Posts Tagged ‘Crohn Disease’

What is Colitis

06.13.10

Colitis is a general term for a large number of causes that result in inflammation in the lining of the bowel. Common symptoms associated with colitis are abdominal cramping, frequent loose stools or persistent diarrhea, loss of control of bowel function, fever, sleepiness, and weight loss.

Depending on the cause, colitis may be treated in several ways.One of the first steps in diagnosing colitis is identifying the cause. Some forms of colitis may be caused by infection through bacteria, certain viruses, and some parasites.

For example, exposure to the salmonella bacteria or any other bacteria needs to be treated with antibiotics to resolve the condition. Parasitic or amoebic infection usually warrants a course of either antibiotics or anti-parasitic medication. Viral colitis can be more difficult to treat.

Viruses like Rotavirus or Norovirus can result in dehydration, particularly in the very young or very old. Rest and increased fluid intake are often prescribed. However, if a person becomes severely dehydrated, he or she may need care in a hospital to receive intravenous fluids.

Certain diseases can predispose one to attacks of colitis. The most frequent cause of colitis in those with intestinal diseases is Crohn’s disease, which is a degenerative intestinal disorder. People with Crohn’s are more prone to colitis and to other serious conditions like perforated bowel.

Those with Crohn’s need to take seriously the symptoms listed above and see a doctor immediately. Any of these symptoms can necessitate medical treatment.Irritable bowel disorder (IB) can also cause bouts of colitis.

Since IB is both difficult to diagnose and to treat, anyone who has had frequent recurrences of the symptoms above is prone to colitis and should contact a doctor if he or she suspects colitis. Especially if bacteria or parasites causes the colitis, this can only worsen IB and needs immediate treatment.

While antibiotics are used to treat bacterial colitis, they can also be indicated as a cause of colitis in some cases. Additional causes of colitis may include taking birth control medication, having autoimmune disorders, or smoking.

If diarrhea and fever persist for more than two days, and you don’t have a disease that would necessitate earlier treatment, you should see a doctor quickly. If you have severe stomach pain with fever, you should not wait to see a physician during office hours but proceed to the emergency room, as this may indicate appendicitis or bowel injury.

If you suspect food poisoning, it is better to go the emergency room, since some bacteria can be very harmful.You can reduce your risk of colitis by using sanitary cooking and eating practices, avoiding caffeinated beverages, and not taking medications like ibuprofen if you have irritable bowel or inflammatory bowel conditions.

Treatment for those with frequent bouts of colitis will focus on trying to reduce symptoms such as diarrhea and stomach cramping. Sometimes these treatments of symptoms are the only way to address colitis.

Yet even with treatment, those with Crohn’s and other autoimmune or known stomach disorders should be vigilant if they suspect colitis, since other more serious conditions may also have the same symptoms as colitis.

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Teens with Crohns

04.24.10

Welcome! I was first diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease nearly ten years ago and, being a teenager at the time, I found it difficult to talk to others about the disease that did not have it. I created this site as a place to share stories and information – for teens, by teens – with Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, or IBS.

Apparently I’ve made a big impact here. I’m glad to do what I can to make a difference.Any advice you may wish to pass on to others is also welcome. Since most all of us follow special diets, there is a recipe section. I have tried many of the recipes listed here, and several have become my favorites.

Try them and let me know what you think. You might be saying to yourself at this point, “But I’m not a teenager!  What can TWC do for me?”  In the past seven years I’ve received e-mail from Crohn’s patients of all ages who have had plenty of advice to offer and stories to share. 

No matter what your age group, be it preteen, teen, or used-to-be-teen, there is all sorts of useful information here that easily applies to all ages. If you feel good there’s no reason you can’t go out with your friends. You may feel more tired than you did before you were diagnosed with IBD, so you’ll want to be sure you can leave and go home if you need to.

You may not be able to eat the same foods you did before, so plan ahead to make sure that if food is involved, there is something that you can eat available. If you aren’t feeling well but you still don’t want to pass up a big date or party, you’ll have to do a bit more planning.

If you can, try to go out somewhere that you can easily make it to a bathroom. A restaurant, a movie, or at your house or your friends’ house are probably the easiest places.

• Eat something at home before you go so you can avoid eating any of your no-no foods.
• Bring your medication with you in case you need to take it while you’re out.

You shouldn’t feel pressured to eat something that is going to make you sick later. Your friends wouldn’t want you to feel badly. So if you explain to them that a food may make you sick, they will understand, I’m sure. If you’re in a situation where food is being served that you can’t eat, you have a few choices available to you.

1. Call ahead or look online to find out the menu. The restaurant may have their menu online, or they may be able to fax or email it to you. You might be able to find something on the menu that would be OK for you to eat. Even just a little something to order and nibble on so you don’t feel out of place.
2. Eat before you go. Have something to eat that’s OK for you, and you won’t be so hungry at the party or event

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Pediatric Crohns Disease

04.08.10

Delayed growth is a well-established feature of pediatric Crohns disease. Several factors have been shown to affect growth, including disease location, severity, and treatment. The recently discovered NOD2 gene has been correlated to ileal location of Crohns disease and subsequently could affect growth through the resulting phenotype or as an independent risk factor.

The aim of our study was to determine if growth retardation is affected by genotype independently of disease location or severity. Crohns disease is an inflammatory bowel disease of the gastrointestinal tract.

Approximately 500,000 Americans suffer from Crohn’s, and it is estimated that at least 150,000 of them are children under age 17.  In children, the disease usually presents between 12 and 16 years of age; however, it has been detected in children as young as 7 years old.

Both adult and pediatric Crohn’s patients may experience a number of symptoms, including diarrhea, abdominal cramps and pain, fever, rectal bleeding, loss of appetite, and weight loss. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. If your child has been diagnosed with pediatric Crohn’s disease, talk to your child’s doctor about treatment with REMICADE.

Individual results may vary. Talk to your child’s doctor to see if REMICADE is right for your child.REMICADE is for children (ages 6-17) with moderate to severe Crohns disease who haven’t responded well to other therapies.

REMICADE has been approved for the treatment of pediatric Crohns disease, based on clinical research. Children with pediatric Crohn’s disease may have to deal with things that other children don’t — painful and sometimes embarrassing physical symptoms, eating and treatment regimens, doctor visits, and even occasional hospital stays.

Pediatric Crohn’s can have an impact of all aspects of a child’s life, including school, relationships with friends and family, and self-esteem. But by learning how to cope with the disease, they can still lead an otherwise happy, productive life. If your child has been diagnosed with pediatric Crohn’s disease, it is only natural to feel overwhelmed and scared.

Since this is a chronic illness (meaning that it doesn’t go away) that can involve painful and sometimes embarrassing symptoms, you may have questions:
• How will pediatric Crohn’s disease affect my child’s health and well-being?  Will it affect me and the rest of my family as well?
• Will this disease change my child’s appearance or interfere with normal growth?
• Will my child have to go on a special diet?
• What treatment is available for pediatric Crohn’s disease?

Crohn’s disease can have physical, social, and emotional effects on a child.  Physical symptoms of pediatric Crohn’s disease include growth problems, frequent diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and weight loss.

Children and teenagers may find it especially hard to deal with a chronic disease like Crohn’s and its symptoms since they are already in the process of both physical and emotional development.
Because of the physical manifestations of pediatric Crohn’s, a child may face challenges both socially and emotionally. Below are some of the social and emotional challenges a child with pediatric Crohn’s may face.

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Crohns Disease Surgery

01.08.10

Two-thirds to three-quarters of patients with Crohn’s disease will require surgery at some point during their lives. Surgery becomes necessary in Crohn’s disease when medications can no longer control the symptoms. It may also be performed to repair a fistula or fissure.

Another indication for surgery is the presence of an intestinal obstruction or other complication, such as an intestinal abscess. In most cases, the diseased segment of bowel and any associated abscess is removed; this is called a resection. The two ends of healthy bowel are then joined together in a procedure called an anastomosis. While resection and anastomosis may allow many symptom-free years, this surgery is not considered a cure for Crohn’s disease, because the disease frequently recurs at or near the site of anastomosis.

An ileostomy also may be required when surgery is performed for Crohn’s disease of the colon. After the surgeon removes the colon, he brings the small bowel to the skin, so that waste products may be emptied into a pouch attached to the abdomen. This procedure is needed if the rectum is diseased and cannot be used for an anastomosis.

The overall goal of surgery in Crohn’s disease is to conserve bowel and return the individual to the best possible quality of life. Surgery does not cure Crohn’s disease, but corrects an immediate problem that cannot be resolved using medication. Four types of surgery are commonly performed on individuals with Crohn’s disease:
•    Partial bowel resection, to remove a diseased portion of intestine
•    Strictureplasty
•    Correction of fistulas
•    Draining of an abscess

It is estimated that about 75% of individuals who live with Crohn’s disease will require surgery at some point in their lives, and that 75% of those who have one surgery will need at least one subsequent surgery.

Partial Bowel Resection
Resection is usually performed when a portion of intestine has been so damaged by disease that a permanent partial obstruction has formed. The most common areas removed are the terminal ileum, the ileocecal valve, and a small portion of the large intestine. Usually, the surgeon will attach (anastomose) the healthy ends of intestine together during the procedure.

Sometimes, however, there is mild inflammation throughout the intestine, preventing such reattachment. In these cases, a temporary ostomy is created. The ostomy allows intestinal contents to drain directly out of the body into a collecting bag through the abdominal wall. The ostomy is usually closed and the bowel reattached six to eight weeks after the initial surgery.After surgery, disease tends to occur above

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Crohns Disease Research

12.23.09

In the early 1900’s, the disease we call today “Crohns disease” was characterized as an infectious disease, specifically intestinal tuberculosis. However, by the early 1930’s, definitive classification (proof) that this disease was infectious was not forthcoming. More specifically, when Dr. Burrill B. Crohn failed to prove an infectious cause in 1932, the disease became formally known as “Crohns disease” (named after Dr. Crohn) and the search for an infectious cause was largely discontinued.

As a result, Crohns disease research has for many years been almost exclusively concentrated in “immunology” – and finding ways to “calm the overactive immune system” in Crohn’s patients – immune systems which were overactive due to “no known cause.”

Research Beginning in the 1980’s
Nevertheless, beginning in the 1980’s, a small core of highly regarded and dedicated researchers in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and other countries valiantly began again – in the face of contrary opinion in the medical community, and despite low-level to nonexistent funding – the search for an infectious cause for Crohns disease.

Over the intervening years this small core of researchers has slowly grown, and despite all obstacles has continued to painstakingly and relentlessly amass scientific evidence that suggests an etiological connection between Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), and Crohns disease. On behalf of Crohn’s patients everywhere, PARA highly commends and offers a heartfelt “Thank You” to the dedicated researchers who, in the 1980’s, valiantly began again, and have henceforth, with slowly growing ranks, relentlessly continued the search for an infectious cause of Crohns disease.

Current Research – National Institutes of Health (NIH)
On December 14 1998, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) hosted a workshop entitled “Crohn’s Disease:- Is there a microbial etiology? Recommendations for a research agenda.”

The workshop brought together researchers from multiple disciplines, including, but not limited to, mycobacteriology, molecular biology, immunology, gastroenterology, and veterinary medicine, etc., to discuss a potential infectious cause for Crohns disease. As the culmination of workshop deliberations and on-going NIAID research and efforts, in May 1999, the NIAID published a highly significant historical document – a comprehensive document setting forth an entirely new research agenda to place the search for an infectious cause for Crohns disease at the forefront of Crohn’s research, and to set forth the critical and rigorous research necessary to determine the relationship between Crohns disease and microbial infection, in particular infection with the bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP).

The NIAID’s historic “Research Recommendations” document has been reproduced in its entirety on this web site. Please read it on the page entitled NIAID Research Agenda. In mid 2002 NIAID funded the first significant research in the United States, targeting MAP as a cause of Crohns disease.  At this same time National Institute of Diabetes Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) also stepped to the plate to fund Crohns disease/MAP research.

For further information on NIH efforts, visit PARA’s Report – “PARA’s Efforts Benefits Crohn’s Sufferers.”PARA commends the NIH for significant efforts to determine the cause of Crohns disease.

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Crohns Disease Drugs

09.21.09

Thirty-two years ago Ginger Gray walked into her doctor’s office complaining of abdominal pain, diarrhea, severe weight loss, and overwhelming joint pain. At 19, she hadn’t grown an inch since the sixth grade. But her doctor said there was nothing physically wrong with her, and even suggested she seek psychiatric counseling.

Fortunately for Gray, she sought another physician’s opinion.

Based on tests he conducted, the doctor recommended the 4-foot-11-inch Pennsylvania resident begin full-time treatment for Crohns disease.”Crohns disease robbed me of my stamina,” Gray says. “It took two years for me to fully regain my strength and weight so that I could begin working again.”Until now, treatment for Crohn’s has relied on surgery and anti-inflammatory and other drugs also used to treat other conditions.

In August 1998, the Food and Drug Administration licensed the first treatment specifically for Crohns disease, an incurable and sometimes debilitating inflammation of the bowel.Remicade (infliximab) is a genetically engineered antibody that blocks inflammation caused by a protein called tumor necrosis factor. After clinical trials showed benefit from Remicade treatment within a two-to-four week period following a single dose, FDA approved the drug for patients with moderate to severe Crohns disease who have not found relief with other treatments.

“We recognized that [Remicade] had such a dramatic effect on patients,” says Barbara Matthews, M.D., a medical officer in FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, “that it was given accelerated approval.”Remicade, which is taken intravenously, can decrease the amount of inflammation along the lining of the intestine.

Clinical trials also show that Remicade is effective in closing fistulas (abnormal passages or sores between the bowel and skin). Although not a cure, the drug reduces the symptoms in patients who have not responded well to traditional treatments.”This is an exciting development for two reasons,” says R. Balfour Sartor, M.D., professor of medicine, microbiology and immunology at the University of North Carolina, and chairman of the National Scientific Advisory Committee for the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). “It is the first therapy for Crohns disease derived by molecular techniques, and it has the possibility of improving the quality of life for [Crohn's] patients.”

But Sartor also cautions that the long-term toxic effects of Remicade are unknown and that the drug is not needed by every Crohns disease patient. “Two-thirds of the people will have near immediate results,” he says, “but only those patients who do not respond to other therapies” are eligible to take the drug. The next step is to maintain a patient’s remission after the drug’s initial effect has worn off.

Currently, studies are being done to better define the risks and longer-term benefits of Remicade because drug reactions and potential adverse effects from suppressing tumor necrosis factor require further clarification. Crohns disease is one of two major types of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)–the general term for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines–and has no cure and a high rate of recurrence following treatment.

It usually occurs in the lowest portion of the small intestine (ileum), and the large intestine (colon or bowel), but it can occur in other parts of the digestive tract. Crohn’s usually involves all layers of the intestinal wall.

The disease can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms, which include chronic diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and weight loss, often mimic those of the other IBD type–ulcerative colitis–which affects only the colon. (See “Is It Crohn’s Disease?”)

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Celebrities With Crohns

05.31.09

Singer Anastacia was diagnosed with Crohns disease at age 13 and with breast cancer at age 29, but she has resolved to let neither disease defeat her. Her two albums, Not That Kind and Freak of Nature have earned a total of 42 platinum albums. She is an international sensation and has won several awards including awards as MTV Europe’s Best Pop Artist and Best New Artist at the World Music Awards.

Born in Chicago, Anastacia was introduced to the entertainment business at an early age by her parents; her father is a singer and her mother an actress. Anastacia started her career as a dancer in music videos and on Club MTV. She landed a recording contract with Epic Records after singing on MTV’s The Cut. Anastacia co-wrote the songs on her second album and has performed with legends such as Elton John and Luciano Pavoratti.Instead of being embarrassed by, or hiding her disease, Anastacia speaks openly about Crohns disease and the profound influence it has on her life and her music. She does not hide the scars on her abdomen, a reminder of the surgery she had for Crohn’s when she was just 13 years old. She feels that her disease helps her to understand herself and her motivations. Crohn’s also inspires her to live her life to the fullest.heoren

(Theo) Fleury was picked 188th in the 1987 National Hockey League draft. In the 1998-99 season, he scored 53 assists, the six highest number of assists in the league. He placed seventh in the league for goals and points, with 40 and 93, respectively.He was acquired as a free agent by the Rangers in July, 1999. At 5 foot 6 inches tall, he has become a role model for hockey players under 6 feet tall (6 feet considered to be the standard size for the NHL).
Theo is known for his fiestiness on the ice, and his determination. Diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 1996, he has been determined not to let the disease rule his lifeUnfortunately, on April 11, 2003, Theo was suspended indefinitely by NHL for violating the terms of his substance abuse aftercare program. He played the 2005-06 season with the Belfast Giants of the British Elite Ice Hockey League, and was named 2006 Kingdom of the Giants Most Valuable Player, but decided not return for the 2006-07 season.

Mike McCready, the lead Guitarist for the very popular rock band Pearl Jam, suffers from Crohns disease. Mike has admitted that, at times, the pain and associated urgency is so great that it affects his ability to perform on stage.
Mike has suffered with Crohns disease since the age of 15, and at times has taken up to 140 pills a week. He kept his disease hidden for several years as his band became popular. In 2003 Mike decided to become a spokesperson for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) after realizing that the disease affects so many children.Since going public, Mike has made numerous personal appearances and has donated signed guitars and other items to raise funds for the CCFA. Most recently, Mike has made a public service announcement that has been distributed to 1,250 radio stations across the United States.

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Can You Die From Crohns

05.24.09

Crohns disease is a condition where there is inflammation in the gut. The disease flares up from time to time. Symptoms vary, depending on the part of the gut affected. Medication can often ease symptoms when they flare-up. Surgery to remove sections of the gut is needed to treat some flare-ups. Medication taken each day may prevent symptoms from flaring-up.

IF YOU HAVE Crohns disease, you probably already know the bad news: The illness is incurable. If you’re a vegetarian with Crohn’s, the news is even more distressing: The standard medical solution often includes eating meat. Fortunately, though, there is hope. Natural medicine can help you control this potentially debilitating condition, in many cases without becoming a meat eater.

PATRICK DONOVAN, N.D., a naturopathic physician in private practice as well as a professor of gastroenterology at Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences in Seattle, has seen several dozen cases of Crohns disease in the past 10 years. Donovan is quick to point out that allopathic medicine plays an important role in managing the disease. “There’s a place for prednisone and hospitalization when treating Crohn’s,” says Donovan. “A person can die from this disease, especially during a flare-up. Conventional treatments can save lives.”

In fact, Donovan will treat only those Crohn’s patients who are also seeing a physician with hospital privileges. He also stresses the need for a correct diagnosis. He recently saw a patient who had been treated unsuccessfully for Crohn’s for 10 years; he determined that she in fact had celiac disease, a condition in which gluten, a protein found in various grains, damages the intestinal lining. Crohns disease cannot be prevented but you can reduce your symptoms. We know living with Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis can be difficult, but the right resources and support can make day-to-day living easier.

Crohn’s Disease is not normally fatal, however complications from the disease could be fatal if not seen to. These could be due to infection. Such as a perforated bowel if medical attention to it is not sought out quickly enough. About 1 in 1500 people have Crohns disease. It can develop at any age but most commonly starts between the ages of 15 and 40. It affects women slightly more often than men. The myth was created by the medical system to allow them to profit from those who are chronically ill. The cause and cure remain perpetually just beyond reach.

All they need is more money to keep looking. The elusive search for the cause and cure for Crohns disease is as futile as the elusive search for the cause and cure for Multiple Sclerosis. There is no need to search any further than the word toxicity, the one place the medical profession never looks. That is the smoking gun.

Look where they are not looking and you’ll find it. I was struck down by Crohns disease in the summer of 1993 when I was 44. I nearly died in 1994. I believe the name of an illness should help the person who has it to understand what he or she has, not to disguise the nature of the illness, which is what disease names usually do. Crohn was the name of the doctor who observed and described the disease. He gave his name to it. But, unfortunately, the word Crohn explains absolutely nothing about the nature of the condition.

It merely tells us the name of the person who claimed it for his own and, like Alzheimer and Parkinson and Hodgkin and so many other disease names. Disease naming actually keeps us in the dark. In my opinion, Crohns disease is caused by toxicity. In my case the intestines were poisoned by mercury leaching into the digestive tract from my mercury fillings. The body eliminates mercury extremely slowly. Chelation is the only way to effectively remove mercury at a rate that will allow the body to recover from disease. 90% of the mercury that is excreted from the body is eliminated through the intestines. When it is not eliminated quickly via chelation it is allowed to accumulate in the intestines where it causes tissues to become diseased through mercury poisoning. Mercury destroys the tissues and attracts parasites, unfriendly bacteria and fungus which contribute to toxicity in the intestines.

In my opinion, it would be more helpful if Crohns disease were called Toxic Intestinal Disease (TID). It is not easy to understand “we don’t know the cause, we don’t have a cure”, so we’ll name it after Dr. Crohn. But it is very easy to understand the word toxicity. Toxicity means poisoning.

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