Chrohn's and IBS: Nanners please read

Hi there,
When I don't have any anemia, and the bloodwork or any other tests such as colonoscopies do not show blockage or inflammation, then I attribute my struggles with C and D to be IBS. I don't get fatigued with IBS either. I think IBS is a diagnosis based on symptoms and lack of any abnormal findings on other tests. I hope this helps.

Hi Potty Pooper, Gumby44 is correct in how they diagnose IBS. But...I can tell when my IBS is acting up because it is usually because I had too much stress one day or I ate something I shouldn't have. These bouts will cause me to be sick only for 2-3 days. I have actually kinda of learned to slow them down.

Too much stress (generally for me anxiety attacks) I will quickly after the stressor develops get diarrhea and sometimes nausea and vomiting. Doctor prescribed Xanax (lowest dose) to take during those stressful times. And if I take it right away, I will be able to quiet things back down fairly quickly.

Now if I eat something I shouldn't have or eat something too late in the evening, it will give me an IBS attack. It does feel similar to Crohns with cramping and diarrhea and that sick tummy, but it only lasts a couple of days. Also, I won't get sick right after I ate the bad thing, but the next morning I will feel like ick.

But the biggest thing that lets me know if its Crohns or IBS is how long it lasts. If I am sick for longer than one week, I know its my Crohns or some side issue of Crohns (i.e. bacterial overgrowth). But for me if it only lasts for 1-2 days I know its not the Crohns, but instead the IBS. Hope that helps some, and I hope I explained that wel enough.

Thanks everyone for your quick responses. Your answers were all very helpful and I appreciate your taking the time to clarify the issue for me. Everyone here is so kind and helpful. It means so much to be able to get advice and be able to vent at times.

Not always prof. I notice I have a bit more mucous when I have the IBS attacks.

This thread is exactly why I really dislike when DRs link "IBS" with "IBD." If you have a known gastrointestinal disorder, any disruption of normal bowel function should, IMO, be considered a part of that disorder. It is not a certaintly that clear blood panels eliminate the possiblity of an inflammatory process in your body.

If you are passing mucous, you have inflammation.

DRs clearly do not have a complete understanding of our disease process. DRs absolutely do not know what "IBS" really is. They just think they know what it isn't. When I am having motility problems, my DR might call it "IBS" but I am going to consider it an artifact of my IBD. The resulting treatment protocols might not be any different based on our different labels of this problem. I worry that people who attach an "IBS" label to their bowel distress believe that they will have to live with that forever. Banish the thought! My approach is to consider it all part of the IBD package and to continue to behave as if these are IBD symptoms that need to be managed with my IBD meds and my dietary changes.

Kazbern:
I agree.. however... there are SOME docs who do know.. mine is wonderful and really stresses that my "gut" reactions are NOT IBS!

pb4 - I would love to know what exactly is IBS then. It appears to be many different things. Studies have identified a significant correlation to fructose intolerance (FODMAP diets) - which works for some folks, but not all with IBS.

A lot of people who are told they have IBS eventually end up with an IBD or some other diagnosis. What was perceived as a functional disorder eventually turns out to be associated with an inflammatory process, or Celiac Sprue. Or a wheat allergy. Or lactose intolerance.

If I have a motility disorder then let's just call it that. Let's say that chronic inflammation of my bowel has caused permanent or significant changes in the nerve structure, or the response to stimulus, in my bowel and that my motility is forever changed. Let's not call it IBS.

I just don't know what IBS is. From what I can tell, a diagnosis of IBS is only made when DRs have identified that there is nothing else they can diagnose.

I was diagnosed with IBS before I was diagnosed with IBD--I think it based on bowel symptoms without chronic inflammation and damage when it was IBS..So I think they are calling IBS with CD bowel symptoms without inflammation but a history of CD..I think this is how they clinically look at it..I did not have prolonged inflammation/infection/and damage till my 30's then they changed my diagnosis..Was it CD from the beginning but it a milder form?? I just know I hate this DD..I suffering from the effects of long term predisone usage but I am functional not disability bound like I was before!

Cindy

Well, Kazbern, for more than 10 years, the docs used to call my symptoms IBS since I was severly constipated and did not lose any weight. In 2007, when I started to lose weight drastically, have unbearable severe abdominal pain that was not controlled by any anticramping meds and high fever, it was only then, that my doc thought that I might have something else other than IBS and performed a colonoscope. Since I don't have ulcers, he was confused but I kept flaring up and had blood. To control this, he put me on pred as an attempt to control persistent D and he was surprised that my body responded and symptoms were controlled.
As far as I understood, persistent D or C, abdominal cramps alone are considered to be IBS. But if there is fever, weight loss, and bleeding alond with D and abdominal pain, then these symptoms are called IBD.
At the beginning, several dos I have seen told me that since I have no visible colonoscopic or as they call it organic changes, then, these symptoms are functional and it is IBS and not IBD.
As Pb4 mentioned, I do have both chronic proctitis (UC) but they said with an inclination towards Crohn's.

Thanks folks for putting up with my cranky IBS discussion!

Minnietotty - when I was in your shoes I was very frustrated, although I only spent a few months being told that my rectal bleeding, mucous, excessive gas and diarrhea was "IBS." My first GI pulled that diagnosis out of his hat when we first met. A year later he finally agreed to scope me and found a lot of inflammation in my rectum. So he grudgingly gave me an ulcerative proctitis diagnosis. He never suggested a more complete scope; I got that after the birth of my 2nd child and at that point my [new] GI found inflammation in the rectum and cecum.

I think you might have a whole different perspective if your DR had treated your bowel symptoms more effectively for those 10 years you thought you had IBS. Since Crohn's patients can have inflammation in the small bowel and that is very very hard to see, even a colonoscopy is not a fool-proof diagnostic tool.

BabeintheWoods said...
I thought doctors had all this figured out. If you have digestive problems without inflammation or bleeding then it is IBS. Otherwise if it is confined to the colon then it is UC. Inflammation outside of the colon is Crohn's. If confined to the colon but is patchy or penetrating ulcerations then it is Crohn's colitis. (Just joking)

 

Babe, what did you mean after your explanation of crohn's colitis that you were just joking?

  I may be misreading/misunderstanding the "just joking" part but you infact did describe crohn's colitis correct.  I have crohn's colitis, my inflammation is patchy, sometimes it also appears in my rectom while in my colon and when it does I have to use the same rectal meds that UCers use....the same meds used to treat UC are also used to treat crohn's colitis.  Also, you've basically covered the basis with your explanation of the differences between IBD and IBS as well.