Crohn's disease and ulserative colitis

[Antheia]

For those that have been diagnosed with either Crohn's or Colitis, how long did it take for you to be diagnosed and that were you first symptoms? I realise this can get quite TMI but i really need to know more about these diseases.

Also, would having either one of them stop me from becoming pregnent again, or is it still possible?

[Khaleesi]

Hi i was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at 18 & i have a very healthy baby girl, the only thing stopping you from getting pregnant would be a flare-up, but once in remission there is nothing stopping you.

I really can't remember what my first symptoms were, I was in denial for a long time(8 months).
Loss of appetite
Weight Loss
Bleeding
Stomach cramps
Back pain

As for how long it took to be diagnosed once i was in hospital & i told them everything 2 days.
If i was more honest in the beginning I'm sure it wouldn't of gotten as bad as it did, but i young & scared

ETA-If you have anymore ?'s feel free to ask

[melbel]

Crohns you will also notice the attacks to be closely related to food intake times more so that ulcerative colitis where the upset will be kinda more continuous during an episode. For example my brother has crohns and a friend has had his bowel removed due to crohns and they would eat and then get massive pain and diarrhea a couple of hours later and it can be food dependent - withmy brother spicy food sets him off.
With ulcerative colitis my undertsanding is because the ulcers have formed during an episode the pain can be at any time and is more consistent if that makes sense.
Either way you need to get it checked out as soon as younotice symptoms...I have a 21 yr old friend who was admitted to hospital with such a bad episode of ulcertaive colitis just before christmas and the ulcer was so big that she lost so much blood they were forced to do emergency surgery to remove her bowel in order to save her life. turns out she had been in pain for months and was still working etc but was too embarrased to say anything until it ruptured and nearly killed her.

[Lilly-Pilly]

Ulcerative colitis wont stop you having kids. The difference between the two are that ulcerative colitis is pretty much just in the colon, where as crohns can effect you throughout the whole digestive system.

Colonoscopies (sp??) can diagnose it. Symptoms can include bleeding, bloating, pain, extreme fatigue, loose bowel motions and mucous.

Irritable bowel syndrome is different again to colitis and crohns. You get alot sicker with crohns and colitis than IBS

Its a pretty scary thing, and can be embarrassing, but its controllable with meds a lot of the time, and its something that is best dealt with quickly cause it can be pretty nasty when its not looked after.

Hope things are ok for you

[Antheia]

Thankyou for the replies.

I have been very sick the last few weeks and ended up in hospital last week. I was having all the symptoms and was so sure that i had one of the two.

Luckly though i just had a severe case of a bacterial stomach infection. Which i was given antibiotics for and i now feel semi-human again! *Phew*

[jems]

hi

i have been dagnosed with crohns for 15 years now the first symptoms i had were diarrhoea,weight loss,Abdominal pain, sickness and bleeding , I have been told conciving will be more difficult but im determinr to try . since i have been in remishion sice an operation 2 years ago ( i had a stoma created) we are now trying for a little one

i hope you go into remishion soon and find some meds that work