Crohns Colitis and IBD

[chas007]

I've been putting off posting this topic, I'm curious, who in here has been afflicted with the above conditions?

I've have had it since I was 17,it's been quiet for almost 30 yrs now. I'm still taking a low dose of medicine.

How bout the others out there??

more info at: http://www.ccfa.org/

 

[looseliam]

I have an Aunt with Crohns disease. It's been many years and I don't think she has much left of her intestines. I see what she goes through. I'm sorry you too have to suffer. I hope it stays under control for you guys.

 

[JordanT]

My brother has Crohns (he's 33) and I know two others who have it. One has it so badly that he nearly bled to death one night because of it. Luckily, his wife found him in time. It can be a very serious and debilitating disease, especially once you start running out of intestine. So, staying on whatever meds and diet your doctor prescribes is very important.

 

[aussieduo]

I have suffered from IBS for about 10 years now, barely a day goes by when it does not effect me in some way, it can be VERY debilitating at times. Also makes you more prone to infections such as giardia. My sister also suffers from it, but not as much as I do. My doctor says it is genetic.

 

[BenF]

I have suffered from IBS for about 10 years now, barely a day goes by when it does not effect me in some way, it can be VERY debilitating at times. Also makes you more prone to infections such as giardia. My sister also suffers from it, but not as much as I do. My doctor says it is genetic.

IBS = Irritable Bowel Syndrome (functional gut motility problem)

IBD = Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn's, Ulcerative Colitis)

HUGE difference between the two - which one do you mean?

 

[Oden_grey]

A good friend of mine has Ulcerative Colitis... he's in his mid-fifties now and has had it for a little over 19 years. I never realized the kind of suffering this disease causes until he told me what he had to go through.

 

[sfrehem]

Some one that I went to school with just found out he has UC...He has had to go through 3 blood transfusions because of this. They had him on a medicine that wasn't working for him...it got so bad he was hospitalized for a couple of days...hes body started shutting down on him....The doctor put him on a new medication and it helped for about a month in a half...now he is starting to loose blood again.....

 

[Scooter]

I've had Crohn's Disease since 1995..I'm doing ok but have good and bad days..Truly awful disease!

 

[wraithsa]

both fit under inflammatory bowel disease - here is a little more info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crohns

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulcerative_colitis

hope its helpful

 

[Yngbldhwk]

BenF46: A very good point about the difference between irritable bowel and inflammatory bowel disease.

Chas007: I have irritable bowel syndrome and, while unpleasant, it's not as bad as Crohn's disease.

One promising potential treatment for Crohns is based on ingesting pig whipworms (I kid you not). Google the phrase and you'll find more info. I was skeptical at first but apparently this has produced some significant remissions. Somehow the worm larvae affect the intestinal walls, but for the good in people w/Crohns. Since they can't live for long in the human gut, they're ultimately excreted.

 

[bostonboy20]

I have Chron's disease....got diagnosed with it my Sophmore year of College(so about 5 years ago). It was horrible at that time I lost 20lbs before have my bowel resection(i had a blockage in my small intestine, that's how they diagnosed it as Chron's when they found that and knew what they were looking for) I had gone to three doctors and they were all just saying it's irritable bowel...and didn't really do anything. I was in a lot of pain. One night I just started vomiting for about 7 hours straight in the middle of the night, finally got my friend to drive me to the emergency room and all they did was give me anti-nausea medecine and tell me to go home and drink gatorade! I got home and started vomiting again(but there was nothing left to vomit so .....not to be gross but I started throwing up everything else that was in my system besides the food and bile) So I went up to my bed as my mom called the doctors....then i apparently started hyperventalating cause I was starting to go numb all over.....ambulance came took me to the hospital...stayed there and they were just gonna do a colonoscopy in the morning. My aunt the nurse said NOPE she told my mom to transfer me to her hospital(Children's in Boston) and I did and about 2 hours later I was in surgery for a bowel obstruction. 9 days later I was out of the hospital and diagnosed with Chron's. Luckily I have not been too affected by it...I was only on medication for about a week as a precaution after the surgery..but once i saw my new gastro doctor he took me off and said that he was doing studies and he doesn't like to medicate if there is no need....and to this day I've never taken medication for it. Only the occasional Immodium when I need it. and I take Calcium supplements and B12 injections.

I know I've heard that it's horrible for some people...I've been lucky with it and hopefully it will not get worse before they find a cure or effective treatment for it. My doctor is one of the leading Chron's doctors working on treatments and cures for it(he showed me all the mags and journals he's been in..lol)