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Remission...what is it exactly?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 10/12/2009 3:49 AM (GMT 0)
Okay that may sound like a dumb question, but what exactly is considered remission... Does one have to be symptom free for a specific period of time to reach "remission" status.  And if you're in remission, are you still having to always watch what you eat?  For example, if my daughter gets into remission, no symptoms, no flares for a period of (whatever that time is...), then what happens if she eats a tomato?  We know that tomatoes in any form hurt her stomach, but if she's in remission, shouldn't the tomato be okay at that point?  Why would it still hurt if she was in remission? Isn't remission considered a period where you are healed and your Crohn's is inactive?  If so, then why would anything hurt?  Also, are all Crohnie's considered to be lactose/casein and gluten intolerant?  Don't know that for sure about my child either. Gluten doesn't seem to bother her. Lactose, not positive.
Posted 10/12/2009 4:11 AM (GMT 0)
I don't think remission means "healed". More like less active or resting. Why would you try to challenge your disease like that? If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got. Don't know who said it, but I believe it.
Posted 10/12/2009 5:15 AM (GMT 0)
I consider remission to mean free of symptoms, as well as having clean scopes (no inflammation, polyps, etc.).

If your daughter is in remission, I'd say she might be able to try tomato cautiously. If she can tolerate a small amount over a period of time, then she could increase it.

I didn't have any immediate symptoms after eating gluten/lactose. However, once I gave them up (as well as sugar), my fistulas healed. Obviously one or more of those items was causing a problem. I have had a lot of other problems clear up as well (constipation, acid reflux, etc.), so I'm in no hurry to ever eat those things again.
Posted 10/12/2009 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
I think remission is when your GE doesn't think your disease is active enough to warrant drugs other than maintenance meds like Asacol.
Posted 10/12/2009 10:10 AM (GMT 0)
With I'm classed as in remission when I'm not poorly and my bloodtests show no inflammation. Remission also used to mean for me having no symptoms, unfortunately a few flares on I will now always have trouble with my bowels due to damage somewhere along the tract, I get diarrhoea every morning but its controlled with codeine for the rest of the day.

My GI usually waits until my results and good health have been consistent for a few months before using the term remission, during the time its referred to as 'quiescent'. My last scope showed inflammation but it was still in the process of healing (that was 2months into a quiescent period) but my GI just said that that just showed how severe the inflammation had been in my previous flare but was confident it was definitely going into remission, 6 months later still going strong!

Theres some foods I will never be able to eat without a problem, fruits and veggies I can handle in small quantities but its not necessarily active disease that will be causing issues with it, it could be due to a bit of damage/scarring from previous flares or just that your body gets so used to being played safe with it just doesn't know what to do when a bit of fibre is thrown its way!

Posted 10/12/2009 1:44 PM (GMT 0)
It depends on who you ask. I think everyone has different definitions of remission. I considered myself to be in remission the last 5 years, even though a few things still made me have diarrhea the next morning. In a flare, my 'no' food list grows substantially. My doc claims I'm in remission now because the scope only showed signs of quiescent (inactive) crohn's. But he's not the one who has spent half the morning on the toilet with pure liquid D and pain all evening. And it's daily. So I definitely think I'm in a flare. But since being first diagnosed, I have never been able to eat anything I want without paying for it the next day. Before being diagnosed, I could eat anything and I never had D (or constipation) unless I had a stomach bug and that only last a day or two. So in my opinion, remission is when you can live a completely 'normal' life as long as you avoid the foods at the top of that 'no' list (like tomatoes for your daughter).
Posted 10/12/2009 4:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,after having a right hemicolectomy i went into  remmision for 15 wonderful years i had no symptoms whatsoever and sometimes wondered if i did have crohns the only thing that i had was D from having the op and  was told that would be the case for the rest of my life  but i'm able to cope with that by using lomotil, it was a small price to pay! Hoping to get another long remmision once this latest bag  saga is over!!!!!! roll on November! smilewinkgrin Bev x
Posted 10/12/2009 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
I got my first flare in oct 2008 and I think I got my first remission this summer with the help of remicade.
But as the weather gets worse my tummy feels the same.
Posted 10/13/2009 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
You can feel fine but not be in remission. This is my daughter's case, who has zero symptoms, low sed rate and CRP, but shows active inflammation via a scope.

So to me remission means stopping the disease dead in its tracks - like Spookyhurst said, confirmed by a scope. Otherwise, this DD keeps damaging the body, and not all the damage is reversible. 

Posted 10/13/2009 3:05 AM (GMT 0)
Remission for me means no symptoms at all whatsoever.  I can eat whatever I want and have one normal bowel movement a day.  I've only experienced 3 weeks of remission in my life, and I've had this disease for 7 years.
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