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what is crohn’s disease

Read and learn more about what is crohn’s disease. For more, visit the Crohn’s Disease website DrCrohns.com

Q: What is the link between Appendicitis and Crohn’s Disease?
Hi. I hear there is a link between Appendicitis and Crohn’s Disease? How true is this? I suffered an appendicitis a week ago, and still recovering and am beginning to wonder if it could be Crohn’s disease. My doc said the appendicitis cause inflammation of my cecum too. Any medical advice out there?

A: Your appendix is part of the lymphatic system and crohn’s disease is primarily due to parasites in the intestines due to dysbiosis. The human pathogens found in pasteurized milk from grain fed cows you buy in the store has about 2 – 3% of these human pathogens that survive the heat process. The altered calcium and damaged proteins from pasteurization along with the highly inflammatory milk as a result of feeding the cows grains is a big factor as well. 92% of all crohn’s disease patients have this bacteria in their intestines.

If you look at the pathetic products manufacturers are making for crohn’s patients, it is no wonder this is a chronic illness that requires a life time of drug use to treat the symptoms. Cleaning up the intestines, removing the parasites, getting on a good nutritional diet, and making the digestive system work like it should is the answer, not drugs or surgery.

An inflamed appendix is just that, it is an inflamed body part. Most likely it is inflamed for the same reasons crohn’s disease is there, but is not the cause of crohn’s. The lymphatic system, that the appendix is part of, can be clogged and bogged down with dead cancer cells, debris that the body is trying to eliminate. The lymphatic system has NO pump like the circulatory system does (the heart), so it relies on exercise and movement to help the lymph flow along. You can also take herbs like devil’s claw or cat’s claw to help lymphatic movement.

The medical advice for crohn’s is not good and that should be obvious because they can never seem to help anyone get rid of the disease, just treat the symptoms.

good luck to you

Q: What is the difference between Crohn’s disease and Ulceretive colitis?
How to recognize Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis right away?
I appreciate your help.

A: It is very difficult to distinguish between CD and UC based on clinical inspection alone, as both are inflammatory processes that may cause diarrhea and bleeding. However, CD causes involvement of any part of the GI tract, from mouth to anus, and thus manifestations of the esophagus, stomach (i.e. upper GI bleed present as black stool), small intestine (malabsorption), or mouth (such as oral aphthous ulcers) are good clues that you may be dealing with CD rather than UC. In contrast, UC is limited to the colon and thus will not cause the extracolonic effects I mentioned.

Patient information may also help, as CD is seen in younger people (with high prevalence in Jewish people), while UC is most commonly seen in older people.

Otherwise, definitive diagnosis is based on endoscopic and histological evidence of specific etiology.

Q: What is the typical length of a hospital stay when being tested for Crohn’s disease?
My boyfriend was put in the hospital on Thursday, and he says the doctors want to test him for Crohn’s disease. The thing is though, it doesnt seem like their really doing anything. He says they want him to stay there till the gastroenterologist sees him and does tests, but he hasnt seen the gastroeinterolist yet, and basically he’s just sitting there in the hospital WAITING. He also doesnt even feel sick at all anymore, hasnt since yesterday. How long does it typically take to be tested for Crohn’s disease, and how long should he be in the hospital for?

A: It depends on the doctor. The hospital cannot do anything without the doctor. The tests themselves
are often done on an out patient basis. They maybe trying to regulate his diet in the hospital.

Q: What is the worst that can happen if you have Crohn’s disease and take senna?
Senna in laxative form, that is.
I see warnings that say do not take senna if you have Crohn’s disease, but I would like to know what can happen, worst case scenario.

Would appreciate advice from a doctor especially.

Thank you for your time.

A: Not a Doc, just another Crohn’s patient. Senna can aggravate and/or cause serious flare ups with Crohn’s. I’d stay away from it. Doesn’t sound like anything I’d want to chance.

Q: what are some websites that say that Crohn’s disease can sometimes really be parasites?
links that have statistics or has facts about how crohn’s disease can sometime be misdiagnosed and really be parasites would be really appreciated.
Thanks!

A: hi jelly, i am a crohn’s pt. It is due to the body rejecting the gut and seeing it as a foreign body due to a weakened immune system in the pt.

For more accurate information, check out the Crohn’s & Colitis foundation’s site. It has everything ranging from testing for CD, treatment, surgery, latest treatments, a live chat and hotline run by health care experts and an open forum you can post this question.

good luck. never heard of parasites as I’ve never had them and neither have the others I’ve met.

Q: What age can you operate on crohn’s disease?
My younger brother has Crohn’s disease. He’s about 12 now is it safe for him to go through surgery?

A: Hodel – Not everyone with Crohn’s disease needs an operation. Careful diet and medicines, as needed, often give excellent results. If his doctor (gastroenterologist) truly believess that surgery is required, this will be discussed with the family and the doctor. Operating comes only after other treatments do not give the desired good treatment results.

Q: What are the chances of getting Crohn’s disease?
I’ve been wondering this for a good… 10 minutes. I would like to know the chances of getting Crohn’s disease. I’ve been searching google, but all it tells me is smoking raises it, tells me nothing about the chance without smoking. I was hoping someone else would know, maybe someone with Crohn’s disease.

Thank you!

A: hi range, I am a Crohn’s survivor. You can’t catch Crohn’s disaease like an STD or a cold. It’s an autoimmune illness where the body is attacking the digestive tract as a foreign object and is trying to get rid of it. Medication therapy is used to get things in remission such asa Remicade, Entocort, Humira, 6MP or Imuran.

In order to dx it correctly you need to have a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, endoscopy if it is in the mouth, throat, stomach, blood work (Prometheus is the test you’d need), experiencing symptoms such as blood in the stool, abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, fatigue, high or low grade fever, the big “D” or constipation and blood clotting if you area flaring. Smoking will aggravate it as well as birth control (the pill causes blood clots & when you are in a flare the blood becomes sticky thus increasing the chances over 75% of having a DVT, PE, or stroke).

There have been studies done to see if it is genetic. For more information on that, check out the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America site. They have all of the latest information on treatments, studies, medical tests used to dx IBD, etc.

If you still have questions, CCFA has the answers. Good luck.

Q: What is a simple way to explain Crohn’s Disease?
I dont get what crohn disease is. Can you explain it in a simple way so i may understand what it is.

A: All you need to know about Crohn’s:
1- You’re ALWAYS in the bathroom or looking for one
2- Pain, like…if you touch my gut I’m going to kill you and do not move because it hurts
3- Your immune system attacks itself which causes the inflammation which causes the pain and the oooo where is the bathroom!
4- Barium shoots through you!
5- You’re always are tired

That about sums up Crohn’s for you! :P

Pharmacy & Vet Tech/Crohnie

Q: How can I support a friend who has Crohn’s disease?
My friend was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. He is taking medication, going to physio, and learning to change the way he eats. Sometimes he is in a lot of pain and is frustrated with his condition. I don’t want to baby him, because I don’t think that’s very empowering, but I want to show him that I take his pain seriously. What kinds of things can I say to him to show my support and to help comfort him?

Thanks for your time

A: This is coming from someone who HAS Crohn’s disease so I hope I can help.
I was diagnosed a year ago and yes, babying isn’t the way to go. :) What you can do is listen to what he has to say. Even if all he does is rant about how much he hates it, hes telling you because he wants to be heard. Don’t eat foods he used to like in front of him, or drink alcohol excessively in his presence. Honestly, even if its not intentionally, its frustrating. Best you can do is cheer him up with things he enjoys. Like for me, my friends would opt for movies nights that are caffiene-less, popcorn-less and all out tired-high fun (you know when you’re REALLY tired but not). Don’t constently go on about how he should do ‘this’ or do ‘that’ about it. Do be encouraging and a good thing to do is tell him you’ll join his diet plan, take sugar pills at the same time he takes his medication and above all wait it out, because once he gets used to the deal, and his Crohn’s is under control, you’ll be able to find ways to joke about it if he’s like me in any way. Don’t worry, he may be down now, but you can promise him it’ll get better from here. :)

Q: Is the pain caused by Crohn’s disease and endometriosis enough to justify morphine daily?
This girl I know in her early 20’s has morphine every day. We fear she is addicted. She always looks and sounds strung out, she doesn’t work and is mentally unstable. It seems like overkill to me – I know there are things that can be done for endometriosis, but what about Crohn’s? What do you think?

A: hi, I am a crohn’s pt. for 28 yrs. Some crohn’s pt. are in severe pain almost daily because the newer treatments just don’t work for them so they go under a doctor’s care for pain management.

Before you judge this poor girl, she may be suffering w/abdominal pain, fatigue, bleeding, the big “D” or “C”. You just don’t know unless you’ve been in her shoes.

Check out the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s site to educate yourself. There is also a live chat & hotline run by healthcare experts who can answer your questions as well as an open forum where you can post this question to others who have IBD (crohn’s or ulcerative colitis).

Don’t judge a book by its cover. I know many folks w/Crohn’s who are on pain management medications because they are not able to take the newer treatments. Check out the CCFA site and EDUCATE YOURSELF. If things get worse for your friend, then yes, definitely step in and talk to her family into getting her help.

It’s nice to know that some people actually care when a friend isn’t well.

Q: What are the best job’s for people suffering with Crohn’s disease?
I wondered if there are good job’s that allow for good handling of crohn’s disease.

A: hi mark, i’ve been a crohn’s pt. since the age of 12.
People with this illness can do almost anything if they are in remission. We are protected by the 1990 Disability Act. The employers have to make certain accommodations for CD pts. in order for them to do their jobs. They can not fire us based upon our illness.

for more information on it, check out the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America website. They have information on surgery, medications, treatments, diet, and even information on locating a local support chapter. I belong to the one near me & I’ve even managed to have a few business contacts. You’d be amazed at the # of ppl from all walks of life w/IBD who have successful careers.

Also, CCFA has a live chat & 800 number that is run by healthcare professionals M-F 9 am – 5 pm (EST). You can ask them questions & get straight answers since they are up-to-date on IBD.

My last job was a medical biller at a local hospital I frqeuently go to as a pt. in the ER. My bosses were extremely supportive & come to find out there were 2 other coworkers with IBD so I didn’t feel like the odd woman out.

If you ever run into problems at your job due to your Crohn’s, contact CCFA. They can guide you & tell you what your options are.

Q: What are the benefits and drawbacks of homeopathic medicine for Crohn’s disease?
My daughter was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s. She is experiencing some pain in her gut, gets tired and sometimes has joint pain.

A: My son was diagnosis with Crohn’s disease over 2 years ago. the doctor wanted to put him on Humira (after experimenting with several other drugs) which is anexpensive drug with life threating serious side affects. We did some research and wanted to take a new approach to combat His problem. This is what we found out. The liver is producing too much bile that is toxic to the digestive tract. The types of foods you need to eat are those that DO NOT create excessive acid or bile that help in digestion (simply put). The bile is normal unless it is in large quanity or toxic, the acid attacks the food as well as intestinal linings of your stomach
Your body is high in toxins that you need to remove and stop feeding into the problem by the foods you consume and an overactive liver.

1.) “Foods to eat” : water purified, fish, eggs, potatoes,rice, white bread,meat ground up fine or chewed well, skinless chicken cut fine, tortillas, broth, noodles plain with a little butter, plain yogurt with no extra ingredients, Goats milk or rice milk(rice dreams-Walmart) cherrios rice crispies or chex, plain oatmeal and ‘most important’ 5x/day at each meal and as a snack, legume’s black beans, kidney, pinto, buttered,refried, with no lard or spices except salt to start. Sunshine calcium and D’3, Iron supplements(in moderation)
if you are anemic.
2.) “Foods to avoid!”: fruit juice,dairy!,milk (hardest to digest, a cow use 4 stomachs!) chips!,processed foods of any kind, fast food of any kind, soda ,msg,sugar,corn, corn syrup,corn sweeteners,wheat products,sweeteners of any kind, coffee, teas,sauces, read the back labels (you are going to be surprised) for added ingredients any thing thats added, adds to your body’s toxic level. NO artificial sweeteners. foods that produce too much acid to break down the foods you eat. No alcohol of any kind NO Tabacco. pork, fatty foods.
3.) ‘Foods to eat’: in moderation after you stop bleeding and start gaining weight or are having no discomfort : certain fruits,steak,venison, peanut butter or almond butter, more plain oatmeal A multi-vitamin with minerals with 100% RDA (not large dose’s of any vitamins and 2x daily ,use shaklee as the bench mark for comparison ) of all of the B’s, hard cheese, soy milk,well cooked vegetables” Psyillium powder”.
4.)The beans,psyillium powder and oatmeal are a soluble fiber that absorb bile and remove the toxins in your body,then the liver will produce more bile but less toxic(simplified for lack of space).
5.)This is not an all inclusive list and your Doctor will disagree with the elimination of drugs, all removal of drugs should be done slowly if you decide to stop taking them, but they will add to your body’s toxic level as you continue take them. which will make your Crohn’s worse and make you susceptible to other more serious disease’s. I am not a specialist in any field or giving medical advice. I also hired KarenHurd.com at a fraction of the cost to teach my son to diet properly but you can go to her web site and get free information, but I recommend you pay her for a short time to get you healthy and on a routine faster. She has a very high success rate. Stress will make it worst so exercise and relax. Most importantly Faith, Hope, and Prayer, you will get better. God is faithful what ever the results. E-mail me if you have any questions and I can help. I don’t know if you have crohn’s but changing your diet could help you and most of us in America because of the poor nutrition we unknowingly subject ourselves too. Ibs and colitis is similar but the diet still apply’s. Routine and a little bit of self disipline and you will be drug free and have more money in the pocket. You may have other complications with the Crohn’s because you are now susceptible to all kind of complication’s and other disease’s because of the medicine you take!

Q: What drug has liver damage side affects for Crohn’s disease patients?
The question asks it pretty pointedly. There are multiple drugs for aiding in the remission of a Crohn’s flare up, one of these drugs has very high risks of liver damage. What is the name of it? Please, help?

A: hi be, I am a female crohn’s pt. as well. If you check out the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s site and post your question on their open forum to others who have CD, you will get a better response. They have a live chat & hotline run by healthcare experts as well as great stuff on surgery, diet, latest treatments, finding a local CCFA support chapter, etc.

Immunosuppressants such as 6MP and Imuran affect the liver BUT if you have a good GI, he will check the liver for toxicity via bloodwork every 3 months. As soon as it starts to show signs, the med is stopped ASAP. I am speaking from experience when I was on 6MP.

Definitely check out the site and post your question and look around to educate yourself about Crohn’s. best of luck.

Q: What is the daily dose of Vitamin C for a female with Crohn’s Disease.?
I take daily medication for my Crohn’s Disease. I also have to take Prilosec for acid reflux. I am usually always eniemic when it comes to my bloodwork. I have to take Vitamin C to help my body to absorb iron that would have been absorbed, if it wasn’t for the Prilosec canceling it out.

A: 1,000 mg twice a day.

If I were you, I would read this:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_colitis2.html
And this:

http://drfuhrman.com/success/successstory.aspx?id=64

Since following a blend of McDougall’s and Fuhrman’s diets, not only have I stopped taking my diabetes medication, I put the Prilosec away… for good. Maybe it’s worth looking into a diet change.

Q: I have crohn’s disease and am vegitarian. What do you suggest me eating? What would be good in my diet?
I was told high fiber foods but need some suggestions of high fiber foods to eat. I tried eating nuts the other week which was a mistake. It was one of the worst pains ever in my stomach. Apparently cashews or peanuts are not good for crohn’s. It caused a serious flare up and a lot of pain. Can anyone suggest foods that may be good for me and may even make me feel better?

A: No! High fiber foods are horrible for someone with crohns. I had surgery about 2 months ago because of crohn’s. They removed 16 inches of my small intestine because it was so inflicted with ulcers. Eat foods that are very low in fiber. Fiber will scrape your intestines, thus causing more ulcers, and like me, it can cause intestinal bleeding. Cashews and peanuts are not good because they can actually become lodged in the areas of your intestines/colon that are inflammed. Eat foods low in fiber, being vegitarian does not help, but if you steam (i am talking like steam the crap out of them) your vegetables, it helps to lower the fiber in them. Please take care of yourself and get some expert advice, you do not want to go through what I had to, and to be honest, I have heard of worse.

Low fiber
Make a food log. When you eat log it all and then if you have a problem, try to pinpoint what food caused it and stop eating it. This is really helpful.

Hope this helped. God Bless

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