost seems that they are happy to learn that they are not alone, or that they want to relay my situation to their family member or friend to try and make them feel better.

Hopefully more TV stations will air more ads about Crohn's, thus enabling the public to ask questions and perhaps be a little more understanding and caring when they meet or know someone with Crohn's.

As Martha Stewart would say "THIS IS A GOOD THING"

cleanfreak - it is nice to hear the disease being mentioned (even if it is for a drug company to make money). I know that I have had several people that know about my Crohn's contact me when they find out that they have another friend/ family member with the disease. I've been very open about my disease/experiences with the disease with people since my flare in 2008. This has opened some doors for other people to ask questions about it from someone who has it. It also has been a nice thing for me to remember that I'm not alone. I have helped "counsel" (and I use that word very loosely) new Crohnies with some support resources (HealingWell and GI Monitor Iphone App) and have been an ear for those that need to just vent about the disease to csomeone who understands.

I don't think NY-Sooner was trying to make anybody feel like a "stupid idiot" he/she was merely stating their opinion as to why there are so many commercials on TV mentioning crohn's, I thought the post was a very accurate assessment and I happen to agree with it wholeheartedly.

I agree with NY Sooner. Actually, the commercials tick me off. When people ask me "Have you seen that Crohn's commercial?" I say "Oh, you mean that pathetic excuse of a commercial? Why yes, I have seen it."

Because of these commercials, a few people don't take me seriously at all. They just tell me "Well if it's used for acne it can't be that harmful on your body." IT IS NOT ALSO USED FOR ACNE! IT IS USED ALSO FOR FREAKING PSORIASIS!! I just want to scream that back at them. I also can't forget the comment "Well the commercial just shows a woman worried about going to the bathroom & holding her stomach." I just wish these commercials portrayed what it's really like to live life as a Crohnie.

I've seen one decent crohn's commercial that wasn't about Humira & it actually showed what the symptoms are like.

NO! Feel free to post! I've never seen an CCFA commercial. Maybe my state hasn't "gotten" it yet. Either way, yes it is good to have more awareness out there & no, I disagree with the way SOME companies portray CD.

This is slightly off topic, but in the fine print of that Humira ad it looks like it says only 21% of people achieve remission with it. Is that really correct??? How depressing!

In two clinical studies, more than half of the patients who took HUMIRA had significant symptom relief, versus about 1 out of 3 who took placebo. In the same studies, 36% and 21% of patients who took HUMIRA achieved remission, versus 12% and 7% who took placebo. Results were at four weeks.

That was from the Humira website. That was just data from trials at four weeks & we all know it takes more than FOUR weeks to achieve remission usually. Especially with biologics! My Rhuemie & GI, as well as the commercials, say to look or results by 12 weeks.

I was one of the ones who was in the study to have Humira approved for Crohn's. That was back either at the end of 2005 or early 2006 - Lord I can't remember. It lasted over 2 years. And because of Humira, I was put in remission. I don't think the numbers are too bad considering not everyone finds the same meds to help. I had tried everything including Remicade (great until I became allergic to it) and even surgery. Asacol, Sulfasalazine, Flagyl, Prednisone, Pentasa, Imuran, etc, etc etc - never worked. Now I see that other biological drugs are out there. So I'm assuming that if one doesn't work (Remicade or Humira), you can move onto try the others. I stopped taking the drug in 2008 but I'm still in remission. I still and have told I'll always have trouble with the big "D" but I also lost 3 ft of intestine during surgery. On occasion, I have a mini-flare but it only lasts a few days. I take it easy with the food I'm eating and then I'm back to feeling good! I did have one time this past summer where it lasted a couple of weeks. I took a round of antibiotics and I'm back - as good as I can be.

And when you break it down - between 1 in 3 or 1 in 5 people living with CD finds remission with taking Humira. Not too bad for a disease which is not understood - no cure, no reason yet for cause.

As for the commercials, it really used to irk me whenever it seemed that everyone I knew would ask me if I'd seen them. I started to get the attitude of, "They're not out to really help, they're out to sell a product." But then I realized that those who care about me, even co-workers and other 'just' acquaintances not only remembered what I had and cared enough to make sure I knew about the commercials, but that they were learning to understand that Crohn's is a real disease that affects many people.

So whatever it takes to get the message out - I say, go right ahead!

I am kind of neutral on this subject..I have never seen a television ad that was not drug company related for this DD..I would like to get the word out for the many people who suffer from this DD..Drug companies do sell a product but it does not upset me when I see advertisements..I don't want to run out and try the drugs either..Remicade ads are more geared to people with RA than with CD even though the drug is used for CD..There is more drug ads for RA and depression than anything else I see..

Dear Brannah,

Thanks for much for pointing out those great videos, I not only found them inspiring but alot of the other ones I watched were very informative especially if you have an ileostomy.  I wish I had owned a computer when I had an ileostomy, it would have helped me so much especially on how to change it, showering as well as going to the beach.

The videos featuring children talking about how they deal with Crohn's were also very touching.

Thanks again.

I viewed about 8 of the videos that Brannah had pointed out and I did not see or hear any mention of drugs or finding doctors.  I watched videos about adults as well as children sharing their experiences. There were several other ones giving step by step instructions on how to change your ileostomy bag, which I wish I had seen when I had to change mine.  I even saw one that had a young teen giving tips on how to use decorative duct tape to disguise an ileostomy bag for going to the beach.

One of the videos that really stood out to me was about a little girl about 8, who is in the hospital and she is talking about her experience with getting an ileostomy, she even included her personal e-mail at the end of it so she could hear from other kids.  When I watched it, I immediately thought it would be a great video for a child to watch who had just learned that they needed an ileostomy, because knowing that they are not alone at a young age is important.  This is a difficult enough adjustment for an adult to go through, can you imagine what it would be like for a child, so any tool that parents can have available to them to help their child through a difficult adjustment would probably be appreciated. 

I found these videos very heartfelt and touching, so I not quite sure what videos you (MDF34) saw.  The ads that I referred to in my first post, the ones for the "Crohn's and Colitis Association", apparently are only shown in Canada and that is too bad because they too are heartfelt and bring a real awareness to the disease.

I noticed that in "Brannah's" post he mentioned that the link he was giving me was Canadian. It is really too bad that people in the US can't view them cause they are great in every way.  I am new to computers and if there was a way to get this link to the US I would certainly do it.  Maybe there is someone on this website who can figure it out.  I reallly believe they are not only informative but woth seeing.

 

Thanks for letting me know, just got my first computer about 3 months ago so I'm what you would call "computer illiterate", but by reading your post other people that want to view those ads can follow what you said.

Sometimes I feel so far behind because I am 60 and just realizing all the things I have missed, but I am learning!