Crohn's Disease Information

   What Is Crohn's Disease?
   What Are the Symptoms?
   What Are the Complications and Affected Areas?
   Your Crohn's Disease Will Combine With Stress to Give You Fatigue.
   Do You Need Supplementation?
   Is There a Crohn's Cure?

What Is Crohn's Disease?

CROHN'S is one of the inflammatory bowel diseases (the others include ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome). It is a chronic disease for which there is no cure at present.

Crohn's usually occurs in the small intestine, but is not limited to that area. It can occur anywhere in the digestive tract. It is not contagious, but it is estimated that over 500,000 people have the condition.

With Crohn's Disease, teen or child or adult, it doesn't matter, they all go through many highs and lows depending on whether they are having a flare up or are in remission. The flare-ups, too, can have different severities. From minor to a full blown flare-up.

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What Are the Symptoms?

Crohn's Disease symptoms include stomach pain (usually in the lower right area), diarrhea and weight loss, fever, rectal bleeding, fatigue and anemia, arthritis, and skin problems. The number of symptoms and the intensity of the symptoms varies from patient to patient.

No one knows the cause of Crohn's Disease. It does seem to have a genetic link. Many times, a person with Crohn's has relatives who have the disease. There are also current theories that describe it as a reaction of the immune system to a virus or bacteria in the intestines.

Also, what the patient eats doesn’t cause Crohn's Disease, but like stress, it can affect how the patient feels. If you've been newly diagnosed, keep a journal to see if you can figure out what foods cause you the most problems.

It is also important to note that Crohn's Disease is not caused by stress. But stress does affect the symptoms of the disease and the disease, in turn, causes the patient a lot of anxiety. Learning ways to reduce stress will help a person deal with this disease.

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What Are the Complications and Affected Areas?

* Inflammation - The condition can cause the intestines and other areas of the digestive tract to become inflamed. Prescription medications of varying strengths is often prescribed

* Obstructions - The small intestines can become so inflamed that obstructions occur. That is dangerous because it could cause the intestines to rupture and that can kill you. So, many times surgery is required to remove the obstruction by taking out part of the small intestine (this is what happened to me back in 1985). This surgery does not eliminate the disease. It is not uncommon for people with Crohn's Disease to have more than one operation.

* Abdominal Pain - Even without an obstruction, patients experience pain usually in the lower right side.

* Diarrhea - One of the main symptoms of Crohn's Disease. It causes a loss of nutrients.

* Ulcers form in parts of the intestines and some of these ulcers can form a tunnel that joins one part of the intestines to another part and can even joins the intestines to an organ or the skin.

* Fistulas - A tunnel like formation that joins two loops of the intestines and/or a loop of the intestine and an organ of the body. Two drugs used in the treatment of fistulas are Imuran and

* Abscesses - Pus filled pockets filled with bacteria

* Anemia - May be due to loss of blood due to bleeding in the intestines and/or rectum. Also, lack of absorption of nutrients in digestion due to inflammation of the small intestines where absorption occurs

* Colon Cancer - People with Crohn's Disease have a greater chance of getting Colon Cancer.

* Weight Loss - due to lack of appetite. This is not uncommon for people with Crohn's Disease.

* Arthritis - It's not uncommon for someone with Crohn's Disease to develop Arthritis. Some relief is given by the anti-inflammatory drugs a person takes for Crohn's. Drugs like Remicade and Humira.

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Your Crohn's Disease Will Combine With Stress to Give You Fatigue

When you combine Crohn's Disease and stress, you get periods of fatigue. All of us with the disease go through it. It is a very important issue in our lives. People with Crohn's Disease often feel a weariness and an exhaustion, especially when we have a flare up. But even when we don’t have a flare up, our body is still fighting a war against the disease. It is in combat and that combat takes a lot of energy. What’s a person to do? Here are some suggestions.

One thing you can do is see if there is some kind of pattern to your low energy level. Are there certain activities or thoughts that cause you to feel more fatigue than usual? When you know what causes extra fatigue, you can deal with it better. You might be able to eliminate or change the causes in some way.

If something comes up in a period of low energy and it’s not crucial, reschedule it. You are probably doing that already. But do you need to be more observant? Do it more often?

Having the disease can mean a lack of appetite for many people (it didn‘t for me, but most people lose weight). Are you eating enough food (the right food), and drinking enough liquids?

Are you getting enough sleep? Do you need to change your pattern of sleep? Go to bed earlier? Do you need a prescription from the doctor to help you fall asleep? (It helped me.) Perhaps this simple action will help: you can cut down on the amount of caffine you take in. Too much caffine can keep you up at night.

The simple fact is that not enough sleep will cause fatigue. It puts you out of your natural body rhythm. The result is you feel exhausted.

Another key is what you do when the disease is in remission. You need to build up our energy level. You do that through exercise, good sleep patterns, and developing your skill to relax at will (so we can relax better during a flare up). What you do during remission can help you during a flare-up.

You need to look at your beliefs and attitudes about having the disease. Are they causing you more fatigue than necessary? Do you need to change you attitude? How about expectations? Do you need to change those?

Are you having terrible bouts of depression? Would it help you to seek professional help? There are psychologists and social workers who help people deal with the mental aspects of living with chronic diseases. Perhaps your insurance will pay for it.

Also consider the fact that Crohn's Disease starts in many, if not most cases, in a young person or a teenager. We hear so much in the news now a days about depression and teenagers. Add Crohn's Disease to the mix and it just doesn't seem fair.

One recommendation for teenagers is to post on Crohn's forums. It will help to vent to people who have gone through the same situation.

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Do You Need Supplementation?

Most people get the nutrients and energy they need from the food they eat.

However, those with Crohn's disease are prone to becoming malnourished for several reasons, including loss of appetite, the increased need for nutrients due to the demands of the disease, and perhaps most significantly, the inability to properly digest and absorb nutrients due to intestinal problems.

The body's ability to properly digest protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients is often compromised in Crohn's sufferers, which could lead to serious additional health complications, not the least of which is chronic fatigue.

That's why it is not unusual for a person with Crohn's Disease to need supplementation to their diet.

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Is There a Crohn's Cure?

Science has not yet found a Crohn's cure, although new medical research is bringing doctors closer to conquering this disease once and for all.

For the estimated 500,000 Americans with Crohn's Disease, and countless more worldwide, relief is provided by way of medications that can treat inflammation as well as address any more serious complications that may develop such as fissures and fistulas, among others.

Depending on the severity of the disease, drugs such as aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immune modifiers and antibiotics are available for treating patients. Newer medications called biologic therapies, such as Remicade, are used for more serious cases where the patient does not respond effectively to more traditional medicines.

The majority of Crohn's Disease patients require surgery at one point or another, either to repair, remove blockage, or when medications are not able to keep symptoms in check.

Although these procedures do not result in a Crohn's cure, they can provide some temporary relief before the next complication arises.

It might be years before science is able to discover a Crohn's Disease cure, but until then it is important for patients to do whatever they can to keep the illness under control.

Be sure to check with your physician or other qualified medical professional to gauge the severity of the illness and develop proper protocol to deal with the disease. Only try natural cures for Crohn's such as fish oil if your doctor believes it may be an effective alternative.

Until a Crohn's cure is found, make sure you eat a healthy balanced diet...supplementation may be necessary to ensure proper nutrition. Also, try to exercise and minimize stress and negative influences.

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