Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, but is it Crohn’s?

My husband is 30, he has suffered from severe abdominal pain, weight loss (he looks like a male anorexic), bloody stool, blood even without stool so rectal bleeding, poor appetite, and he even is spitting or throwing up blood now. The pain in his intestinal area is so severe that he crawls into a ball and crys at nighttime when he has his usual flare-ups, all I can do it rub his back and try to ease his pain... I used to give him glasses of milk when we would have an episode and now e have figured out that, that only makes it worse. We were told by his gastrointerologist that he needed to be on a high fiber diet, there was never any medication discussed or treatment. After a few years of it seeming to go into remission it has been back full forrce these last 2 years and worseing by the day! I finally made him an appointment with a colon & retal Dr. to see about pain management, but I think my husband was misdignosied, I truly believe that he has all if not more symptoms of Crohn's than of ulcerative colitis.

He has always had stomach issues and as a child was told he had ulcers, later on he was told bleeding ulcers than internal hemeroids, I am at my wits end and can't take seeing my husband in such tremendous amounts of pain.

Please if anyone knows of any other symptoms or has had the same as my husband please speak up and let me know. I never knew this disease could effect the younger generation, but did do research and found out that it can also be a hereditary disease! Which my husband has stomach cancer in his family! I pray that it dosen't turn into that!

His UC or Crohn’s also effects his fertility, we have been married 10 years and never have been able to concieve a child! Yet another tragic symptom of this horrible disease.

Alicia

The symptoms of CD and UC can be extremely similar. The best way to tell is your hubby has one or the other is to do and "upper GI small bowel follow through" barium xray AND a colonoscopy to the "terminal ileum" which is where many of us crohnies have CD. Not all crohnies have CD in the TI, but it is the usual place.

If your hubby is losing a lot of blood it could be dangerous. He needs to be seen by a doctor soon. His iron/B12 and blood count levels should be checked too.

If it's been all these years, perhaps it's also time to look into other treatment in addition to his regular treatment. There are a couple of diets worth looking into that have helped many people with UC and CD. The Maker's Diet and the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.

Also, probiotics and digestive enzymes may help restore his natural intestinal balance and help him to digest food better and with less pain.

I have had CD with ulcers in my stomach area before and eating was excruciating. I wish I'd had known years ago about the diets, probiotics and digestive enzymes. They've helped with my diarrhea and pain after eating.

 

If I understood you properly, your husband is not on any medication? If so, you need to feed him only chicken or beef broth for a couple of days with boiled skinless chicken or eggs - but if he is nauseated, possibly just the broth. This is from the Specific Carbohydrate diet and it is something that you can do until he gets in to see the doctor. He needs something to settle his system down before any healing can happen and the broth is at least not irritating. I usually recommend probiotic supplements, but in your husband's case, he needs to be a bit healthier before trying that. Coconut oil is another possibility. It is anti-inflammatory and may help his problems. Bee propolis is another good option. His problems can't be just left to work themselves out.

Actually, if I was vomiting blood, I'd go ER too.