Chrons Disease - For those who can't spell Crohn's Disease!
When first diagnosed with Chrons Disease, the first thing I did was to search for information on Chrons Disease and Chrons Disease symptoms, it was only after quite a bit of frustration that I realised that Chrons Disease is actually spelt Crohn's Disease! It was also then that i realised that it wasnt only myself who was spelling it wrong but like Chrons, there are a lot of people out there just like me and that is why I have set up this Chrons Disease lense and I hope in some small way I can help.
Chrons Disease Quick Links
Table of Contents on this Chrons Website
- The Definition of Chrons Disease
- Chrons Disease Symptoms
- Living with Chrons Disease
- What causes Chrons disease?
- Chrons Disease Treatments
- Chrons Disease in Children
- Links to other sites on Chrons Disease
- Facts on Chrons Disease
- Chrons Disease and Fistulas
- Chrons Disease Books
- Chrons Disease Treatment Naltrexone
- Chrons Disease on Wikipedia
- Breastfeeding and Chrons Disease
- Tysabri has been approved for use with Chrons Disease Patients
- Man says he beat Chrons Disease from Diet in Bible
- The Makers Diet
The Definition of Chrons Disease
So what is Chrons Disease?
The official wording is: Chrons disease is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract but most commonly occurs in the ileum this is the area where the small and large intestine meet.Phew! there are loads of long words in there and I will try and go through them so as to give a definition of chrons disease that not only doctors can understand!
Chrons Disease Symptoms
Some of the most common symptoms of Chrons Disease
- Tenesmus - this means pain when passing a stool
- Really bad smelling stools (no jokes please!)
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Loss of appetite - no interest in food
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Fatigue - sometimes chronic fatigue
- Abdominal sounds heard over the intestine like a gurgling or splashing sound
- Unintentional weight loss - goes with the loss of appetite
Living with Chrons Disease
A Bolg on life with Chrons Disease
News feed from my chrons disease blog where I go into much more detail on the symptoms of chrons as well a treatments and medical advancements in combating Chrons Disease
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byWhat causes Chrons disease?
Why and how do people develope Chrons Disease Symptoms
The actual cause of Chrons disease is still unknown,but there are a number of theroies. One theory is that infection by certain bacteria may be the cause of Chrons disease but up to now there has been no solid evidence to prove this.
Chrons disease is not contagious and diet may affect Chrons disease symptoms in people with the disease but it is unlikely that diet is actually responsible for chrons disease.
When the immune system in the intestines becomes activated, seems to be important in IBD. Normally, the immune system cells and proteins defend the body against harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other invaders. When the immune system becomes activated, this causes inflammation within the tissues where this occurs. This is usually an important mechanism of defense used by the immune system and normally only happens when your body is exposed to harmful invaders. In people with IBD, the immune system is abnormally activated even when there is no invader. This causes chronic inflammation and ulceration. The suseptibility to this is inherited and so brothers, sisters, children, and parents of people with IBD are more likely to develop these diseases like Chrons disease.
A recent discovery has shown that a gene called NOD2 has been identified as being associated with Chrons disease. NOD2 is important in determining how the body deals with some bacterial products. People with mutations of NOD2 are more likely to get Crohn's disease.
Chrons Disease Treatments
The Different Treatments available to people who suffer from Chrons
Steroids used in the treatment of Chrons Disease
If your chrons disease symptoms are severe, you may expect to put onto steroids (corticosteroids) for a few weeks. In about 70% of cases the symptoms will improve within four weeks. And then as you improve the amount of steroids you will be given will be reduced. Because of the long term side effects, steroids are not used as a long term treatment for crohn's disease.
Antibiotics and immunosuppressants
If you do not respond well to steroids or 5-aminosalicylate medicines (see below). You may be put onto antibiotics that will help fight the infection caused by the chrons. Immunosuppressive medicines such as methotrexate, antibody therapy (infliximab), or a combination of these treatments may be used.
5-aminosalicylate medicines & Chrons
Again if you do not respond to the steroids, 5-aminosalicylate medicines can be used mainly only with mild cases of Chrons disease. These include sulfasalazine, mesalazine, of salazine, and balsalazide. These drugs are not always effective and switching back to steroids may be the only option.
Chrons Disease Diet
People who have really bad symptoms of chrons disease, and those that cannot be controlled using medicines, may have to follow a really strict diet especially for chrons. In the majority of cases people who follow the diet closely show significant improvement after a few weeks and then you can slowly return to a normal diet. It is thought that some foods, like dairy products, may start the symptoms of Chrons disease, but the exact reasons are not yet fully understood.
Chrons Disease Surgery
Surgery is only used as the last option with chrons disease patients and the affected part of your gut will be removed.
Chrons Disease in Children
Because children have not fully developed yet, one of the main worries is malnutrition which can lead to stunted growth. Many Children with chrons disease take nutritional supplements to help with this problem.
It is also important to remember that children with chrons disease will also have their own unique problems at this important time of their development. These include the added physical demands placed on their bodies but also the mental aspect where they wont quite fit in with other children of the same age as their normal routine will be different.
So it is important for a child with chrons disease to have a very good support network of friends, family and doctor around them.
I found this blog useful on chrones disease an children with chrones disease
Links to other sites on Chrons Disease
Some of most usefull sites I have found on the web about Chrons Disease
- Living with Chrons Disease
- This is actually my blog on everything to do with Chrons disease, so if you like my lens, check out my blog which has tons of useful info on Chrons Disease, including Symptoms, treatments and latest research.
- Chrones Disease Symptoms
- Another blog on chrons diseas and the symptoms of chrons disease. Also has a good article on children with chrones disease
Facts on Chrons Disease
- The exact cause of Chrons disease is still not yet known.
- Chrons disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines.
- Chrons disease usually cause you to have ulcers in your small intestine, colon, or both.
- If you have Chrons disease in the small intestine it may cause an obstruction of the intestine.
- The symptoms of Chrons Disease are Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weight loss.
- People with Chrons disease often have reddish, tender skin nodules, and inflammation of their joints, spine, eyes, and liver.
- Treatment for people with Chrons disease depends on the location and severity of the disease.
- Chrons disease treatments include drugs for decreasing inflammation or the immune system, antibiotics, and as a last resort surgery.
- The most common ways to diagnose Chrons disease is by barium enema, barium x-ray of the small bowel, and colonoscopy.
Chrons Disease and Fistulas
What is a Fistula and what can be done to help?
What is a Fistula?Basically a fistula is an abnormal growth or tunnel that connects two body cavities for example, the rectum and the vagina or a fistula can connect a body cavity to the skin, for example connecting the rectum to the outside of the body.
How are Fistulas Created?
One way a fistula may form is from an abscess which is a pocket of pus. This abscess may be constantly fill with body fluids like stools or urine. This then stops the body from healing and ultimatly the fistula breaks through to another body cavity, an organ or to the skin.
Chrons Disease and Fistulas
Statistically more fistulas are found in people who have Chrons disease than whith people who have ulcerative colitis and about one in 4 patients who have Chrons disease eventually also get fistulas.
What types of Fistulas are there
Most fistulas seem to occur near the anus and the genital area and there are four types of fistulas:
1) Enteroenteric or Enterocolic Fistulas: This type of fistula involves the large or small intestine.
2) Enterocutaneous Fistulas: Are fistulas that go from the intestine to the skin. It is important to note that an enterocutaneous fistula may cause complications in surgery.
3) Enterovaginal Fistulas: go to the vagina.
4) Enterovesicular Fistulas: go to the bladder and often result in urinary tract infections or the passage of gas from the urethra during urination.
What are the symptoms of a Fistula?
The symptoms of fistulas can depend on what type of fistula you have, but generally they often include pain, fever, tenderness and itching.
Fistulas may also drain pus or a foul-smelling discharge and may depend on the severity and location of the fistula.
If you have chrons disease or any other form of IBD and you have cause to feel that you may have a fistula, as always it is best to seek out professional medical advice - go see your doctor!
Chrons Disease Books
Books that I have found very helpful on Chrons Disease
The New Eating Right for a Bad Gut : The Complete Nutritional Guide to Ileitis, Colitis, Crohn's Disease, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 07/26/2008)
The Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Fact Book
Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 07/26/2008)
100 Questions & Answers About Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: A Lahey Clinic Guide
Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 07/26/2008)
The Complete Crohnie Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Crohn's Disease Patient
Amazon Price: (as of 07/26/2008)
Colitis & Me: A Story of Recovery
Amazon Price: $18.95 (as of 07/26/2008)
Chrons Disease Treatment Naltrexone
A drug that treats people with addictions could help people with Chrons Disease Symptoms
Now you may think that a drug (Naltrexone) that has been approved for treatment of alcohol and narcotic addiction, is a strange choice for a chrons disease treatment?A Gastroenterologist at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Jill Smith, M.D says that the drug Naltrexone also seems to reverse the inflammation in the intestines caused by Chrons disease and on top of that it also seems to help with the healing of ulcers. These findings were part of a study she carried out on the effects of a low-dose of naltrexone. This study was conducted on Seventeen people who had moderate to severe cases of Chrons Disease.
For people suffering from alcohol or narcotic addiction, the usual dossage of naltrexone is 50 mg. The people with Crohn's disease in the study were only given 4.5 mg that were taken once a day for three months. Of these patients, 89 percent of responded to the low-dose medication and 67 percent had their chrons disease symptoms go into remission. The response to the test was that they also said that their quality of life was greatly improved.
What about side effects?
Seven of the Chrons disease patients reported sleep disturbance whilst taking the drug. There were also reports of Nausea, hair thinning, blurred vision, irritability, mood swings and mild disorientation.
Because of these very encouraging results in the treatment of Chrons disease symptoms, a larger study is being already begun at the Hershey Center. So possibly some good news ahead for Chrons disease suffers!
Chrons Disease on Wikipedia
What Wikipedia has to say about Chrons disease
'Crohns disease (also known as regional enteritis') is a chronic, episodic, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is generally classified as an autoimmune disease. Crohns disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus; as a result, the symptoms of Crohn's disease vary among afflicted individuals. The disease is characterized by areas of inflammation with areas of normal lining between in a symptom known as skip lesions. The main gastrointestinal symptoms are abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may be bloody, though this may not be visible to the naked eye), constipation, vomiting, weight loss or weight gain. Crohn's disease can also cause complications outside of the gastrointestinal tract such as skin rashes, arthritis, and inflammation of the eye.
The disease was independently described in 1904 by Polish surgeon Antoni Lesniowski and in 1932 by American gastroenterologist Burrill Bernard Crohn, for whom the disease was named. Crohn, along with two colleagues, described a series of patients with inflammation of the terminal ileum, the area most commonly affected by the illness. Crohn's disease affects between 400,000 and 600,000 people in North America. Prevalence estimates for Northern Europe have ranged from 27?48 per 100,000. Crohn's disease tends to present initially in the teens and twenties, with another peak incidence in the fifties to seventies, although the disease can occur at any age.
Although the cause of Crohn's disease is not known, it is believed to be an autoimmune disease that is genetically linked. The highest relative risk occurs in siblings, affecting males and females equally. Smokers are three times more likely to get Crohn's disease. http://ibdcrohns.about.com/cs/ibdfaqs/a/smokingguts.htm
Unlike the other major types of IBD, there is no known drug based or surgical cure for Crohn's disease. Treatment options are restricted to controlling symptoms, putting and keeping the disease in remission and preventing relapse.
Breastfeeding and Chrons Disease
Breastfeeding and Chrons Disease for more info
Tysabri has been approved for use with Chrons Disease Patients
Good news for Chrons Disease Patients
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of a drug called Tysabri (natalizumab) in the treatment of people with Chrons Disease, the drug has already been used for people suffering with multiple sclerosis and has now got the all clear to be used with people suffering from Chrons Disese.For more information on this exciting new development check out this post on Chrons Disease
Man says he beat Chrons Disease from Diet in Bible
An author, Jordan Rubin has said that by following the "whole, living and nutrient-rich foods" diet that is described in the bible, he was able to overcome chrons disease.So has he managed to unearth something that has been overlooked by modern medicine? Or is he just infact going back to basics an using more conventional wisdom that says you should not eat pork and red meat, but make sure you have a lot of natural foods?
If you are interested I have added his book called "The Makers Diet" below:
The Makers Diet
The Maker's Diet
Amazon Price: $11.20 (as of 07/26/2008)
The Maker's Diet: Shopper's Guide
Amazon Price: $7.99 (as of 07/26/2008)
The Maker's Diet: Daily Reminders
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 07/26/2008)
Chrons Disease stuff (usually books) on eBay
You never know what deals you can find on Chrons Disease Books on Ebay
I sometimes feel that it is kind of nice that someone once bought a book on Chrons Disease and now they no longer need it and are passing it on. I have sold some of my books on Chrons on Ebay before and hope that they helped somebody.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Reader Feedback
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tots007
hi i hav been using humira 4 about a year and a hafe its the best thing ever i havnt had any trub sins i started it up 2 that i was in and out of hosp i have had 27 op becouse of d crohns Posted May 12, 2008 |
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npssavelives
Very nicely done! Stop by mine some time! Posted March 22, 2008 |
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Acne-Treatment-Guru
Your lens is really helpful.Very informative, and detailed. You have put forth a great amount of research. Posted March 14, 2008 |
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thomasz
Nice lens. Great info. Posted February 14, 2008 |
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Donna_Fallon
Hiya Posted January 30, 2008 |
