what about crohns colitis.

is there no longer a forum for colitis.  iahve been diagnosed with both.

Not sure I get you: are you saying you were diagnosed with both Crohn's and colitis? If so, I think you misinterpreted it or the doc didn't make it clear. Crohn's colitis is Crohn's of the colon with no small intestine involvement. Most folks with Crohn's have some degree of small intestine disease, most often in the terminal ileum, but about 20% have it in the colon only.

In other words, you don't have two diseases, only Crohn's. Anyhow, this is the Crohn's board (obviously >_>), but am sure you'd be welcome on the Ulcerative Colitis board. UC and Crohn's colitis aren't the same thing, but they're close enough and the symptoms can be very similar.

PS: Just to add, colitis is a general term meaning inflammation of the colon. Ulcerative colitis, Crohn's colitis, lymphocytic colitis, pseudomembranous colitis, etc. are specialised terms, referring to distinct diseases or infections.

Hi guys,

NceCupOfTea explains it well.....

Crohn's colitis doesn't mean you have both UC and CD it means that your crohn's is affecting the colon (colitis means inflammation of the colon, not necessarily meaning ulcerative colitis...confusing I know)...I also have crohn's colitis and I too visit the UC forum for 2 reasons, one; my mom had UC and two; because my CD is affecting my colon like it is for the UCers, I share more of the same concerns with the UCers even though I have crohn's....

The same meds are used to treat crohn's colitis as used for ulcerative colitis...we often tend to have proctitis issues when suffering with crohn's colitis (just as the UCers tend to also have proctitis issues due to having UC). I'll also add that when CD is affecting the colon it can still affect other parts of the GI tract at the same time (the small intestines for example) and it may still be referred as "crohn's colitis" by your doc only because it's more common for CD to affect the small intestines over any other part of the GI tract.

HOWEVER, there is estimated to be about 2% of the IBD population that do infact have both UC and CD. If you do have both then your doc should be very specific about that fact...actually, I guess if your CD is affecting your colon and your doc is referring to it as crohn's colitis he/she should be clear with you in letting you know that it doesn't mean you have both UC and CD...I blame docs for confusing their patients (I speak from experiance) and I'm glad when I called my GI (at the time) on it, he did clarify for me by what he actually meant when he kept saying to me that "your colitis is definitely active right now"....I said to him that I don't have colitis, I have crohn's he then explained as I did above.

Hope I didn't confuse anyone even more LOL!

I asked my doctor if I had Crohn's colitis or ulcerative colitis. He wasn't sure but said it did not matter because the treatment would be the same. But there seems to be a difference culturally between the Crohn's forum and the ulcerative colitis forum.

Most of the Crohn's people will advise to continue taking meds no matter what. The UC forum also has a majority of pro-med people but there are many others who are much more receptive to investigative discussions.

I have read on the UC forum how Ironwoman emphasizes SCD and supplements such as probiotics and fish oil. Imagardener2 suffered continuous flaring for 10 years and has found meds completely ineffective before finally discovering that diet modification brought her to remission. Napacabs is an orthopedic surgeon who quit Remicade and successfully maintains remission with SCD, yogurt and VSL#3DS probiotics. Subdued will only take 5-ASA suppositories if she feels a flare coming on. And many others.

If you are curious about alternative medicine then you may prefer to post on the UC forum for advice.

Post Edited (BabeintheWoods) : 7/28/2011 4:54:38 PM (GMT-6)

BabeInTheWoods,

I think it's important to know if you are able to find out whether you have either UC or CD since complications of CD can arrise that wouldn't arrise with a UCer...but we definitely share enough in common with UCers having crohn's colitis, often our rectoms get inflammed (proctitis) and the same meds are used to treat both since the inflammation is in the same area of the GI tract...but I think it's worth knowing for sure cuz some of the things that having crohn's can entail will make a CDer more prepared.

It sounds as if there are a few of us primary colitis people here...just a note...I've found in myself, though I have little to no small intestine involvement, I DO have stomach ulcers due to crohn's and serious mouth sores (kinda what differentiates crohn's from UC, something to consider)...

Oh, and I tend towards proctitis as well...kinda like pb4 (and a few others)...but like she said, many meds are similar, but I've had to take the Asacol and Rowasa instead of the pentasa and others that release higher up...we're here to help...

I agree Babe, better to know what you are dealing with. Good luck on your search!