I believe I May have some type of bowel disease. Does anyone have any of these ( crohns or ulcerative colitis)

Question

What are the symptoms? How do you deal with it?

Answer 1

Crohn's disease
This is a chronic inflammatory disease which causes stomach pains, diarrhoea, and weight loss.The disease is characterised by periods of activity and remissions.It typically affects the lower part of the small intestine (ileum) or the large intestine (colon), but it can affect any part of the digestive system.
The affected areas become red and swollen and ulceration may occur. As the ulcers heal, the formation of scar tissue makes the intestine increasingly narrow, leading to obstruction.
There is no cure for Crohn's disease, but the symptoms can be treated and the periods of remission can be made to last several years.
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation of the large intestine - or colon. This is the last metre or so of the intestine closest to the anus. Symptoms vary in severity from pain and discomfort, through mucous in the stools to in the most severe cases blood in the stools. It is generally diagnosed by inspection of the colon by a hospital consultant - a colonoscopy.
The underlying cause of ulcerative colitis is still not known - though the disease is associated with dysfunction of the immune system. In the disease the body's own T-cells attack the lining of the bowel - and hence cause it to be inflamed. This bodies immune system then takes this inflammation to be a further sign of infection - increasing the immune response - in a vicious cycle. This situation is what people would term a flare-up.
Ulcerative colitis is treated using a variety of medications designed to either directly reduce the inflammation - such as steroids - or to reduce the immune response such a immunomodulators.

Answer 2

I have some kind of bowel disease as well, either chron's, ulcerative colitis or something completely different, depending on the doctor you ask.

My symptoms are frequent bathroom stops, diarrhea, stomach pain, gas, severe weight loss, fevers, weakness, difficulty gaining weight, and I am often bed ridden during a flare up.

I used to take asacol, but I don't want to do that anymore because it blocks absorption of nutrients, the side effects are the same as the disease, and the poisons get sent straight to your liver. I am currently looking for a natural method of control, but at the moment I'm a bit discouraged since I'm in the middle of a flare and have not found the answer just yet. But then, I tend to be pretty depressed when I'm in a flare up anyway.

I do know that a low fiber diet is very bad for either condition. High fiber, while it seems counter intuitive, is best. This is because a high fiber diet will expand your colon and help it move your stools through with the least amount of pain possible. There will be less pressure and things will feel better. A low fiber diet may make you go to the bathroom less, but it will be more painful, and far more stressful on your colon. Low fiber is a myth, avoid it.

Stress may cause flare ups. My current flare up I believe was caused by 2 months of high stress living and a diet of restaurant food and TV dinners (literally, I ate nothing else because that was all that was available to me). Instead of gaining 10 pounds like I thought I would, I had actually lost 20 by the end of the 2 months, and even after getting on a better diet and lowering my stress, I lost 10 more pounds. Beware of high stress.

Answer 3

ulcerative colitis ; had it now for 20 years ; got it one year after I quit smoking; they think that nicotine may keep it in check; frequency to go the the bathroom, gas , sometimes blood in stool; chrohns , my son has it; vomiting, unable to go to the bathroom as often, nausea; I take sulfasalazine since day one and generally I am okay with the exception of a once a year flare up ; I have to then increase the meds or add in a different one to get it back in check; men can't take sulfasalazine/Alsulfadine b/c it lowers sperm count; there are other meds for men to take ; some foods can make it worse just like a normal person ; cabbage etc ; if you have it , you should check about taking folic acid , because these meds reduce absorption ; you should take folic acid anyway ; many benefits to it ; look that up online for benefits ; there are times that I know where every bathrooom is in a 20 mile radius; when I have a flare up , I take something for anxiety to relax me so the meds can kick in ; Good Luck

Answer 4

You need to give us here some more symptoms. You are guessing that you may have crohns or ulcerative colitis but what are your symptoms?

Answer 5

I don't have it but a close relative does.... UC that is. I did a paper on chrones once too...nasty buisness that. if you have wicked pain in your gut and elevated whiteblood cell count you had better talk to your doc about it. My nephew actually has blood in his stool on bad days. My nephew and his mother both get into such a terrible state.. they are on Rx drugs but have to be hospitalized once in a while. Its nasty sh*t. I hope you don't have anything as bad as UC....or *god forbid* ....crohns.

Answer 6

This isn't worth taking the chance by taking any advice you might get here. A doctor, and maybe a specialists, gastrointerologist, is worth your life, isn't it?