Is Colitis different from Ulcerative Colitis

Colitis = inflammation of the colon. Can be from UC, infection, etc. It is a symptom, not a disease.

Ulcerative colitis is a specific disease that has colitis as a symptom.

Is Colitis different from Ulcerative Colitis? Yes completely different.

Can anyone get colitis symptoms without Ulcerative colitis? Yes. Inflammation is what causes these similar symptoms (diarrhea, blood, etc) present in both colitis and in uc. The difference is the underlying cause:

• Colitis is inflammation caused by a bacterial infection, it's a one time episode that's cleared up with an antibiotic.
  
• Ulcerative colitis is a crohnic, lifelong disease that requires a maintenance medication for life. It's an autoimmune disease, like rheumatoid arthritis.
  

If you're experiencing colitis like symptoms then see your family doctor (general practitioner). A stool test can be done to check for pathogenic causes. Your family doctor can refer you to a specialist, if necessary. A gastroenterologist-specialist can do a colonoscopy with biopsies to see what you have.

iPoop,

Thank you.

I was having 3-4 BM's for 1 week and sometimes with blood and mucus. I went to see a GE on 03/14 and I had a colonoscopy procedure on 03/16 by the GE. He found no inflammation in the colon and only inflammation/mucus is in the rectum. I remember he mentioned something like Proctitis. I am taking Lialda 3.6 g and Canasa suppository every night. I am now having 1 or 2 BM every day and no blood and mucus anymore.

I got a call from the doctors office yesterday and the lady mentioned it is colitis and I specifically asked is it ulcerative colitis or colitis and she repeadted colitis and she conveyed the GE wants me to continue with the prescribed medication.

I am little confused here whether I have Proctitis or UC.

Thank you in advance

You're going have to continue to pursue what your diagnosis is from your doctor's office, ask for copies of your colonoscopy and biopsy reports. Ask at a follow up with your doctor, which you should have to explain your treatment.

Your doctor could've meant proctitis (just colitis), an infection, no worries, it'll clear up. He/she could've meant ulcerative proctitis, if so welcome to our elite club here

Ulcerative colitis is further identified by how far it goes, ulcerative proctitis is just the rectum, ulcerative proctosigmoiditis goes further, and pancolitis is involvement of the entire large intestine.

iPoop & NiceCupofTea,

Thank you.

Do you think it is better to get a second opinion from another GI.

ByeByeUC said...
From reading your posts, I think you just need a thorough explanation of exactly what's going on from this doctor that did your colonoscopy.

but if for some reason that information is not forthcoming, then yes, you need to find another GI -

Since it is extending to the sigmoid colon, some would say it is UC and not UP.

The GI seemed to downplay the inflammation in the sigmoid colon.

The real question is whether the biopsies show evidence of chronic inflammation, pointing to UC or UP, or if the biopsies indicated acute inflammation (not chronic) which might not be IBD

good luck

if the biopsy report shows evidence of crypt cell deformation (i.e., chronic inflammation), I would stay on some dose of a maintenance med indefinitely. If there is chronic inflammation even after symptoms are managed, your colon cancer risk remains high even in the absence of symptoms.

good luck