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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/3/2015 2:01 PM (GMT 0)
I have both uc and cd and how do I know which is flaring or if one or the other does not flare. I was recently diagnosed and need help as doctor does not seem to be very informative - even to a point that my husband comes out saying wth did he just say? I have an appointment on the 19th and if we don't get more information that we can understand, we are going to get a second opinion.
Posted 8/3/2015 2:10 PM (GMT 0)
If you're walking away confused then that's not right or acceptable. As far as I'm concerned, my doctors appointment doesn't end until all my questions and concerns are answered. Be polite and say that you need a few more minutes, most are accommodating. If yours isn't, then find one who is.
Posted 8/3/2015 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
I have started a book and am writing down the questions I need answered. If I get nothing this time, we are going to get a second opinion. We had to go to our regular doctor and take the report to him and ask him what I had. No list or opinions on what I should or should not eat. I have been busy on the computer looking this info up. Which is ok but it seems I should have at least got some suggestions on how to handle my illness. I am taking 2 lialda in the morning and had the enema every night for two weeks. Thanks for answering me.
Posted 8/3/2015 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Seems odd that the doc won't explain you should call the office and speak to a nurse there just to get the full run down
Posted 8/3/2015 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds a lot like the issues I've had with my doctor and have had very hard times finding a new one. I'm currently in the hospital (day 4) because of my doctors lack of listening to me and answering my questions. So tip from me: if you aren't comfortable with your doctor now, find a new one asap...
Posted 8/3/2015 3:15 PM (GMT 0)
I am so upset - the more I think about it the more upset I get. This is no fun and no joke and I should have gotten a lot more information that I got. I think the last flare up is on the downswing but need to know what flared up! I have been to them since the colonoscopy three times and the last time I went I was told the white diet which I was on religiously until I finally gave in and had a burger and strangely enough - it did not bother me in the least, in fact it seemed to help. Then another flare and been doing the white diet and finally after 6 bms in one day, I told my husband I have had it - please go get me a burger - seemed to help again. We have eaten chicken and turkey until we thought we would grow feathers! But a burger stopped all the upset stomach and bms. Does that make sense?
Posted 8/3/2015 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
Some Symantecs.

I do not believe one can have both crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis simultaneously, you either have one or the other. You are flaring, it's not a matter of which disease is flaring, as you have only one disease.

Sometimes a diagnosis is initially uc and later switched to crohn's. Your diagnosis can be uncertain between crohn's and uc, you can have indeterminate colitis, you can have crohn's-colitis (crohn's manifesting in the large intestine only).
Posted 8/3/2015 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
I have never heard of both CD and UC. Could your diagnosis have been Indeterminate UC, or Crohns Colitis?

FOR some food had very little effect. Most doctors are not trained in discussing how individuals can find individual food issues.

The doc should make sure you understand, but you are best to read and learn as much as possible.
Posted 8/3/2015 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
Moderate Colitis from 30-40cm
Scattered erosions throughout colon

But doctor told me I had crohns when he got the results of a pathology report.

I hope you are right!!!

And I am reading all the time - that is how I found this site. I don't go back until the 19th and I fully intend to find out what is going on. Thank you - I feel so much better!
Posted 8/3/2015 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
I also don't think you can have both at the same time or even get one and get the other one later. It is an either or type of thing but sometimes it can be extremely hard to tell which one you have and sometimes it is misdiagnosed or the diagnosis is changed. Some have gone all the way to having surgery and then discovered after surgery that they actually had Crohns instead of UC.
Posted 8/3/2015 4:53 PM (GMT 0)

OKGran said...
I was told the white diet which I was on religiously until I finally gave in and had a burger and strangely enough - it did not bother me in the least, in fact it seemed to help. Then another flare and been doing the white diet and finally after 6 bms in one day, I told my husband I have had it - please go get me a burger - seemed to help again. We have eaten chicken and turkey until we thought we would grow feathers! But a burger stopped all the upset stomach and bms. Does that make sense?

Diet is very individual with uc. The only one who can accurately tell you your diet is you. It is a trial-and-error process. Keep a food dairy noting what you eat and your uc symptoms, and look for correlations (e.g., everytime I eat 5-alarm chili, I have a very bad morning).

Some swear by diet modifications, others (like me) see no benefits from modifying my diet. I eat whatever I want.
Posted 8/3/2015 10:48 PM (GMT 0)

iPoop said...
Some Symantecs.

I do not believe one can have both crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis simultaneously, you either have one or the other. You are flaring, it's not a matter of which disease is flaring, as you have only one disease.

Sometimes a diagnosis is initially uc and later switched to crohn's. Your diagnosis can be uncertain between crohn's and uc, you can have indeterminate colitis, you can have crohn's-colitis (crohn's manifesting in the large intestine only).

You can have both CD and UC coexist at the same time, it's rare but it's estimated 2% of patients do have both...

That said, the biggest problem with GI's not being thorough with their explanations of things going on is, chances are the OP's GI probably said she has crohn's colitis, which is crohn's affecting the colon, not the same as having UC as well as CD.
Posted 8/3/2015 11:11 PM (GMT 0)
For all that don't believe you can have both (I once thought the same) an easy google search shows different...2% is small, but I sure wouldn't want to be in that percentile.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11826335

Abstract
Three cases of coexisting ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are presented. In the first case, the patient had a long-standing history of ulcerative proctitis before developing Crohn's colitis. In the two remaining cases, the patients presented initially with Crohn's disease of the ileum and, subsequent to resection, developed ulcerative colitis. Well-documented cases of patients diagnosed with both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are rare. The literature on such cases is reviewed, and the controversy over whether ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are two distinct diseases is explored.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1420082/

Abstract

A well documented case of a patient with both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis is presented. A 29 year old woman underwent resection of her terminal ileum and ascending colon for typical Crohn's disease with ileocolitis. Eleven years later, an ileoproctocolectomy was performed for typical ulcerative colitis involving the left colon. The resection specimen also showed evidence of colonic Crohn's disease near the anastomotic site. This unusual case shows that Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis can occur in the same patient. The rarity of such cases supports the concept that Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are separate entities, rather than different manifestations of the same disease process.
Posted 8/4/2015 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
It is possible for you to have both, just had my colonoscopy today. I go every year for a screening. Doctor thought last year I had both as well. I'm sorry you are not having all of your questions answered, perhaps find another doctor who you feel a better connection with...after all this is very serious and takes a toll on our everyday life!
Posted 8/4/2015 11:38 AM (GMT 0)
I think my frustration lies with the fact that every time I go to the doctor, I see a different doctor, pa, etc. I am supposed to go back on the 19th and if I can't see my doctor and if he can't or won't answer the questions I have, we are going to go elsewhere. And you are so right - it is very serious and it takes a huge toll on your everyday life, future, outlook, etc. I feel so much better since I found this site and have talked with people who know what is going on and is kind enough to help me. Thank you and God bless.
Posted 8/4/2015 12:51 PM (GMT 0)
pb4 is right, it is possible to have both UC and Crohn's (if you think about it, why would the two diseases have to be mutually exclusive? It's just rare for obvious reasons). That said, it's actually far more common to have indeterminate colitis than it is to have simultaneous UC and Crohn's, and I would want to rule out IC before concluding I had both diseases.

@OKGran - Seeing a different doctor almost every time was the bane of my life with this disease. In the end, when I joined my current hospital, I told the receptionist I wanted to see the same doctor every time, I didn't care if I had to wait longer for appointments. For two years, they were surprisingly accommodating. Perhaps in part because I was really ill and a refractory case. These days I still get to see the same doctor, but far less frequently - not helped by a couple of appointments being delayed by a few months. I put up with the long waiting times, because he really is an excellent GI. The best one I've had by miles.

Long story short: insist on seeing the same doctor. Consistency is important when dealing with a chronic disease.
Posted 8/4/2015 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
I would already make an appointment for a second opinion as it can take a very long time to get an appointment. And should you decide to stay with your current doctor and you can cancel the other appointment for
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