Chron's Disease

Question: Is Chron's disease a nutrional related disorder? Can you name some other nutritional related disorders? Preferably some besides diabetes, heart disease or nursing bottle caries.

Answer: When you have Crohn's disease, your body's immune system begins attacking healthy cells in your GI tract, causing inflammation. It's an autoimmune disease. This means that your body is producing antibodies against itself. It's found in the small intestines and is an inflammatory bowel disease.

Question: I just found out that one of my good friends has Chron's Disease. Is it considered a terminal disease? What other information can you give me about the disease?

Answer: Crohn's Disease CAN be very serious if not controlled properly with medication and diet. My sister became extremely ill, but had surgery and now she is completely fine. It is an illness that one will always have, but there is no reason why he or she cannot live a normal life. With a good doctor, they can find the right medications to control the symptoms. Crohn's typically effects both the large and the small intestines and causes inflammation and ulcers in the intestines. A good website is www.ccfa.org. Be very supportive and understanding. Diet is very important and knowledge is key to understanding the disease. It may take several months to find the right combination of medications or options, but eventually something will work to help control the symptoms.

Question: Is having Anemia and Chron's Disease dangerous? Yesterday, I found out that my friend has both Anemia and Chron's Disease. I checked, and both of these seem like manageable illnesses. But are they manageable together? Like, can she treat them both and still survive?

Answer: yes they are manageable under a doctors supervision. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract and Individuals with Crohn's disease are at risk of malnutrition for many reasons,including decreased food intake and malabsorption.that can cause anemia, The risk increases following resection of the small bowel. Such individuals may require oral supplements to increase their caloric intake, or in severe cases, total parenteral nutrition. Most people with moderate or severe Crohn's disease are referred to a dietitian for assistance in nutrition. hope this will help good luck

Question: Does anyone know anything about Remicade infusion for people with Chron's disease? I have chrons disease and want to get some information about Remaicade infusion from other than the company that produces the drug. If you are on a Remicade infusion or have any knowledge of the procedure,drug, side effects, costs or any other valuable info please tell me all you can I am scheduled for this treatment and want some background info and a second non-biased opinion from someone that may have actually had the treatment please help if you can thank you

Answer: Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease, probably involving an immune reaction of the body to its own intestinal tract. It can involve any segment of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the "rear-end". Remicade is an anti–TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody. In essence, it is an immune modulator, decreasing the amount of intestinal attacking antibodies. Usually immune modifiers are only used when remission by other treatment is difficult. Prodedure is pretty simple: you will just go in, have an IV started and the medication is slowly infused over a period of >2 hrs. I also know you need more then 1 (3-4) treatments as well. Some adverse reactions include hypersensitivity and flulike symptoms; the latter can often be avoided by pretreatment with Tylenol and Benadryl. Good news: For Crohn disease, the response rate is 80% and remission rate is 50% after a single dose; with multiple dosing, higher rates can be attained. Bad News: I dont have an excate pricing, but its pretty steep... insurance/medicaid a must

Question: What are the triggers of Chron's disease? What are some of the foods that could trigger Chron's disease to act up? Please list your sources. Thanks in advance

Answer: livingwithcrohn'sdisease.com has all the info you need.web md is also a good site.i try to stay away from foods that are processed with sugar,i once had an allergic reaction that was severe and thought to be related to the crohn's.but wasn't.

Question: Anyone out there with severe Chron's Disease? My husband has been diagnosed with Chron's Disease and is currently under treatment but nothing seems to work and he is miserable. Can anyone share their own experiencewith this disease? Thank you.

Answer: hi mary, I am a female crohn's survivor dxed at the age of 12. I can understand where your husband is coming from when nothing seems to work. Is he a candidate for Entocort, Remicade, Humira, 6MP, or Imuran? These are the latest treatments for Crohn's. I am on Entorcort and Humira shots myself. Make sure he has medication for pain management like Bentyl for stomach spasms and Tylenol w/Codeine or the like. He is entitled for some sort of relief for pain. Also, if he has back spasms due to Crohn's, he can try Flexeril (muscle relaxer). I have been on these for pain mgt. If you go to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America site, you can find tons of information regarding the newest treatments, surgery, diet, finding a local support group near you, exercise, coping skills, etc. I belong to the local CCFA chapter near me. I've met so many folks like myself. I've learned who is the best MD to treat Crohn's, which hospital is better for treatment, which facilities to avoid, and have attended the educational meetings where GI surgeons have spoken as well as dieticians, drug reps, and even ostomy pts. who had surgery as a last resort when their treatments failed. Go to the ccfa site, click on events/chapters on the left side, type in your state and the nearest support mtgs. will come up. Family members are highly encouraged to attend seeing as this illness affects them as well. My husband went to the meetings while we were dating to educate himself so he knew what to do in case of a flare up or bowel obstruction. It definitely came in handy as he had to rush me to the ER 6 months after we were married. Ask the doctor for a recommendation for a good registered dietician b/c they are well versed in dealing with ppl who have all sorts of illnesses and require special diets. I always request one when I am hospitalized so they can give me info on bland diets for flare and low residue for coming out of one. To help him manage his pain, try a heating pad on his abdomen 15 minutes on, 20 minutes off for 1 hr. Better yet, use a Thermacare heat wrap for the back. Move the heat discs to the front and it will stay warm for 8 hrs. and he can sleep w/it on safely. If he feels that the Gi isn't using up-to-date treatments, he can get a 2nd opinion. He has the right to get one at any time so don't be intimidated or afraid that there will be repercussions from the current MD. If the doctor makes a fuss, then find someone else. Most doctors won't mind having another set of eyes going over a patient's file because sometimes they can give insight as to what might have been missed. I have lived w/this disease since I was a child & have learned so much from it as well as seeking more information from CCFA so I know what I am talking about. Feel free to email me if you have questions. I hope your husband feels better soon. I can definitely relate to what he is going through.

Question: chron's disease type II and intestinal cancer? hey peeps. lol. have been diagnosed with intestinal cancer as well as type II chrone's disease. does any one have the same thing? what are some good tasty recipes for food i can eat that will help me with either / both of these illnesses? points will go to what i think were the tastiest recipes. the more you post, the better chance u have! lol really appreciate the help people. :D

Answer: It is hard to cope with and often times I just suffer the consequences - because I love food -- and eat some of forbidden stuff--- Try eating as much of nutrient dense food as we cannot retain - digest most of it and it just goes in to the drain. I hate it when people look at me as if I am anorexic when I am not - it is a condition that there is no cure. if you are good with meat, and cheese have bun less burgers all day long, alomond milk shakes etc here is one Perfect Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup gluten free, casein free margarine 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 1 egg 1/2 cup salted natural peanut butter 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup soy flour 1/4 cup tapioca flour 1/4 cup potato flour DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a medium bowl, cream together the margarine, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and peanut butter. Combine the baking soda, soy flour, tapioca flour and potato flour; stir into the batter to form a dough. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and place them 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. ..

Question: Does anyone have homeopathic treatments for late stage Chron's disease? He has had it for 25 years and the doctors have given up, its either cut everything out or die and he is not willing to either route.

Answer: Chron's disease or terminal ileitis has, as you must know, no known cause. Some recommendations advise an increase in the uptake of milk, but many people with bowel problems have an allergy to milk. Sugar and other refined carbohydrates should be avoided. The problem with long-term treatments is that the body becomes accustomed to the treatment and it no longer has the same effect.There are some favourable reports from some patients who have undertaken homeopathic treatment for Chron’s disease and you would be advised to obtain treatment from an experienced and qualified homeopath I add some links that carry details about obtaining homeopathic treatments http://abchomeopathy.com/c.php/47 http://askdrshah.com/crohns.htm http://ibdcrohns.about.com/ od/altmedcrohns/Crohns- DiseaseComplimentary_ Alternative_Remedies.htm Hope this helps Matador 89

Question: Question regarding chron's disease and the lap band surgery? Help please? My friend was recently diagnosed with this thing called colitis, all I know is she has poopie problems and now she said the doctors think It's actually something called chrons disease. Im not sure what that is but it sounds way serious. She is very upset because she had been going to some seminars for the lap band surgery before this. My question is can she still get the lap band thing done even though she might have this chrons disease??

Answer: The lap band surgeon would be able to tell her. She could call the office and ask. I don't think it would interfere, but I'm hardly an expert. Here's a website, too, that she could ask that question on and someone may be able to answer: www.obesityhelp.com

Question: Can you die from Chron's disease? My mother has Chron's disease and I have researched it a bit, but can't find out if it can cause death or shorten your life at all. does anyone know?

Answer: I have Crohn's also. You can die from complications of the disease, but it's much less likely these days than it was in the past. As long as the problem is corrected ASAP, your mom will be fine. This site lists the main complications and what can be done to correct them: http://health.yahoo.com/topic/digestive/… You and your mom are in my thoughts. I hope she is doing well. Ryan K is WRONG, by the way. Colon cancer is NOT a complication of Crohn's; it is a separate disease altogether and someone's chances of getting colon cancer when they have Crohn's are no higher than if they don't have Crohn's.

Question: has anyone used an elemental diet to induce remission in Chron's disease? does it taste bad? i have complcated fistulation as a result of perianal Chron's disease and have been referred to a dietician for an elemental diet to induce remission and rest the fisulae. has anyone had to do this, was it difficult, did it make you sick/ hungry/ lose wieght? did it improve your symptoms? how easy was it to return to a normal diet, did the symptoms become active straight after the introduction of a normal diet?

Answer: I work for UCB, which specializes in Chron's disease. Visit the website to get info and read up on Alley's law. http://www.crohnsandme.com/Default1.asp http://www.ucb-group.com/ Hopefully this helps.

Question: Has anyone ever been diagnosed with Chron's disease? what symptoms do you get?

Answer: My best friends ex-husband has it and their son has a mild case of it. If you need more info in the subject go to: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases…

Question: What is the life expectancy of someone with chron's disease?.?

Answer: Same as anyone else. I can't think of a case where someone's life was shortened by Crohn's. Gotta be careful what you eat and prescribed steroids help alot.

Question: What are the symptoms/signs of Chron's Disease?

Answer: wow i'm glad someone asked this i just got done doing a report in school about Chron's disease...so let me put some of my knowledge to use to help you Signs & Symtoms 1)--Diarrhea. The inflammation that occurs in Crohn's disease causes cells in the affected areas of your intestine to secrete large amounts of water and salt. Because the colon can't completely absorb this excess fluid, you develop diarrhea. Intensified intestinal cramping also can contribute to loose stools. In mild cases, stools may simply be looser or more frequent than usual. But people with severe disease may have dozens of bowel movements a day, affecting both sleep and ordinary activities. 2)--Abdominal pain and cramping. Inflammation and ulceration may cause the walls of portions of your bowel to swell and eventually thicken with scar tissue. This affects the normal movement of intestinal tract contents through your digestive tract and may lead to pain and cramping. Mild Crohn's disease usually causes slight to moderate intestinal discomfort, but in more serious cases, the pain may be severe and occur with nausea and vomiting. 3)--Blood in your stool. Food moving through your digestive tract can cause inflamed tissue to bleed, or your bowel may also bleed on its own. You might notice bright red blood in the toilet bowl or darker blood mixed with your stool. You can also have bleeding you don't see (occult blood). In severe disease, bleeding is often serious and ongoing. 4)---Ulcers. Crohn's disease begins as small, scattered sores on the surface of the intestine. Eventually these sores may become large ulcers that penetrate deep into — and sometimes through — the intestinal walls. You may also have ulcers in your mouth similar to canker sores 5)---Reduced appetite and weight loss. Abdominal pain and cramping and the inflammatory reaction in the wall of your bowel can affect both your appetite and your ability to digest and absorb food. 6)---Fistula or abscess. Inflammation from Crohn's disease may tunnel through the wall of the bowel into adjacent organs, such as the bladder or vagina, creating an abnormal connection called a fistula. This can also lead to an abscess, a swollen, pus-filled sore. The fistula may also tunnel out through your skin. A common place for this type of fistula is in the area around the anus. When this occurs, it's called perianal fistula. That's about all I can think of off the top of my head, but people with severe Crohn's disease may experience fever and fatigue as well as problems that occur outside the digestive tract, including arthritis, eye inflammation, skin disorders, and inflammation of the liver or bile ducts. Children with Crohn's disease may have delayed growth or sexual development.

Question: is Chron's Disease an HIV-1 disease? my mom has Chron's Disease, she is taking the medicine Truvada, which is for HIV- 1 patients. Is Chron's Disease an HIV-1 disease? * answer ASAP, thanks <3 jessika :)

Answer: No,it's completely irrelevant.Chron's is an autoimmune disease. I can't tell why she's taking the Truvada medicine,maybe you should ask her...

Question: Chron's disease Question? My mom has been diagnosed with Chron's disease over the summer. Just recently, the skin on her hands has been.... sort of hardening I guess. It feels like leather and is blistered. She puts lotion on it, but it still cracks and bleeds. What kind of lotion or medicine can she put on it to stop it from drying and cracking?

Answer: Actually, it is probably due either to the disease or the medications your mother was on to put her into remission. Is your mother on steroids? Corticosteroids (Entocort, prednisone, budesonide, etc.) cause the skin on the extremities to be frail and dry. It will easily break and crack as you are describing, and sometimes it has difficulty healing. If this is the case, no amount of lotion or vitamins will really be able to overcome the steroids--she really needs to speak to her physician to make sure there is a plan to get her off of the steroids by transitioning her to other medications. If she is on prednisone, she can also be transitioned to entocort, which may have less damaging effects to her skin while she goes through the process of stabilizing her disease with another drug. The other possibility is that this is an extraintestinal manifestation of her Crohn's disease. You use the word "blister" to describe her skin, which isn't the same as an ulcer, but there is a condition known as pyoderma that can be caused by her disease. Getting her Crohn's disease into control will cause the pyoderma to go away. If it is pyoderma, she should watch that the lesions don't get infected. I somewhat doubt it is pyoderma, however, since it is on the hands. The other likely option is that she is developing excema or psoriasis--both of these are immunologically related to Crohn's. If they are due to the Crohn's they will go away if the Crohn's is brought into control with Crohn's medications, but they can also be treated by other treatments that are targeted directly toward them, like medicated topical ointments. In either case, I suggest that your mother see her gastroenterologist to alter her Crohn's medications. Some patients actually have Crohn's disease that has more symptoms outside of their intestines than in their intestines--so even if her gut is feeling fine, she could still need to change her medications to make sure she stays healthy. Oral lesions, vision problems, skin disorders . . . Crohn's can have some odd presentations that are far removed from the bowels. Feel free to ask more questions for further details. Good luck