Breakthrough Crohn’s Disease Guide

There are many physical side effects related to Crohn’s Disease. Since Crohn’s is a chronic condition for which there is no cure, the disease can permeate an individual’s sense of well-being, comfort, and lifestyle for his entire life. While the physical symptoms are intense enough to cause even the most reserved unyielding discomfort, perhaps one of the most damaging results of Crohn’s are the emotional side-effects of the disease.

Imagine having to worry each and every time you are asked to go out to dinner. Business dinners and dates, which were once fun, are now made from nightmares. The threat of a sudden flare-up of Crohn’s Disease is enough to cause emotional shell-shock. Many afflicted change their mode of social functioning, sometimes preferring to remain isolated and withdrawn. It is not surprising then, that one of the most common medications prescribed to sufferers of Crohn’s Disease is antidepressants.

Antidepressants do nothing for the physical symptoms of Crohn’s. There are other medications and treatments that handle these devastating characteristics of the disease. However, due to the emotional roller coaster that accompanies Crohn’s, many of those suffering from the disease can spiral into deep depression. In addition to suffering emotionally, the stress brought upon by depression can further affect the severity of Crohn’s. It has been proven that being in a depressive state can weaken the immune system and leave the body open to a host of hostile invaders. The longer a state of depression lasts, the more difficult it is for the body to function effectively.

Besides taking antidepressants, Crohn’s sufferers can find relief through other avenues. Support groups for those afflicted with Crohn’s are no longer uncommon. In addition, consulting a mental health practitioner such as a psychiatrist or psychologist can sometimes help those with the disease to better adjust to living with it.

The reality of Crohn’s Disease is difficult for many to accept. There are many that are embarrassed and even ashamed. Instead of this attitude there is another way of looking at the problem. Yes, it is a lifelong condition that cannot be cured. However, with proper maintenance, treatment, and careful planning, most people can live normal lives with the disease. When you think of Crohn’s, do not simply associate it with physical symptoms only. The results of the disease can cause extreme emotional stress and this expands considerations beyond a medical diagnosis.

If you are currently suffering from Crohn’s Disease or know someone close to you who is, you should ensure that your emotional state as well as your physical needs are met. Get the advice of a mental health practitioner and deal with Crohn’s instead of hiding from the disease.

Living with any chronic disease can be a challenge, and Crohn’s is no exception. Extremely painful crohns flare ups make day-to-day living seem impossible and when the disease is in remission, the stress of worrying about the next one can be almost as bad. So, how do deal with these flare-ups when they happen?

A Crohn’s flare-up is usually associated with the onset of symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, weight loss, abdominal pain and rectal bleeding, a loss of appetite and diarrhea.

The first step is being able to recognize the risk factors involved in dealing with flare-ups. Maybe the easiest risk factor to avoid is exposure to tobacco products, weather you’re smoking them yourself or if your family members or friends are. Another major risk factor for Crohn’s flare-ups is stress.

While it’s impractical to think that you can remove stress from your life completely, making a concerted effort to try to limit the amount of stress can seriously reduce the amount of and severity of Crohn’s flare-ups. Things like yoga or medication or even just making time in your schedule to read a good book can be great ways to relax and stave off the stress monster.

Another possible trigger for Crohn’s disease is a woman’s menstrual cycle. Many women who suffer from Crohn’s experience an increase in flare-ups during their period. It’s recommended that women who experience this keep a diary over a period of months to look for trends and help develop a treatment regiment with your doctor to put an end to the cycle.

The use of some over the counter drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve) have also been linked to Crohn’s flare-ups. If you need a non-prescription pain killer, consult your doctor to see what kind is right for you.

Treatment for these flare-ups fall into three basic categories: drug treatment, nutritional adjustments and surgery.

The most common drug to treat Crohn’s are anti-inflammatories, such as Sulfasalazine. This drug has shown to work for a majority of Crohn’s sufferers, but it’s not a cure-all. And like with all drugs, there are side effects such as nausea, vomiting and headache.

If you have moderate to severe Crohn’s, the FDA has approved a drug called Remicade. The drug actually blocks the body’s inflammatory response. This drug is only used for patients who don’t respond to more traditional treatments.

Nutritional supplements are another common way to deal with Crohn’s flare-ups. This course of action is geared to those that don’t want to put medications in their bodies and are looking for a more natural alternative. Foods to avoid, such as spicy foods, whole grains and dairy products are a good first step.

Drinking high protein shakes to make up for the fact that a patients intestines are so ravaged so that they don’t absorb nutrients anymore is another common way to help treat the disease. These are especially common in kids who need nutrients to grow.

A large number of Crohn’s patients will need surgery at some point to deal with the long-term effects of the disease. Sufferers are warned, however, that removing a section of intestine doesn’t cure the disease, but may be necessary if that area becomes to deteriorated by ulcers. It should be used as a last resort. There is no guarantee that crohns flare ups won’t occur again after surgery.

Crohn’s disease is an extremely painful inflammatory disease of the intestines and digestive tract. It mainly causes ulcers, or breaks in the lining of the digestive tract so that your stomach acid digests you and not food, but it can cause problems in the tract from the mouth all the way to the anus. Crohns disease and smoking are two things that really don’t mix well together.

The pain that comes with Crohn’s disease can flair up randomly or be caused by a whole host of triggers. For some, the wrong kind of food can cause problems, for others the worst trigger is stress. But recent studies have shown that maybe the worst trigger of all is caused by smoking.

A study that was done in early 2001 seems to indicate that if a Crohn’s sufferer quits smoking, many of the painful flare-ups associated with the disease can be reduced. Those include symptoms such as fever, rectal bleeding, abdominal cramps, diarrhea and fatigue.

The study showed that Crohn’s sufferers that smoke have more severe symptoms and tend to be more resistant to medications that could otherwise help them. They also show a slower recovery time after surgery, which is common for Crohn’s sufferers who need to have sections of intestine removed that is too ravaged by ulcers.

The chemicals involved in smoking have been shown to change the composition of the mucus in the stomach, large and small intestines making it more susceptible to Crohn’s and making the appearance of ulcers far more common.

The risk of smoking and Crohn’s doesn’t only affect the person lighting up. Evidence has shown that children who have developed Crohn’s are usually exposed to second-hand smoke in the home.

The good news is that if you quit smoking, you can recover. Studies have shown that if you can just go a year without a cigarette, your Crohn’s symptoms should be like you had never smoked at all. The effects on your lungs, however, take much longer to heal.

The remainder of affects of smoking on the body are well known, led by lung, mouth, throat, oesophagus and voice box cancer. Smoking is also linked to types of leukaemia and cancers of the pancreas, stomach, kidney and bladder. Respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, emphysema and dyspena are also more common with smoking. Cardiovascular diseases such as angina, blood clots and strokes are also shown to be connected to tobacco use.

Of course, the best way to avoid smoking-related flare-ups with Crohn’s disease is to never start. But even if you do, there are many clinical avenues out there to help you quit, including smoking patches, nicotine gum, and even hypnosis or prescription medications. The best course of action is to see your doctor and have him or her recommend a plan to wean yourself off of tobacco products and decrease your chances of a Crohn’s flair-ups by 65% or more. Remember, the effects from having crohns disease and smoking will only exacerbate your symptoms.

Pregnancy is a trying time for all women. The added stress, the complicated health issues and the additional weight can be overwhelming for many. But when you add in severe health problems like Crohn’s disease, the stress levels can reach unhealthy levels. So, what effects does Crohn’s disease have on pregnancy and what does this mean for the health of the baby?

Studies have shown that most women or couples who have an active case of Crohn’s (they regularly get flare-ups) may have trouble even conceiving. A common drug used to treat Crohn’s called sulfasalzine may render men temporarily infertile. There are less common medications available for men who are looking to conceive so consult your doctor to get switched to a treatment that won’t damage your sperm count.

Most women who have Crohn’s are able to carry their baby to a full-term pregnancy and have a healthy boy or girl, but there are some direct links between Crohn’s disease and problems which could potentially crop up. Since Crohn’s is responsible for causing ulcers and abscesses in the body, women who may have these in the birth canal or in the vagina may need to have a caesarean section birth. Crohn’s has been linked to a higher rate of miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth at a rate of two to three times.

There are also links between a worsening of symptoms directly after becoming pregnant and during the first trimester. Some women also experience a severe flare-up immediately after giving birth. The one thing to keep in mind is that every case of Crohn’s is different and every pregnancy is different, as well. There is no link at this time that says if you have severe Crohn’s related symptoms during one pregnancy that you’ll have them during your next one, too.

One of the most important aspects to having a healthy baby is eating a proper diet. As everyone knows, a woman’s diet changes dramatically during pregnancy, but diet can be a main trigger to Crohn’s flair-ups. So how to rectify the two? The best thing to do is to consult your doctors and remember, if you are treating your Crohn’s with sulfasalazine, take folic acid to help prevent birth defects. Most likely, your doctor and obstetrician will recommend a few special foods and an increased vitamin and mineral supplement plan.

There is a debated genetic link associated with Crohn’s. Some studies have shown no real link, while others have shown that if someone in your family has Crohn’s, there is a 10 times greater chance of developing it, and if that person is a brother or a sister, the risk jumps to 30 times. Targeting the actual genes that cause it has been extremely challenging since it appears that more than one gene affects Crohn’s disease.

The main consensus on this controversial area is that there may be some genetic link, but it’s all about the environmental risk factors associated with it. Don’t smoke, try to eat right and keep the stress down and you don’t have to worry about passing Crohn’s disease onto your newborn baby.