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Comment about increasing IBD incidence from my family doctor today

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Posted 4/20/2018 2:48 AM (GMT 0)
I have not seen her in a while, but wanted to get some tests and make sure things like vitamin levels and such are ok.

First thing she does is look at me and say "You know, you would not believe the amount of people I have in here now on a weekly basis that have IBD/IBS. It's unbelievable". She was telling me how their symptoms effect their ability to work/function etc. All things we are familiar with. However her tone was of great concern to me. There was an urgency or something. Funny thing is she randomly repeated the same thing a few times during the appointment so it must occupy a lot of her time. Anyway, was just surprising in her tone and sense of urgency. She came right out and said something needs to be done about this.

Whatever has occurred over the last year or so with IBD incidence must be pretty dramatic in our area. I needed to reschedule with my GI last month and the secretary told me the soonest available time would be this coming December! Crazy. He's 8 months out now. She said it was due to an influx of patients. I didn't think much about this until today when my family doctor made her comments as well.

I was curious if others have heard similar from their doctors about a dramatic uptick in incidence.

I'm in Southern Ontario area in Canada.
Posted 4/20/2018 3:54 AM (GMT 0)
I am sad to hear that, but I can tell you I see SO many commercials. Seriously, multiple times a day. They wouldn't be advertising if there wasn't an increase in incidences. It's sad that so many people are suffering with this awful illness.
Posted 4/20/2018 5:22 AM (GMT 0)
https://globalnews.ca/news/3386327/rates-of-crohns-disease-colitis-rising-among-canadian-children-under-5/
Posted 4/20/2018 10:21 AM (GMT 0)
I have believed for several years that the IBD incidence rates reported are way off. It is all anecdotal, but I just know way too many people with UC or Crohn's. 3 out of 12 houses in my old neighborhood have someone with IBD. I worked at one location where 3 out of 10 of us had IBD. I currently work on a shift where 3 out of 13 of the managers have Crohn's or UC. In my workplace, overall, out of about 200 people I know 7 with it (these are the one's I know of). Just my personal observation.
Posted 4/20/2018 5:02 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know anyone personally with IBD (except through here), but the occasional person says he/she knows someone with UC or CD.

I personally know many wiith other autoimmune conditions....family and friends.

q
Posted 4/20/2018 9:38 PM (GMT 0)
Purely anecdotal, but of course UC/CD have become more common. Remember the good old days when TV advertisements for meds were mostly about aspirin vs bufferin? Then really pushing it with Tylenol. I know that since there have been rule changes allowing advertisements for stronger meds, but this has become ridiculous, e.g. Humira, Enbrel, Entyvio, etc., etc., etc. I swear I once saw a commercial for a med that listed “sudden death” as one of its side effects.

In my 60's now but not many years ago when entering a public restroom most men were using the urinals rather than the toilet stalls. Now more often than not there is a beeline to the toilet stalls and no line for the urinals.

Also when I was growing up we didn't need to have signs like this posted in front of public swimming pools:

”DO NOT USE POOL IF YOU ARE ILL WITH DIARRHEA”
VIEW IMAGE
Posted 4/20/2018 10:39 PM (GMT 0)
I know of several people with UC or Crohn's, and when I have to explain to someone that I have UC, it’s not uncommon for them to say they know someone else with it too.

Not to jack the thread or anything, but does anyone else get angry with the Humira or Entyvio commercials that give you a guilt trip about missing your loved ones’ activities? Just what I need, thanks.
Posted 4/21/2018 2:17 PM (GMT 0)
My GI, CRS, Internalist, Infectious disease, infusion clinic, and PCP have all stated that the rate of new people being diagnosed with UC and Crohns is increasing far quicker than the printed statistics indicate.

I live in a small town and we have 50+ people joining the ostomy support group. I don't know if all of them are IBD related...we don't go there unless invited.....

Perhaps part of the reason for the increase can be attributed to the change in our thinking and the acceptance of speaking of what was once a taboo subject? But....I dunno. The increase in theses diseases and mental health issues lead me to believe part of it is environmental. Exposure to something and eating foods that have been cultivated to produce more in less time with fewer nutrients.....? Hmmmmm.
Posted 4/23/2018 12:20 AM (GMT 0)
Also in Southern Ontario.
I'm sure this is purely coincidental but in my small group of 6 high school friends, three of us have IBD. One with severe crohns, one with severe UC and me with mild UC.

I wish I could drill down the rates of IBD to my small geographical area, more out of curiousity.
Posted 4/23/2018 1:03 PM (GMT 0)

rachel8 said...
Also in Southern Ontario.
I'm sure this is purely coincidental but in my small group of 6 high school friends, three of us have IBD. One with severe crohns, one with severe UC and me with mild UC.

I wish I could drill down the rates of IBD to my small geographical area, more out of curiousity.

Ontario has a very high incidence of UC and Crohn's, article below says "one of the highest in the world". My guess is that population's genetic proclivity to getting it (I've got those genes too) but there are likely some external factors driving the increase, especially in children under age 10. My (again) guess is that antibiotics play a part in hurting our gut flora. Antibiotics aren't always RX, they are in processed meat fed with antibiotic-laced grain.

/www.ices.on.ca/Newsroom/News-Releases/2014/Ontario-has-one-of-the-highest-rates-of-IBD-in-the-world
Posted 4/23/2018 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Antibiotics are actually in the meat directly (not from grain). Many US meat producers use antibiotics as a growth promoter in livestock.
Posted 4/23/2018 2:58 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with the poster above who noted that public restrooms are filled with men going to the stalls nowadays.

I never spent much time in the bathroom in public before my UC diagnosis and i never recalled a lot of guys in the stalls. Now that I have UC and am flaring, I spend a good amount of time in the bathroom and I cannot believe how many men head to the stalls. Even at 7am when I get into work and use the bathroom after a 20 minute commute, there is sometimes one or more people in the other stalls.

I think the over medication of people and the food we consume plays a role. Hopefully the medicine can keep up.

Didnt someone say in another thread that while IBD rates are up, surgery is about the same as prior years?
Posted 4/23/2018 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know any more people with IBD now than I did when I was diagnosed 18 years ago. I met one health professional a few years ago, who admitted to me she had recently got a diagnosis of Crohn's after I had told her about my own Crohn's. But yeah, it's not something I come across a lot.

My own feeling is that people have been banging on about increased IBD rates ever since I've been diagnosed, but I've not seen any sign of an uptick in IBD in my own life. Apart from the aforementioned health professional, I've not knowingly met anyone with IBD outside of my own family or hospital in real life. Reckon IBD is still a relatively rare disease, hence bugger all interest in it from the outside world.
Posted 4/23/2018 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
When I was diagnosed, I didn't know anyone else with IBD, but since diagnosis, i've met quite a few people. That said, I don't think it's because there are more of us necessarily, I think it's because the grapevine spreads your business and people feel comfortable bringing it up to you. I've had numerous friends and family ask if someone they know who is suffering with IBD can contact me. I've also had friends mention that they've had roommates or grandparents with the illness. I've met people out in the world when I explain I have "gi issues" they are quick to admit they do as well, or they know someone who does. It's taboo to speak about your bathroom problems, but people often have something to say if you bring it up. Actually, one of my good friends from college has Crohn's. I mentioned my tummy issues and he opened up.

The thing to realize is that the population has nearly doubled since the 70s, are we talking about a percentage increase or just more people with the illness? More people, more with illnesses.

and yes, those commercials are a bit insensitive at times. The medications don't even work for everyone. They make it seem like we all could be 100% if we took whatever drug they are selling.
Posted 4/23/2018 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
I do not work with, live by, or have any nearby family, or acquaintances with UC or Crohn's diagnoses. Sure, I message some folks here on healingwell but that's really it. I'm in New England which certainly has a higher incidence than many other places.

It's a curious question if incidence are increasing or not, and I'll ask my gasteroenteroligist the next time I see him.
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