Ask me anything. I suffer from Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

I don't really know what it is. Can you explain what causes it? What it actually is?

My best man friend has it.

Do your farts smell so bad that neighbours call Dynodrain because they think something's broken?

Do you have immunosuppressive therapy (Infliximab etc)?

How did you get diagnosed? Was it a straightforward diagnosis or did the doctors test for a few things?

Are you restricted on what you can / can't eat?

Is it like IBS in that it can be controlled by your diet?

Sure.

It's basically when your immune system attacks your own cells, rather than just defending you from foreign stuff.

In Crohn's, it affects any part of your digestive system, from your mouth to your bottom.

The best way I can describe it is imagine having a mouth ulcer, but on the walls of your intestines. Not only does it hurt (a lot), it prevents nutrients getting into your blood stream. So you can become very tired, anaemic, and generally feel like rubbish.

It also prevents your body from creating waste products properly, so there's often runny stools (sometimes with blood and mucus too) and tummy cramps.

It can affect other parts of your body too, for example your joints (as like with rheumatoid arthritis, it's the body attacking it's own cells).

You don't have symptoms all the time (thank God!), it flares up or remains in remission - nobody knows what causes it (although they have ideas such as genetics), and there is no cure, although medication can alleviate flare ups.

I'm on 150mg azathioprine daily and have been for almost 4 years. It's not a high dose at all from what I gather but it does enough to calm the old immune system down a bit.

Does it affect your whole intestine or just a part of it?

My diagnosis wasn't that easy, as I first of all wasn't showing typical Crohn's symptoms.

I had symptoms of other autoimmune diseases, and I was also tested for Bechet's (sp?) disease, which is very similar, but attacks the eyes and can cause genital ulceration. I had this (was horrific) so first of all they had to rule out STI's - at one point they were treating me with Herpes medication. Which wasn't my highest point!

When I did start showing Crohn's symptoms, with abdominal issues, they tested for Crohn's straightaway, as my mum has it too. Colonoscopy anyone?

I did get to have a small capsule endoscopy though, where you swallow a big pill with a camera in it, that takes pics of your insides (as other tests can't get to the small intestine). That was pretty bloomin' awesome!

Does it interfere with the life of a typical 20something year odl girl?

Yes and no.

I am very lucky, in that if I'm in remission, I can eat most things and they don't have any impact on me. Alcohol doesn't do go down brilliantly well, but I do still drink and just suffer the consequences. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a booze hound, and I know when enough is enough.

When I have a flare up, I have to avoid fibre and this causes more pain, as the intestines are working hard to break it down.

Although that alleviates the symptoms, steroids are normally what I have to rely on to fight a flare up off. I would like to try a proper Low Fibre diet, supported by a dietician, which if I flare up again, I might do. The last time I was on steroids, I turned into a monster!

Mine affects my large and small instestine. I also suffer quite badly from mouth ulcers when I'm flaring (my record is 20 in my mouth at the same time).

It can cause problems with the lining of the rectum (lovely!) so if I ever have children, I may have to have a C section, rather than give birth naturally, as obviously labour puts a lot of pressure on that part of your body!

It can do.

When I'm having a flare up I do turn into a different person - I'm very tired all the time, and some days, getting out of bed just hurts. I've cancelled many an event because of it, and have friends be a bit annoyed at me. Some people think it means I have a bit of a tummy ache sometimes and I'm just being a bit of a wimp.

However when I'm in remission, I tend to be like every normal London-working 28 year old.

A guy I used to work with had to have part of his intestine removed- i *think* this was Cronhs related, is this be correct/likely?

Can i just say, having met you IRL i think you are ace and you wouldnt know you suffer from this conditon at all..the fact you openly talk about it as if its not a big deal (when it can be it seems) is ace too.

You Rock my big fat pregnant feets missus KB ?

My mum did too. She only has 4% of her large intestine remaining.

Which is actually very lucky - had they not been able to keep it, she'd have had to have a stoma bag.

The percentage of Crohnies that have surgery is quite high - some studies have shown approx 70% will need some form surgery at some point.

I luffs you Flowster ?

Fanks EF. I know you're not having a great time of it health wise at the mo, so that's very kind of you to say so.

I count myself very lucky - I've yet to have to have had surgery, and compared to some people, I have got off reasonably lightly so far.

Gosh Krist, those are such high percentages.

Seems strange to read that but I see what you mean when you compare yourself to perhaps your mum who has gone thru such a massive operation.

*Weird interweb hugs to you and your ma!*

Wow, I have IBS so I can kind of understand what you must go through, although my problems don't sound anywhere near as bad as yours.

Does stress play a role in causing your flare-ups? I think stress is a mjor component of my IBS along with diet.

Do you sometimes have white poo?

My friend has this and I recall he said he had white poo once!

KB, there's a guy at work who has Chrons and he goes through the mill with it. You just seem like such a happy-go lucky person. Bit fluffy, but you're an inspiration really. ?

My OH has Ulcerative Colitis. I know it's in same group of bowel diseases & has many similarities. He has flare-ups like you. He's very aneamic & tired at the mo & been put on course of strong iron tablets. He's getting stomach cramps & spasms. His last blood/sample tests showed evidence of "disease" so they suggested he might need another course of steroids (which sent him bit wappy in past as he's on edge & can't sleep when they kick in. Plus he put weight on without trying). Most of the time he is okay & it sounds like a similar pattern to how Crohns affects you. It's not nice though so it's great that you can be so upbeat & positive about it. It's good that you can tell people about it too.

Not white, but black (bit like tar, lush)

It's where there's been bleeding further up the intestines.

Red wine makes my poo navy blue.

I think it does to a point.

I do my best not to stress about stuff - which is why I think I'm quite far ahead with WP.

Crohn's flare up and a white dress? Not ideal!

IBS is awful too, moreso because it just appears for no real reason, I feel sorry for anyone who suffers with it.

I luffs you too PP ?

Thanks CL.

Yep, they're both very similar indeed.

For those of you who don't know much about bowel diseases, the main differences are UC stays within the intestines, whereas Crohn's can be anywhere in the digestive system. It's something to do with the pattern of the ulceration as well according to my doctor - UC ulcers tend to be more continuous, whereas Crohn's is a bit more patchy. Apparently. Lush.