# What's your theory on how you got Crohn's Disease?



## AmyWooden

This is strange, but I told my mother I'd post it.  She is convinced she knows the reason I got CD.  Apparently when I was an infant I would literally eat my wooden crib!  She ended up wrapping ace bandages around the frame so I couldn't get to it.  Now she is convinced that the splinters have lodged themselves in my intestines and that's how I got Crohn's. lol :ylol2:

I have another theory though.  I've heard that it can lay dormant and that there may be enviornmental triggers.  There was an old landfill down the street I grew up on that was turned into a park.  As kids, we would all ride our bikes and hang out there, and sled down them in winter. I was diagnosed at age 10.  This seems more probable to me.

What are your thoughts about triggers and why you got Crohn's?


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## Keona

I have read everything to the way we poop (the posture on a toilet) to well water to breast-feeding/not breast-feeding, eating toothpaste.... 

Honestly, my head spins as to the cause!  I have no idea.  I do believe that it is something environmental.  I would be interested to know how many kids got Crohns where you use to play Amy.  Are you in touch with any of them?  Does anyone in your family have it that did not play there?
Splinters   I'll add that to my list of causes...


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## katiesue1506

I've posted this around here before somewhere, but at the time I was diagnosed I was finishing my senior year or high school, working part time, and highly involved in my high school color guard as a leader. Things were so stressful that year because of a couple issues we had in the color guard with a few girls and I was just constantly gone. I always had a headache and I was sorta 'depressed' and I took a lot of Aleve. Like everyday. I finally graduated and started worrying about moving to college and meeting new people. Then I had the meningitis vaccine. It's almost like right after that, I started with the big D and it never ended.

So for me stress+vaccine+Aleve= Crohn's


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## Mary

I think mine was stress related. I have severe anxiety especially about my health, and was having panick attacks everyday. Lost my brother years ago that really affected me. I am 41 so how come so late in life. When I read alot about people getting younger.


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## Becky

I can not pin point anything that caused it.


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## Rebecca85

I had a throat virus, and was popping ibuprofen the 2 weeks before I first got symptoms. So either the virus triggered my immune system to go into overdrive, or the ibuprofen irritated my guts.


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## belle1999

I don't think that there was anything that caused mine, besides genetics somewhere down the line...although no one in my family (that we know of) has it. I started having IBS in my senior year of college and I don't know what triggered that (maybe stress?). The flare that led to my diagnosis was triggered by a virus I caught.


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## MapleLeafGirl

My theory is that the trigger was a bacteria in some chinese food that I ate when I was 17.  I got a really bad case of food poisoning and my stomach just hasn't been right since.


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## Nyx

Mine was stress for sure.  That and taking ibuprofen for the stress headaches induced by said stress.  I have no doubt of it whatsoever.


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## Busy

Mine was stress without doubt.


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## Cat-a-Tonic

Stress, ibuprofen, and maybe a virus/bacteria - plus possible genetic predisposition.  My great-grandfather had UC, so I'm thinking his IBD genes got passed down to me.  I had been kayaking a lot last summer and was taking a lot of ibuprofen for the muscle aches.  Then in August of last year, my company did a bunch of layoffs and my department went from 10 people to 2, so I was very stressed and had a lot of "survivor's guilt" at not being laid off.  Then in October I think I either ate something funky or got a nasty virus, and I got really ill and never recovered.  It's like the stress and ibuprofen started steering my body towards illness, and the virus or whatever set all the dominoes in motion and my immune system never turned itself back off again once the virus was gone.  That's my theory, anyway.


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## CDDad

I also say stress.  I think if I could lead a totally stress free life, maybe my Crohns would have stayed dorment.

My Crohns started soon after I gave blood for the 1st time back in college.  I've always wondered, if that "stress" on the body let it come out.  Who knows.

My stress has been highest the last 2-3 years and just look at my signature list.  So everyone should take up meditation I suppose.


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## Rebecca85

Stress could be involved for me as well- the last year work has been more stressful than normal and I have been ill a lot as a result. That's probably why I got so ill from the virus, which then led to the Crohn's. 

Since going back to work I have made a conscious effort not to let it bother me- and if I forget and let myself stress the stomach pain soon reminds me to relax!


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## MisB

I sometimes wonder if my alcoholism caused it.  Drinking 150 proof alcohol straight for breakfast cannot be good on your digestive system.   Thank God I've been sober for 15 years now.


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## Guest

i'm really not sure if any of this is relevant, or if i'd have got Crohn's anyway but...

i was the youngest of 3 sisters, i had allergies as a kid, my eldest sister had asthma, both my parents suffered with 'sensitive stomachs', my dad had ulcers (peptic i think), someone way back in my mother's family died of a stomach condition - diagnosis unknown..

plus - i had a habit of not wanting to poo when i was little, and would hold onto it until it hurt. i had bad reactions to childhood immunisations, and my mum is convinced i started with tummy troubles after my measles jab.

i hit a patch of intense stress & depression around the age of 14 (moved towns & left all my friends behind), & that's when the symptoms really picked up and i began the whole eating/pain/not eating thing which led to anemia etc etc..

if i do have a theory at all, it's that i was probably born prone to Crohn's, as both my sisters probably were, but there was a catalyst (or more than one maybe) which caused it to progress into the condition.


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## ibdoer

STRESS and ANXIETY! My alopecia areata (auto-immune) started 6 months into my first corporate job. It was downhill from there. But my real 1st flare was also stress related. I was so tense and angry from a situation I was in........ 15 minutes later after the altercation I started with the severe cramps and diarrhea. One month later I was diagnosed.


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## Jennifer

It started out with genetics for me and my sister because our parents are both carriers and there are other distant family members on both sides who currently have it but one thing bothers me. My sister and I were diagnosed the same year. Knowing this, it would make sense that there was some sort of environmental factor in play. There were water quality issues where we lived among with growing up poor and not eating the best quality of foods plus we both had some sort of serious flu or virus right before I was diagnosed, I think I just got sick faster than she did which could be because of my age. I doubt it was stress as we were 9 and 11 at the time.


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## HeatherMN

I think my trigger was the stress of being pregnant with twins combined with a bout of food poisoning. My sister was also diagnosed with CD a few years ago, so it's definitely a genetic thing too.
Interesting thread


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## Zalanicht

I got deathly ill after eating a bad hamburger up at the ski hill resulting in a very bad food poisoning. + Stress. First year out of high school not knowing what to do with my life was a terrible burden on me. I'm still in that situation but at least I've got things under control now.


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## Awbrey

I went through a bad divorce and started drinking wine a few glasses a night and  would take Ibuprofen so I wouldn't get a headache at night.  I really think the ibuprofen had something to do with it as well as the combo of stress and wine :-(


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## brenda1

Looking back I have had minor issues since I was little, gas, bathroom emergencies..ect. But I could always blame it on something. Until last July I definately think stress set it off and I was also taking a very strong nsaid for hip pain I was having. I swear the Mobic is what totally set it off with a vengence.


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## Dexky

CrabbyRelish said:


> I doubt it was stress as we were 9 and 11 at the time.


I wonder about that Crabby as you are the artistic type.  I asked EJ once before his dx if anything was bothering him(he was in the middle of his worst flare).  I asked him this because I remember when I was a child, in the 70's, I worried constantly about the state of the world, nuclear annihilation that sort of thing.  It was such a constant theme in the media then.  EJ has always been the thoughtful type as well so I can definitely believe that stress could be a factor at such a young age.


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## dreamintwilight

I thought at first it was when I started taking birth control pills, but I realized I may have had symptoms several years earlier than that during my sophomore year in college, right after I went through a terrible break-up. I then went through another terrible "break-up" with my college best friend the year after. Then I had stress graduating and not being able to find a job and getting married and moving to another state!


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## Jennifer

Dexky said:


> I wonder about that Crabby as you are the artistic type.  I asked EJ once before his dx if anything was bothering him(he was in the middle of his worst flare).  I asked him this because I remember when I was a child, in the 70's, I worried constantly about the state of the world, nuclear annihilation that sort of thing.  It was such a constant theme in the media then.  EJ has always been the thoughtful type as well so I can definitely believe that stress could be a factor at such a young age.


Its possible but two kids in the same year? I kind of doubt it. We dealt with stress all our lives anyway since our parents were physically abusive. I guess its possible it was a combination of everything. There were 4 of us and 2 got crohns. That spells genetics to me for one but the same year and right after we both were very sick from some sort of virus would make that more likely than stress in my opinion.


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## DustyKat

I don't know with Roo. I can't dismiss the hereditary factor even though it is somewhat distant, just too much of a coincidence as far as I'm concerned. Stress? Doesn't really suit her extroverted, happy go lucky personality. So who knows.(((shrug)))

I agree with Dexky about age and stress. When I started out working I worked in a paediatric head injury unit and I guess being quite close in age to some of the patients I used to get a bit miffed at the attitude of some of the parents. Some of the the kids were worried about their physical appearance (talking small facial scars) and others about the usual child/teenage stuff. Many of the parents however would be dismissive or become angry about their children being worried about these things saying "what have they got to worry about, they don't have to pay the bills etc". My view always was and still is, just because you are a 12, or whatever age, doesn't make your fears or worries any less valid. 

I think as we get older these earlier fears and worries are naturally replaced by the current stresses in our lives and on it goes to the point that we tend look back and, at times, laugh at what we could possibly have been worried about and all the while forgetting just how it really affected us at the time.


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## Jennifer

There's no doubt that children worry and deal with stress all the time just like we do but in my particular situation, there weren't any major factors that would cause such stress. I didn't start stressing about appearance and what people thought until I was diagnosed with crohns. If anything, crohns triggered my stress.  My sister was very similar.
If it was stress at all, then it was from physical abuse/fear of my parents.


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## Vivvian's Mommy

As far back as we have looked in my family's history we haven't seen any one with even a possibilty of digestive problems.So for me not genetics thus far.Maybe environmental?I know I ended up in the hospital for food poisoning and thats when I had bloody stool.They think though it may have started when I was 8 because I ended up in the hospital with choking problems which they discovered a cobweb structure in my chest and then I had constant heartburn and cramping.Also my digestive system was discovered to be getting slowly eaten away by my body.They said something about the good bacteria was fighting against its self in my body because it didn't know what was good and bad anymore.I lost a lot of weight too when I was 9-10 and we told it was because I was an active child and then found out it was my fat deposits were what had been eaten away.I was told at one point it was because I didn't eat enough but my mom said that wasn't the case I ate all the time.


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## Pwndkake

Mine was a combo of stress, ibuprofen, and Europe...

I was always under a lot of stress as a teen and was taking ibuprofen regularly for body aches and an inflamed false rib. 

When I was 17, I had the privilege of spending about 5 weeks in Europe (2 weeks all over Poland, and 3 weeks taking a German study-abroad session in Salzburg, Austria.) This included walking on foot EVERYWHERE (my classroom was a lovely 45-minute walk from my host-home) and with little money, a consistent diet of sausages from cart vendors, french fries with mayonnaise, and FRESH dairy, milk, yogurt, cheese (something unfamiliar to my Yank body). Everyday. for 3 weeks. I lost about 75 pounds and was a great hot mess. Turns out I read an article that a bacteria/protein in milk can trigger Crohns. (The beer probably didn't help either.. :shifty-t


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## dustydshook

Mine was definately stress, stress and more stress.  I have two daughters a year apart that hit their teen years at the same time and custody battles with their dad.  Shew I didn't think I would survive it!  I also took lots and lots of Ibuprofin.  As for the hereditary thing I don't know if I believe it.  There are too many people that have this that have absolute no family history.  Although my family does have a long history of colon cancer..mom, gran and great gran.  But my crohns is in my small bowel. So I don't think it is hereditary.


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## BLM

AMAZING!! Almost, if not everyone said stress, and many said I-buprofin...and some said other illnesses! In not surprised, sitting here taking an inventory of my life before and during flarres....stress is the main culprit!! I have a genetic predispostion along with environmental factors. I had an incredibly hard childhood and I always held it together....at some point in life that manifested stress is going to surface....it started for me when I was about 15 with bathroom issues...and then 18 had a severe attack and had appendix out, and so here I am 15 years later and just finally getting it all figured out! Crazy~ Great topic, very interesting!!


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## GoJohnnyGo

A strain of bacteria in the food chain or environment triggering an autoimmune response. I'm quite certain it isn't genetic in my case (although it might be for others).

Stress I think exacerbates the underlying condition, but is not a cause in itself.


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## AmyWooden

Thank you All for posting your theories here.  Now hopefully I can convince my mother it had nothing to do with the crib incident! lol


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## Regular Joe

OK Amy...

Very funny!


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## merrywidow

i was fit and healthy until i fell preganant with my son. i have never been the same since. so i totally blame him!!!!


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## reidyjo81

very interesting thread. I am the same as most, stress. I wouldn't say this caused my Crohns don't think we will know that for a long time, but I know that stress has caused my serious flares. After losing my mum at 17 I had to have surgery 2 months after, so to me it is all to do with stress and mine comes out in the form of Crohns. No one in my family has ever suffered with any kind of digestion problem.


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## Pwndkake

merrywidow said:


> i was fit and healthy until i fell preganant with my son. i have never been the same since. so i totally blame him!!!!


My mother says the same thing about me when it comes to her vericose veins... :shifty-t:


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## Regular Joe

OK this is how I got Crohn's. I'm sure of it.

I met this girl, fell in love, but it wasn't until it was too late that I found out she was part of an alien plot to take over earth.

The aliens abducted me one night. I remember it vividly. They stuck this strange probe right up my butthole and took all kinds of pictures. Then they tried to erase my memory. Somewhere in all of their abductions, they found my girlfriend.

They did a Vulcan mind meld with her, and programmed her to seek and find me because they left behind one of their anal probes. Now the race is on to see if they can retract whatever they left inside of me through one of their "implants" disguised as a gastroenterologist at the Cleveland Clinic. They put him there because they can gather more of the humans that they left their anal probes in.

See that probe is actually microscopic, and it transmits signals that create electromagnetic disturbances in certain individuals who later develop Crohn's Disease symptoms. But when a regular GI doctor gets too close to finding their probes, the aliens flip a switch and the Crohn's symptoms mysteriously go away.

Then the perplexed GI says "Oh well, it must be IBS".

Stesss? Ha ha ha. It played no part in my disease!

See? Those aliens are pret-ty clever, I'd say!


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## Astra

LMFAO @ Joe!

Defo, without a shadow of a doubt - Ibuprofen!
I hammered it since I was 15 for painful periods and even after a hysterectomy, for an old neck injury and various aches and pains! 
I can't believe how many peeps have said the same thing!
How many of you have never took Ibuprofen??
But... another weird theory that I investigated during my dissertation on Autism, did I catch it off one of the kids in my school? I've worked there for nearly 15 years! During my research I found the Andrew Wakefield MMR/Autism/Crohns link. Of course my gastro has pooh poohed the idea as ludicrous!


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## AmyWooden

I think you might be on to something there, Joseph!! lol

Hmmm....I do see a lot of NSAID users here, but I never really used them until I was older for my periods and such.  To this day I only use them sparingly and they don't seem to bother my gut at all.  

I was diagnosed at 10.  I suppose since it's autoimmune that leaves the door wide open for a variety of triggers and/or causes.  

When I was being see at CHOP, the doctors were convivced that the 90's would be the "decade of the cure."  Wishful thinking.  Now I just hope they may find it before I croak! lol


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## reidyjo81

Hmmm very interesting about the Ibuprofen, I never took it as a child/teenager, could never sallow tablets now I have no chance as have about 15 a day !!! Wish they would hurry up and find out why!


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## MissB

Well, I first had problems at 14 but nothing was diagnosed until 2001.

I was a poorly baby but not that sickly a kid, but I had a vicious Gastric 'flu at 11.

Didn't often take Ibuprofen but was on the pill from 14, was also given the BCG injection around then.

It came around the time of starting my exam studies, so could well have been stress - stress certainly makes it worse - but so does yeast, caffeine and toothpaste and  anyway, there's a family hisotry of gastric 'fun' - from IBD to Coeliac.

I blame genetics  but who knows?
Could even be an allergic reaciton that triggered it.
x x x


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## planetjen

too many environmental factors to list (grew up on industrial part of gulf coast)
too many stresses to list
throw in about a decade of substance abuse.....
i knew i would end up with some kinda something. crohns i can deal with, at least it isn't terminal and there is possibility of remission. 
deep thoughts....hmm.....

re family history - my brother and i both have bad, bad guts. but neither our parents nor anyone else in our fam.....weird.


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## merrywidow

Astra101 said:


> and even after a hysterectomy for an old neck injury


ok i will sound stupid and ask.
how did a neck injury end up with a hysterectomy?


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## glum chump

Definitely genetics + stress. Given my mom and sisters have Crohn's, I might have had a predisposition to Crohn's and during an extremely stressful time of my life, it reared it's not-so-pretty-head.

I lost my baby sister quite unexpectedly when she was 19, and two of my close friends, all within six months. Having done some soul-searching after these deaths, I decided it was time to end my 7-year relationship that had outlived itself by about three years. My ex-partner also became quite hostile and gave me a lot of grief as we tried to figure out a fair way to sell our house, etc. At the same time, I was working 65 hours a week at two fairly high stress jobs. 

So...the convergence of all these events created an ideal atmosphere for the Crohn's critters to jump aboard and claim a space...


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## Jennifer

Astra101 said:


> How many of you have never took Ibuprofen??


I never took it before I was diagnosed. I started using it after when I was a teen and up till the present day. It's never bothered me.


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## ameslouise

Quitting smoking triggered all my flares when I had UC.  I made New Year's Resolutions to quit four or five times and by October or November each year - major flare.

I quit smoking for good 3 years ago and BOOM!  Nine months after that.... big flare and my rediagnosis with Crohn's.

Lesser of two evils?  I don't know. Sometimes I really wonder if should have just continued smoking. I was only smoking 2 or 3 cigs a day at that point...


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## Vivvian's Mommy

CrabbyRelish said:


> I never took it before I was diagnosed. I started using it after when I was a teen and up till the present day. It's never bothered me.


I never took Ibprofhen either..so thats out for me.


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## AmyWooden

ameslouise said:


> Quitting smoking triggered all my flares when I had UC.  I made New Year's Resolutions to quit four or five times and by October or November each year - major flare.
> 
> I quit smoking for good 3 years ago and BOOM!  Nine months after that.... big flare and my rediagnosis with Crohn's.
> 
> Lesser of two evils?  I don't know. Sometimes I really wonder if should have just continued smoking. I was only smoking 2 or 3 cigs a day at that point...


I read an article once that said smoking did help UC, but don't recall if it mentioned Crohn's.  Interesting...


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## pompeybird

I know i have only just been diagnosed but im sure mine is stress , i went through an extemly stressfull situation about 2 years ago (which had gone on for 2 years) and that was when i started to be unwell although i also think another big factor is all the medication i have been on for other things (mainly NSAIDS's) but yes i would put my last penny on the stress i endured a couple of years back


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## Chrismac

Mine was the flu, for sure... In February 2001 I had major bad flu.. I was fainting left right and centre, every time I stood up.. one time, I had to go to the bathroom, got to the top of the stairs and realised I was going to faint.... so went down on my butt, stood up and WHAM. Next thing I remember is coming round to hear my family around me, then when my vision cleared my dad was holding me and bleeuuurgh. Puked all over the floor.....

Anyway.. lost my voice, had a temperature of 105, had to sleep on the sofa for a week and couldn't eat but could only drink hot milk.....

VERY bad flu....

But the rest of that year I lost energy, couldn't walk up the stairs without feeling out of breath, and September 2001 my haemoglobin count was 3.5 and I was taken into hospital... I was on the point of collapse when diagnosed, followed by another MASSIVE bout of fever...

Definitely the flu, missed 8 weeks of college.


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## Dekar

beginning:

Mom got breast cancer when I was 15. I went through depression. Got Crohns when i was 16. 

last year:

got my first REAL flare right after finals (20 yrs old) . found out my mom got cancer again last year too.

last month:

another STRONG flare. right after finals _again_. stressed out + have a job now + moms in the hospital 


no doubt in my mind... Crohnies have a weakness either through an environmental/bacterial/gene factor, and then a combination of stress/depression pulls the trigger.


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## can1991

Definately STRESS !!!    I also had another Auto Immune Disease.


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## Aura

My uncle had UC. Both parents have many autoimmune conditions, same with grandparents.  I think I am geneticially predisposed to it.  My first trigger was a bout of real bad food poisioning that led the a flare and a DX of chrons a year later.  My latest flare was due to vomitting most days for 3 months with high stress. My appendix came out when I was 13. I got asthma when I was 10 and I remember having a UTI for a year when I was 11. I remember I was a sickly kid.


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## Astra

merrywidow said:


> ok i will sound stupid and ask.
> how did a neck injury end up with a hysterectomy?


not stupid Sharon, but perhaps a wee bit pedantic!
I missed a comma!


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## NatalieMT

I became ill following a bad dental infection accompanied by lots of strong painkillers and several course of antibiotics. That may or may not have been the cause there is no way to tell, but before the incident I was fine.


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## Crohn's 35

I know my Crohns is genetic, but symptoms started a few years after having worms... ew.. then stress as a young adult, and my big one was during a custody battle and divorce, and I know he is happy as a pig in shi8t that I got so ill.  True! He wished it on me.  :ymad:.


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## MisB

After today, I'm buying into the stress and diet routine, at least during a flare.  I tried a more solid food last week and ended up with excessive pain and bleeding.  Back off to liquids and soft foods again and felt better today until I started getting really stressed out.  Twice today I was in uncomfortably situations and each time found myself almost doubled over.  Pain pills took off the edge but was still very uncomfortable.  Once I got home and calmed down, pains are gone.  I know I'm thick headed and stubborn, but I think I might finally be learning about this disease that I am apparently stuck with forever.  Going into a 5 year remission shortly after initial dx made me think I was cured.  With this flare,  I'm just now starting to comprehend how serious this really is.  Dr told me yesterday it's too early for testing to see how it's progressing, but the last test showed major inflamation that will take time to heal.  I'm getting very frustrated and it seems to be taking forever.  I've been on mostly liquid diet with some soft food occassionally for almost 3 months now.  I'm trying to keep my spirits up, but I'm having one of my moments.  It's been a rough day.  I know I'm off topic, but thanks for letting me share.  I'll post a new thread in the next day or two when I'm in a better mood.


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## Silvermoon

Regular Joe said:


> ...The aliens abducted me one night....


*ROFLMAO!!  Me too!!!!!*



AmyWooden said:


> ...Now hopefully I can convince my mother it had nothing to do with the crib incident! lol


*LOL!!  My mother was convinced for the longest time that I had CD because she ate raw potatoes when she was preggers with me...:yrolleyes: *


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## katiesue1506

I used to eat raw potatoes all the time! With salt... mmmmm


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## Guest555

Stress.  I can only handle very small amounts.


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## I Love Lamp

My Mam smoked all through her pregnancy which makes me consider that as an aspect (though i would never say it to her) and i ate processed food everyday growing up.


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## Pincushion

For me I think it was stress, I had also had Glandular Fever in my teens too which won't have helped my immune system...


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## matty

i have uc, and i believe i got it from a c-diff infection, and stress.  Before the c-diff, i did have slight stomach issues, but dr said nervous stomach.  I also had no issues with d, even when i had flu's the issue was nausea not d.   I don't understand this disease, if somethings could trigger it then how come somthing can't trigger it off.


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## Phantomhive

My Crohns became aparent because of stress I reckon but I reckon its genetics. My nan has it and so do other members of my family.  I think its most likely genetics, but seen as no one really knows about it, they cant clarify for certain.


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## Dras

CrabbyRelish said:


> . Knowing this, it would make sense that there was not eating the best quality of foods plus we both had some sort of serious flu or virus right before I was diagnosed.


I had a sort of flu virus also, drank two ibuprofin tablets at like 4 in the morning and it burned my tummy so badly, this was 3years ago. Afterwards, i got tonsilitis every second week for almost a year and i think thats where my crohns originated.
:crab:


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## Lynne1408

Mine followed after 2 rounds of antibiotics (literally about a week later). Until now I hadn't thought about a stress connection,but I definitely was at the time, a single mom. I also think that I have a genetic predisposition on my mother's side. She has several relatives with the same thing.


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## cowgirlnz

My son had his first Crohn's symptoms at six weeks of age, and by six months of age it was chronic...  despite being fully breast fed, and otherwise healthy.  I've always been suspicious of the fact that he was born via emergency cesarean - apparently this makes the baby's intestinal bacteria develop differently.  Also I had an infection and underwent further surgery, with full anesthetic, and several courses of antibiotics, in those first few weeks - whilst breast feeding.  Again this would have hammered his intestinal flora.  And then, at six weeks, he was given his first vaccinations, including meningitis.  This triggered the immune system and it was all downhill from there...


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## winemaker

MapleLeafGirl said:


> My theory is that the trigger was a bacteria in some chinese food that I ate when I was 17.  I got a really bad case of food poisoning and my stomach just hasn't been right since.


That's exactly what happened to me. When I was diagnosed at age 22, I had a very poor diet. I should have had a burger named after me at McDonalds.


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## stefan

I think my Crohn's started in my early teens as I had some minor signs such as bloating and reduced tolerance to milk and fatty foods. As for the initial cause, I am not too sure whether that was from standard antibiotics (cehpalexin, minocycline etc) or perhaps just autoimmune related as I had a range of chemical/food insensitivities which mostly disappeared during puberty.

However, I do think that my CD may have been triggered in to activity by a combination of antibiotics (mainly Flagyl), large doses of NSAIDs, and perhaps the stress combined from doing my final year of school and falling chronically ill with something else just before exams.

Unfortunately my health is a bit too complicated to guess at etiology, but it does however turn out that for a large number of people with the [primary] chronic illness I have (SAPHO Syndrome), IBD is considered a standard 'complication', which makes sense being both autoimmune/autoinflammatory. This may suggest the initial cause for me was not antibiotic related, though I still think it may have helped trigger it in to activity.


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## StarGirrrrl

I have no idea, honestly. With the ME it followed a very traumatic bereavement and was textbook onset.

With the IBD, I was finished with College of three years, got the results I wanted, lots of free time and getting job interviews. It just came out of nowhere


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## rottengut91

For me, my CD was dx from my emergency appendectomy.  My appendix had burst, my belly was full of infection.  If I had endured it much longer, I would have died of sepsis for sure.  My docs aren't sure which came first.  Kind of the chicken and the egg syndrome.  Did the infected appendix cause the intestines to become inflammed, or did the inflammation of the intestines cause the appendix to become infected.  Personally, I think the CD came first, as I was having intestinal sx for years prior to my appendix bursting.


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## Dallies

rottengut91 said:


> For me, my CD was dx from my emergency appendectomy.  My appendix had burst, my belly was full of infection.  If I had endured it much longer, I would have died of sepsis for sure.  My docs aren't sure which came first.  Kind of the chicken and the egg syndrome.  Did the infected appendix cause the intestines to become inflammed, or did the inflammation of the intestines cause the appendix to become infected.  Personally, I think the CD came first, as I was having intestinal sx for years prior to my appendix bursting.


That is interesting;  After Meg's emergency appendicetomy, the surgeon said it was close to bursting and they had to wash a lot of pus away at the time. It was enlarged, infected and inflamed.  A few weeks later Crohn's was confirmed.


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## rottengut91

Dallies said:


> That is interesting;  After Meg's emergency appendicetomy, the surgeon said it was close to bursting and they had to wash a lot of pus away at the time. It was enlarged, infected and inflamed.  A few weeks later Crohn's was confirmed.


They took biopsies during my appendectomy and confirmed CD while I was still in the hospital for that.  I had my first resection about 6 weeks following my appendectomy.  I had developed an abscess after the surgery. There was just so much infection in there, they couldn't get it all cleaned out.  My mom tried to tell my docs that something wasn't right after I got home from hospital, they just told her it was normal for me to have a fever and to just give Tylenol to help with fever and pain.  I ended up with an ileostomy after that resection.  It was a very difficult year for me.


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## Lydia

I have multiple risk factors.

-Switched directly to cows milk at 7 months old.
-Had a sickly childhood with lots of antibiotics.
-Lived with heavy smokers.
-Started smoking at age 12
-Popped advil like crazy for my periods starting at age 13
-had a stressful childhood.
-ate lots of processed food and drank lots of pop
Got dxd at 18, but have had minor crohns symptoms most of my life. 

My mom remembers me getting shots when I was 4 or 5. I had a terrible GI infection for a couple weeks afterward. My mother was assured they were not related. 

It wasnt one thing, but a perfect storm of many things.

Needless to say, I will not be repeating the same mistakes with my own children.


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## Aussie in New Zealand

*how i got crohn's*

mine was definitely a bad gastro bug I got while working at a resort - was in bed for a week with it coming out both ends  and that was definitely the trigger...


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## effdee

I'm not really sure. I was diagnosed around the same age as my brother (10/11) and he didn't have a noticeable trigger, either. It has to be genetic, though. My mother and several other relatives on her side of the family had/have it.


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## vonfunk

I quit smoking and that was the trigger for the initial flare.


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## afman

in 2008 i got hit with a major viris that they never could tell me what it was had me in the hosipital for 5 days with high fever, vomiting, major d, major headaches. at first they taught it was appendicitis but neg, then they taught c dif since i have been on several rounds of antiboditics for colds that came neg, then they taught food posinuins but no. i finally got to where i could eat and keep stuff down but since then i have not been the same problems off and on every since then. now the gi tells me the vriuis probally damage my stomach nerve causing serve gastropersis which doesnt help what ever else i got. i was sick as a child with lots of ear infections so was always on some type of meds also my dad has spatsic colon and had his gallbladder out which looks like i will be following in time. i have been under a whole lot of stress for the last 2 years since moving back to my wifes homeplace in virginia.


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## outlier

Pincushion said:


> For me I think it was stress, I had also had Glandular Fever in my teens too which won't have helped my immune system...


 I had glandular fever (mono here) after my eyes started to flare. I've been trying to blame my issues on that ever since. Especially since before i had a crohn's diagnoses, my doc did an eye biopsy to check for a form of lymphoma. I realize this is backwards but doesn't stop me.

I also occasionally say the nodules in my scleritis are alien eggs. it makes me happy.

I do think my ankylosing spondylitis is some how related to damage to my ribs and back from scoliosis braces and surgery. though i have yet to find any one else with both.

I defiantly got all the bad genes in my family: Crohn's, scoliosis, dyslexia, and I am extra short.

I love fun theories!


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## smackies

i blame accutane for mine. it came right after a 6 month treatment with the maximum dosage and several scientific studies call it a trigger/cause. even the original manufacturer roche doesn't make it anymore and are facing extensive litigation for withholding information that linked the drug to crohn's.


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## Fourlocos

My son had samonella as a 2 year old and was hospitalized for 16 days.  He had lymph nodes reacting to a horrid ear infection that wasn't getting better due to the samonella they couldn't diagnose because of massive doses of antibiotics.  He had the lymph node removed during two surgeries to figure out what was wrong with him.  Then the news broke the story that our local grocery chain had tainted milk products which I was giving him.  Then at 13 he again had a reactive lymph node and it was decided to remove that one as well.  No known cause as to why he was reacting or what he was reacting to.  He went on to have several other surgeries, pilinidol cyst and ACL surgery on his knee in his teen years.  He also took Accutane for six months at the same time.  We have many things we can blame!  He seemed to have an immune system that over reacted to things from a young age.  And I don't think it ever was normal.  He was dx with Crohn's a month ago at the age of 27.  Symptoms were going on for about a year before hand.  Although he now tells us that he didn't have normal BM's for years and never thought much of it!


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## BloodDrama

Maybe that isnt why i have crohns, but i started flaring probably because of crazy amount of anxiety, depression, really bad eating habits, smoking and drinking, all combined.

Now when i got rid of all those, beside smoking, i feel much better


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## kildare crohnie

bad diet, lots of stress at home, smoking...all them things added together id say caused my crohns


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## mario

Stress NO doubt about it!!!


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## kildare crohnie

but you'd think people got a lot more stressed years ago... my nanny had 7 children so that must have being very stressful...yet its only in the last 20 years or so crohns has really being on the increase... it must be somthing else aswell...


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## Sue-2009

I think its a combination of genetic predisposition & our wonderful environment.  After speaking to researchers and reading up on it...It is interesting how the underdeveloped countries don't have the crohns cases we do.  And as they become more industrialized or developed there is an increase in those countries.  I think we are out of luck here...I hate to be a doomsayer but, I don't know or believe they will ever pinpoint one specific causation..Does that make sense?  Sue


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## victor85111

ID say smoking with a lot of espressos  , everyday id have a pack of smokes and drank easily 4-5 cups of black espresso .


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## victor85111

heres an example at this very moment as im typing this i havent smoked a cigrette for 2 days i felt better im smoking a cigrette for th first time right now in those 2 days i havent smoked and  as im typing this and i here rumbling in my intestines ! i guess i found the answer


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## KellyMc

I say stress and Antibiotics for sure.


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## karrieg

Yeh, stress. When I was diagnosed I had just had three babies in a row and we had moved in with my inlaws, my husband was trying to find a job and really I had lived under stressful conditions all my life which I never had any outlet for. I just kept it all inside. That is the only thing for me and maybe genetics. I have a cousin with Lupus and my daughter is now being tested for CD also. My Dad has always had digestive problems but never diagnosed. Funny thing though, I was eating very healthy when I first flared. Vegetarian, no dairy except occasional cheese, only whole grain bread, very rarely took any kind of pain relievers... thought I was in great health then WHAM!


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## Caroline

This has been an iteresting read! I believe my CD was brought on by high stress levels, combines with taking Ibuprofen for a slipped disc in my back.


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## fateful_one

Well, I thought that getting the Chicken Pox at 22 caused the Crohn's, but now I am not so sure.  I can remember having quite a few bouts of food poisioning between the age of 11 and 20, one of which was especially bad.  I wanted to die, was vomiting and having D all at the sametime.  At the time my parents thought I had the stomach flu; now I am not so sure.  I think genetics definately played a part.  I am the only one with Crohn's in my familyhad to have been a factor too.  My parents divorced when I was 11, they both had substance abuse issues, among other things.  After the divorce, we were so poor that I got made fun of all though middle school for my ragged clothing.  Not a good situation for a young teen girl.  

It is so interesting to hear everybody's ideas on this topic!


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## sharon330

My daughter and myself had similar events before each getting UC/Crohns at nearly the same age.  Me:  Was put on some sort of antibiotic (not sure if it was Accutane) for acne, nonstop for one year.  Went to Mexico three times and had dysentery badly each time.  Within two years got UC.  Daughter:  On and off antibiotics for months each over a two or three year period for folliculitis and then MRSA.  Foreign travel with dysentery.  I believe it is a virus or bacteria, although I've read all UC/Crohn's patients have parasites.  Years ago I read that dolphins in a water park had UC and one died.  Father had ulcers, which we now know is from the H pylori bacteria.  No GI disorders in any of the extended family.  On no meds.


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## peggy26

*Family genetics I think*

My sister has diabetes, my mom has serious osteoarthritis and connective tissue disease (a type of lupis), my dad had a history of colon problems...
It just seems we all have some sort of auto immune disorder.


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## georgiegirl

This topic has been really interesting to read!!! I know about 15 years ago I started to take Ibuprofen fairly regularly for hormonal-related headaches. And in the past yr my GP told me that at some time in the past I've had glandular fever (not sure how long ago and wasn't diagnosed at the time) based on some blood test or another. Also, I've had a lot of anti-biotics in my time, for various reasons.

For me, any time I'm feeling poorly and have a particularly bad case of D, I know I'm coming down with something. My guts seem to get crook first, and the rest of my body follows suit...

So I would probably put it down to one of these things...but which one??? Or a combo of all? I wish researchers would figure it out already - maybe they should read our posts??!!


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## peggy26

It's hard to know except to try things. Non-dangerous, of course.
I ate with my mom at one of those all-you-can-eat buffets yesterday. I ate modestly, but was NOT feeling well after a couple of hours.
I drank a glass of that raw milk and it settled my stomach.
I am not saying it will be good for everyone.
Just reporting my own observations.
I've also added the coconut oil. I put it in my oatmeal. It's very good. 
I also take drops of Vitamin B-12 and Juice Plus capsules every day.

I like the idea of just  trying some natural foods that seem to inhibit bacteria in general.
The bad bacteria. That's why I like the whole milk idea. It adds the good bacteria.
The dairy I buy milk from also makes butter and yogurt. Going to try them next time I go there.


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## TIcinderella

It's difficult for me to pinpoint what may have caused my disease. I do not have any family with it and I was diagnosed when I was 13. I don't recall having much stress at that time, so I don't think that's it. I think it may have been an adverse reaction to all the processed food I was ingesting? I'm not sure. It's kind of frustrating not to know!


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## Crohnadian

I'm not sure what 'caused' my CD, I've always been a really healthy eater, but I believe what _triggered_ it was high stress levels in elementary school. I went to a private religious school which tabooed dying hair, piercings, tattoos (not like anyone had them at that age) or any type of body altering. I dyed my hair for a few years regardless, and as such was picked on by administration. I also grew my hair out past my shoulders, like a biker kinda, and while this whole thing was going on, they passed out letters to all students/families stating that all boys had to cut their hair, and all girls had to have it tied back. So I thought this was kind of sexist, so I tied my hair back too, and they still gave me a hard time for it. It was clearly a personal attack. This was not a large school, and everybody knew everybody's issues. I was also accused of sexually molesting a staff member, at 12 years old, by a group of 3 friends (girls), and the administration acted on the accusation and would call me to the office several times a day for 'a talk'. They'd often grab me by the arm resulting in bruises. I never got an apology, and after missing several months of school due to being sick at this point (3 weeks of D, missed about 2-3 months of school and lost all my friends), all I got was a graduating grade.. Anyways, that was the supposed 'trigger' for me.. but after all these years I feel I've come away with a lot more than I've lost, so I have no regrets and hold no grudges as I feel it's made me a stronger person


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## peggy26

I think stress gets us all. I also have gone through very high levels of stress the last 10 years.

What's the connection with ibuprofen?
I used to take it a lot to help me sleep.


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## adb

i have never had problems with my bowels, always normal. i thought that i had a real bad case of food poison and knew something wasnt right after lingering on for over 3months. i had to go to the hospital 10/29/10 with severe cramping in my stomach and passing nothing but blood. scared me to death. they ran all kinds of tests , stool samples, 2 colonoscopys, ct scan. it came back crohns. its very devastating but i am learning to deal with it. i just really dont understand how i ended up like this, unless it is from stress. ive been reading that can cause it to flare up.


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## Joanne

I fell on some ice and landed straight on my bottom back in Feb and I started getting pains in my stomach a couple of hours later on! I still think it was a coincidence 

but................... what with being in hospital with the same pains in 1997 and having Peritinitus and spending 4mths in hospital im now thinking that maybe this was the start of it all, as over the years I have had numerous pains and other things that I suffer from now!


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## QuickSilver

I have no history of genetic issues and have always been the super healthy and never sick.  We have a dairy farm and thus we have had some cows with johne's disease and it has very similar symptoms although it always causes death in cattle and other animals it affects.  It usually is acquired at birth and then is carried for several years before it occurs and stress, such as calving, is usually a trigger.  I feel that this could be a very likely cause of some crohn's disease.  I feel that it is different causes for different people and its not just one thing.  I think for some people it is auto-immune, others a pathogen.  The one thing I can link to a trigger is that right before the D started I felt that I was getting strep throat and I pulled a couple cc's of penicillin out of a bottle and shot it down my throat for 3 days and got over the sore throat, but started on the D soon after and it never quit.  I have often wondered if I just upset the balance of bacteria in my gut with the pen and it caused a chronic fight in my gut that never could resolve itself.  Since the pen is meant to be injected, it has a much different carrier than an oral solution and thus would not be as readily absorbed in the gut and would stay there passing through.  Oh well, just my theories.  Who knows?


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## dannysmom

My son seemed to have most of the exposures so hard to tell if it is all or just some of these:
he drank about 6 glasses a milk everyday
prophylactic antibiotic for bacteria meningitis: 5 months prior to symptoms
tick exposure / high fever: 4 months prior to symptoms
some stressful issues with older brother months before symptoms
stainless steel braces put on: seems to be right when symptoms slowly began
lots of aleve to help with mouth pain due to braces
bronchitis and anitbiotics: 2 months after braces put on, symptoms began full force

(removing braces after 5 months cleared up the constant stomatitis)
status: still sick 2 years later ... have not found any treatment to get remission


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## Mia Butta

*Accutane --possibly...*

I took Accutane for adult acne about 10 years ago. I see commercials for lawsuits on TV, but I don't qualify since a) I don't have an official diagnoses and b) you have to be diagnosed within 5 years of taking Accutane.


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## CrohnsHobo

I have always said:
"If it were not for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all" 

Crohn's is just one of those unlucky things in life. But it could be worse and there are people out there much worse off than me. So I can't complain to much.


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## Kathryn

This thread was a really interesting read.

My mother was diagnosed with spastic colon when she was a child and went through a whole slew of examinations and treatments.  I have a second cousin who also has CD and an uncle who has MS, another fun and exciting auto-immune disease/disorder.

I've always been a high stress individual, even as a child, for various reasons.  I had all sorts of stomach issues growing up and even symptoms back then (JRA, constant D, etc) but wasn't diagnosed with CD until just before I turned 25.  

I tend to think, like most things, it's a combination of genetics and environment.  And in certain situations, everyone gets sick, some of us just get sicker than others.  As if, everyone has some form of IBS when they get stressed, they get sick.  But depending on their genetics, they get sick for a couple of days with IBS or for the rest of their life with something like Crohn's.

-Kathryn


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## Melliejay

I've got a lot of respect for nature and I wonder if the ways and means in which we are tampering with our food and water, not to mention all the electronics around us now isn't a factor?  Think about how we farm and what goes into our food that we don't know about....  I don't know about you but I can't recognise most of the items that are listed on packaged foods!  Surely all those chemicals have to be bad for us.  I find it interesting that this disease seems to be becoming more and more common.


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## tanand

stress+compulsive disorder for things+pica=CD for me


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## lifesover

Interesting post, I only have U C and I can't stop thinking it all started when I had a kidney stone about 9 years ago, they used to xray my lower end like there was no tomorrow and I said at the time that I thought x rays should be kept to a minimum. 

It was also pretty stressful too as they made a cock up with an op that put me in IT i was off work for months.

I also moved abroad to two different countries within a few years of each other, that's stressful too, who knows?

I guess we will all never know for sure.


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## Nytefyre

I have absolutely no idea how I got crohn's.  I have two sisters, one has crohn's, one doesn't.  I thought my sis said something about breast feeding and crohn's. or was that breast feeding and iq?  see...I am still confused, haha!


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## Lydia

Nytefyre said:


> I have absolutely no idea how I got crohn's.  I have two sisters, one has crohn's, one doesn't.  I thought my sis said something about breast feeding and crohn's. or was that breast feeding and iq?  see...I am still confused, haha!


Breastfeeding lowers the chances of developing IBD later in life. There is some studies that suggest its good for IQ as well. It was a big reason why I breastfed my DD. Its really good for a babies intestinal health and it encourages healthy gut flora.


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## lizzy

Hi guys
I always look back to when i got sick at 15 and remember what i used to eat and cringe. lots of fat, lots of of carbohydrate, salt, meat, and LOTS of chocolate (which not makes we very ill i had 4 lindor chocs and xmas and had a headache (etc..) all boxing day. I also drank lots of vodka (teenage rebellion). I have always been a bit of a worrier but I dont remember being particularly worried it was near my GCSE's so maybe I was more worried than I remember.
Now I know I have crohns my family keep coming out with stories about all the stomach problems boths sides of my family has. my bro has crohns, my cousin on my dads side and my mums for instance! i didnt stand a chance! 
the ibrofen comments are interesting! i will advise my family who are well to stay away from it! 
lizzy


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## DustyKat

> I don't know with Roo. I can't dismiss the hereditary factor even though it is somewhat distant, just too much of a coincidence as far as I'm concerned.


Posted that back in June. Now that Matt has CD as well I'm 100% convinced in our case that it is hereditary! 

Dusty.


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## RoDaPh

*stress, over use of antibiotics, inoculations, smoking, diet*

This is a great question and really interesting to read. Thank you everyone for sharing. I recently had a stem cell transplant for my crohn's (100% crohn's free now) and before it I listened to a lecture from UCLA where they have found 23 genetic markers for crohn's disease and have also narrowed the catalyst down to a combination of stress, over use of antibiotics, over use of NSAIDS (Aspirin type drugs), inoculations, diet, smoking. The theory is that as a country becomes more industrialized it also becomes more sterile. We begin to eat more processed foods which lack the natural enzymes, probiotics, and useful parasites (hookworms as an example)sterilizing the gut. This creates an unhealthy gut environment where a person with the genetic predisposition for crohn's comes into contact with a combination of the  catalysts I listed before causing the immune system to get out of whack. This is why there is not just one cause. As  I reflect on my life with crohn's I can see that this theory fits perfectly. I started having symptoms at 10 years old. I was a latch key kid and made most of my own meals which always consisted of some form of processed food from a box or can. There were days where I would eat sugar cereal for all three meals. I was also a very sickly kid always taking antibiotics and over the counter drugs for this and that. On top of this it was the year my parents got divorced which was the most stressful and unhappy period of my life. 

By the way, I did a video blog of my entire stem cell transplant journey, which started in may of 2010, if anyone is interested in watching it. like I said before, I am now 100% crohn's free and feel amazing. I will share the url with you all once I have met the 15 posting requirement. God bless you all.


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## Lulu

I am still trying to work out how I came to get this condition.  No family history of Crohn's or any other bowel or stomach conditions.  I always ate relatively healthy (compared to my brother), did lots of exercise and was never sick ever, not even a cold.

Apart from a period of doxycyline (not sure if there is a connection) I never had a problem until it hit me out of the blue about 18 months ago.  Had exploratory surgery but no treatment then had an abscess drained but still no treatment as no one was sure what was wrong with me at that time.  

Took a further 6 months before I had a pill cam and commened medication.  In that 6 months of no treatment plus a further 12 months now of treatment, I still have not even had a cold, no crohn's stymtons apart from B12 & Iron deficiency, but apart from that I feel just as good as I ever did.

I am thinking in my case I might have an extremely high immune system and my bowel started attacking itself with the inflammation.  My immune stystem still seems to be fairly high despite the immune suppressors.  

This is such a strange disease and affects everyone so differently, no wonder doctors have so much trouble trying to find what causes the disease and what treatment will work as it is different for everybody.


----------



## stefan

Lulu said:


> Apart from a period of doxycyline (not sure if there is a connection)


A few people have mentioned antibiotics, especially the tetracyclines (eg minocycline & doxycycline) so thought I'd point out this article

Potential Association Between the Oral Tetracycline Class of Antimicrobials Used to Treat Acne and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Am J Gastroenterol 2010; 105:2610–2616; doi:10.1038/ajg.2010.303; published online 10 August 2010

which concludes:



> Tetracycline class antibiotics, and particularly doxycycline use may be associated with the development of IBD, particularly CD. Potential confounding by previous doxycycline exposure should be considered when assessing whether treatment with other acne medications increases the risk of IBD.


I stand by my previous statement though, that while I don't think you can get IBD from environmental issues or antibiotics, I do believe it may bring it to the surface in susceptible people, who may well have developed it later in life without that trigger.


----------



## Lulu

The Doxy pack actually has a warning about possibly causing IBD but since the GP that prescribed it didnt mention it I didnt see a cause for concern at the time.  I have never taken any other antibiotics and with no other obvious cause I think in my case it may have been a contributing factor.


----------



## youssef

Junk Food & Milk


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## StarGirrrrl

I think genetics is the main factor. After all, billiions have had long courses of NSAIDS, anti-biotics, drank alot of milk, and you'd be hard pressed to find a kid that hasn't eaten junk food, without any ill effects.

If these things were triggers then we must have a genetic predisposition to this illness. That's my current theory anyway!

Genes can often throw back to generations before in terms of hair colour etc, so for those that don't have a family history, it may be that the current family history doesn't have IBD in. We all come from a looooong line! I have a very little irish blood in me for example, but my colouring is dark hair and pale skin, so much so that when I was little, a school nurse told my Mum I looked just like the girls at the Catholic school.


----------



## RoDaPh

StarGirrrrl,

You are spot on with genetics being the main factor. Like you stated, some genetic traits can lay dormant for generations before they raise their head. Like I wrote before, they have found 23 genetic markers that in combination are found in crohn's patients 7 of those are shared with UC patients. This is exciting news as they are now starting to be able to classify the many different types and degrees of crohn's enabling them to pinpoint effective treatment case by case.

Now that we are nearly 100% sure that it is genetic and is triggered by a combination of environmental catalyst we can determine that there will never be a full blown cure for the disease outside of having a stem cell transplant which resets the immune system. After, all you cannot change your genetic code. What we should be focusing most of our attention on is identifying these environmental catalyst and learn to avoid and protect ourselves from them.


----------



## youssef

I dont blame genetis, do you think they had crohns back in the old days? I find it funny how IBS is on the rise now. I blame the junk food and milk. When I say junk food, I am not only associating it to candy or mcdonalds.


----------



## RoDaPh

youssef said:


> I dont blame genetis, do you think they had crohns back in the old days? I find it funny how IBS is on the rise now. I blame the junk food and milk. When I say junk food, I am not only associating it to candy or mcdonalds.


I think that is a very healthy way to approach this youssef. We cannot blame our genetics because, simply put, it wouldn't do any good to focus on something that we have no control over and we cannot change. We need to focus on changing the dietary culture and also a culture that turns to a pill or antibiotics for remedial health issues. I know people that have taken z-pacs of antibiotics for the common cold and we wonder why there are more and more antibiotic resistant bugs. I firmly believe that if we change our eating habits as a nation we will watch the autoimmune disease, cancer, heart disease, diabetes numbers plummet. I am currently rereading a brilliant book titled "The China Study" which is the worlds longest study of the correlation between diet and disease. The findings are astonishing! I'll do a thread about it as soon as I finish reading it again.


----------



## chris scoffham

my grandma that i never knew died of bowel trouble my mum was 2, my sister died of bowel cancer and 8 months later mum had bowel cancer managing to hav the all clear after 5 years. i suffered about 20years ago for years having sickness and diahorra being told its food posioning, having being rushed into hospital 5 years ago they opened me up and found nothing 18mths later back in hospital and they took 6inches of bowel away saying it was a hernia, was diagnosed in july last year and i defo a stressful person,
had problems at home this weekend and do my guts ache yes bad. so stress certainly does not help the condition


----------



## StarGirrrrl

youssef said:


> I dont blame genetis, do you think they had crohns back in the old days? I find it funny how IBS is on the rise now. I blame the junk food and milk. When I say junk food, I am not only associating it to candy or mcdonalds.


The problem with that is the medical understanding was not there until recently. I mean women used to be laced up in corsets and Drs did not know why so many had problems with fainting! Seems really silly to us now but then they just didn't have the knowledge.

Im not saying the modern diet is blame free (I certainly have many issues withb it myself), but say a hundred years ago IBS or IBD was not understood as such, they would have called these problems a weak constitution, or a sensitive digestion, blame it on a stomach ulcer, or the poor hygeine standard then. We have no way of knowing what was IBD and what wasn't. It's impossible to say when it first started.

Did IBS rise because more people developed it? Or because our understanding and the naming of it evolved? How many people before the term was born had the same symptoms? Hope you are following me lol! 

I see in the media too that IBS cases are rising, but we don't have an accurate yardstick to my mind to measure against. For all we know 1,000 years ago, every other person had IBS! We don't have 2,000 years of factual medical data with which to compare sadly, we can only go on say the last 50 years that we know and compare it with that.


----------



## RoDaPh

StarGirrrrl said:


> The problem with that is the medical understanding was not there until recently. I mean women used to be laced up in corsets and Drs did not know why so many had problems with fainting! Seems really silly to us now but then they just didn't have the knowledge.
> 
> Im not saying the modern diet is blame free (I certainly have many issues withb it myself), but say a hundred years ago IBS or IBD was not understood as such, they would have called these problems a weak constitution, or a sensitive digestion, blame it on a stomach ulcer, or the poor hygeine standard then. We have no way of knowing what was IBD and what wasn't. It's impossible to say when it first started.
> 
> Did IBS rise because more people developed it? Or because our understanding and the naming of it evolved? How many people before the term was born had the same symptoms? Hope you are following me lol!
> 
> I see in the media too that IBS cases are rising, but we don't have an accurate yardstick to my mind to measure against. For all we know 1,000 years ago, every other person had IBS! We don't have 2,000 years of factual medical data with which to compare sadly, we can only go on say the last 50 years that we know and compare it with that.


I definitely follow your train of thought and I think you make a great point but we must also keep in mind that modern science does not find IBD in undeveloped countries, it is purely found in industrialized nations. So what makes us different from them? 

You may argue that they don't find it there because those people in undeveloped countries don't have access to quality health care that would accurately diagnose the IBD. I believe there is some truth to that but the medical research community is specifically looking for cases in these countries which leads me to believe that if it is there it is in a very, very small percentage if at all. 

So again I ask what is the difference between us and undeveloped countries? One thing that has been discovered is the relationship of over sterilizing our environments and guts to IBD. We use to live symbiotically with our environment including benign parasites like hookworms but as a country becomes more industrialized it becomes more sterile and these relationships are wiped out. 

There was a very interesting study I read out of The University of Wisconsin, I believe, that was studying the introduction of hookworms into the digestive tracks of Crohn's patients and how something like 80% went into complete remission. 

Also undeveloped countries for the most part eat fresh food with little to no preservatives and little to no processing. Undeveloped countries cannot take antibiotics every time they have a sniffle like our modern doctors prescribe. All of these things attribute to sterilizing the gut. Refined sugar, processed breads/pastas, NSAIDS, Antibiotics, all sterilize the gut knocking our harmonious gut environment out of whack making us with the lucky gene sequence for crohn's open to getting the disease. It is a very complex problem but basically it boils down to the simple fact that mother nature does not like to be messed with and by adding and over indulging in all of these luxuries to our lives we are actually bringing it all upon ourselves.


----------



## crazycanuck

I agree with the both of you. There has to be links to cleanliness and the over protective measures countries like canada, the us, britian.... take to prevent illness. Howecer I very much agree with starrgirl that we have no way of knowing how many cases of crohns there were even 100 years ago as (if the sufferer even said anything) would be passed off as something minor. 

I believe though crohnies have predisposed genes (maybe due to the hyper cleanliness?) and some sort of trigger starts it. Howver thats just my opinion based on personal experience. I can point to the exact time and day it started an it was one of the most stressful in my entire life.


----------



## maxibear

vit d defiency


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## Trev

i had a witch doctor tell me i got crohns from drinking milk heated in the microwave.


----------



## Sandy

Here's my list:

genetic predisposition
environment too sterile
too many antibiotics (like in hand-soap) and NSAIDs
stress (which is known to affect the immune system)
too many chemicals in food & environment that screw up the immune system
an infection triggers the damaged immune system, which goes into overdrive
From an early age, I never really liked to play in dirt.  I often wonder if I didn't get enough bacteria, so my immune system didn't get enough bugs to work against.  So it turned to the next best thing (me).

Sandy


----------



## Ian

Probably a genetic predisposition (even though no one in my family has CD or ANY kind of digestive problems), triggered by stress, depression and poor diet. 

I went to University at Exeter and HATED it; big change, away from home, struggling to make good friends (Exeter attracts a 'type' - if anyone knows a 'sloan' is, it's bloody full of 'em!) and therefore sturggling to settle down in general, plus the stress of work which is a big step-up from A Levels. I was also in catered halls and the food was DIRE, so I was constantly resorting to take aways and eating really badly. I think it all contributed.

Despite hating it, I did finish, but I was constantly down and battling with illness while doing assignments, and didn't get out of it what I wanted. So I went to Uni again, this time at Bournemouth, and it's great! I'm good at finding silver linings, and I think if I'd never developed CD I'd never have gone to B'mouth


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## maxibear

smoking and vit d def and panic disorder.  triple whammy


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## carrollco

:banana::banana:This is my theory. 

We have a genetic predisposition to this disease. Then, something happens: times of great stress: you get headaches, muscle pain, so you turn to something like ibuprohen which is horrible for the gut. Under stress you turn to comfort foods that are full of preservatives which are also horrible for the gut. 

You develop anxiety, panic disorder, which brings more stress. Then, the combination 'turns on' the gene for Crohn's.  

I'll bet most of us are 'sensitive' people. We are creative, emotionally charged, and more than likely have type A personalities. We are the 'fixers' of the universe until Crohn's teaches us how to lean upon others for help. 

Eh, at least it's better than some theories I've run across.


----------



## Josephine

Stress and being preganancy for twice. Genetics to I seem pick very genetics thing but no one in family can find it in tree.


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## kskitt

Mine is definatly heireditory (sp). My mum has had it for over 30 years, and her dad had colitis.

Im convinced (and doc/consultant) have said that it was due to going onto the pill, and soon after i went on it, i also ended up with blood clots in my leg. So all in all, my body just let it take over


----------



## Pirate

I believe that I got Crohns because my mom put a curse on me when I was little. I believe she told me I was going to get a terrible bellyache if I didn't quit sneaking cookies into my bed at night. It worked and know I'll never eat cookies again.

Seriously, I'm not sure I have a set theory of why. If I did it would be stress. Suffered from panic attacks and anxiety attacks.


----------



## Sue-2009

RoDaPh said:


> StarGirrrrl,
> 
> 
> Now that we are nearly 100% sure that it is genetic and is triggered by a combination of environmental catalyst we can determine that there will never be a full blown cure for the disease outside of having a stem cell transplant which resets the immune system.



Now, that scares the crap--no pun intended...out of me!!!


----------



## xJillx

It seems like so many said stress.  I too would think stress caused my CD, however, when I was diagnosed it was one of the least stressful points in my life.  I was completely stressed out in college being obsessed with keeping my 4.0.  And my first few years teaching in very demanding school districts were even more stressful.  But when I was diagnosed a few months ago, I was in my third year of my low stress desk job and everything was going wonderfully at home.  You think if it was stress, my CD would have made itself known during college or while I was teaching, right?
The only other thing that comes to mind is my high fiber diet.  After I got married, I gained almost 30lbs thanks to really bad eating habits (I tried to keep up with my husband's unhealthy habits, which, of course, don't affect his weight).  So, in the summer of 2009, I started working out and eating really healthy including lots of fruits, vegetables, and anything with high fiber.  I even was mixing a fiber supplement in with water.  I lost all the weight, but I think the drastic change in my diet could have caused my CD to develop (diagnosed July 2010).


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## ecollazo121

My mother has it but MD sais its caused by bad food I ate that caused H-pylori bacteria in my intestines.


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## carrollco

My daugher has Colitis and my mom and sister Diverticulitis. Several other members of my family have Colitis and Crohn's. 

I STILL think that we are beautiful, talented, sensitive people and as such, are more prone to the disease. Okay, maybe not, but it's nice to think that. 

Louann


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## AndiGirl

I think mine is less exciting.  My grandfather had Crohn's.  My brother has it, and we think our father has it.  I guess I got lucky.


----------



## Liam

I would say mine is down to an accumulation of things, mainly a bad diet in my younger teenage years, too many energy drinks & fizzy pop, and I'm sure stress fits into there somewhere too.


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## Kusherb

refrigerated food most likely


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## sinead

This is so interesting... 
I believe stress and pain killers were the triggers for me, I am a real worrier and get so stressed (about almost everything) and looking back now on periods when I would have been worried / stressed about something I also remember the stomach cramps that came with it.  

I also suffer from headaches ++ and synus pain which I used to take a soluble pain killer called "solpadine" for (a lot) I feel that the chrons was there for a long time but taking the solpadine triggered it / made it worse, it was during taking these that the chrons symptoms, d and weight loss, began in earnest!!! There are some pain killers that I cannot take now at all but unfortunately it took me a while and a few sleepless nights to figure that one out!
No one in my family has been diagnosed with chrons (that I know of) but 2 of my brothers have mentioned in the last few months that they have symptoms similar to mine.  

Sinead


----------



## stargazer

I believe it is a combination of things that run your immune system into the ground. There are as many different combinations as there are people with bowel disorders. I think its stress, diet, lack of sleep, all the things we put into our bodies and then you add our gentic predisposition of a lousy immune system.... Just my personal opinion though.


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## redstar3313

I am about 80% certain my crohns came from when I took a kayaking trip to mexico and one day I had the worst food poisoning I've ever had in my life. Up until that point, I have never felt sicker in my life.

In hindsight, I've experienced minor symptoms ever since that time for the next two years which culminated in a massive flare up 2.5 years later. Hit me like a truck, I'm still convinced that I picked up some sort of bacteria down there.


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## lorraine

I'd say stress, and possibly a bout of food poisoning I had a few months before my symptoms became noticeable. I also wonder if the many antibiotics I was on for acne as a teenager had anything to do with it, but of course that's just purely unfounded speculation.


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## hindyg

I know that for me the genetic predisposition was there. Both my parents have crohns and several other family members do as well. My siblings all have other gut issues.  As far as what triggered the diagnosing flare? Stress most likely, but I always had gut issues since I was a kid.


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## wildbill_52280

dustydshook said:


> Mine was definately stress, stress and more stress.  I have two daughters a year apart that hit their teen years at the same time and custody battles with their dad.  Shew I didn't think I would survive it!  I also took lots and lots of Ibuprofin.  As for the hereditary thing I don't know if I believe it.  There are too many people that have this that have absolute no family history.  Although my family does have a long history of colon cancer..mom, gran and great gran.  But my crohns is in my small bowel. So I don't think it is hereditary.




the funny thing about suggesting a potential family genetic link, is that it is the strength of our family that is so strongly related to our perception of stress, if their is something wrong with the family system, its very likely you could find similar physical changes in other family members, it has been documented that intestinal permeability precedes crohn's symptoms, and also has been documented that stress can affect intestinal permeability. As far as the evidence exists i remember from genetic studys, only one third of all ibd cases may be linked to a genetic component. this suggests more environmental factors which are stronger then genetic risks.

i also see may people claim ibuprofin to be involved, and ibuprofin also has the ability to affect intestinal permeability.


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## Ari

I got mine as a result of an infection. In fact I think I still have that virus inside me and it just won't go away.


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## moogie

for me it was stress and malnutrition, I started having flares when I was 11. My parents got a divorce when I was 8 years old. My father was really violent and I was left to live with him. SO with me it was  stress every day when I knew he was coming home In was terrified of him. He got an 18 year old gf that never wanted to cook so at 8 I had to make my own meals because my father was never there in the day. So it was Kraft dinner and canned soup most of the time.

So for me it's stress and bad food.


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## g_1988

Well, I think it is a foolish assumption to believe genetics are not involved in Crohn's disease. Genetics is a well established arm of biology and the entire human genome has been sequenced. For those who are interested, there are recent studies which isolated genes suspected to be indicated in Crohn's disease, which include, but may not be limited to, NOD2, TNFSF15, ATG16L1, IRGM and IL23R. 

Citation;citation;citation;citation;citation;citation;

Some of these genes are involved in the production of certain proteins with are subsequently involved with immune function, more specifically, inflammation. Mutations or alteration in these genes paves the way for the cells in the gut, responsible for the inflammatory process, to not function properly and can lead to chronic inflammation.

To say no genetics is involved in Crohn's is asinine. Genetic susceptibility plays a role in the pathogenesis of every single disease known to man. Your genes determine what diseases you are "weak" against, what you are "strong" against and what you may be "neutral" to. Surely, everybody has heard of the straw-man argument: "Person A smoked from age 10 and never got heart disease, cancer, or had a stroke and lived until s/he was 90". They then use that line of thinking to conclude that disease prevalence is random and they will smoke as they see fit (which is their free choice). They fail to take in to account the truck load of scientific journals documenting the increase in susceptibility to the diseases named above, from smoking.

Just as our genes determine the colour of our eyes or hair, our skin colour or bone structure, they also determine what diseases we may get. Another arm of biology, gene therapy, is based on the assumption that gene alteration can change disease state.

People are often ignorant to the scientific discoveries and disciplines that exist and form unfounded opinions based on their limited knowledge of human physiology and biochemistry, and that is their right for which they should not be critisised. It is also very common for people to make assumptions about their disease based on cause and effect of any given substance. For example "I ate _this _food for the first time and developed Crohn's disease" or "I took anti-biotics and developed Crohn's disease" or even "I was highly stressed over a bereavement". While these are not causative agents in and of themselves, they certainly can be triggers of the immune response that is seen in this type of disease and there exists many such factors, not all of which may be accounted for. 

To summarise; regardless of what may have triggered your disease, be it stress or drugs or foods, that particular trigger was not the cause. Genetic weakness to Crohn's disease is determined at birth and early life, where the immune system is still developing and where mutations and alterations can happen which may not present themselves for years, or at all for that matter. Having mutations is the genes mentioned does not mean you *are* going to get Crohn's disease, it means your susceptibility is increased.

And if it just so happens that Crohn's is caused by a specific and currently unrecognised pathogen, then all of the above is _still_ true. It would just mean that the genetic susceptibility of Crohn's was a weakness of the immune system to that specific pathogen.

Thank for reading,

G


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## troydanielbecker

karrieg said:


> Yeh, stress. When I was diagnosed I had just had three babies in a row and we had moved in with my inlaws, my husband was trying to find a job and really I had lived under stressful conditions all my life which I never had any outlet for. I just kept it all inside. That is the only thing for me and maybe genetics. I have a cousin with Lupus and my daughter is now being tested for CD also. My Dad has always had digestive problems but never diagnosed. Funny thing though, I was eating very healthy when I first flared. Vegetarian, no dairy except occasional cheese, only whole grain bread, very rarely took any kind of pain relievers... thought I was in great health then WHAM!





cowgirlnz said:


> My son had his first Crohn's symptoms at six weeks of age, and by six months of age it was chronic...  despite being fully breast fed, and otherwise healthy.  I've always been suspicious of the fact that he was born via emergency cesarean - apparently this makes the baby's intestinal bacteria develop differently.  Also I had an infection and underwent further surgery, with full anesthetic, and several courses of antibiotics, in those first few weeks - whilst breast feeding.  Again this would have hammered his intestinal flora.  And then, at six weeks, he was given his first vaccinations, including meningitis.  This triggered the immune system and it was all downhill from there...


These two posts I wanted to capture, because they both address points.  First of all, it's really interesting to observe IBD in tots under the age of 3.  Because their entire medical history is in your face and their environmental factors are pretty apparent.  Before last year, I was pretty much into the line of thought that if you eat healthily you'll avoid diseases.  Personally, it seemed to me like the most healthy way as far as I could tell was free (or with a minimum) of animal proteins, at least after early youth.  But yes, there are those like you, karrieg, you demonstrate otherwise.  In the case of my son, he really was a little carnivore since he started eating solids up until we started changing up his diet for his UC.  It was one thing that I think probably helped trigger UC early in him. 

cowgirlnz, our son's poops were never solid, and after a year and a half (after a year of breastfeeding), when they got bloody and scary, he was finally diagnosed with UC.  I put it down also possibly to antiobiotics he had repeatedly as an infant for bronchiolitis.  Interestingly, I saw this same suspicion/observation on another similar story I found online.  

It is also clear that some sort of genetic disposition played part.  In fact, I have a peculiar immune system history from my youth (early asthma and allergies--all of which I "grew out of"), and there is some IBD in my wife's family.


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## Doglover

My sister, who is an M.D., believes that the large doses of penicillin I received as an infant (for meningitis) may have something to do with altering my immune system. I also think that Ibuprofen contributed to causing a flare up which led to my diagnosis. I was taking 800 mg up to 3x a day after a car accident. I even asked the nurse practitioner if the large doses of Ibuprofen taken regularly could cause stomach problems. She said, "Not as long as you're under the care of a medical professional." Um, I beg to differ. Not long after that, I was up all night with horrible stomach pain running to the bathroom and not much better during the day.

Doglover


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## STLGirl

I'm 54 and just found out I have Crohn's 3 months ago.  I blame Ibuprofen.  It's really the only thing I can find that I did in excess.  My GI agrees.


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## Miss Spencer

I have UC and my theory is a combination of four reasons:

1) Lifelong poor diet and not enough healthy fibre foods when I was younger. Looking back I have always had issues with my bowels (straining) but did not realise at the time that anything was amiss. Always been a big meat, dairy, alcohol and sweet consumer. That X 30 years is going to lead to trouble.  

2) Too many antibiotics whilst a child and a young adult. All but destroyed my good gut flora. 

3) The UC first flared up after I gave up smoking. Smoking did not cause UC but is seems to be the trigger that finally set me off. 

4) Lots of stress in my life

I asked my naturopath about these four and she agreed.


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## Donna Sue

When my mother was carring me, she ate some bad watermellon, she threw up all the time. Her doctor gave her shots. It has been noted that females born from mothers who recieved these shots, causes  problems with their productive organs.
When I was born I  had ulcers in my mouth and they went to my stomach.
It also has  been  noted that a lot of Crohn's people mothers were carring them in the summer or late fall. And  had eaten spoiled food.
So was it the shots or bad food? I don't know.


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## Joleen23

I've had bowel troubles since i was 16 , but never anything too server or that i couldn't cope with . In July 2009 i went on holiday to Zante and there was a swine flu outbreak in our hotel. I managed to catch this and was quarintined for 10days and put on tamiflu. Then in January i got a bad case of food poisoning after eating a burger - vominting and D and fever for 24 hours. Then again in March had a curry and again had 24 hours of vomiting,D and fever (suspected food poisoning again) Then in April i started with my crohns symptoms : Mouth Ulcers,Fissures,Bloody D,Fevers, Weight Loss,Abdominal Pain. I had a sigmoidoscopy and had biopsys taking (Docs suspected UC) Biopsys came back and showed crohns colitis and now booked in for first colonoscopy on Wednesday. Me and my mum are convined that the swine flu , followed by food poisoning episodes have done this to me. Doctor does not agree with my therory lol.
On the upside since having swine flu , i have not had one cold , sniffel or sore throat since June 2009 , Now if only i could get my crohns under control i really would be Invincible lol


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## slightlysilly

Im newly diagnosed, but my overall general health started to deteriorate after a nasty bout with mono.  But ilium pain etc, didn't start until 10 years later....


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## troydanielbecker

I hear a lot about mono triggering IBD.


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## Boloby

I'm about a million miles away from being a doctor, but from what I understand about autoimmune diseases, how can anyone blame it on something they took? I can understand maybe thinking it's something bacteria-related, but how can ibuprofen have such an effect on the immune system?

I've always been the most healthful eater in my family. My brother and father are the worst, yet they have no digestive problems. My mom is very conscious about her diet, yet she has problems. I'm guessing I inherited her bad genes. (Both of us have a multitude of medical problems.) 

I agree about stress playing some role. Before I had any health problems I was a massive hypochondriac. In high school I was convinced my liver was messed up and had several tests done, all coming back OK. Eventually, I stopped worrying. Then, at age 22, a random blood test showed elevated liver enzymes. Turns out I have an autoimmune disease affecting my liver (primary sclerosing cholangitis) and Crohn's. At the time, I also had severe sinusitis. My initial theory was that my PSC and Crohn's was due to a combination of worry (hypochondria) and bacteria (friends of the sinusitis). I'm sure it's BS, but I've given up trying to think of what caused it and am focusing on how to not make it worse.


----------



## Rebecca85

Boloby- dermatitis and eczema are also autoimmune based, yet can be triggered by things on the skin. My understanding is that the body 'over reacts' to something that should be benign, and starts a vicious circle, making the body attack itself. So it doesn't _cause_ the disorder, the disorder is lying in wait almost for something to trigger it.


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## troydanielbecker

Plus, the obvious, Boloby: thinking about what causes it may help eventually find causes and lead to optimum treatments and cures.  But all in due time!  How not to make it worse may very well be enough to focus on!


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## tummygirl

I've had issues since I was 9 or 10. I think it comes from a combination Genetics (ancestry) and my environment (northern Country, lack of Vt. D from sun), and probably over-exposure to anti-biotics and anti-bacterial stuff, and maybe a normal mild illness as a child that developed into a bigger problem.


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## MADiMarc

My mother also has a belief that the fruits & veggies we grew on the farm contributed to the Crohns.  My husband believes it was the pill.  I think I was predisposed and the hormones from the pill brought it to the forefront.  I always had a delicate stomach.  I can remember having horrible stomach aches as a young child.
Michele


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## krbsmom

I read somewhere that a large percentage of crohns patients were born with or contracted measles shortly after birth, that hit me cause i am a rubella baby. 
If its the nsaid pain relievers (advil) that could be it too, I took tons of them for my tos.... 
Stress I know is a trigger, every time i had an attack of some kind with crohns I was always under a lot of stress. Ive also wondered about something else i read that said it may be a virus that is a cousin to the tb virus that is most often in the gi tract of cows....the night before i had my major attack and woke up the next morning not being able to stand up straight i ate ground beef.


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## StarGirrrrl

Actually my mono started at 15 and turned into ME (I was one of the unlucky ones). Thinking back I had early signs of IBD around that time although I cannot pinpoint earlier or after. I have a family history of CD and Collitis too.


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## Donna Sue

My father had colon cancer. I believe it can be part enviromental and inherited. :us_flag:


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## eburley

I would have to say two parasite infections i got back in the summer.


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## carey

well for me i thinkk it was genetics and stress. my dad almost died from bleeding ulcers. as a kid i always had problems with the crapper. but i just got diagnosed 2 yrs ago. me and my husband were living in a homeless shelter. things were pretty grim for us for a while. i noticed my worst flare ups happen when im stressed out.


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## KaLa

I am almost positive that my UC came from taking two rounds of Accutane. I was also on many rounds of antibiotics around that time for acne. If I had any idea that medicine could have affected me like this, I never would have taken it. There is no history of IBD in my family, and it seems like the only explanation in my case. My question is why it keeps coming. I have had UC for around 20 yrs. I am usually in remission, but when I get a flare, they are horrible.


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## lkanaday

Mine was stress last year and perhaps a vaccinosis issue from my childhood MMR vaccine which left me w/ chronic ear infections and constipation until about 2nd or 3rd grade.  I guess I'm lucky it stopped there and didn't go on into Autism.


----------



## lkanaday

krbsmom said:


> I read somewhere that a large percentage of crohns patients were born with or contracted measles shortly after birth, that hit me cause i am a rubella baby.
> If its the nsaid pain relievers (advil) that could be it too, I took tons of them for my tos....
> Stress I know is a trigger, every time i had an attack of some kind with crohns I was always under a lot of stress. Ive also wondered about something else i read that said it may be a virus that is a cousin to the tb virus that is most often in the gi tract of cows....the night before i had my major attack and woke up the next morning not being able to stand up straight i ate ground beef.


Yes, there is such a thing called NSAID Colitis.  Also, there is an NSAID on the market for dogs called Rimadyl.  It frequently causes digestive issues is dogs which many times leads to their deaths.  Rimadyl was originally marketed for humans back in the 90's and was pulled by the FDA b/c it was killing people.  It was remarketed for dogs a couple of years later w/ no changes in the formula.  I was in so much pain w/ my periods that I was taking one very similar to Rimadyl called Piroxicam and this is about the same time that my symptoms appeared.  I am so angry at myself for being so stupid and taking that crap, but honestly, I was so desperate, that the drug name didn't even click in my brain.  You may be interested in seeing the rimadyldeath website.


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## Lee

I think for me it is genetics. I had previously made a comment about my crohns developing as a result of my ADHD medication in another post---I got the CD genes.


----------



## mallenfaye

I am blaming mine on Egypt!!  Went there on holiday in October 2010 and I have been ill ever since.........  I got tested for Helicobacter Pylori and it was positive, was treated for this but symptoms got worse......Ended up in hospital for a week and here I am now with the glorious Crohns.  I am also a very stressed person so maybe thats a factor and the wonderful world of genetics!


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## sidmind

I have taken allot of ibuprofen/naproxin/Tylonol/Aspiren over the last 5 years, I had a back injury and chose not to get on narcotics, instead taking weird combinations of NSAID's


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## ZlVal

The primary cause of Crohn's disease is mercury poisoning! From vaccine shot. In the beginning when you are vaccinated your body cleanses some part of injected mercury but some rest in it. I got mine after tuberculosis vaccine. Injected mercury is organic and is not very toxic by itself. It is converted by the body for about 4,5,6 months to INORGANIC mercury which is the toxic form. The problems start after conversion - night sweats, migraine, heart palpitations and feeling of stress (here why most of you blame the stress) The stress is secondary. Mercury has a high affinity to organs with fat content such as brain, liver and kidneys.(Autism is caused by vaccines with mercury, because this heavy metal is the number one neurotoxin) 
Mercury has also a high affinity to soft tissues - intestines. Once mercury is located them the autoimmune reaction starts. The time you will be very ill depends of quantity of mercury and your adrenals. Adrenal glands produce natural anti-inflammatory hormones to cope with inflamed area. When adrenal glands are partly exhausted and the inflammation is in advanced stage the doc puts you on artificial cortisone because the pain you feel is unbearable. Yes the stress and healthy lifestyle have a huge role in this disease. The stress can accelerate the progress of disease but not cause it. If you have stressful job for years without mercury poisoning you will end up with adrenal burnout not with CD. The food is also important. I know people eating the worst things I can imagine, smoke, drunk, stressful days but they are relatively healthy. Good eating habits can delay the disease but can not cure it. Mercury is still there and make autoimmune response.   You have to clean mercury burden with chelation.

Young people (22y and below) are the main group of sufferers because they receive  most of the vaccines.

Mercury fillings (amalgams) also cause crohn's disease and other health problems. The reason is the same - mercury makes autoimmune reaction where it is stored.

I also heard of people curing their Crohns with Rife machines, zapper and silver water. Here Mycobacterium paratuberculosis is the cause. This is rare.


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## ZlVal

Forgot to tell.   There is no genetic link with crohns.  There a lot of info on the i-net.  Please search and do not allow to be fooled by medical MAFIA. There is cure!!!  It's impossible to be healthy in one moment and the body attacks itself in another. This can be fabricate only by medical freaks. Thank you for attention. Wish you good health to everyone!


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## kiny

ZlVal said:


> The primary cause of Crohn's disease is mercury poisoning! From vaccine shot. In the beginning when you are vaccinated your body cleanses some part of injected mercury but some rest in it. I got mine after tuberculosis vaccine. Injected mercury is organic and is not very toxic by itself. It is converted by the body for about 4,5,6 months to INORGANIC mercury which is the toxic form. The problems start after conversion - night sweats, migraine, heart palpitations and feeling of stress (here why most of you blame the stress) The stress is secondary. Mercury has a high affinity to organs with fat content such as brain, liver and kidneys.(Autism is caused by vaccines with mercury, because this heavy metal is the number one neurotoxin)
> Mercury has also a high affinity to soft tissues - intestines. Once mercury is located them the autoimmune reaction starts. The time you will be very ill depends of quantity of mercury and your adrenals. Adrenal glands produce natural anti-inflammatory hormones to cope with inflamed area. When adrenal glands are partly exhausted and the inflammation is in advanced stage the doc puts you on artificial cortisone because the pain you feel is unbearable. Yes the stress and healthy lifestyle have a huge role in this disease. The stress can accelerate the progress of disease but not cause it. If you have stressful job for years without mercury poisoning you will end up with adrenal burnout not with CD. The food is also important. I know people eating the worst things I can imagine, smoke, drunk, stressful days but they are relatively healthy. Good eating habits can delay the disease but can not cure it. Mercury is still there and make autoimmune response.   You have to clean mercury burden with chelation.
> 
> Young people (22y and below) are the main group of sufferers because they receive  most of the vaccines.
> 
> Mercury fillings (amalgams) also cause crohn's disease and other health problems. The reason is the same - mercury makes autoimmune reaction
> 
> I also heard of people curing their Crohns with Rife machines, zapper and silver water. Here Mycobacterium paratuberculosis is the cause. This is rare.


*sigh*


----------



## TacoBot3000

I haven't read through every single post in this thread, so I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned or not, but has anyone heard of something called the hygiene hypothesis? Basically, our bodies are equipped with the natural ability to fight off disease and infection so that the human race can continue. But, if we aren't exposed to what our bodies think is a "normal" amount of sickness, our bodies in a way compensate by attacking our own "good" microbes and the areas of our bodies where they live. That's one theory as to how autoimmunity starts and is why many researchers believe there is such a small number of autoimmune disease cases in third world countries, because they're not as protected from the environment as we are. SO WE HAVE TO SUFFER BECAUSE WE TOOK TOO GOOD CARE OF OURSELVES!


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## StarGirrrrl

TacoBot3000 said:


> I haven't read through every single post in this thread, so I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned or not, but has anyone heard of something called the hygiene hypothesis? Basically, our bodies are equipped with the natural ability to fight off disease and infection so that the human race can continue. But, if we aren't exposed to what our bodies think is a "normal" amount of sickness, our bodies in a way compensate by attacking our own "good" microbes and the areas of our bodies where they live. That's one theory as to how autoimmunity starts and is why many researchers believe there is such a small number of autoimmune disease cases in third world countries, because they're not as protected from the environment as we are. SO WE HAVE TO SUFFER BECAUSE WE TOOK TOO GOOD CARE OF OURSELVES!


But aren't auto-immune disorders hard to clairfy in thirs world countries where there is basic healthcare, if anything? Why put symptoms down to IBD when the water is dirty, poor nutrition, lack of food or basic hygiene? So for all we know there are many cases of auto immune diseases!


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## ZlVal

Hi, TacoBot3000

There is such a small number of autoimmune disease cases in third world countries because they do not use so many vaccines.


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## mario

Tate
I think there is a lot to this. I  never had any of the 'normal' childhood illnesses - measles/ chicken pox etc. Also as an adult with children of my own, i fell for the hype about antibacterial sprays cleaners and such. Dam I gave it to myself lol!!!


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## StarGirrrrl

Some people need to accept that being human is not the be all and end all. We do not know even with modern science why things happen. We need to accept some things do happen and they have no quantifiable cause. We do not begin life as perfect, flawless beings, things can go wrong for no reason. Why do some species die out or evolve if this was not the case? Wouldn't the world be exactly as it started out?

Not everything happens because of xyz.


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## ZlVal

Everyone of you should remember about last vaccine taken before start of his problems.

Everyone with amalgams is in potential danger to have Crohn's or other autoimmune disease.


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## StarGirrrrl

So what would your solution be, stop vaccinating? Then I guess we wouldn't have to worry about an over-populated planet...


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## kiny

TacoBot3000 said:


> I haven't read through every single post in this thread, so I'm not sure if this has already been mentioned or not, but has anyone heard of something called the hygiene hypothesis? Basically, our bodies are equipped with the natural ability to fight off disease and infection so that the human race can continue. But, if we aren't exposed to what our bodies think is a "normal" amount of sickness, our bodies in a way compensate by attacking our own "good" microbes and the areas of our bodies where they live. That's one theory as to how autoimmunity starts and is why many researchers believe there is such a small number of autoimmune disease cases in third world countries, because they're not as protected from the environment as we are. SO WE HAVE TO SUFFER BECAUSE WE TOOK TOO GOOD CARE OF OURSELVES!


Yes, this is relatedl: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4091881.stm

However, this still goes hand in hand with the idea that Crohn's is genetic, which more and more evidence seems to show it is.

My dad had crohn's too.


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## ZlVal

This is the first step - of course to stop vaccinating or at least reduce it as much as possible.

StarGirl, look for "mercury,vaccines,crohn's" and you will find your cure for crohn's. I promise you. 

Many mothers talk in forums about their children how a year after a vaccination the kids start to complain of many of initial symptoms of crohn's.  There is a lot more. just search and you will find the tons about that topic...


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## ZlVal

Find the main cause!  

Do not try to cure without doing this. Even Hippocrates tells it.


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## StarGirrrrl

Sorry I don't believe everything I read on the internet


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## ZlVal

StarGirl,

You are right. Not everything on the web is truth.

I came in this forum to share my experiences. I was a young sufferer. That is all. Don't believe me. But make your own research and give a chance to something different than immunosupresive drugs. 
Nobody deserves to suffer from this awful disease.


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## Lee

We are supposed to help each other here, not bring each other down.:hang:

My Crohn's is genetic. Not everyone's is (i.e. people who got it as a result of accutane use)---For the most part Crohn's IS in fact a genetic disorder:yfaint:


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## ZlVal

Absolutely incorrect!  Autoimmune diseases are not genetic at all.  The main cause is toxicity. 

I know many people cure Multiple sclerosis and many other autoimmune diseases. 

You give up easily saying it is genetic...  

The nature rehearses the same processes in the body thousand years and from the last 20, 30 years is the prevalence of autism, UC, CD, MS, RA...  

The statistic will become more scared if you believe to maiMstream doctors... 
Read my post on previous page!


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## handle

Mine is also genetic. I have two brothers who suffer and a grandmother who had it. The genetic link is well demonstrated in many studies, though not universal. Those who ignore the vast amount of reasearch and evidence based studies do so in a purely ad hoc fashion.
Advising people not to get immunised is reckless and flies in the face of all studies - sorry to be blunt. I have seen people die from some preventable diseases and it is horrific. Whilst there are a few cases of a reaction to immunisation, the cause has not been demonstrably linked. The 99.99% of people spared the horrible, and often deadly effects of many diseases is self-evidence of the worthiness of these prophilactic treatments.


----------



## Aloysius M

I'll play,

I have no idea why my Crohn's/IBS-D symptoms started, but I have my guesses.

1. I picked up a bug in the Bahamas 2 months prior to this nightmare.
2. A Dr screwed up when he lanced a communication/fistula perianal 1 week prior to the symptoms starting out of the blue.
3. Finally developed an allergic reaction to the new chemical in FIRE SAFE CIGARETTES because of a national mandate to protect smokers from themselves. Not saying smoking is safe but jeez lets just add carpet glue to smokes to keep them from burning down the house!!!

I say these are probably the main culprits in my case because I have no family history of IBS or any amount of stress.


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## ZlVal

There a little info. There is a lot more. I still don't know why you are so much blind...

http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1993/pdf/1993-v08n03-p145.pdf


http://www.flcv.com/tmlbn.html

 Although vaccinations appear to be the largest source of mercury in infants, mercury has been found to be transmitted from the mother to the fetus through the placenta and accumulate in the fetus to higher levels than in the mother’s blood (30,169b).  Breast milk of women who have amalgam fillings is the second largest source of mercury in infants and young children...



http://www.flcv.com/kidshg.html

The incidence of neurotoxic, allergic, and immune reactive conditions such as autism, schizophrenia, ADD, dyslexia, allergies, asthma, eczema,  psoriasis, childhood diabetes,   etc. have been increasing rapidly in recent years(1,2,3,5,23,50,52,59,75,82,86,92).  A report by the National Research Council in 2000 found that 50% of all pregnancies in the U.S. were resulting in prenatal or postnatal mortality, significant birth defects, developmental disabilities or otherwise chronically unhealthy babies(3a) and recent studies published in JAMA found similar trends continuing with huge increases in children’s chronic conditions (3de). Incidence of chronic developmental conditions in infants more than doubled between 1988 and 2006, especially asthma, learning and behavioral problems, and obesity(3e). There has been a similar sharp increase in developmental disabilities in Canadian children over the last 2 decades(71), including learning disabilities and behavioral problems, asthma and allergies, and childhood cancer.  Studies have documented that the primary cause of the increased developmental conditions are increased toxic exposures, including increased use of vaccines with toxic and inflammatory ingredients(50, etc.).  


Most of the increase in children’s neurological or developmental conditions have been found to be related to major increases in brain and immune system inflammation related to increased exposure to toxic chemicals or dietary excitoxins of the 4 million U.S. children born each year (598,3,1,2,22,33).  At least 1 in 6 had one of the neurological conditions previously listed(1-3).  One of the main causes of increased exposures to toxic metals such as mercury and aluminum and other toxics is the greatly increased vaccination schedule for infants in recent years compared to 1983 and prior (4e). U.S. EPA has estimated that over 3 million of these are related to lead or mercury toxicity, with at least 25% of U.S. children getting mercury exposure at dangerous levels (1,81,499-502).  


5.   Another aspect of gastrointestinal dysfunction that is found in the majority of autism cases are intestinal inflammation, enterocolalitis,  lymphondular hyperplsia, abnormal intestinal permeability, or malabsorption(17,53,580). The intestinal damage also causes improper functioning of the buffering mechanism that maintains blood PH and of enzyme functions. Such damage to the intestines and gastrointestinal processes are known from animal studies to be caused by mercury and other toxic metals(54).  Inorganic mercury  is the predominant excretionary form in the intestines, whatever the source form.  All forms are absorbed by the intestines and inorganic mercury accumulates in intestinal tissues, especially in young animals or infants(55), which are known to have poor biliary excretion of mercury.  *As noted previously children in the U.S. are exposed to high levels of mercury thimerosal, a highly toxic organic form of mercury.  Organic mercury in primate studies is found to cause paneth cells in the intestines to be enlarged and packed with secretionary granules(57). This is also common in autistic children(17c).*

   7.  Autoimmunity

* Metals by binding to SH radicals in proteins and other such groups can cause autoimmunity by modifying proteins which via T-cells activate B-cells that target the altered proteins inducing autoimmunity as well as causing aberrant MHC II expression on altered target cells(72).   Studies have found that various protein related disorders such as misfolded proteins are found in some autism cases(596b).  The mechanisms by which mercury and other toxics or allergens cause protein abnormalities have been discussed throughout this paper.*

  Studies have also found mercury, aluminum, and lead cause autoantibodies to neuronal proteins, neurofilaments, and myelin basic protein (73,74,104,571).  While zinc binding with MBP stabilizes the association with brain myelin, mercury and cadmium have been found to intefere with zinc binding to MBP and thus cause disfunction and autoimmunities(74).  Dr. Stejskal(11) recently began testing children with autism. Her preliminary results on 18 autistic children and 11 controls, found that 5 of 18 autistic children had a positive proliferative ("allergic") response on MELISA to Thimerosal, vs. 1/11 controls. Similar results were recently found for methyl mercury (6/10 autistics vs 0/11 controls) and inorganic mercury (6/18 autistics, vs 0/11 controls). Most importantly, 13/16 autistics tested positive for reactivity to the mercury-MBP vs. only 3/10 controls. The mercury-MBP reactivity is presumed to be caused by the mercury reconfiguring the three-dimensional MBP, to which the body generates the allergic (autoimmune) response. In another study a significant percentage of children with autism developed anti-SK, anti-gliadin and anti-casein peptides and anti-ethyl mercury antibodies, concomitant with the appearance of anti-CD26 and anti-CD69 autoantibodies(89). These antibodies are synthesized as a result of SK, gliadin, casein and ethyl mercury binding to CD26 and CD69, indicating that they are specific.  The study found that bacterial antigens (SK), dietary peptides (gliadin, casein) and Thimerosal (ethyl mercury) in individuals with pre-disposing HLA molecules, bind to CD26 or CD69 and induce antibodies against these molecules. Immune mechanisms are thus seen to be a major factor in neurotoxicity of metals seen in conditions such as autism and ADD(112,63,72-74).   


*Read the entire paper please!*


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## ZlVal

handle said:


> Mine is also genetic. I have two brothers who suffer and a grandmother who had it. The genetic link is well demonstrated in many studies, though not universal. Those who ignore the vast amount of reasearch and evidence based studies do so in a purely ad hoc fashion.
> Advising people not to get immunised is reckless and flies in the face of all studies - sorry to be blunt. I have seen people die from some preventable diseases and it is horrific. Whilst there are a few cases of a reaction to immunisation, the cause has not been demonstrably linked. The 99.99% of people spared the horrible, and often deadly effects of many diseases is self-evidence of the worthiness of these prophilactic treatments.



The vast amount of research are made by who? By people who make your medication and vaccinate you and your children...   I'm telling you people - do not believe in maiMstream medicine. Try different way. I'm here to tell you that you have a chance to live without this disease, without steroids...




> Whilst there are a few cases of a reaction to immunisation, the cause has not been demonstrably linked.


Wrong...




http://www.flcv.com/

http://zap.intergate.ca/crohn.html

http://www.newtreatments.org/doc.php/WisdomExperience/208

http://drlwilson.com/Articles/VACCINE HORROR.htm

http://drlwilson.com/Articles/VACCINES-GRADY.HTM

http://drlwilson.com/Articles/VACCINES.08.htm

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...ns-die-minutes-after-measles-vaccination.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/11/03/hepatitis-b-vaccines-at-birth.aspx

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1718860#i

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1517726#i

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1514994#i

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1503751#i

http://www.ageofautism.com/2009/09/...riples-the-risk-of-autism-in-infant-boys.html

http://www.vaccines.net/newpage16.htm

http://web.mac.com/len15/healthyworld_media/In_Lies_We_Trust_Trailer.html

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1478953#i

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1211840#i

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=327_1195303011

http://curezone.com/forums/fm.asp?i=1762652#i


This is only a small part of entire evidence that vaccines caused broad range of illnesses including Cronh's disease.


----------



## handle

Not a single mention of Crohns in the whole document - only tenuous grasping at links between autism and mercury levels. The current scientific consensus is that no convincing scientific evidence supports these claims. The so-called evidence has been found erroneous (ridiculed in fact) by mainstream science, and in march 2010 it was ruled, by the U.S Federal court, that thiomersal-containing vaccines do not cause autism. The notion has also diverted attention and resources away from efforts to determine the real causes of autism. Again, not even amention of Crohns.
There are people who write long essays about how no-one ever landed on the moon - doesn't mean it's true! You have to keep up with both sides of the debate!!
Good luck to you. No offence intended - trying to keep things balanced here.


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## ZlVal

Mercury induce autoimmune reaction and this is well known.

I don't believe that Pharma industry will allow the truth to be widespread. How they can find the cure without understanding the real cause.  It's a big lie that they work on cure for Crohn, Ulcerative, Sclerosis, R. arthritis, autism etc etc etc...  

They earn billions from selling their drugs. I don't doubt that they put mercury in vaccines. 
Please don't talk about "scientific consensus".  We all know who possess the entire industry and money.  I'm too suspicious when money talks as is the case with the "golden chicken" called autoimmune disease...

I just don't believe to the news and mainstream lies. 

Good luck to all of you. Take care...


----------



## David

Lot's of understandable passion on both sides.  I'm going to lock this thread for awhile so we can all cool down.  Once I reopen it, if anyone has anything further to say, I ask that it is done in a respectful manner.  Thanks


----------



## Living in a bubble

How strange, my symptoms have definitely also been brought about through stress.  I am currently worrying that I am experiencing a flare up as I have been eating and drinking all the wrong things for the past week, as once again I am stressed at work and my husband and I are fighting.

I have a big presentation to do tomorrow, but instead of working on that or getting an early night I'm reading these forums.  And i've just taken ibroprofen as my body is aching from head to toe having been sick all last night and sleeping on the bathroom floor.

What am I doing!!?!??

Now I will go and work on my presentation, get some sleep, not get too stressed and not take any more ibroprofen!

I've certainly learnt something from this forum!!

Thanks!


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## moogie

It's always like that it seems.

Stress, bad things happening in life. Fighting with your love one. Sounds all to familiar.

You'll have to reset everything and start again without the stress.

Good luck


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## mario

Stress!!!! I will not accept any other answer! For me anyway!


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## CLynn

I believe stress is definately a trigger for flares, but not the cause of, Crohn's. Wonder how many of us had things like strep throat?


----------



## EthanPSU

I'm going to say I blame it on me living 2 minutes away from TMI (Three Mile Island). The nuclear power plant. Haha, I actually don't believe that but I do live 2min away.

I really can't think of much that I do thats out of the ordinary. Maybe biting my nails my whole life?


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## CLynn

Well now, I didn't bite them my whole life, only all of up till I started smoking as a teen. Yes, bash me on the head.....


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## heisenberg

I've bit my nails my whole life as well. I think we've just found the cause! 

only other thing I can think of is stress. which I had quite a bit of around the time I was diagnosed. 

that or eating badly? my diet hasn't been brilliant over the years, although not terrible. and they have said that diets high in fat could be a contributing factor (perhaps explains why crohn's is mainly prevalent in developed countries and why it's incidence has increased over the years as people's diets have become poorer?)


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## bigtruck

Although now stopped starting smoking and my crohns definately linked.


----------



## KazT17

I wonder if it was caused by having my teeth bleached. I did wonder at the time about the risk of ingesting bleach! I heard later about the detrimental affect it had on rats.


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## 2thFairy

For me, genetics and the fact that I stopped smoking.  After all meds failed, I had the choice of either taking up smoking again or having my colon yanked.  I'd rather have working lungs than a colon, so I made my choice.


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## momofzach

I had a lot of headaches as a teen, and loved to take Ibuprofen, it always helped. I smoked for a while in my late teens/early twenties, and have always been a worrier. My first bout came after a few nights sitting up all night with my grandpa just before he died. He was anxious, seeing angels, and trying to climb out of the bed. I got very little sleep and was very stressed out. After that, working 12 hour nights as a new nurse brought on attacks about once a month. For years they called it IBS and never did any tests.


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## Irene3

I agree with star, that there isnt an xyz reason. I thought chlorine at one stage, so I drink only filtered water. I thought bacterial overgrowth, so I did a candida diet, no meds, and ended up in hospital. The vaccine theory I seriously doubt, because I did have chicken pocks and that when I was little, and so many more people would have crohns if that was the reason. 
 I can understand how stress can aggravate an existing illness (prevents healing), but can someone please explain how it's supposed to cause crohns? I doubt that personally too, because I wasn't stressed day to day before crohns. Fats...I don't know, I wonder about diet, but so many fit people have crohns, that eat low fat. Genetics...we can have more chance of developing crohns if someone in our family has it, but does that make it a cause? What about the first person to ever get crohns.
  Like I said, there isn't an xyz reason in my opinion. After all, why do little children suffer with cancer. :/


----------



## KWalker

I think I got crohns because I'm a good person, I never really got into trouble with the law, I always did well in school and now I'm in university as well. I've always had good goals and ambitions to do something with my life.  Bad things happen to good people. The kids I went to school with that were always doing drugs, getting in trouble and didn't seem to care about everything were never sick.


----------



## Beach

My IBD developed shortly after moving from sunny, warm Florida to the cold half the year mid-west.  It was about one to two years after arriving in Illinois that symptoms made an appearance.  After learning about the sunshine vitamin, D3, and it helpfulness with dealing with crohns and colitis, I've thought that possibly a lack of vitamin D3 might have played a part in the development of my condition.


----------



## marjaw

I blame the dolphins.
My sister and I went on a "swim with the dolphins" excursion in Mexico and the dolphin enclosure was filthy. I came home with a fistula.
Actually I don't really blame the dolphins but the story keeps me from having to go back to Mexico to vacation.
My intestinal problems really started in 1993 when I got cryptosporidium during the Milwaukee outbreak. Always had mild issues after that.


----------



## ThatsWhatSheSaid

I acutally have always believed that genetic predispostions aside the main factor is water. 

I was born in Madison, Wisconsin, lived there for my formulative years, moved a little north and went back down for college. Immediately on moving back down I had blood in my stool. 

The interesting thing? Madison, Wisconsin had the third highest concentration of hexavelant chromium (the Erin Brokovich chemical) in the U.S. in a study done in the last year or so. The number was exponentially higher than the safe legal limit (I don't have the study on hand and am at work!!! But look it up). The concentration was higher even than the city where the Erin Brokovich debacle happened. And a lot of people in that case settlement with their terrible illnesses...? GI issues were among the largest. There was even a study on hexavalent chromium in rats leading to IBD or GI issues. I don't have the means to pursue this, but am of the belief that when someone takes some time to look into it, we will realize the real trigger was something in the water.


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## ThatsWhatSheSaid

Oh also? Stress triggers flares....but it doesn't trigger the disease. I second whoever it was that said that. Stress can exacerbate any physical issue but the only ones it really actually CAUSES are mental issues.


----------



## Keepingfaith

I already had a genetic predisposition because my mother has Crohn's and autoimmune diseases run in the family. I also think my other trigger was when I waited too long to tell the doctors I was in pain & I became septic & had my gallbladder removed. Whether that in it's self triggered it along with heavy doses of antibiotics afterwards, I don't know, but I think that set the fire to the match.


----------



## EthanPSU

KWalker said:


> I think I got crohns because I'm a good person, I never really got into trouble with the law


I never "Really" got in trouble with the law either....hahahaha


----------



## ThatsWhatSheSaid

Me either. Unless an underage drinking ticket counts.


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## EthanPSU

ThatsWhatSheSaid said:


> Me either. Unless an underage drinking ticket counts.


I got one of those too! Maybe it's related to crohns lol


----------



## CLynn

EthanPSU said:


> I never "Really" got in trouble with the law either....hahahaha


LOL Ethan! Remember my favorite saying....never do anything that you wouldn't want to have to explain to the paramedics!


----------



## nikimazur

I have a genetic predisposition, I have a grandparent on either side both with UC. As a kid I remember having miserable bathroom episodes, and definitely symptoms of crohns, being underweight, bathroom issues. Fast forward to the age of 15 and traumatic brain injury, and things worsen, yet go unnoticed since everyone was worried about my noggin. Stress, years of pain meds, seizure meds, and thinking back to how many ct scans/ mri's I can only imagine. Through out college, I may have drank a wee bit too much and was diagnosed with gastritis/IBS. It wasn't until I went through a nasty breakup and the stress of having a really bad concussion that my symptoms went out of hand. I was always weirdly thin, but it got to the point where my diarrhea was so bad, along with vomiting that I lost 40 pounds in two months. Suddenly doctors were like ohhhh. At first they thought it may have been some unrecognized internal damage from the accident where I had my TBI, but after 4 colonoscopies, a year of trial and error, we are 100 percent certain it's Crohns. 

Having a genetic predisposition, crazy amounts of stress, and years of taking hardcore meds I think have led me to my crohns.


----------



## skippy111

My Father died of colon cancer, His mother had cancer,
My Mom's mother had collitus and Grandpa had prostate cancer.

I got my dx in 91 shotly after being discharged from the army.

Although I had the genetic predisposition, It just came on with the life change I spose.


----------



## Cross-stitch gal

My grandmother has a form of crohn's/colitis.  I've more than likely had this all my life, but was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis at 18 and then the diagnosis was changed last year in 2011 when I was 32.


----------



## BBACK12

This is going to be sad, but even when I was little I had major issues.  When I was eight, a doctor told me I had a partially paralyzed bowel because when I was little I never felt I had to go and I'd end up going in my pants.  From that time on, I had NO PROBLEMS.  But after I go c-diff, 3 years later I was diagnosed with Crohns.  I can't help but wonder if c-diff actually caused the Crohns.


----------



## momto2teens

My son's gi wont let me give my daughter any NSAIDS, and says she should only use anti biotics if I it is absolutely necessary.  He thinks nsaids mess with the bodies inflammatory response,  and are hard on the gut. The antibiotics kill good bacteria,  and he thinks that is a bigger crohns risk.

I also asked why it seems they DON'T HAVE CROHNS in certain areas.  His response was the bacteria they carry is very different to what we have inside us (say in india or africa). Also they do not try to ANTI bacterial everything ..........so WHAT? I guess the point was if you have the bacteria inside your body does not rage war against it?

I still run crp & sed rates on my daughter.  Makes me breathe easier.
we all deserve that. One on Remicade is my limit!


----------



## barelyalive

I began experiencing acid reflux as a child, started taking antiacids (rolaids and tums) at about 8yo.  I believe the reflux (+anxiety and depression) are directly related to the severe sleep apnea I am blessed with (in spite of not being obese in any way).  I was also very sickly as a child and constantly on antibiotics.  

i adventually progressed to acid inhibitors.

Dr told me acid inhibtors and antacids mess up the stomach flora and cause autoimmune overresponse - hence chron's.


----------



## Ihurt

wow, I am still in the midst of getting diagnosed.  I am having issues all throughout my digestive tract. Interestingly, I have been on low dose antibiotics for  years to prevent these nast urinary infections i was getting. I have interstitial cystitis as well and that is what makes me so prone to the infections. I am havig awful issues right now, lower intestines, as well as entire upper gut issues( severe bloating, burning pain, nausea, belching and pain). I also get the crampy sore feelings in my intetsines as well. I wonder if it is the antibitoic low dose keflex I have been on. I am going Thursday and am going to ask to get a upper scope to see what is going on. Can they take biopsies from the gut and upper intestine to check for crohns??? 

I also have H-pylori bacteria in my gut. I found this out from a natural doctor who did this comperhensive stool test. I will not take the buttload of antibitoics they use to "supposedly" kill this bacteria. I am allergic most all anti-b's anhow and also the success rate of irradicating h-pylori is next to nill. 

I think any disease is caused by a malfunctioning immune system. Everyone is different, some people have a stronger system than others I guess. Genetics definitely play a role.  One thing is for sure though, there has been an increase in different diseases in the last few years. More and more kids are having life threatening allergies to different foods( peanuts etc..). It was never like this before. Also more and more people are getting these orphan diseases like crohns and interstitial cystitis. It may be due to prescription meds like antibitoics and other meds. Back in the day they did not have these diseases and if they did , it was rare. They also did not have medications back then either. I think bacteria have become evolved to the point where we do not have any meds to really control them due to the resistance of the bacteria. medications are like the blessing and the curse. They are all poison to our bodies, and eventually our bodies are going to react in one way or another to any type of medication. It really sucks.  I have been chronically ill for the last nine years with alot of issues. It all started after I got a flu shot. Then it was all down hill from there


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## StarGirrrrl

See I would have to disagree, something such as IBD was not recognised until 1932. Just 80 years in the history of the planet is a drop in the ocean. It was also mentioned as far back as the 17th/18th century  source 

When a person lives in a world with poor sanitation, no food hygeine etc it may well be that some had a form of IBD, but their problems were seen as normal for the time they lived in. 

You have to wonder with modern testing, just how many cases there would have been confirmed in the past. I don't think you can fairly call it rare before now, too much room for doubt in my view.

It certainly seems since IBD was recognised cases have increased, but I would argue there are variables in that ie improved testing, how many have been fobbed off with IBS for a decade when it was IBD all along?


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## shmo

I have to say, I'm surprised at the responses on here. Not that I don't believe them but just not what I was expecting. 

Anyway, my 2cents.

I wonder if it is connected to the conveniently rhyming sounding Johne's disease that can be found in dairy cattle, which in essense is their version of Crohn's disease. Since white blood cells from the cattle are found in every drop of milk you drink, we ingest those white blood cells, and then we get infected. This may also explain why Crohn's is less predominant in Asia and Africa where cow's milk has traditinionally not been an important part of the diet. And has also made me wonder if this is why it's so predominent in Ashkenazi Jews as dairy is only a recent part of their diet compared to the rest of the world, so their digestive tract is not as familiar with the milk of a cow (it's certainly why they're lactose intolerant anyway).

My mother has Crohn's too which has also made me wonder whether it can be passed through a human mother's breastmilk as well.

I hope it's a bacterium of some sort anyway. That would make it eventually cureable


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## ekay03

My dad has it too.


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## Jenamonkey

IBUPROFEN!  I was diagnosed at 32.  I took a spill on my mountain bike trying to get used to my new clip in pedals and my GP advised me to take 4 ibuprofen in the morning and 4 at night and ASSURED me that it was perfectly fine.  A couple months of this and I end up in the hospital where I was diagnosed.  Fast foward 2 years, I'm in remission throughout my pregnancy, I opt for a drug free childbirth but do take Ibuprofen after the delivery and I flare again.  I didn't even THINK about my original diagnosis being related to the Ibuprofen until my GI said she thought my relapse was probably brought on my the Ibuprofen.


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## LuSmith

I was pregnant when I first started having symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea, so I have no idea what caused it initially, but my brother has been diagnosed with UC, and bowel issues run in the family (my grandfather had bowel cancer). My mother also had diverticulitis. 

I haven't been officially diagnosed yet but the dr suspects an IBD. When I was younger I never touched a drop of water and ate alot of junk as a teenager. My brother was diagnosed at the age I am now so maybe genetics play a factor too.


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## hugh

my theory, well it's not mine but it's the one i subscribe to

intestinal permeability, 
-stress, sugar, grain, vegetable oils, legumes (inc. peanuts),  nightshades, NSAIDs (like aspirin, ibuprofen, and nabumetone), antibiotics and ALL processed foods (apparently)

"Specifically, intestinal Tight Junctionss may exert a *pathogenetic *[Capable of causing disease]* role in intestinal (inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease) and extraintestinal diseases* (diabetes type 1, food allergies, autoimmune diseases)."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3241743/

"There is growing evidence that increased intestinal permeability plays a pathogenic role in various autoimmune diseases including CD and T1D. Therefore, we hypothesize that besides genetic and environmental factors, *loss of intestinal barrier function is necessary to develop autoimmunity*. In this review, each of these components will be briefly reviewed."
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04037.x/abstract


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## RFarmer

Not sure if this has been mentioned yet or not, but with more and more evidence appearing that it has something to do with gut bacteria, as well as the fact that IBD is more prevalent in developing countries, I believe it has to do with both our diet and our antibiotic use. 

My symptoms appeared after a thorough run of antibiotics for a lung infection. However, because of where research is pointing, and the demographic of IBD, I'm thinking diet also has a big thing to do with it. Maybe the quantity of refined sugars we intake? Personally, anything sugary kills me. And a lot of people feel better on antibiotics. 

I'm not a doctor, but I'd be willing to bet my left butt cheek that it's something along those lines.


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## Gazza

i belive i got crohns due to stress,axexiety worry along with smoking ciggerettes 20 a day habit, i was going through a bad patch 6months before i noticed any symptoms but before all this happend i  was perectly healthy never got ill


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## RFarmer

Gazza said:


> i belive i got crohns due to stress,axexiety worry along with smoking ciggerettes 20 a day habit, i was going through a bad patch 6months before i noticed any symptoms but before all this happend i  was perectly healthy never got ill


I'd also like to mention this. I'm a very anxious person. 

Last summer, I found an ant in my room. I couldn't sleep for a week. 

When I'm anxious, my crohn's goes insane. I'm not sure if that's relative to CAUSING crohn's, or just worsening it. Our bowels are designed to evacuate when we're in danger, so I'm assuming that's why stress kills us so.


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## SarahBear

It's really interesting how many people have said both stress and ibuprofen.

I can't pinpoint anything specific, mainly because I'm not completely sure how long I've had Crohn's.  I started having frequent stomach pains when I was around eight, but they didn't get severe until I was fifteen or sixteen (I was diagnosed a month before I turned seventeen).

I took a lot of ibuprofen as a child.  I frequently got bad headaches, from probably age six to age twelve, so I took a lot of Motrin, Tylenol, etc.  That could be related.

Around age thirteen, my living situation became extremely stressful.  That continued until age eighteen, when I moved out of my mom's house.  I assume the stomach pains when I was younger were Crohn's, and the stress later on made it worse.  However, I can't say this for certain.  So it might be that the stress helped to cause it, or that it just brought out the symptoms.

As far as family history, my grandfather had colon cancer, my mom has IBS (or says she does - which doesn't mean she actually does, sorry to say), and a distant relative had Crohn's.  Other than that, I don't know of any other gastrointestinal problems in my family.


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## amyh

Very interesting post!   For me, I always blame everything on the GMO's, but, no one else in my family has it, however, my dad does have a sensitive stomach.   My son (4) is severely allergic to most foods.   If you look into food allergies, it is also an overactive immune system, so I'm wondering if his condition and my CD are related somehow.   I also have always had a lot of stress in my life, growing up as a pastor's kid, I had a lot of people watching me and it was like I was living under a microscope.  With my son born, just keeping him safe from food was a hugely stressful ordeal.  One drop of milk could kill him within minutes.   It's that bad.   He's not only allergic to milk, but nuts, seafood, eggs and wheat as well.   So The last few years for me has been tons of stress.


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## RFarmer

Is it possible that ibuprofen, because of it's ulcering capabilities, acts similar to stress, and brings up already dormant CD? Or worsens non-symptomatic IBD? 

So like, you already have the genetic predisposition, (the genes associated with gut bacteriumps), yet no issue is brought out until your gut is destroyed by anxiety or ibuprofen?


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## Miss Underestimated

Mine is genetic. It was triggered by bacterial food poisoning.


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## hugh

wow, lots of action on this thread,

this guy has a theory, and a study to back it up,
not just crohn's, but autoimmune in general.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVn-jmCi4zI&feature

i agree with him,
When you loose intestinal integrity then feces (undigested food) will get into the body (as opposed to outside the body in the intestines).
The immune system will kick in to do it's job but ends up attacking the wrong things

the genetic part is what autoimmune disease you get,
All the things that people are suggesting (antibiotics, NSAID, bad water, stress, etc) are just the things that tipped you over.

I was talking to a workmate and he said he'd rather die than give up sugar, i smiled and said 'fine by me'


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## sid

I think , ithappened to me because of crash dieting....I was a thin as a kid..but later on put on a lot of fat when I stopped the games and joined work...but that annoyed me a lot..so ater leaving the job, I skipped my meals and did a lot of exercise including abs exercise almost zero fat intake...and yes, also I ate irregularly..the routine was really bad. I think that triggered this problem of mine. So I really get scared when someone says..i am on a diet or tryiong to lose fat or someone skips his meals.


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## ny_sooner

My wife got crohns after being on low dose antibiotics for three years for acne.  We believe the antibiotics killed off all the good bacteria in her gut and allowed the yeast and drug resistant bacteria to over populate and cause crohns


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## dsmallwood

With mine I was diagnosed at 23 almost a year after I had my daughter. I have meet about 5 woman in my area that were diagnosed and their stories are  a lot like mine and I don't think this theory apply to everyone. But the woman I have spoken to all were diagnosed with it after the birth of their first child and all 5 of have different servilities of Crohns but I think our bodies got off balance while pregnant and for some reason never bounced back.


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## GrumpyGuts

I have had bowel issues most of my life. The big D mostly, fevers, and cramps. Everyone thought that I had a sensitive stomach and would catch tummy viruses often 4-5 times a year. They would last longer than most people but, we thought it was "normal" for me since everyone is different and I am the youngest of 4 kids. I was raised by a single Mom and my parents divorced before I was 3 yrs old.  I was raised eating food we grew. From cattle, pigs, and chickens to veggies and fruit, and WELL Water. We didn't even eat out at restaurants but maybe 3-4 times a YEAR. So I'm not completely convinced that diet really has much to do with it. It may for some people be a factor, but I believe for me it has no relevance. Since even during flares it has never made a difference. I was a picky eater as child, just didn't like much of anything unless it was sweet, and I was always the last one at the table as I liked to play with my food ;P

I didn't go to the doctor much as a child, and was never on antibiotics until I was a teenager with acne. Was on Tetracycline for a year and a special diet(no beef, dairy or fried foods), and was finally able to gain some weight.

 As for other things Perservatives may in fact be a TRIGGER for some, but not for others.

Gene-pool, well everyone on my fathers' side of the family have one issue or another with their bowels from IBS to Cancer(father), but none that I know of have been diagnosed with Crohn's or Colitis.

My Mom was diagnosed with Diverticulitis at the age of 64, she is 70 now and just had a resection, temporary ostomy and reversal this last year.

Had stress most of my life just like anyone else, and stress seems to make me flare, but I agree with others who have stated that stress isn't a cause it's a TRIGGER.

Had 2 pregnancies was fine with the first child, and flared with second. In fact after the second I kept flaring for almost 2 yrs until my diagnosis at 23(1993).

So for me I believe it's a culmination of factors: Heredity, Stress and Environmental


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## hugh

I love the way so many people are saying that other members of their family had bowel problems so it must be hereditary, 
Did they all eat different foods to you, so you know it's not diet?

I know there is a genetic (hereditary) component, but without the diet/stress/antibiotic/whatever-induced lack of proper intestinal tight junction function it won't manifest.

In a way it's like this.....
In australia we have pretty bad bush fires (eucalyptus tree leaves are full of highly flammable oils).
To have a bush fire you need fuel, oxygen and a spark.
Can't do anything about the first two so we're real careful about the third.

With Immune disease intestinal permeability is the spark, bringing your genetic potential in contact with triggers in the intestine.

That's my theory, anyway


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## AlexJ

Pineapple, i'm darn sure of it. After eating a packet of pineapple that tasted a bit weird i got a stomach ache and it never went away until i was diagnosed with crohns and started taking medication


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## hannah-rose

I know mine DEFINITELY coincides with stress.

Noticed my first fissure aged eight, around the same time I was going through loads of family stuff, Dad depressed, parents mightve been divorced etc. I was depressed, had OCD, all of it really affected me and still does in some ways.

Fissures all my life but problem got seriously out of control when the love of my life moved back home to Ireland. Never been so upset of distraught about anything.

Now it's under control but I notice pain and bleeding more when I'm anxious/stressed.

Are there any books on Crohns and Stress or Crohns and Mental Health?


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## moogie

Stress for me as well.

When I was a kid I was beaten by my father, and since then I've always been very stressed person. Little things will stress me out all the time. In my family nobody has any problenms with their bowled whatsoever I'm the only one.

My daughter who is 9 does not show any signs of it either.


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## RaymondH

hugh said:


> I love the way so many people are saying that other members of their family had bowel problems so it must be hereditary,
> Did they all eat different foods to you, so you know it's not diet?
> 
> I know there is a genetic (hereditary) component, but without the diet/stress/antibiotic/whatever-induced lack of proper intestinal tight junction function it won't manifest.


The short answer, Hugh, is yes. My sister was diagnosed many years ago. Simply because we are family does not mean we were living together or eating the same foods at the time. In fact, our diets were (still are) completely different.

You may be right about the rest, I cannot say... although I am unsure what "proper intestinal tight junction function" is, exactly.



hugh said:


> When you loose intestinal integrity then feces (undigested food) will get into the body (as opposed to outside the body in the intestines).
> The immune system will kick in to do it's job but ends up attacking the wrong things


I guess you are referring to this? How did we lose intestinal integrity in the first place? Maybe it was because of NSAID's (or diet/stress/antibiotic/whatever), OR MAYBE it was because our body started attacking itself? How can you be sure? Seems to me to be kind of like, "which came first, the chicken or the egg?"


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## pb

You don't know that it's not diet...food/diet has not been ruled out by researchers...and generally speaking, you don't have to live together to eat the same foods, lots of people eat the same foods that don't even know eachother.  It could even simply be the type of bacteria on the foods we eat, rather than the foods themselves.

Researchers have found many clusters of genes that are linked specifically to IBD, ones that are specific to CD and ones to UC...but the key component is the immune system itself...it just happens to affect the GI tract is all.

Smoking, according to researchers (Dr. Kevin Rioux researches IBD at the University of Alberta Canada) is one KNOWN trigger for CD, including second-hand smoke..that doesn't necessarily mean it will be every CDers trigger and it's likely a combination of environmental triggers that sets the disease in motion.

Dr. Kathy Siminovitch (also from Canada) has found a gene located on chromosome 5 that noramally produces a protein that sits on the cell surface and controls movement of specific substances in and out of the cell.  When altered (scratched), the gene produces a protien that functions improperly allowing toxins increased entry into the cell.  This gene alteration is primarily observed in Crohn's disease.

Researchers are also well aware that bacteria plays a huge role as a trigger for IBD, hormones as well, which is why many women don't have issues until after/during their first pregnancy...emotional stress is also not ruled out as a trigger for IBD because it wreaks havoc on your immune system.  And also the reason why many of us women have such issues during our menstral cycles (even just before/during and just after them).

One persons trigger(s) are not necessarily going to be identical to anothers and that's what makes this disease so individual, the reason why no 2 IBDers are identical.

They still have to try and figure out how IBD is passed as of now it appears very random, from grandparent to grandchild, mom/father to child, auntie/uncle to neice/nephew...they are really struggling with how it gets passed down and this makes it harder for them to figure the disease out.

That's why when people say they are the only one in their family with an IBD so it can't be hereditary for them, I find it hard to believe since it can also skip many generations, and no one can possibly know what kind of bowel habits all of their ancestors had.  IBD has been around for centuries...it was only about a hundred yrs ago that names were put to it.

There's 2 parts to getting an IBD, being predisposed to it and having it triggered.  Oddly enough, IBD is becoming more and more common and that's scary.


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## Scaryman

I thought about this countless times, I have a aunt and my mother who suffer from crohns. So it's seems obvious where I got crohns from. The infamous DNA strand that they talk about (hereditary).

I am a perfect fit for a crohns patient, I am a 100% Ashkenazi Jew,with a parent who suffers from crohns for 40+ years. I also spent 5 months in Israel as a citizen of the State of Israel. But due to financial constraints I had to come back to the good ole USA. Within a months time i started loosing 64 pounds. Yes I went from 196 to 131 pounds, in roughly 40 days or so. A few months later and some rigamoral I was diagnosed with mild crohns. Rest is ancient history. 

Other than the fact I am beyond playing the crohns Game, and would like to try something else.  just joking.


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## RaymondH

pb said:


> You don't know that it's not diet...food/diet has not been ruled out by researchers...and generally speaking, you don't have to live together to eat the same foods, lots of people eat the same foods that don't even know eachother.  It could even simply be the type of bacteria on the foods we eat, rather than the foods themselves.


Hey pb,

It is my understanding that Hugh was implying that those who also have family members with Crohn's are ignoring the 'fact' (in his mind) that the manifestation of the disease is more likely due to diet than to hereditary reasons. Genetic predisposition has been proven. Siblings with Crohn's are something like 30x more likely to have it. Diet, as you say, has not been 'proven,' or 'ruled out.' 

His question was specific, "Did they all eat different foods to you, so you know it's not diet?" I think you misunderstood my position in that I was answering based on the anecdotal evidence of myself and my sister only. My answer is "yes, I am sure it was not a similarity in our diets that caused us both to have Crohn's." I also never claimed anything about 'hav[ing] to live together to eat the same foods,' or anything like that, so I am not sure what you're referring to? If fact, I said something more like the inverse, that even if you live together it does not mean that you have the same diet.




			
				Scaryman said:
			
		

> Other than the fact I am beyond playing the crohns Game, and would like to try something else


:ylol2: no kidding! 

Ray


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## SusanWellmann

Stress! when i was diagnosed my husband and I were in the middle of having a house built..he had to work overseas so i was left alone with an incompetent contractor, a full time job and enough stress to sink a ship.  On top of that my husband and I were having a difficult time in our marriage, and things were just a hot mess.  I ended up in the hospital with severe crohns, and that started six years of hell. Stress, stress, stress....I agree with that....but also in tandem with other factors, such as family history, (my uncle had crohns and died of liver cancer), along with environment and who knows? But I do agree with stress.


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## maria

I think mine is stress related. EVERY time I got stressed out I would have to use the bathroom and would get cramps in my rectum. Also another is eating top ramen because when you eat it it soaks up all the good acids your body needs and I ate a lot!. When I got my first real symptoms was I drank a bottle of laxatives in a green bottle at the store and I drank the whole thing, I would say a week later I started bleeding and never stopped this was 5 yrs ago.. Finally stopped bleeding after they took my colon and rectum 2 months ago :thumleft:.


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## bella2

I think that my poor eating habits and inability to cope with stress were the main triggers.


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## Avw

I was always a sickly child and was constantly on antibiotics. I would say I was definitely genetically susceptible, even though I can find no history of autoimmune disease in my family. Lots of cancer, though. Anyway... I always had tummy aches as a child, everyone (myself included) just thought I was a whiner. Started showing signs of arthritis around 10 years of age. Our house was always stocked full of junk food and sodas, though my mom did cook mostly healthy meals. I believe the main trigger that made everything go haywire was a Hepatitis B Vaccination, required for participation in a Nursing program my junior year of high school. Fast forward about 6-8 months, coupled with stress from a break up and Senior year... I lost over 20 pounds in less than a month, was hospitalized for weeks at a time, and diagnosed with Crohn's in Oct. 2004.
I guess smoking probably didn't help either, but I started that nasty habit long before things went bonkers.

It will be interesting to see, after the Stem Cell Transplant, if all my major lifestyle changes (no smoking, no vaccines, no antibiotics unless absolutely necessary, all organic) will be successful at keeping the Crohn's from rearing it's ugly head again. Only time will tell...


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## ForeverCrohns

Stress and dairy products .. Also pollution


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## h gower

Hi everyone 
I am writing this in sheer desperation, as I am at my wits end not knowing what to do or how to help my 21 year old daughter, I will start out from today and go back in time, my daughter just returnedd from a weekend ski with her friends, I think they ate cheese, eggs, salads, meats while there, everything was home cooked,. Today 15/8/12 my daughter mentioned that she was having stomach pains and that her stools were green but normal, she has started taking vitamin D 100IU as she is low, she usually takes it before going to bed even though they say to take it after dinner, but did not take it while on her holiday instead I gave her Centrum Advance _ organge coloured, multivitamin, so I cant see why her stools have turned green, she eats mixed salads with a mayonase dressing quite a bit, and has had it before too, but that has never given her green stools, however when she said that she felt like going to the toilet when she had the pain, but instead sent out some gas and said that the pain went, it looks like it comes and goes and it is almost 5 days for today in having green stools and I dont know what the cause is she is refusing to go and discuss about her stools with the docotr so I am looking for any advise. 
It all began on May 14th 2012

 Well she used to get stich like pains on left side of stomach since 2010 did a abdominal ultrasound in Sept 2010, everything was reported as normal. She has had yearly normal blood test since 2008, she was stated as anemic and I thought it was low in iron but the docotr said that her iron is on normal to barder line 7-8 australian standard but hera 
29th May ’12, had severe bloated feeling, cramps/pain above naval and bottom of chest (in between stomach and bottom of chest),  she had the same episode on 14th May ’12 but was with friends she also had her periods but said that that was not the same pain she get when she has her monthlies which is on the lower abdoment, it was the bloated, crampy, gassy feeling,pain her friends found her coiled in the ladies room and gave her panadol rapid after four hours the pain left, only to come back the next day but she did not mention it to me until the 29th of July where she was asked by another doctor to go to emergency,after 4 hours waiting to see a doctor, said IBS and sent home no treatment, or blood test done until I went to my GP the next day as the pains were still there, she gave her a boscopan injection and 2 gavascons and the pain, cramp and bloating were relieved, she wanted her to get another CT scan, she had barium oral contrast she needed to drink the liquid a certain amount in one hour and another amount in the next hour, instead she took 45 mts to drink the first lot and another 45 for the next lot, this time they said there were patchy calcification in liver everything else seemed normal/clear and normal like bowels, pelvis, bladder, uterus , rectum normal , kidneys, pancreas, adrenals lungs spleen kidneys and no free fluid was see,no lymphadenopathy seen. Did another MRI ( post contrast) for further evaluation MRI on 19/6/12,mentioned that calcifications are better seen on SCans than MRI and everything conlusion ws normal study. (Note she had to do MRI 8 hrs fasting, but as we went about half hour late they asked her to eat something and 3 hours later was the MRI, could her eating have hindered MRI .

 She lost weight since she had her braces, more than 10kls since her braces as she had difficulty eating properly, but now she is ok, and have meals but not at the correct time, skips breakfast most days but will have lunch and dinner, and noticed yellow tinge on skin but when asked family they said no, they did a full blood test on her but did not test for magnesium is there any other blood tesst that you can recommend,her vitamin D is 29nmol/L low she was taking Loraclear with 10 mg Loratadine since dec 2010 on and off for relief of hayfever, but reading the box now says that if you have liver problems to avoid taking it,she also take a naprogelsoc for period pain and ibuforen 1 with 1 panadol for headaches.
 I Have provided results for bloods test (Australian standards) below that was taken on 1/6/12 Note Docotor said slighly anemic, never explained it, I thpought it was it was iron deficinecy, but this GP said iron is in normal range to boarderline but still slighly anemic,even though iron level is at 7or 8, because her or ferratin is low, but her and thats why the docotor said she is anemic due to her *MCH 26.7pg, *MCHC-21.1g/dl,  (.3-.5) low and I really dont know what to do or how to rectify the matter.She had hematuria around 2010 too, and a couple of years ago she had bright red blood in toilet the doctor did an internal and said it was a small tear so did not send for any other studies, but it was really bad as I got a shock, and she said she had it once after that but did not tell me on the day only after a couple of days as she said I would have taken her to the doctors, she did mention though that she strained a bit.
I am worried as my Father In Law had bowel cancer in his 70s and is ok at present now 77, and my mother in laws step brother toohad it, and he did not survive

She gets highly stressed and I am a stress head as well, I have given all the results as I dont know what else to do and feel so helpless, They did a Coeliac Disease serology (serium) – normal 2.53,for 2012 results as per 1/6/12,). 
Were they looking for Crohn's disease or is there any other test that she needs to do
She gets really cramppy during her monthlies and I dont want to give her any ibuforen tablets so I gave her panadol but she was in sever pain, spoke to the doctor she said that Ibuforen is better than Panadol, and now reading about crohn's disease noticed that Ibuforen is not good and she used to take them for headaches period pains, etc, and she is someone that gets highly stressed out. 
Plese any information you can provide will be useful, someone mentioned about bile in the stools why is that and how can I help her.

Can anyone give my a list of things that she needs to eat if she has crohn's diease, what other test could she do and what are the other symptoms to look out for, I thought the stomach cramps gassy bloated feeling was due to the calcificatin but the doctor said it has nothing to do with it . I am at a  loss, please any information is useful
Sorry about this as i dont know what else to do and I am looking for answers.
Wish you all good health
God Bless you
Heather


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## michaelearnest

I vote that it is stress related


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## lexysmum

still no idea after reading all 9 pages!!!  
H.Pylori
Stress 
Apendix removed
Smokes
Drinks a lot of milk
Family history
Used to bite her nails
Any of the above ... something else ... who knows
Am very interested in the Stem Cell treatment mentioned and will definately be keeping an eye on that
On a lighter note, she does not remember being abducted by aliens and was always a very good girl ...


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## Snoflayk505

I think it is evolution at work. Natural selection, survival of the fittest. Some Peoples bodies can handle these processed foods and grains and refined sugars in today's standard American diet. And others maybe have developed a gene or somethiong that doesn't allow their genetic code to accept these types of foods and therefore eventually causing digestive disease.

 I came to this theory in my success with the SCD diet. I think our bodies are adapting to our ways of eating. Diet is not a cure for anyone with IBD but it sure does seem to help. It seems primal foods like fresh meats not processed, or fresh fruits instead of packaged crap is what we should be eating instead. The damage has already been done. Some will go on and obesity will rise as well as disease and shorter lifespans, and others will go on just fine and live long and happy lives.

 This is JUST my opinion


----------



## Beach bum

There is Crohns in my family history,
and I have had IBS type symptoms for many years ( think I first spoke to my Dr about it 17 years ago?)

I think the true Crohns started after I spent a long time taking ibuprofen for back and leg pain and this major flare has come since I lost my dad last year.

So genes triggered by stress and anti-inflammatories mixed with a bit of a taste for naughty treat foods would be my guess.


----------



## angeliamy

This is an interesting question and one I feel strong about.  The stats for people with an ibd has trippled in this country over the last 20 years.  The one thing that has been consistant with the growth of issues is how our food has been grown.  This country is all about quantity, the farmers wanting to produce more and bigger to supply the demand.  Our foods have been genetically altered for a long time.  I really really believe, the way our foods have been tampered with is  was triggers all ibd issues.  I think we all carry the possibility, just like with cancer cells.  However, some of us have these diseases trigger because of the foods and others don't.  However, this will NEVER go away, because the companiies that produce the seeds, like Monsanto, will never stop the genetics because that is money in their pockets!   

Agree or not....this, to me, is the reason I am suffering from Crohns and will have a shortened life because of it.


----------



## 2thFairy

Which country are you referring to?


----------



## fatjoe216

hugh said:


> wow, lots of action on this thread,
> 
> this guy has a theory, and a study to back it up,
> not just crohn's, but autoimmune in general.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVn-jmCi4zI&feature
> 
> i agree with him,
> When you loose intestinal integrity then feces (undigested food) will get into the body (as opposed to outside the body in the intestines).
> The immune system will kick in to do it's job but ends up attacking the wrong things
> 
> the genetic part is what autoimmune disease you get,
> All the things that people are suggesting (antibiotics, NSAID, bad water, stress, etc) are just the things that tipped you over.
> 
> I was talking to a workmate and he said he'd rather die than give up sugar, i smiled and said 'fine by me'


I kinda agree with this. Before i got diagnosed i would have skin problems, memory problems, taking antibiotics for colds and also stress from being laid off and worried about everything etc. I ate poorly and drank alot of alcohol. It was like by body was trying to tell me i was out of balance and i didnt do anything about it, so here i am now with crohn's and so many other issues.


----------



## kiny

There a good reason why it can't be only genetics anymore. Many studies point this out.

Say you have a country with 1000 people.

*10* people of ages 10-40 have crohn, *990* do not.

You now have a maximum increase in "genetic crohn"...since you know the average amount of babies those 10 people will have.

If in 10 years time you suddenly have 40 people with crohn, something went wrong with the theory that it is "simply genetics"....you can't have 40 people with crohn, those 10 people couldn't have had 30 babies.

That's what happened in those countries where they see 3 / 4 fold increase in crohn. It was 10 fold in Ireland in 10 years iirc.

Genetics maybe are part of it, but it doesn't explain the increases, nor does it explain why in 50% of the cases, only 1 of both exact twins get crohn and the other does not. They have the exact same genes, and 50% of the time only 1 gets crohn, the other never gets crohn, not even delayed.

(another interesting thing about those twins is that in the cases where both do get crohn, there is often 10 years or more difference between the onset of crohn from one twin to the other, so whatever that 1 twin did, he / she managed to keep the disease at bay 10 years longer)

In Asia they're also finding more and more people who don't have the genetic markers at all, many have crohn, but many don't have a NOD2 / ATG16L1 mutation.

So whatever it is, pathogen, food, mental state, one or multiple things have an influence on this disease, regardless of genetics.


----------



## OccupyCrohns

I'm amazed at how many people say stress.... and I would have to agree that could be a factor with how mine started.


----------



## JMC

OccupyCrohns said:


> I'm amazed at how many people say stress.... and I would have to agree that could be a factor with how mine started.


Did stress cause the disease or did the disease cause stress?  I believe the two are linked just not sure which way round.


----------



## Ckt

For me,it's been stress and environmental factors..was sick and had several surgeries in my twenties then my thirties were great!hit my forties and when I was exposed to both several vaccines for oversaw work and working in India and Africa..that did it.no one else in my family has IBD..a few have beven diagnosed with ibs but ruled out for IBD since I am known to have it for sure.
So..stress..mental and physical;enviromental(I sti think the vaccines I got put me into an active flare)..and probably somewhere there's a genetic predisposition that hasn't been identified yet


----------



## donton

My Crohns began shortly after I started taking birth control pills but I have to say I also had major stress at my job that year.  I agree it lays dormant and just takes one trigger to bring it out.  Kinda like cancer


----------



## alaskagrown

I think that it's a combination of environmental factors as well as a predisposition to not being able to cleanse certain substances as easily from our bodies.  Growing up, I lived in Alaska with fresh foods and a pristine environment.  When I was ten I moved to Ohio not too far from a BP refinery.  I think throughout time the pollution and toxins built up in my body from my environment as well as from the processed foods I ate.  I also was taking a lot of ibuprofen for various sports-related injuries.  Finally, I got a terrible stomach flu that I didn't heal from and was diagnosed with crohns six weeks later.  

I've since done a cleanse and switched to an all natural, healthy diet and the results have been dramatic.  Purifying my body has made a huge difference in my crohns symptoms and quality of life.


----------



## karj

I think for my crohn's my problems started in 2004 when i was in college for teaching, i had teaching practice and the dreaded inspectors coming every so often to grade my teaching, so i think that is where it all started for me.  Plus the fact that my mom's family is riddled with IBD, 4 members (1 deceased) with crohns or U.Colitis and my grandmother had bowel cancer.


----------



## Nytefyre

Luck of the draw? I really have no idea, but it's been both a blessing and a curse. We all know the curse part. But the blessing? More empathy, more sympathy. Can't complain about that!


----------



## Raleigh

I believe it was Doxycycline that caused mine. Antibiotics seem to be a common theme here.


----------



## John1

Hard to say but smoking and stress are one of the main triggers I believe, for sure.


----------



## John1

Raleigh said:


> I believe it was Doxycycline that caused mine. Antibiotics seem to be a common theme here.



Hi Raleigh,

My GP has just prescribed Doxycyline for a facial skin rash and very hot face. Im assuming the condition is related to my Crohns. I feel as though Im about to have a relapse with the presence of this skin condition. Should i be not taking the Doxycycline...?


----------



## Emily

I don't think I did anything to "get" Crohn's since I believe it's genetic. But I think flare triggers are closely tied with stress and what's going on in your life, whether you find it stressful or not.


----------



## Raleigh

John,

Studies have shown a correlation between long-term Doxycycline use and the development of Crohn's. The operative words are "long-term". How long is your course of Doxycycline? 

I know that if it was me, I wouldn't take Doxycycline again, or any other Tetracycline-class antibiotics. But I'm not a physician, and I can't advise you on what to do. 

If you feel like the skin condition is related to your Crohn's, it may take immunosuppressants or Biologics to rid yourself of it, instead of antibiotics. I would talk to your GI about it, instead of relying on your GP. 

Brian


----------



## John1

Hi Brian

I've been on Doxycycline for about 7 days now though i do remember taking a long dose of antibiotics for acne about 20 years ago ( about the same time I started having bowel issues...!!). Not sure what antibiotic my GP prescribed back then though I am suspicious it was either Doxycycline or Tetracycline.

Im due to see my GI tomorrow and will ask his advice. 

Thanks for your help Brian. Hope all is going well for you..?


----------



## Raleigh

John,

Glad to help! 7 days shouldn't be an issue. However, if you were on Doxycycline long-term for acne, I'd be suspicious about that being a possible cause for your Crohn's. I was also on Doxycycline for acne, which, looking back was ridiculous because I didn't even really have acne. I wish I never took it. I think it's irresponsible for doctors to dish out antibiotics like that. 

It's definitely a good idea to ask your GI about it. He may have a better alternative for you that will help resolve the skin condition. 

As for me, I'm still struggling while trying to get a diagnosis. But I will be seeing my GI soon, so hopefully things will be looking up soon. 

I hope all goes well tomorrow. Keep me posted on what your GI says. Take care.

Brian


----------



## Abby

I agree that Crohns was in my body, but needed to be triggered.
I think it was a combination of smoking, anxiety, crappy foods, and no excersize. I sh*t on my body, my body sh*t on me.


----------



## partyboy690

I think I've had it since I was 9 or 10, it just wasn't prevelant. I used to get bouts of diarhea and stomach cramping but it was so infrequent nothing was done about it. Then I started smoking and drinking and eating worse and worse and about 2 years ago I noticed a real change but still nothing too prevelant. About 6 months ago things got progressively worse, stress and increased smoking just made it so much worse until I was really suffering. I think genes was the big part, someone else who experienced the stress like me and smoked like me wouldn't have gotten Crohn's but because of the genes I got it.


----------



## sarahsoda29

brenda1 said:


> Looking back I have had minor issues since I was little, gas, bathroom emergencies..ect. But I could always blame it on something. Until last July I definately think stress set it off and I was also taking a very strong nsaid for hip pain I was having. I swear the Mobic is what totally set it off with a vengence.


Mobic is what set mine off too!  I know I've always had "tummy issues" before, but Immodium always took care of it.  Then in January I was having issues with my knees from standing all the time working a 2nd job...started taking Mobic, and literally 2 weeks later the big D came and hasn't left since.  I was Diagnosed in May.  I am pretty sure had I not gotten on the Mobic I wouldn't even know I have Crohns still.  I don't think the Mobic caused it, but i certainly think it aggravated my colon enough to make Crohns show it's ugly face!!!!!


----------



## Ihurt

I am not dx with crohn's yet, my GI keeps saying he thinks I have IBS. Anyhow, have been on a low dose antibitoic for over 4 years to keep the bad UTI's I was getting at bay. I take keflex( low dose daily). I am certain it is why my gut and intestines are messed up now whether it is IBS or crohn's or something else! It sucks. I had no choice though. I had tried ALL natural alternatives to keep the UTI's away and nothing worked. I also have IC which makes me prone to UTI's. Anyhow, it was either go on  the low dose antibitoic or keep getting infections and have to be on different High doses of antibitoics often. I guess I felt that it was better to be on a low dose rather than take frequent high doses for weeks at a time.  

Not sure if antibitoics can cause crohn's, but I would not be suprised. I will no longer eat ANY meats unless they are antibitoic free. They said that more and more women are getting urinary issues ( infections and IC) due to eating chicken that are rasied on certain antibitoics! I also do NOT think stress causes crohn's or any other disease( otherwise everyone would be walking around with these diseases). I think stress can make an already sick person sicker though. 

I plan on seeing my gastro doc soon as I am in awful pain in my intestines again. I will likely have to do some testing to see whats going on. Oh, I also take large amounts of probiotics as well, have been for years. Not sure if they work or not though.


----------



## duckbutta

First off I'd like to start off by saying there was never a history of Crohn's or auto immune disease in my family, on both sides, mother and father. When i was diagnosed, my doctor told me I had Atypical Crohn's, she said Aboriginal descendants rarely acquire this disease and that it was even more rare that it was atypical. So I believe that it was something in my upbringing that had triggered this disease in me, maybe my lifestyle, I was overweight in my teens when the disease and symptoms first began to appear. Maybe it was the neglect of a healthy diet.

In my early teens (13-16) I used to take Zithromax (azithromycin) treatments at least 3-4 times a year for 3 years, weekly treatments for things such as lung infections (asthmatic) and tonsillitis and other minor infections I had gotten. I am not sure this had an affect on me or not, but it was the ONLY drug I have ever taken from a doctor other than my inhalers for my asthma.

I never abused any drugs, other than marijuana, which I still currently smoke and sometimes eat (edibles).

I am not sure the antibiotics have a link to my Crohn's or not, anybody else have anyting to say on that drug and it's link to Crohn's?

Another theory I have is that I had a very poor diet, I used to order pizza nearly every week for a year straight, and for my entire youth and teen I drank lots of soda, especially in my 14-16 years, I would say I averaged 6 cans of coke a day. I believe the acid wear from the coke had a direct affect on my stomach lining and the acid wear could have led me to this. I believe that my stomach and intestines were always used to high amounts of acidity and that my immune system was constantly repairing damage done, and is what lead to my immune system becoming the way it is leading to my Crohn's, but that's just my theory, and I would love to see what you all have to say on that one.


----------



## Ihurt

Hey Duckbutta,

I really Do Not think that the diet you kept when you were in your teens has anything to do with you getting crohn's. If that was the case, hell, most every teenager out there would be walking around with crohn's disease. One thing  I do think may be a factor is that the bacteria's out there are much stronger and much more agressive than they use to be due to their evolving. Some bacteria have now shielded themselves with biofilms. These biofilms make it hard to even detect them in your body, let alone erradicate them so so they are left free to do damage. They are studying this with the bacteria E-coli that causes bladder infections. women are getting UTI's that cannot be killed off, they have become stronger and have these biofilms. Who's to say that bacteria are not doing the same in the GI tract. 

I have been on a low dose antibitoic( keflex) for over four years now to keep urinary infections away. I think antibitoics Can cause harm, infact they do. They can cause C-diff which can be deadly. They can also cause IBS and I am sure they can set someone up for getting crohn's. It is super important to take probiotics when taking any type of antibitoics. This "may" help prevent the intestines from being damaged. Though I have been on high doses of probitoics for a long time, but I am having horrid intestinal issues, so not sure how well they really work. My GI doc thinks they DO help which is why I take them. 

WHo knows what causes crohn's or all of these other disease out there. But one thing is for sure. ALOT more people are coming down with these diseases lately. Is it environmental maybe?? OR it could be pharma-drugs. Some of the commercials I see on how these drugs have horrid side effects scares the crap out of me. I hate taking ANY type of drug. There is always going to be a consequence when you take a pharmaceutical drug it seems. It really sucks.


----------



## duckbutta

Thanks for the response lhurt, it was very informative.

I am probably going to start on a trial period of the Cannabis Oil in the next few months when I get my hands on enough of it. I do not look forward to long term effects of Imuran, so I am looking for something that has a lesser downside for the future.


----------



## John1

I believe the triggers are a combination of antibiotic use, stress and smoking in my case. The first signs of changes in my body came immediately after an overseas trip, and i do remember taking two courses of antibiotics to treat flu/virus before i left.

Ive also heard the crohns is a reaction to bacteria found in milk.

Im sure there are a few theories out there. Lets hope for a cure in the future.


----------



## Avw

Just thought I'd throw this out there... I don't know if any of you have heard of or read a book called "The Autoimmune Epidemic", I found it to be very informative, and the proposed theories make a lot of sense. I personally think everyone should read it whether they suffer from an autoimmune disorder or not.


----------



## John1

Raleigh said:


> John,
> 
> Glad to help! 7 days shouldn't be an issue. However, if you were on Doxycycline long-term for acne, I'd be suspicious about that being a possible cause for your Crohn's. I was also on Doxycycline for acne, which, looking back was ridiculous because I didn't even really have acne. I wish I never took it. I think it's irresponsible for doctors to dish out antibiotics like that.
> 
> It's definitely a good idea to ask your GI about it. He may have a better alternative for you that will help resolve the skin condition.
> 
> As for me, I'm still struggling while trying to get a diagnosis. But I will be seeing my GI soon, so hopefully things will be looking up soon.
> 
> I hope all goes well tomorrow. Keep me posted on what your GI says. Take care.
> 
> Brian


Hi Brian,

Just an update on my visit to my Gastro yesterday. Will be going in for a colonoscopy soon to determine levels of inflammation etc. The redness on my face is Rosacea, easily identified by him and strangely by no other doctor in the past. My Gastro did say that there is no link or correlation between my current skin condition and onset/flare up CD...! Not sure if i believe him on this..?? He did also mention that Doxycycline is a low risk antibiotic and should be fine to continue using. Not sure about this one either..??

Anyway, i will consult a skin specialist and hopefully sort out the problem.

I have no doubt the flare up is associated with smoking..!!




Cheers

John


----------



## Ihurt

Duckbutta: Yeah, I hear you about taking meds. They all have such horrible side effects. I have heard about cannabis oil as well being really good for inflammation and pain. I live in Chicago IL, and unfortunately IL is one of those places where they would not pass the cannabis bill. How the heck do you even get the oil from the cannabis???


----------



## smp209

I wish I had even the slightest idea what caused mine! I was 7 and it was like it just came out of nowhere. One day I was fine, and the next I wasn't. I wasn't an anxious or stressed out kid, I was just having fun in first grade. No one in my family has it either, so I guess I just happened to be the "lucky" one.


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## SallyJPouch/Crohns!

I developed UC almost 40 years ago and was told it was caused by stress. I believe my dad and mom had mild cases, but they were too modest to talk about it.


----------



## UnXmas

I'm sure it's genetic. Not in the sense that it's necessarily passed from parent to child (my parents don't have it, though other relatives have related conditions), but in the sense that I have a wrong gene somewhere. And I do think hormones determine how and when it manifests. Perhaps more for women than for men?

For me it came on in adolescence - when hormones change. I have a lot of hormone problems too - unrelated conditions, but my digestive symptoms seem to corelate with times when my endocrine problems have been crazy. (And I've read a lot about how IBD and many other illnesses are influenced by pregnancy, menopause, adolescence, etc. I think hormones are powerful things when it comes to illness!)

I'm not a big believer in environment as a cause for this disease. It plays a role in other diseases, but I'm not convinced about IBD. And I think the role of emotional stress in any disease is overrated! Different people get different physical symptoms from immedate stress - heart palpitations, upset stomach, trouble sleeping or whatever. But not actual diseases. Not actual damage to the body. The effects of stress on IBD, I believe, are mainly limited to how stress affects lifestyle. Like if feeling stressed makes you eat differently, that could in turn affect your digestive symptoms, and having IBD might make the effect more pronounced.

So genes. Or fate.


----------



## Ckt

UnXmas..I agree with most of what you say but wanted to point out that stress can definetely affect structural changes in the body..with the chronic release of potent hormones such as adrenalin and catacholamines,not to mention the release  of cytokines with the inflammatory process. These change the body's ability to effectively fight disease and prevent injury.
I think people have a misguided idea that 'stress' is somehow a psychological issue alone and the measure of mental health is the ability to manage all issues under that umbrella 'stress'. Maybe that's a part of it but I believe the interplay of the physiological response with the psychological is so complex and hardly understood well by anyone.
As I wrote previously, I do believe in an enviromental aspect to ibd. It's clear to me that my crohns was activated largely by being exposed to contaminated food and water in developing countries where I worked, along with the living situations which DID stress my body out..temperatures up to 120• during the day in the Saharan desert. I had the predisposition and probably had crohns In remission at that time.so for me, I can just see how these things all came together for the perfect storm of a big crohns flare..


----------



## UnXmas

Ckt: I have to admit my views on "stress" were the result of a lot of doctors using it as a way to tell me my symptoms were not serious and/or imaginary, and I was generally treated badly because I was perceived to have mental rather than physical health problems - with the term "stress" being thrown around as part of poor mental health. So I probably am liable to refuse to accept the role of stress in a rather strict manner at times! My own symptoms never seem to correlate with stress, which also makes it hard for me to understand how it could play a role... surely it should have some effect on me that I can notice? I notice when I'm stressed I have trouble sleeping. But my digestive system - all my other physical problems actually - are completely independent of how I'm feeling emotionally.

I do recognise environment has some influence. I know diet effects me, and I guess that's classed as an enviromental factor. The phsyical stress of the "wrong" diet severely worsened my disease, even though it didn't cause it and I don't think any diet could have prevented it. I think it's when some people start saying that illness is a result of lifestyle/psychology and it implies the sick person is somehow responsible - it implies there's blame involved - that it gets to me. So yeah, I have issues that have shaped my opinon.

It helps to read posts like yours and remind myself to keep an open mind.


----------



## Beatit

Stress killing myself at hard working job. I remember I was on heavy anitboditics for some flu before I got the sores in my mouth first symptom and got crohns. Living in Detrioit area at the time probably should have boiled my tap water the place is a dump who knows what micro organisms.


----------



## Destiny

Mine was smoking at early age and stress


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## Ckt

UnXmas..you know, I completely can commiserate with you!i cannot even tell you how many times health care givers have labeled me and blown me off and I have a very clear diagnosis of crohns and have been resistant to most treatments. I have a huge chip on my shoulder about this issue..and I know exactly what you mean about people throwing that 'stress' term around. It's not bad enough that I have a debilitating illness that severely limits the quality of life but I also have to endure some yahoo spouting about how my disease is caused by stress! Grrr!
So I so understand your feelings in this issue. it seems to me if they can't objectively see a clear neon sign pointed to our stomachs saying CROHNS HERE CROHNS HERE', then it's 'all in our heads'!!
Even with some horrible past experiences with idiots, it's helped me doing my own research. I have learned so much from this forum and others on it! I'm being worked up for the stem cell transplant program in Chicago and only found out a week before going there that this even existed..I learned about it right here and was able to get into their  database, have some preliminary tests done and just started the ball a Rollin'! 
I try to jus look at all aspects of something..and now I basically take what I need from my caregivers and leave the rest!or find new ones!


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## AmandaMB

Ok I read through almost everyones posts and was surprised to not see anyone say anything about an immune deficiency. Thats what I honestly believe leads to Crohns. I think all of us have some kind of immune deficiency, some worse then others...i definitely did not have a healthy childhood, as I read some of you didnt either. But that would make since for some of you who did have a healthy childhood, maybe you just have a small immune deficiency.

I have discussed it with multiple doctors and they were the ones that even gave me that idea. They think everything that I have dealt with is all caused because of my immune system. They discussed starting me on a treatment called IVIG which is supposed to boost your immune system (monthly IV infusions). They dont think i am a candidate for it though.


----------



## Ihurt

Be careful with the IVIG shots. My good friend who has a lot of immune issues did a series of the IVIG shots and she had a terrible reaction to them. They nearly put her in anaphlacitc shock! The doctor that gave her the shots did not tell her that this was a very common effect. Actually they say that a person can only tolerate so many of the IVIG shots, that it will eventually cause any one person anaphlaxis if given too many treatments with it. It took my friend months and months to get back to normal after those shots. She had extreme hives for months due to the IVIG shots.. Just be careful is all I am saying. I had a doctor wanting me to also do the IVIG shots.  When I asked my regular primary care doc about it, she flat out said NO way. She said those should be used with extreme caution.....













AmandaMB said:


> Ok I read through almost everyones posts and was surprised to not see anyone say anything about an immune deficiency. Thats what I honestly believe leads to Crohns. I think all of us have some kind of immune deficiency, some worse then others...i definitely did not have a healthy childhood, as I read some of you didnt either. But that would make since for some of you who did have a healthy childhood, maybe you just have a small immune deficiency.
> 
> I have discussed it with multiple doctors and they were the ones that even gave me that idea. They think everything that I have dealt with is all caused because of my immune system. They discussed starting me on a treatment called IVIG which is supposed to boost your immune system (monthly IV infusions). They dont think i am a candidate for it though.


----------



## Laura44

Stress, anxiety and ibuprofen in the past 3 years - recently diagnosed!! .... oh and my mother has Crohn's so there is some genetics involved.  I believe the stress threw me over the edge at 44.


----------



## sashaz

Don't know about Crohn's but for sure my present condition with Crohn's was caused by a two week holiday in Mexico. About five years ago. Before that I was able to eat anything and weighed 10kg more than I do now. During that holiday I lost 10kg and me ever could put it back on. Also my Crohn's before that was in remission with the use of diet for approximately twenty years. Maybe a gastric Infection started the downward spiral.


----------



## kiny

AmandaMB said:


> Ok I read through almost everyones posts and was surprised to not see anyone say anything about an immune deficiency. Thats what I honestly believe leads to Crohns. I think all of us have some kind of immune deficiency, some worse then others...i definitely did not have a healthy childhood, as I read some of you didnt either. But that would make since for some of you who did have a healthy childhood, maybe you just have a small immune deficiency.


We are immune deficient.

NOD2 and IL23R is involved in bacterial recognition
ATG16L1  and IL6ST is involved in bacterial autophagy
slc11a1 vdr  and lgals9 are involved in control of mycobacteria like MAC, MAP, Leprosy, TB

All those genes, or rather their mutations, and plenty of other ones are involved in genetic predisposition of crohn's disease, they all show immune deficiencies, specifically control of bacteria.

But crohn's disease rates around the world rise so fast that genes alone don't explain it anymore at this point, it's purely a predisposition, nothing more.


----------



## superzeeman

I was told that I had crohns when I was 19, but, I never had a flare after that first one. It only bothered me after I decided to "De-Worm" myself using diamataceous earth. To the worms, it acts like glass shards and cuts them up, to my intestines, I think it activated the crohns. It coincides anyway,


----------



## stringbean347

I went on Accutane when I was 13 have had issues ever since but did not get diagnosed until I was 18.


----------



## KRT

My sister and I both have several different auto-immune issues...At differenct times we got mono and both of us now have several issues each.


----------



## bigtruck

Stress and smoking!


----------



## Jam300

I don't think its any coincedence that I begun to develop swollen lips around the same time that my parents began a rather messy and dramatic seperation. Also, my diet when I was younger was awful and lacked any nutrition. Recipe for disaster in hindsight!


----------



## agrady1

I think the reality is that we have an underlying immune deficiency.  The real question is what is the trigger.  I was an eczema kid which can often be an indication of a compromised immune system.  If you ask my mom my symptoms started when I got my hep B vaccine at 13 even though I wasn't diagnosed until I was 20.  I do know that stress triggers flares for me.  I also know that I was misdiagnosed with parvovirus the year before I finally got my crohn's diagnosis and was told to take heavy doses of ibuprofen for the pain which I believe threw my undiagnosed crohn's into the severe crisis that landed me in the hospital.  While I am still trying to pinpoint my triggers I am pretty sure that there is a list of foods that ae toxic to me and I would not be surprised to find out that there are also environmental triggers as well.


----------



## Barnacle

I think I've always had Crohn's disease.  I don't think my mom had Crohn's but I think she had something wrong with her when I was pregnant that resulted in my genes getting turned on for it but my brother not three years earlier.  She said she had a hard pregnancy with me and my brother was really easy.


----------



## Angie4567

Also had food poisoning in Mexico and was never right after that.  Celebrex (motrin-like stuff) for knee injury tripped off the ulcers.


----------



## Jeffgotcrohns

I think my crohns was triggered by a bacterial infection. Coincidentally though my dad has psoriasis which is an auto immune. Does anyone else have a relative or relatives with psoriasis? Also I was hit with a ton of stressful news months prior to my bacterial infection which I have a lot of anxiety from still even now, sure that doesn't help.


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## pipmom

I have psoriasis and both of my daughters have Crohns disease. Oldest was triggered after the flu and youngest after a bacterial infection. Both started stressing after starting high school.


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## Amy2

I have a mild case of psoriasis.  2 of my kids have Crohn's.  My oldest was in college and under quite a bit of stress when she was diagnosed and my youngest had an extremely stressful event occur at age 10, which I feel he never fully got over.  He was diagnosed at age 16, but he was probably sick for 2 or 3 years prior to diagnosis.  I wouldn't be surprised if stress helped cause their illnesses.


----------



## Ozboz

Dunno but i think trying ecstasy and speed also i took a bad pill also that made me dehydrated and also felt like my insides were burning up


----------



## Jeffgotcrohns

Hey Pwndkake,
funny you mention the diet in Germany. I was just telling a few people about how I couldn't believe what they eat a lot over there. I go to Germany every so often for business and have stayed with quite a few different people and seen what they ate. It was a ton of sausage, bread, french fries, and milk. They all used mayonaise like it was ketchup! Although a lot of their sausage is very good I think this diet is a disaster for anyone on the verge of coming down with crohns or like what you said a direct switch to foods like this could have caused it. I'm guessing you lost a lot of weight because the diet is similar to adkins.


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## Sassycat

I am pretty sure that for me it was 3 factors: 1. Genetic susceptibility 2. Some environmental susceptibility (possibly pollution or an infection-I am not sure what to believe, there is not much research into environmental factors) and 3. The trigger. For me, I am sure the trigger was stress related since my symptoms started just after I left for college (when I started eating new foods, worrying about exams, and making friends)


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## I Love Lamp

I can trace it to a weekend! Had a binge on Crisps and Haribo and went downhill quick! Haribo gave me crohns lol


----------



## grt73

My first flare up was 22yrs ago, I remember it was the first time I ate rare lamb. It wasn't something I had eaten b4 and I blamed the pains next day on it. I don't think it has anything to do with it now btw. Next flare was after a holiday in Cyprus and the next when I went travelling to nz. 2005 I went back there to live there for three years and the pains got more regular and so started a noticeable decline in health. The whole time my doc blamed ibs. Prior to this I had been in the TA, I was about as fit as I could be and suffered nothing for 3 yrs. I think change in life circumstance, stress and poor diet all have key roles in setting off a flare. As to why they started in the first place is a mystery to me. I think about this quite a bit and parts of me want to believe its a virus I caught somewhere along the way. If anyone has the answer I sure as hell would love to hear about it!


----------



## Rocking on

I credit stress as well


----------



## Mary:)

Stress and Polish beer


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## Axelfl3333

I think shingles put me over the edge and doing more hours than the works cat.


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## michelle222

I'm sure there is a genetic predisposition, I have always had a "bad stomach" even when I was a kid...I had my first symptoms after I went on weight watchers to lose some weight. Doubt that actually caused it, but since WW stresses high fiber in your diet that likely triggered my first flare.


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## sid

I think when you play with your body and do not respect it. Bad lifestyle, too much of stress, bad daily routine, lack of sleep, bad diet,(and in my personal opinion too much of non veg and very less vegetables and fruits) etc. these things trigger the process of weakening your immune system and getting crohns is just a result of it.


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## Poppysocks

Diet.

Too much milk and bread. Add into that the genetic engineering of the grain supply (Specifically Bt and Glyphosate), and the hormone manipulation of the cows producing the milk.

I don't buy into the "genetic" label. If Crohns was genetic we'd have it since the day we are born. None of us are born with it, we develop it after years and years of contaminating our body.

That's my theory at least.


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## Rocking on

Hmm, i dunno.  I developed Crohn's at the epitome of my health, and i was never much of a milk drinker.  If it were milk and bread you would think the disease would be much higher in less healthy people, and have an equal rate of occurrence in siblings raised on the same diets.


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## LodgeLady

I stopped drinking milk 20 years before I got Crohns. I think lactose intolerance is independent of the disease but can aggravate it.

For me, I think hormones and immune system play a big part. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## UnXmas

Poppysocks said:


> I don't buy into the "genetic" label. If Crohns was genetic we'd have it since the day we are born. None of us are born with it, we develop it after years and years of contaminating our body.
> 
> That's my theory at least.


That's not really how genetic diseases work.


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## Poppysocks

UnXmas said:


> That's not really how genetic diseases work.


But, it technically is. If something was "truly genetic" they would have it the moment they are born. And every pair of identical twins would result in the same illness. They don't.

But family members are more likely to eat the same types of diets. Also, different ethnic groups eat different things. Every ethnic group besides Europeans and Jewish ethnicity is, for the most part, lactose intolerant. They don't drink milk. There diets are different.

The problem with calling something "genetic" is it gives the impression there is nothing anyone can do about their illness. They have it, they WILL GET IT, and there's nothing they can do about it sans medication. It's a cop out way of describing why somebody has an illness. It's something somebody says when they really have no idea what is actually causing the problem.


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## Rocking on

You can be genetically predisposed to something, which means that under the right conditions you would be more susceptible to a disease than someone else might.  It's only when the environmental factors line up that the predisposition becomes evident.  Scientists can see genetic markers for susceptibility to certain disease in healthy people, in some cases well before they develop the disease.

I think Crohn's is an emergent result of a person's genetic susceptibility and being exposed to the wrong environmental factors.  In essence, i think both the genetic theory people and the environmental causes people are both right.  You need both.  It cant be just stress because how do you explain young children with it?  And it can't be just environmental or everyone would be sick.


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## Poppysocks

Rocking on said:


> You can be genetically predisposed to something, which means that under the right conditions you would be more susceptible to a disease than someone else might.  It's only when the environmental factors line up that the predisposition becomes evident.  Scientists can see genetic markers for susceptibility to certain disease in healthy people, in some cases well before they develop the disease.
> 
> I think Crohn's is an emergent result of a person's genetic susceptibility and being exposed to the wrong environmental factors.  In essence, i think both the genetic theory people and the environmental causes people are both right.  You need both.  It cant be just stress because how do you explain young children with it? * And it can't be just environmental or everyone would be sick.*


I think some people are just more "sensitive" than others to certain environmental factors. Whether you want to say that is genetic or not is up to you. They might have a high extreme sensitivity, and a small amount of something may set them off. They may be highly sensitive, and start seeing symptoms in their 20s. They may be mildly sensitive, and not see symptoms until their 40s. Or barely sensitive at all and just over decades and decades of contamination their bodies finally give in and start experiencing symptoms towards the end of their life.

But, in the end, in all of those examples, it is ultimately the environment that is triggering, or gradually deteriorating the health of people.


----------



## Rocking on

I am not sure how sensitivity and genetic makeup could be any different when it comes to reaction to our environment.  You point is well made, but really our environment eventually does everyone in.  Humans rust, we literally oxidize.  The suns bombards us with cancerous radiation.  Meat is i known to raise inflammation levels. Some alcoholics destroy their liver in years and some in decades.  It's our genetic makeup that determines how long we can sustain it.  Genetic weaknesses will do some in much faster than others.  How well our bodies can repair the self against genetic damage is also, well, genetic.

I know Crohns seems unfair, and it is quite natural to want to blame someone or something for it, because it satisfies our sense of justice.  It's very hard to accept you were screwed from the start.  My mother still blames my Crohns on a trip to Egypt I made 5 years before I started having any symptoms.  I chuckle but I know it just satisfies her lust for an answer.  We are all but a roll of the dice, forced to play the hand we are dealt.  Makes us vulnerable, but it also makes us unique and special.


----------



## DamnitCrohns

For acne i took antibiotics for long periods of time. Probably took about 2 and a half years worth in total. I then ended up taking accutane and got crohns 3 months after my accutane course ended.

I'd say the antibiotics were at the very least a large contributing factor. Accutane possibly added to that and led to the crohns.


----------



## Sassycat

okay, here's the thing about genetic diseases. We all have two variants of the same gene, right (remember high school biology?). Genes are translated into proteins which do almost all the work of the body. Some genes are inherited dominantly-meaning that only one variant of the gene has to be mutated in order for the disease to occur (this would be like Huntington's-a genetic disease that you always get it you have it from one parent). Crohn's is a more complex case. Research tells us that multiple genes are involved in the disease, and that it may not be the same genes for every person. Furthermore, many of these genes may not be expressed dominantly. For example, say you are born with a few mutated variants of a disease that predispose you to crohn's. Because you still have one functioning variant of the protein, your cells are still able to behave normally. However, our cells make mistakes and are dividing every day. Each cell division is another chance for a new mutation. Probability says that there is a chance (over our lives) that the non-mutated variants will mutate. When you have a genetic predisposition (one mutated variant passed from one of your parents), and this happens, there is no longer a functioning protein in the cell and it can no longer behave normally. In somebody with crohn's, it is a mixture of this sort of chance event, mixed with more dominantly inherited genetic variations, and then environmental factors which can speed up the rate of mutation in your cells. See, it is all a genetic lottery. That is not to say that the disease is entirely genetic, but some part of it is definitely due to this. 

Sorry-I am a bio-sciences girl. There are a lot of misconceptions about genetics out there. Hope I cleared up some things for those of you who aren't so biology-crazy.


----------



## Volcano

Drinking dead water with no mineral content, taking baths in water that steal minerals from the skin, eating acid forming foods with low nutritional value, sex and masturbation depleting minerals.

Ever had dry cracked hands? That's what happens to the colon lining without adequate minerals to pull water into the cells.


----------



## condit2013

I would say stress,Years ago my mum took me to the doctor about me being very anxious I was only about 13 he mentioned back them if I had stomach problems which I didn't at the time.
But I defo think stress is the main cause.


----------



## ronroush7

I was living in an apartment by myself.  I had never lived by myself and was depressed.  I think that the stress from that set it off.

 2


----------



## Poppysocks

Rocking on said:


> I am not sure how sensitivity and genetic makeup could be any different when it comes to reaction to our environment.  You point is well made, but really our environment eventually does everyone in.  Humans rust, we literally oxidize.  The suns bombards us with cancerous radiation.  Meat is i known to raise inflammation levels. Some alcoholics destroy their liver in years and some in decades.  It's our genetic makeup that determines how long we can sustain it.  Genetic weaknesses will do some in much faster than others.  How well our bodies can repair the self against genetic damage is also, well, genetic.
> 
> I know Crohns seems unfair, and it is quite natural to want to blame someone or something for it, because it satisfies our sense of justice.  It's very hard to accept you were screwed from the start.  My mother still blames my Crohns on a trip to Egypt I made 5 years before I started having any symptoms.  I chuckle but I know it just satisfies her lust for an answer.  We are all but a roll of the dice, forced to play the hand we are dealt.  Makes us vulnerable, but it also makes us unique and special.


Why is it then, that the U.S displays more sickness than any other developed nation on the Planet? Why is everyone so sick in this country, and not as sick in others? This whole nation is a cesspool of sickness. Whether it's IBD, Infant Mortality Rates, Cancer, Obesity, age of death. The U.S is the unanimous leader in all these categories, and I don't believe you can simply say. "Hey, it's just your genes man." There's a lot more too it!

Believe me, I've gone through the stages of confusion, anger, self denial, and acceptance. I've been through it. But, in my mind, there's a more logical explanation. Looking around me. Looking through the history of a company like Monsanto, and the effect that company has on the entire food supply. And other major conglomerations dealing with our food supply, whose profit motive far outweigh any sense of self righteousness those sick people have in their souls. After learning about these things it's clear to me that there is just something truly f'd up with our environment.


----------



## UnXmas

Poppysocks said:


> Why is it then, that the U.S displays more sickness than any other developed nation on the Planet? Why is everyone so sick in this country, and not as sick in others? This whole nation is a cesspool of sickness. Whether it's IBD, Infant Mortality Rates, Cancer, Obesity, age of death. The U.S is the unanimous leader in all these categories, and I don't believe you can simply say. "Hey, it's just your genes man." There's a lot more too it!


Because the US has advance medical care which diagnoses illnesses which some time ago, or in other countries, would go undiagnosed and have no official record of their existence? Because of the medicalisation of conditions which would previously not have been classified as diseases?  Because in the US people are actually healthier and living longer, hence reaching an age where more chronic health conditions develop, whereas previously they'd have died before they got the chance to acquire so many non-fatal conditions? Because diseases that would previously have killed people are now, due to advances in medical care, no longer life-threatening but yet not curable? 

But I do agree with you that obesity is a growing problem, clearly the consequence of bad diet, and causing many health problems. I just don't think Crohn's is one of the health problems it causes, because there's no evidence that that is the case.


----------



## LodgeLady

I will have to disagree with a few of your comments. Definitely our diet in the US has made us have different diseases specific to it. However less affluent countries deal with other dietary issues that we don't ( cholera, disintary) so there are trade offs . 

This disease is world wide. I'm not blaming it all on the US diet. The US also imports a lot of food. How about chemicals? Or lack of? There are just too many variables. 

The constant I see is a defective immune system. What variables trigger it are inconclusive. This, I believe, is inherited.


----------



## ronroush7

LodgeLady said:


> I will have to disagree with a few of your comments. Definitely our diet in the US has made us have different diseases specific to it. However less affluent countries deal with other dietary issues that we don't ( cholera, disintary) so there are trade offs .
> 
> This disease is world wide. I'm not blaming it all on the US diet. The US also imports a lot of food. How about chemicals? Or lack of? There are just too many variables.
> 
> The constant I see is a defective immune system. What variables trigger it are inconclusive. This, I believe, is inherited.


Some of our foods aren't like God originally made them.  Therefore, we have trouble with them.  We have built up allergies to them.

 2


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## Poppysocks

UnXmas said:


> Because the US has advance medical care which diagnoses illnesses which some time ago, or in other countries, would go undiagnosed and have no official record of their existence? Because of the medicalisation of conditions which would previously not have been classified as diseases?


I've heard this theory. But, I could just as easily say those underdeveloped nations don't have the manipulated, contaminated food supply that ours does.


> Because in the US people are actually healthier and living longer, hence reaching an age where more chronic health conditions develop, whereas previously they'd have died before they got the chance to acquire so many non-fatal conditions?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy
The U.S is 33rd in life expectancy. One place above communist Cuba and Barbados. You'd think with all the money and medical advancement, the U.S would be far and away tops on the list. The U.S also leads industrialized nations in first day infant death rate, rates of IBD, and rates of cancer.


> Because diseases that would previously have killed people are now, due to advances in medical care, no longer life-threatening but yet not curable?


Could be. But you can just as easily say the food supply is making people sick.


> But I do agree with you that obesity is a growing problem, clearly the consequence of bad diet, and causing many health problems. I just don't think Crohn's is one of the health problems it causes, because there's no evidence that that is the case.


http://www.twnside.org.sg/title2/biosafety/pdf/bio14.pdf
http://www.criigen.org/SiteEn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=351&Itemid=84
http://stopogm.net/files/Ewen.pdf
http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/glyphosate/NancySwanson.pdf

Oh, there's plenty of evidence.


----------



## Poppysocks

LodgeLady said:


> I will have to disagree with a few of your comments. Definitely our diet in the US has made us have different diseases specific to it. However less affluent countries deal with other dietary issues that we don't ( cholera, disintary) so there are trade offs .
> 
> This disease is world wide. I'm not blaming it all on the US diet. The US also imports a lot of food. How about chemicals? Or lack of? There are just too many variables.
> 
> The constant I see is a defective immune system. What variables trigger it are inconclusive. This, I believe, is inherited.


The US also exports a ton of food. Specifically to Western Europe.


----------



## UnXmas

> But I do agree with you that obesity is a growing problem, clearly the consequence of bad diet, and causing many health problems. I just don't think Crohn's is one of the health problems it causes, because there's no evidence that that is the case.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.twnside.org.sg/title2/biosafety/pdf/bio14.pdf
> http://www.criigen.org/SiteEn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=351&Itemid=84
> http://stopogm.net/files/Ewen.pdf
> http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416
> http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/glyphosate/NancySwanson.pdf
> 
> Oh, there's plenty of evidence.
Click to expand...

I was only speculating about why the US has high numbers of illness btw - I probably should have been clearer about that. 

I looked at the links you sent and searched each for "Crohn's" and "IBD". Only the last link actually contained either of those words, so - since I'm lazy - I'm just going to read the part on Crohn's in that one paper. So if you can summarise how the other papers refer to IBD, it would be helpful, but no worries if you've got better things to do. 

Edit: so the last paper mentions IBD and just says that the number of "hospital discharge diagnoses" of IBD roughly correlates with the amount of corn planted? I'm not quite sure how that contradicts what I said about my belief that Crohn's is not a result of obesity and bad diet.


----------



## norcalcrohnie

I really don't know, the first signs of the disease occured after I came back from a trip overseas so I don't know if it was from something I ate or drank that set it off or what.


----------



## aliciars

Interesting reading for sure! Wow love that back & forth re: genetics, diet, etc. 

Anyway .... I believe my CD was from overuse of antibiotics as a child. I was very sickly & remember being on them ALL the time. I would miss over 25 days of school easily through elementary years. 

I also believe personality does play into it. I'd be willing to bet a vast majority of crohnies are type A personalities. 

No one in my family has been diagnosed, but I suspect my paternal grandmother has IBS at the very least. Oh the poop stories her I share are ridiculous. 

I was not diagnosed until I was 36 but looking back, suspect I've had it most of my life, just not as full blown as it is now. Too many unexplained rashes, long bouts with fevers & fatigue, even some "accidents" in my late teens. 

Maybe we each get it a different way & that why treatment is so difficult. The disease mutates itself to survive in us. I tell my husband it's a beast alive in me all the time.


----------



## wildbill_52280

Sassycat said:


> okay, here's the thing about genetic diseases. We all have two variants of the same gene, right (remember high school biology?). Genes are translated into proteins which do almost all the work of the body. Some genes are inherited dominantly-meaning that only one variant of the gene has to be mutated in order for the disease to occur (this would be like Huntington's-a genetic disease that you always get it you have it from one parent). Crohn's is a more complex case. Research tells us that multiple genes are involved in the disease, and that it may not be the same genes for every person. Furthermore, many of these genes may not be expressed dominantly. For example, say you are born with a few mutated variants of a disease that predispose you to crohn's. Because you still have one functioning variant of the protein, your cells are still able to behave normally. However, our cells make mistakes and are dividing every day. Each cell division is another chance for a new mutation. Probability says that there is a chance (over our lives) that the non-mutated variants will mutate. When you have a genetic predisposition (one mutated variant passed from one of your parents), and this happens, there is no longer a functioning protein in the cell and it can no longer behave normally. In somebody with crohn's, it is a mixture of this sort of chance event, mixed with more dominantly inherited genetic variations, and then environmental factors which can speed up the rate of mutation in your cells. See, it is all a genetic lottery. That is not to say that the disease is entirely genetic, but some part of it is definitely due to this.
> 
> Sorry-I am a bio-sciences girl. There are a lot of misconceptions about genetics out there. Hope I cleared up some things for those of you who aren't so biology-crazy.



some of these genes they have ASSOCIATED with crohn's or IBD, cannot even predict who will develop the disease. there is only a slight tendency that these groups of people will have a small increase in the disease occurance. their are people walking around perfectly healthy with the same genes the are involved in crohn's disease.

I find that fascinating. my bet is on damage to the intestinal bacteria and this is why i have much hope for fecal transplants to restore missing species. remissions are already proven for crohn's and Uc, and Doctor Borody suspects some patients with uc have been cured, the same may be true for crohn's. More info- http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=52400


----------



## UnXmas

> I also believe personality does play into it. I'd be willing to bet a vast majority of crohnies are type A personalities.


Interesting theory! Would you mind sharing how you came up with that idea? (I'm genuinely asking, btw, I'm not trying to criticise the idea!) 

As far as I know there's no evidence that personality plays a role. Perhaps it could play a role in determining who goes to see a doctor about such an embarrassing problem, and how sick one has to get before seeking medical help, agreeing to treatment, etc. 

_If_ there were definite links between Crohn's and environmental factors such as diet, then personality would almost certainly come into it. Hasn't there been some evidence that smoking can affect Crohn's or UC? Not determining who actually gets it, but affecting the symptom severity of those who do have it.

Why, do you think, type A personalities would be more likely to get Crohn's? Perhaps a certain personality type is more likely to get online and talk about it. I'm not sure how it could actually cause the disease though.


----------



## aliciars

I think the personality comes into play because of the stress factor. In this post alone, a large portion point to stress. We all know that stress comes in many forms & we ALL have it. Obviously everyone deals with stress differently. 

Type A's aren't known for their relaxation skills. And add to that a Type A with a perfectionist expectation of oneself, stress is guareenteed. Stress related CD.


----------



## UnXmas

But there's no evidence that stress causes Crohn's disease.


----------



## mal-ileus

My doctors think i'm wrong (of course), but i know i developed Crohn's because of many abdominal surgeries. My symptoms grew over the years.  The penultimate surgery (6th), which was the only one for Crohn's (strictureplasty, where a loop of small bowel was sutured together to create a larger diameter) gave me peritonitis, led to my 7th.  I began having Crohn's symptoms after the 4th surgery (to lyse adhesions from former surgeries), and it has only gotten worse.  Since the strictureplasty four years ago my attacks have increased so that nowadays i can expect to have an episode of cramping, pain, unbelievable Sci Fi bowel sounds, diarrhea, bloating, etc., about a week out of every month.  Needless to say, i don't have much faith in doctors any more.


----------



## aliciars

UnXmas said:


> But there's no evidence that stress causes Crohn's disease.


There may not be true evidence, but the responses in the forum sure do point with big flashing neon signs to stress. I also know that when I was first diagnosed & in a nasty flare, when my toddler daughter would cry, my stomach would cramp almost instantly. That's why I think personality & response to life's stresses influence CD. 

We'll never know I fear.


----------



## 2thFairy

mal-ileus said:


> My doctors think i'm wrong (of course), but i know i developed Crohn's because of many abdominal surgeries. My symptoms grew over the years.  The penultimate surgery (6th), which was the only one for Crohn's (strictureplasty, where a loop of small bowel was sutured together to create a larger diameter) gave me peritonitis, led to my 7th.  I began having Crohn's symptoms after the 4th surgery (to lyse adhesions from former surgeries), and it has only gotten worse.  Since the strictureplasty four years ago my attacks have increased so that nowadays i can expect to have an episode of cramping, pain, unbelievable Sci Fi bowel sounds, diarrhea, bloating, etc., about a week out of every month.  Needless to say, i don't have much faith in doctors any more.


Surgery does not cause Crohn's disease or UC.


----------



## mal-ileus

that's what they say…..


----------



## BayAreaChronie

Not sure how much diet comes into play since its not proven but here is my take on it since no one has IBD in the family. 

Since the age of 2, I stopped eating healthy. I quit all fruits and vegetables. I went to plain foods - carbs and carbs galore. Mac and cheese, cheese pizza, bagels, cereal, waffles, crackers, etc. Only vegetables i ate were corn and potatoes. No fruits though just juice. The only meat I did was very thin plain hamburgers and chicken nuggets. 

This lasted till I was 23. I am 26 now. 

Problem is now that I have this disease, I am back to an unhealthy diet after trying to get normal for the last 3 years. 

So if food has something to do with Crohns, I am a clear selection for it.


----------



## UnXmas

aliciars said:


> There may not be true evidence, but the responses in the forum sure do point with big flashing neon signs to stress. I also know that when I was first diagnosed & in a nasty flare, when my toddler daughter would cry, my stomach would cramp almost instantly. That's why I think personality & response to life's stresses influence CD.
> 
> We'll never know I fear.


I think people have a tendency to look for meaning, for patterns. As you said yourself in your previous post - everyone has stress. People with Crohn's and people without Crohn's. The amount and types of stress people experience vary hugely, but if anyone with Crohn's considers the time their disease began, they will inevitably be able to find something in their life that can be classified as stressful, whether they look to the year prior to their disease developing, the week before, or the day before. People who want to have an explanation for their illness will have no trouble explaining it as a stress-reaction, if they want to do so. Someone could have got divorced months before getting sick, and blame it on that. Someone could have just finished their exams at school. Someone could have lost a relative, moved house, changed jobs, been bullied. Someone could have been stuck in a traffic jam just before they had their first attack of diarrhoea. No one goes through life _without_ experiences of this nature. So how can we look to it as evidence?

My disease came on after a happy childhood. It was only after I got sick that I experienced anything that I would class as bad stress. Do you think that if you had a calm period in your life Crohn's would go away? What about babies who exhibit Crohn's before their lives have really begun?

The definition of stress is just so vague and open to subjective interpretation that I find it unhelpful. The people on this thread, on this forum are probably not representative of the total Crohn's population. I think there's a possibility that stress could have a role in triggering Crohn's - it hasn't been disproved - but it seems to me very unlikely. No "neon signs" that I can see.


----------



## Ihurt

I agree, surgery can mess a person up and Does cause issues. Anytime you manipulate the body in an unnatural way, it can cause issues. But, unfortunately, sometimes surgery is a necessary thing and cannot be avoided. I also have lost faith in the western medical profession. They really do not know much at all. It is pretty scary when you really stop and think about it. I cannot even tell you some of the things I have been told by doctors. It would make your head spin. I have been chronically ill with many things for the last 11 years and I have seen many many specialists,( some were the top doctors!), and it scares me to see just how little they really know when it comes to a lot of these chronic diseases.. They are clueless...








mal-ileus said:


> that's what they say…..


----------



## honeybeast

I think it may of been caused by smoking. I will never forgive myself for doing such a stupid thing!


----------



## wildbill_52280

honeybeast said:


> I think it may of been caused by smoking. I will never forgive myself for doing such a stupid thing!


there is some recent research that associated some depletion in gut bacteria with smokers. 

i believe antibiotics may be a more common cause of rising rates of IBD, but diet and vitamin d deficit are all other factors too.


----------



## Ihurt

Honestly, I don't think anyone knows what causes these diseases. It may just be a disease that attacks a persons weakest area. I mean I know is seems like a lot of people who have taken antibiotics have developed crohns. But then again I know people who take tons of antibiotics ( due to chronic lyme disease) and they don't have Crohns. So who knows. I know someone on here posted they thought it was from smoking, yet there are tons of people who smoke that don't have Crohns or any digestive issues. So I think it is more complex and I don't think there is one standard answer. I think there has to be multiple reasons a person comes down with any disease. The biggest being a weakened immune system. That is the top factor I believe. I think anyone who gets sick with any disease would have to have a weak immune system for a disease to take hold. After that , certain conditions make it easier to come down with certain illnesses. Genetics probably does play a small part. I mean if you come from a family line of illnesses, then you already are at a disadvantage. I know my mothers side of the family has ALL sorts of health issues. Now my dads side, all healthy except for there is a history of heart issues and strokes in my dads side, but no chronic illnesses.  I unfortunately got my moms genes, Ughhhh!


----------



## Holly

I got food poisoning followed by a bad case of Gastroenteritis,  I reckon that kicked it off for me.


----------



## Luthien

I think it was stress when I started college that started it for me. And too much ibuprofen. 

But I also think I was predisposed to it, as a kid I had all types of tummy troubles, and my mom has UC.


----------



## MissCadenza

I think mine is partly genetic - everyone in my family has something wrong with their digestive system and my grandpa had a baggie and eventually died of bowel cancer so yes, gut issues run in the family. 

In 2011 I had a really bad case of food poisoning from reheated rice (beware Chinese all-you-can-eat buffets) and not long after that got really bad acid reflux, which kept on recurring. I think the combination of the two probably didn't do me any good and I think Crohns was the end result of all my gastric and intestinal issues. At first I thought I had IBS but then sort of stopped eating so... eheh. Yes.

I blame my genes. And the rice.


----------



## wildbill_52280

Ihurt said:


> Honestly, I don't think anyone knows what causes these diseases. It may just be a disease that attacks a persons weakest area. I mean I know is seems like a lot of people who have taken antibiotics have developed crohns. But then again I know people who take tons of antibiotics ( due to chronic lyme disease) and they don't have Crohns. So who knows. I know someone on here posted they thought it was from smoking, yet there are tons of people who smoke that don't have Crohns or any digestive issues. So I think it is more complex and I don't think there is one standard answer. I think there has to be multiple reasons a person comes down with any disease. The biggest being a weakened immune system. That is the top factor I believe. I think anyone who gets sick with any disease would have to have a weak immune system for a disease to take hold. After that , certain conditions make it easier to come down with certain illnesses. Genetics probably does play a small part. I mean if you come from a family line of illnesses, then you already are at a disadvantage. I know my mothers side of the family has ALL sorts of health issues. Now my dads side, all healthy except for there is a history of heart issues and strokes in my dads side, but no chronic illnesses.  I unfortunately got my moms genes, Ughhhh!



 there are multiple variables involved to develop the disease. any combination of these factors but not necessarily one alone, may cause it. for example, low vitamin d in combination with low fiber low fruit intake and antibiotics may be enough, but good diet, and exposure to antibiotics, not enough to permenantly damage the bacteria. other ways are just bad diet in combination with some gi infection, experimental studies show sever einflammation itself can cause depletion in benefical bacteria, and vice versa, damage to bacteria can cause inflammation. 

in the end, you can say there is one cause, extinction of intestinal bacteria, which disables our ability to inhibit everyday pathogens we come in contact in everyday life, and allows them to thrive in our intestines due to a reduction in colonization resistance. in a way we have a chronic infection, and that partially explains the constant diarhea, our body is trying to get rid of all this bad bacteria, that it can no longer mount an effective defense to.


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## mrjohns2

I have never assumed there was an cause I could pinpoint.  I have always thought it was my body (genetics).  I have psoriasis, and people with psoriasis have a 2.5x higher Crohn's incidence.  When I had my ruptured appendix, I guess the narrowing between my small and large intestine was already evident.


----------



## gillmc

I have no idea how my CD started! I was misdiagnosed with IBS for about 5 years before being diagnosed. I do however know that I was also taking a lot of Ibuprofen for constant morning headaches I was getting on waking up every morning. I had a persistent pain in my upper abdomen which I can now pinpoint to the taking of Ibuprofen!!! When I was eventually diagnosed with CD I wasn't entirely convinced, I asked my GI consultant if it could just be damage caused by the Ibuprofen, he said no. Funnily enough I am still not 100% convinced it's CD....but if it was damage caused by NSAID's the damage would have been healed by now surely as I have not taken any for 4  years. I dunno :/ I definitely suffer from stress/anxiety and depression as well so maybe all related :ybatty:


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## Dauna

I was diagnosed in April of 2013 but I think I have had it since I was a child. All my life I've had digestive problems I can remember as early as kindergarten being spanked by my teacher cuz I wouldn't eat. She thought I just didn't want to eat but every time I ate my tummy hurt. I think I missed more days of school than I attended. I've been treated for gastritis, GERD, I was even thought to have a heart condition and at one point (faulty valve) from coughing up blood all the time. The list goes on More recently I have had a bacterial infection called H Pylori (few years ago) which went undetected and untreated for a little while. I think that was my trigger. It went downhill from there. I have been to so many doctors (arguably I have lived in 3 third world countries so that may have contributed to the late diagnosis). Now I am just happy to have a diagnosis. 

My mom always says that during her 9 months of pregnancy she was sick and could only stomach dried quaker oats, crackers and water. Nothing else. I weighed just about 5lbs at birth. I always wonder if there is some relation to my mom being so sick. Some people think it's genetic and just lays dormant until triggered.


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## missywilcox

I herd that ur born with this condition and go in back to the old days they reckon a lot of people died with it because left untreated, and didn't have equipment then to test for it,h ok w true this is I don't no but does make sense x


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## Ihurt

I am not sure if people are born with this or not. I think it may be acquired somehow, possibly a bacteria that we ingest at some point, who knows. I mean genetics could play a role. I honestly don't think Crohn's was as wide spread years ago as it is today. I think a lot of it is environmental, foods we eat, medication etc.. I mean I especially think when antibiotics first came out, that is probably when a lot of gut issues really started to escalate.


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## Allison M

I have two grandparents (both sides) that died from it, my dad died from colon cancer, my 38 yo cousin died from CD, so I'm pretty sure I was predisposed. BUT, I am a stress maniac, and I live in a town with the largest EXXOn refinery, a BP plant, a Bayer plant and a Chevron plant. I guess I was doomed. Funny thing, I didn't know about the relatives, except Dad, until I was diagnosed, and my oldest cousin told me.


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## M West

I contracted CD my first year of college (age 19).

1/  Had wisdom teeth removed.
2.  Infection ensued in gums
3.  Prescribed heavy antibiotics by dentist
4.  Popped Darvon for pain.  (Darvon has been deemed unsafe by FDA.)
5.  Taking heavy course load in college and stressed to max.

How many of you had a virus or infection prior to diagnosis?  My good friend was diagnosed after a very bad case of the flu.  Probably the most heath conscious person I know.

Great thread!

Miles


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## lbligh

My daughter came down with Crohn's quite suddenly, after being the kind of kid who never gets sick. 

A bunch of kids at her school were sick and recovered fast, she recovered more slowly. About a month later the fevers and stomach aches started and another month after that we got the Crohn's diagnosis.

We wonder if the earlier illness was a precipitating event. Did it trigger an inherent susceptibility? We may never know.

MAP is one of the possibilities we wonder about. MAP can survive pasteurization, and we had been drinking local milk that was processed the bare minimum amount required by law. Just in case, we've switched to ultrapasteurized milk (though now we're on SCD so it only gets used for making SCD yogurt).


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## theOcean

It runs in my family. My father has it and so did his father, plus we have the jewish ancestry on that side that used to be linked to Crohn's. Otherwise: where I live supposedly has the highest incidence of IBD, and my maternal grandmother also has autoimmune issues.


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## GreenwichUK

Genetics. My brother was diagnosed at uni. I've had ibs-like symptoms since a similar age but only just diagnosed CD


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## missywilcox

My cousin was diagnosed with crohns about 3 yrs b4 me


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## The Real MC

No family history of autoimmune disease.  When I was 42 I had a real bad flu (the one year I didn't get a flu shot because of a shortage) and after that recovery I noticed some changes in my system - sense of smell was more sensitive, etc.  Two months later my weight dropped and the cramps started.  When my abdomen got inflamed and the pain started, the doctor had me tested for colitis and CD.  Unfortunately it was the latter.

I think that flu bug triggered CD.  Stress level was low around then.


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## 7vNH

Before reading this thread, I always just chalked it up to bad genes (paternal grandfather died from bowel complications and uncle had to have bowel removed).  But I agree with most here that that predisposition does not equal a 100% chance of manifestation.  I never really took anything but an occasinal aspirin for a headache, but I had my share of antibiotics, and did get treated with accutane.  Weird that it took 20 years (yep, I'm pretty old) for the problem to surface, so I'm not convinced of any connections.


Treated with tetracycline for acne (high school)
Had mono and was treated with prednisone (high school, if that is interesting)
Treated with minocycline for acne (high school)
Chewed tobacco (HS and college for a couple of years, if that is interesting)
Sulfasalizine for a couple of years (last year of college, to address symptoms)
Treated with accutane (first years of work)
Symptom free for 20 years
5-ASA's for the last 10 years


----------



## pipmom

I have Psoriasis, and both of my daughters have Crohns. My relatives were German Jews who immigrated in the late 1800's. My oldest had a bad flu, and Crohns came soon afterward. The youngest had a bacterial infection, and Crohns came soon also. Both were 15 when symptoms started. Both stressed in high school. Both type A personalities. Very healthy eaters growing up. Non smokers and never exposed to second hand smoke. I feel basic genetic component needed for this disease, and then triggered with environmental/emotional event resulting in compromised immume system.


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## poing

I am undiagnosed so you can include this or not...

I think there must be a genetic predisposition and gut dysbiosis - probably caused by antibiotic use in both people and animals. My grandmother was given loads of antibiotics while pregnant with my mother, in the days when doses were much larger, and to the point that she became allergic to them. And the first thing that happened to me when I was born was that I got dosed with antibiotics because my lungs were full of mucus.

What I think was the straw that broken the camel's back in my case was mineral deficiencies, caused by excessive menstrual bleeding, caused in turn by the copper IUD. In the end I ran out of iron and zinc, and the immune system cannot function properly without them.


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## Chavez3

I got a severe case of salmonella and that's when my Crohn's became active.


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## dannyb

could be a lot of factors i think, foods i think may be a key thing to look at here, so much crap in foods these days, all the GMO's additives, preservatives and things like wheat gluten (the small intestine finds it hard to digest gluten) are all things our bodies were not originally designed for although i think it may effect others more than some obviously... and the humans who can not tolerate and continue to eat the bad stuff end up with diseases like IBD. 

Environment could also be a part too, but i honestly think food is one of the major things. 

I've decided to start eating all organic, non gluten foods, no wheat barley etc and as clean as possible and drinking only water, juicing is one thing i have heard can help too which i am going to give a go.


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## McM17

I was diagnosed after a bad bout of the flu. I spent an entire week feeling dizzy,I barely ate, and had diarrhea. The flu got better, the diarrhea just didn't go away. After that flu I couldn't tolerate milk anymore, I was going to the bathroom all the time, and I was diagnosed pretty soon after that.


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## missywilcox

Stress is ment to be the main course for flare ups all foods react differently with different people will we ever get to the bottom of this,would be nice to actually say it was this or that what as coursed it x


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## John1

I had symptoms as a teenager before I was formally diagnosed with Crohns. I believe stress and anxiety as a kid had a part to play. Smoking during my late 20s and 30s made my Crohns severe.


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## Amaze

I got food poisoned twice in a third world country


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## missywilcox

Don't think we ever get to the bottom of this nasty disease all I can say is hope everyone of use look after yourself u no ur own body better than anyone wish u all healthy future since joining this group I no am not alone an its helped me this past week thank you xx


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## ronroush7

Thanks.


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## Daisy123

It is genetic. While it might make itself known during a time of stress, mine was during my final exams at University, you have to have a genetic predisposition to it, or that is my understanding. I think I had it as a child. I had a bad bout of anaemia when I was 7 and had many stomach viruses. While we might do things that make it worse, I smoked, it is not our fault. It is bad enough having a  chronic illness without being made to feel that we are responsible.


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## Ihurt

I am not sure it is all genetic. There are too many people out there who have it that have absolutely No family history of it.. I mean it can be genetic in some families, that is true, but too many people that have it have no family history of it. 









Daisy123 said:


> It is genetic. While it might make itself known during a time of stress, mine was during my final exams at University, you have to have a genetic predisposition to it, or that is my understanding. I think I had it as a child. I had a bad bout of anaemia when I was 7 and had many stomach viruses. While we might do things that make it worse, I smoked, it is not our fault. It is bad enough having a  chronic illness without being made to feel that we are responsible.


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## vonfunk

The standard explanation for that I have read and been told is that, while they aren't sure of the specifics, there is a genetic factor followed  by an environmental trigger. Basically a powder keg waiting for a spark. For some heavy dose of antibiotics, others food poisoning.  

For myself personally, I have UC, here were random signs growing up, I went through phase growing up when I would get terrible cramps etc. However my first actual flare was triggered when I quit smoking (UC being the only disease that is helped by smoking. I blame my ex-girlfriend, I did it for her).  However you can't un-ring a bell.


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## The Real MC

Genetic?  There's zero history of crohns in my family.


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## jguarinoga

There is a theory about CD...sometime in ones life you contracted a very bad virus that lasted a while. The body tried its best to attack the virus with the immune system and it went into overload.  But, I truly believe our food today is so Genetically Modified to grow larger, faster, and crammed with all types of preservatives that over time the body just does not recognize it and attacks.

The normal age of CD is around 19, we found out about my Mother out of the blue at age 60.


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## vonfunk

Genetic + Trigger.  A pile of leaves won't spontaneously combust until it is given a reason. 

It is also thought that autoimmune diseases are all connected, so while there might not be a history of IBD (my brother and I are the only ones with it) there might be some history of other autoimmune diseases (lupus, arthritis etc).


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## Alley2231

My father has Crohn's Disease, so for me it is genetic. It just popped up though for me at age 32 in January....I blame me being out on worker's comp, due to a head injury and popping 600 mg ibuprofen regularly (an anti inflammatory that I hardly ever took) for it to make itself known!


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## mdd

Really stress!i was not sick until i got kids ! Thats my thought.


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## 2thFairy

vonfunk said:


> Genetic + Trigger.  A pile of leaves won't spontaneously combust until it is given a reason.
> 
> It is also thought that autoimmune diseases are all connected, so while there might not be a history of IBD (my brother and I are the only ones with it) there might be some history of other autoimmune diseases (lupus, arthritis etc).


Yep and yep.
I have several autoimmune diseases in my family.  One or two were thought to be random.  The last generation of kids, however, have brought 4 more different autoimmune diseases into the mix.

It is all very interesting.


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## badbelly

My theory is Accutane caused a serious imbalance in my gut flora that spiraled out of control over the years and lead to Crohn's.


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## Ihurt

I agree that stress can make any illness that is already there worse, but I disagree that stress causes these illnesses. It adds to it, but does not cause it. Think about it, if that were the case, then almost everyone out there would be running around sick with crohn's and other immune issues and just is not the case. I have lots of different health issues and remember talking to one my Gastroenterologists a few years back about it and even asked him if stress could have caused my health issues. He said Flat out No. He said the same thing, That stress will and can add to an already present illness, but it cannot alone cause it. 






QUOTE=mdd;774710]Really stress!i was not sick until i got kids ! Thats my thought.[/QUOTE]


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## StarGirrrrl

I did some family research recently and managed to get back to approx. 1700.

I don't know anything about the health of my family beyond a generation or two and my genes come from many generations.

So I think ruling out genetics because no-one in the last 50 years or so is known to have had IBD isn't going to work.

Then you have to take into account the advances in diagnostic techniques.

I'm not saying genetics is *the* answer nor may it be the sole cause but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it.


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## pink&green

Hubby took Accutane when he was 18 for about 6 months started feeling sick to the stomach with flu like symptoms by age 19 his appendix ruptured and sepsis. No one in his family has IBD he's the only one he said he remembers when he use to take it he said he stomach use cramp but he was young and thought that was normal.


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## LewisS

Partly stress/anxiety related, but I do believe excessive smoking and drinking at a young age (neither of which I do now) have also contributed. I also used to stay up all night without eating and then sleep most of the day. So I had an empty stomach a lot of the time.

At school I always used to get that feeling in your stomach when you're nervous and have to run to the toilet. Sometimes I'd hold it for long periods of time, also pretty damaging. 

There also seems to be a genetic link in the family. My uncle has crohns, my dad has the same symptoms as me and so does my sister. Coincidence maybe.


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## Daddy119

No history of IBD in my family.  I have had a nervous stomach my whole life as far back as I can remember (approx 40 years).  Always have that sudden urge to go.  For some reason it got worse about 5 years ago and TA DA - you have Crohns.

 I ate terribly growing up - we ate out at restaurants constantly and I definitely did not have a balanced diet  (I believe this had a big part on my digestive system and where it is now).

I was also on a lot of antibiotics as a child (between birth and 5 years old) for kidney problems so I'm sure that screwed up my gut flora at a young age which may have set me up for all those IBS type symptoms throughout my life.

So in short, heavy antibiotics at young age, terrible eating habits growing up and like many others here - an anxious personality, have all conspired to screw up my bowels.  I'm trying so hard to keep my kids away from these three things. 

One day at a time.  Celebrate the good ones!


----------



## 743

my mother got it when pregnant with the child after me. it was probably already mildly active when i was born.

of all 9 siblings only i got it.


----------



## joandrew

I was told that because I abused laxatives when I was young girl trying to loose weight in a very stupid and naive way that it may have been a trigger


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## DavidXU

I believe it is the antibiotics.
I got a cold and cough in 2011 spring.
The doctor used large amount of antibiotics infusion.
Following the cure of the cold is frequent diarrhea.
And I hear similar stories like mine in China.


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## Navsu

Definitely genetic + stress trigger. LOTS of Crohn's in my family on both sides. 
I was diagnosed at age 12 while my family was on sabbatical overseas, perfect timing 
After I had "stomach flu" for two months, a GI took one look at my family history and scheduled a colonoscopy for me. One of the most terrifying moments of my life when I was told were the camera was going to go.... 

Also I'm in the biggest risk category, female, ashkenazi Jewish and live in a western society (with all the environmental pollution and "edible food products" and the like).


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## Dackelmann

Genetics. I got fed a lot of throw away rubbish from the gastro doctor telling me it's because we are brought up in too clean an environment. Considering I'm 49 and grew up on farms, playing in dirt with animals, I knew this was a weak excuse. My Grandmother apparently had it and she was born round 1910ish. I think that something triggers it -I lived hard when younger, drank and smoked like no tomorrow- it probably starting kicking in over ten years before diagnosis- the pains and bleeding I thought were just from over exertion as a labourer and from hitting the booze too much. And, like a typical bloke ignoring signs not all is well in camp until the ---- hits the fan. I started getting weird illnesses, became sensitive to pesticides, and then allergic to bees which I went through 3 years desensitisation- soon as those jabs finished , hey presto my guts went nuts. Always had strange illnesses as a kiddie that nobody could work out.


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## wildbill_52280

I believe  antibiotics caused crohn's in my case and found some new studies and even a book that suggests this is true. Buts it seems many factors contribute to extinction of benefical bacteria that could lead to IBD, like vitamin d deficiency and lack of fiber.

http://www.npr.org/books/titles/302...-of-antibiotics-is-fueling-our-modern-plagues
an interview with the author:
http://www.npr.org/2014/04/14/302899093/modern-medicine-may-not-be-doing-your-microbiome-any-favors


This theory may be true as fecal transplants seem to restore missing bacteria in IBD and induce remissions without any maintenance drugs. Find out more here.
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=52400


----------



## LodgeLady

Dackelmann said:


> Genetics. I got fed a lot of throw away rubbish from the gastro doctor telling me it's because we are brought up in too clean an environment. Considering I'm 49 and grew up on farms, playing in dirt with animals, I knew this was a weak excuse. My Grandmother apparently had it and she was born round 1910ish. I think that something triggers it -I lived hard when younger, drank and smoked like no tomorrow- it probably starting kicking in over ten years before diagnosis- the pains and bleeding I thought were just from over exertion as a labourer and from hitting the booze too much. And, like a typical bloke ignoring signs not all is well in camp until the ---- hits the fan. I started getting weird illnesses, became sensitive to pesticides, and then allergic to bees which I went through 3 years desensitisation- soon as those jabs finished , hey presto my guts went nuts. Always had strange illnesses as a kiddie that nobody could work out.


I am allergic to bees and get bee venom shots. Never thought it could be a contributing trigger!!

Definitely I feel its genetic. I do feel the environment triggers it. All hell broke loose at 50 for me, asthma, GB disease, Crohn's, hormonal hell (menapause). I absolutely feel they are all interconnected.


----------



## Everly

I've kind of always had stomach and intestinal issues throughout my childhood and teenage years. I constantly was taking tums as a kid for upset stomachs, and pepto throughout middle school and high school. Not to mention I'd take aspirin and such very often for my migraines. But my symptoms got worse my senior year of high school, and that's when I was diagnosed. Like everyone else, I don't know what caused it. But the last year of high school in itself is pretty stressful...


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## CrystalB

I believe smoking has a lot to do with it. I know some research states it makes it worse but doesn't cause it. I've smoked since I was very young and quit about 8 months ago. As soon as I quit. I started my first bad flair and was hospitalized shortly after.


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## wildbill_52280

CrystalB said:


> I believe smoking has a lot to do with it. I know some research states it makes it worse but doesn't cause it. I've smoked since I was very young and quit about 8 months ago. As soon as I quit. I started my first bad flair and was hospitalized shortly after.


this isnt the first time Ive heard of this, this makes me think tobacco may have some type of anti inflammatory property and was keeping your symptoms at bay.

here something ive found http://www.sott.net/article/221013-Health-Benefits-of-Smoking-Tobacco

not sure if its true but interesting to say the least.


----------



## CrystalB

Yes it would make sense to have anti inflammatory capabilities also the appetite suppressant the less that goes through the better in our case : ) Thanks for the article


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## Axelfl3333

The lung cancer,heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are big minuses for smoking as an answer to crohns!


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## Iggy

I would say for me it is definitely genetic. My uncle (mothers brother) has had crohns for about 20 years. I hit 18 and out of the blue in the course of 12 months me and my mother were diagnosed.  Looking back im sure there must have been a trigger that we were both exposed to around the same time. What that was tho I cannot think. 
In the long run unfortunately my crohns has been much more aggressive than my mothers. Before diagnosis we were both heavy smokers and on the advice of my gastro i quit but my mother carries on to this day. Now i know people argue for and against smoking as a cause or deterrent.
Just seems funny to me that I quit and end up having my first major surgery a few weeks ago and my mother has been in remission for 2 years.
Now I will never start smoking again but its interesting to me how wildly everyones own experiences differ.


----------



## CrystalB

I quit smoking 8 months ago! I would never go back to it. I agree no positives to smoking!


----------



## Mrs_R

I definitely think there is a genetic link; well there certainly is in my case with an uncle, a cousin and 2 grandparents all suffering from IBD. My mum also believes that a very bad case of food poisoning when I was about 16 triggered something in me that led to my problems. I really would love a definitive answer one day.

The genetics link seems to be very random though in my family, with both my parents being fine as well as both of my sisters. I drew the short straw as such lol!


----------



## Axelfl3333

A big plus for quitting smoking especially in the uk is the financial one,it costs a fortune.i,ve never smoked which is probably unusual as all my family except my sister and I smoked like chimneys.we lost our parents to smoking related diseases,foul habit.when I was diagnosed with crohns was told there was no effective treatment available for smokers don,t know it that was correct or not.


----------



## Precious ones

I am unsure but as one son has been diagnosed and am just waiting on tests for the older one following the same symptoms I can remember at the start of it all approx 2 years ago they both suffered with some form of virus which I have since found out my youngest had tested positive for glandular fever sometime in the past so that maybe a theory to the trigger.  They also drank a lot of cows milk, unknown to me this carries possible map bacteria damaging to people with the genetic predisposition. 
There is only IBS in the family that I know of.


----------



## lbligh

We wonder about MAP also. For years we got milk from a local dairy that used the bare legal minimum of pasteurization, and MAP can survive even standard pasteurization. So now we are only buying ultrapasteurized milk (for making the SCD yogurt). We also donated money to Dr. Hermon-Taylor in London who is trying to do a clinical trial for his MAP vaccine, but can't get funding.


----------



## Bonzo 4

I think stress anxiety and lyles disease did it to me. Not eating regularly and pounding the drinks.


----------



## Bonzo 4

Lymes


----------



## Rocking on

I love this thread, but there are now 15 pages of responses, and most are attributing the cause to their own personal circumstances.  For instance, some cite female hormonal changes...but I have Crohns and I am a male.  Some cite bee stings...never been allergic to anything in my life.  Some say antibiotics, but I was healthy as a horse until Crohns hit at 30.  The only common theme I really see is stress, but of course we have all experienced periods of extreme stress, and being highly individualized people that argument doesnt seem right to me either.  Same with environmental issues... we are mostly all exposed to the same things and yet most don't get Crohns.

although some of the geographical studies are interesting, we know of no known pathogen that, like a carcinogen, if exposed to increases the chances of Crohns (although that accutane lawsuit was intriguing).  This leads me to believe that Crohns is not environmental.

I believe that we Crohnies are statistical losers.  If you look at enough numbers, anomalies appear, and we are those anamolies.  Roll the dice ten times and nearly impossible to roll 6's every time.  Roll them a billion times and unlikely you wont.  It doesnt mean that something "caused" the instance where it occurred.  We were not made perfectly, and try as we might to understand what causes our bodies to fail, there may be no explanation at all.


----------



## lbligh

What makes the most sense to me is that it's a combination of genetics and another trigger, whether it be MAP or some other pathogen.

I wonder if it is helpful to think of Crohn's as a condition rather than a disease? Like, say, a skin rash. You can have a rash that is from poison ivy, or contact dermatitis, or carpet burn, or an allergic reaction to something that you ate. The treatment would be a combination of a soothing ointment, and eliminating whatever caused the rash. The soothing ointment wouldn't do a lot of good if you kept right on clearing out the poison ivy patch without gloves, or using the soap or eating the food that gave you the rash in the first place.


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## CrohnsKidMom

I'm joining a little late in this discussion, but it's a good one.  My son was dx'd at age 8.  It was a sudden onset.  He had a flu for a few days, got a little better for a couple days, then fell quite ill and shortly after we had a dx of CD.  So, I think the flu was the trigger, but he did have some signs of CD going back into toddlerhood.  Although there's no one else dx'd with CD in the family, there are many with "bowel issues", so I don't doubt a genetic factor.  I wonder about cow's milk and MAP, but there would have to be some other factor involved for some to develop CD, and others not.  Apparently here on the east coast of Canada we win the honours of highest number of CD cases in the world.  But I don't know if that means people are just more readily dx'd/less of those undiagnosed, or if there really are more Crohnies here than anywhere else!


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## kiny

Rocking on said:


> I love this thread, but there are now 15 pages of responses, and most are attributing the cause to their own personal circumstances.  For instance, some cite female hormonal changes...but I have Crohns and I am a male.  Some cite bee stings...never been allergic to anything in my life.  Some say antibiotics, but I was healthy as a horse until Crohns hit at 30.  The only common theme I really see is stress, but of course we have all experienced periods of extreme stress, and being highly individualized people that argument doesnt seem right to me either.  Same with environmental issues... we are mostly all exposed to the same things and yet most don't get Crohns.
> 
> although some of the geographical studies are interesting, we know of no known pathogen that, like a carcinogen, if exposed to increases the chances of Crohns (although that accutane lawsuit was intriguing).  This leads me to believe that Crohns is not environmental.
> 
> I believe that we Crohnies are statistical losers.  If you look at enough numbers, anomalies appear, and we are those anamolies.  Roll the dice ten times and nearly impossible to roll 6's every time.  Roll them a billion times and unlikely you wont.  It doesnt mean that something "caused" the instance where it occurred.  We were not made perfectly, and try as we might to understand what causes our bodies to fail, there may be no explanation at all.


There are diseases that are purely genetic in nature like Huntington's.

You can accurately predict the demographics for that disease.

However, crohn's disease is a disease that spreads much faster than genetics alone could account for, which means there is an environmental trigger that is the main driver behind the increase, genetics only conferring predisposition.

You can have genetic predisposition, and not get the disease. Many people wtih crohn's disease have genetic predisposition to leprosy, many of the autophagy and protein mutations relate to genes involved in bacterial detection like IBD1 (NOD2) confer susceptibility to both crohn's disease and leprosy, however few of us have leprosy because we live in the West, the environmental trigger is missing.

If you went to Brazil or India, the environmental trigger would be there, and you'd see an increase in leprosy cases amongst crohn's disease patients. Many of our genetic mutations make us very vulnerable to mycobacteria.

In Brazil 30,000 people each year get leprosy, and many of those people have genes that make them susceptible to it that overlap with genes that make us susceptible to crohn's disease. You can actually draw an inverse curve, places where TB or leprosy is high, crohn's disease is low, places where leprosy is low, crohn's diseae is high.

Why this is no one seems to know, but it might be because bacteria are competitive in nature. If you remove certain bacteria from the environment, you might leave the door open for others.


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## kiny

Rocking on said:


> we know of no known pathogen that, like a carcinogen, if exposed to increases the chances of Crohns


of some we do, antibodies against OmpC, outermembrane E Coli, are a risk factor for developing crohn's disease

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22842615


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## SoOoO CoNfuSeD

My theory for myself is stress and anxiety. Ever since i can remember, i would feel as though i had knots in my tummy when i got anxious about something. And even still today, the minute (and i mean literally the minute) that something huge comes up, straight to the bathroom i go. I was diagnosed two years after my brother passed away. I think that just put my body over the edge. Though i thought i was in control of my emotions, i feel as though my body was telling me otherwise.


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## bkovacs19

I was diagnosed with Crohn's at 5yrs of age and had a traumatic first 5 yrs of life.  I would say anxiety and stress for sure!


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## MacKenzie12

I have an answer for this!

So, obviously I'm predisposed for Crohn's genetically. I grew up in a pretty stressed environment, divorced parents and what not. However, I didnt develop crohn's till I was 16 and I think it was a combination of things. One, I developed really bad social anxiety in high school. Second, I ate the CRAPPIEST food. No joke, it was awful for me. Lastly, I developed something like asthma and my doctor thought I had inflammation in the lining of my lung. He had me take alieve  EVERY DAY for like 2 or 3 months. A few months after that I started having crohn's related issues!
And that's my theory as to why I developed crohn's!


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## lbligh

And the food might have contributed to the social anxiety, or the Crohn's might have, even though you didn't know it yet. Impossible to know, at this point.


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## 7vNH

> In 2011 a group of Danish investigators reported on their examination of pharmacy records for ... children born between 1995 and 2003...
> Compared to healthy children, those that developed IBD were 84 percent more likely to have received antibiotics.  Furthermore, children who had taken antibiotics had more than triple the risk of developing Crohns disease than those who were antibiotic-free.
> 
> Martin J. Blaser, MD, "Missing Microbes: How the overuse of antibiotics is fueling our modern plagues"


Based on that, I would wager that many of the anecdotes in this thread might need to examine early exposure to antibiotics as a factor.  It seems likely that the disposition to the disease from early exposure to antibiotics might be stronger even than genetics.  Oh, and what looks like a genetic disposition to the disease might really be that your acquired microbiota (mostly from your mom, but also other family members) might have been less than fully robust.  Then some other later event (another hit from antibiotics, accutane, whatever), simply pushed you over the edge.


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## JMC

7vNH said:


> Based on that, I would wager that many of the anecdotes in this thread might need to examine early exposure to antibiotics as a factor.  It seems likely that the disposition to the disease from early exposure to antibiotics might be stronger even than genetics.  Oh, and what looks like a genetic disposition to the disease might really be that your acquired microbiota (mostly from your mom, but also other family members) might have been less than fully robust.  Then some other later event (another hit from antibiotics, accutane, whatever), simply pushed you over the edge.


There is another possibility.  Due to a genetic fault (NOD2 mutation) we have difficulty clearing certain bacteria and therefore have needed to resort to antibiotics more frequently. In that case, use of antibiotics is not the cause of the problem but the result of another underlying issue.


----------



## 7vNH

JMC said:


> There is another possibility.  Due to a genetic fault (NOD2 mutation) we have difficulty clearing certain bacteria and therefore have needed to resort to antibiotics more frequently. In that case, use of antibiotics is not the cause of the problem but the result of another underlying issue.


Good point about the direction of causality.  I guess what had me thinking the causality was the other way is that IBD is aligned with westernized populations.  I have nothing but a gut feel, but I figure the various population's incidence of mutation you mentioned is at a similar level across all people.  Probably there are more forces at work here, interacting in mysterious ways.


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## KJ-1

--


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## 7vNH

> Crohn's is not a genetic disease. Whether someone gets Crohn’s Disease (CD) is not determined by a single gene as it is for, say, Cystic Fibrosis, but genes do play an important role. A new technology called Genome Wide Scanning (GWS) has enabled scientists to scan the whole length of a person’s DNA looking for small changes. This has been done for many different diseases and also comparing different human populations. It has provided hugely important new insights into the potential causes and mechanisms of disease. When GWS has been done in thousands of people with CD and compared with thousands of people without CD (either in themselves or their families), some small changes or ‘mutations’ within genes have been consistently found in people with CD. Although many genes are involved, some mutations appear more frequently and are more important than others. The three most important genes associated with CD (called NOD2, ATG16L1 and IRGM) all affect the capacity of immune cells to get rid of bugs which live inside cells… like MAP! These exact same genes are also found to be highly associated with susceptibility to Tuberculosis and Leprosy (other members of the ‘Mycobacteria’ family). The truth that GWS and related methods have enabled us to see is that very many infectious diseases may be more likely to happen in some individuals rather than others because of inherited susceptibilities. So whilst you don’t inherit Crohn’s Disease, you can inherit a susceptibility to the bug that is causing it.


 That quote came from the MAP vaccine site, which pretty much says MAP is necessary but not sufficient for CD (but not UC).


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## jjk308

Runs in the family.  3 relatives have it.  And probably more as they were all adult onset and a couple weren't diagnosed until they were elderly.  I had some symptoms for 15 years before diagnosis.  

No question but its caused by a hyperactive immune system, not some environmental factor or "bug".  I've got a number of oddball allergies and for some drugs - like cortisone and Remicade quickly develop a reaction that kills their effect after one use.

Any theories about diet are pretty dubious in my opinion.  I know of health food nuts and vegans with Crohn's and no diet causes have come out of any epidemiological studies that I know of.  I suspect both diet and germ theories are going to end up in the same dustbin of history as the psychological theory and that the supposed increase in IBD is due to better diagnosis.  

But we'll see.


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## wildbill_52280

JMC said:


> There is another possibility.  Due to a genetic fault (NOD2 mutation) we have difficulty clearing certain bacteria and therefore have needed to resort to antibiotics more frequently. In that case, use of antibiotics is not the cause of the problem but the result of another underlying issue.


but nod2 mutations cannot predict who gets crohn's with 100% accuracy, there are many healthy people with these mutations walking around just fine.


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## Perthcronie

I think it's food colourings dyes msg etc in the diet. I was diagnosed at age 17 after 3 years of misdiagnosis. I am the first in my family to have crohns and the first to have not been brought up on food that went straight from the farm or vege garden to my plate! The cleaner less processed food I eat the better my disease is. Although stress may also be a factor - parents divorced at 5. Although my 2 siblings went through the same things and they don't have it!


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## Lady Organic

there is definately the genetic predisposition, yet in order to express itself in overt disease, environnemental factors must be present. I believe that a combination of environnemental factor can contribute and weaken the immunity, leading to expression of disease, and I also belive in the hypothesis of transgenerational passation of environnemental factors and that the process of disease expression could start as early as when we are a foetus in the womb. we could be vulnerable to antagonists agents (environnemental factors) lived or digested by the mother, and that could impact on the future life of the new born.  Whether in the womb or when an infant, food habits with transformed foods and intoxicated food with pesticides and GMOs, body application of ''hygiene'' or perfume products with chemical agents, Western diet extremly poor in protective food such as fiber and vegetables, super hygienic conditions of western world, possibly antibiotics overuse which are known to destroy and disrupt natural gut bacteria, stress and anxiety, possibly some fillers of and or vaccines given in infancy and through life may all be potential environnemental factor that disrupt our immune and natural defence system that therefore may encourage the expression of disease genetic predispositions. They are all potential fuel to the bad seeds. 

it is well known that migrating people from developping countries when they arrive to Western countries go on to develop similar rates of chronic inflammatory diseases and cancers like Westerners. Some cities in the developping world are going through recent major increase of inflammatory disease cases, including IBD. I believe  that the change from based sctrach home cook meals to increased industrial grocery shopping, mimicking Western food habits, is the main contributor to this phenomenon. The gut flora becomes disrupted and so does immunity. I belive that in the majority of inflammatory chronic disease cases, the most destructive agent is bad diet with minimal protective food and when combined with other antagonists, risks of disease expression become even stronger.

I for one, overused of bad transformed food and barely ate vegetables when i was young and for over 30 years. Being very slim, all my friends thought I was so lucky to be able to eat so much junk without gaining weight. At Mcdonalds i could often easily eat 20 Mc nuggests dipped in sauce, a big french fries and coke. isnt that what they call a ''HAPPY MEAL'' ??? :ybatty: The words ''happy'' and McDonalds in the same sentence and advertizement for junk food should be prohibited by law because this brainwashes the kids!!!  I know its a utopia, but I am optimistic junk food advertizement will be banned in medium term future, just like cigarette was 20 years ago. Eating bad food...Happy and Lucky i thought I was too... I felt happy and not concerned at all with bad possible future outcomes as I was in good health until 22 and most importanly happy being slim, so why change? I also have the tendency to be a easily stressed and anxious person since young age. I belive that these variables were a perfect field to disease expression in my case. Now that I am aware of that, I do what I can to change this lifestyle and to hopefully protect my future with the means I have. I am happy to engage in something for my health, I feel responsible for it and happy about it, never want to return to my previous lifestyle.


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## Moriati

Birth control, I think. The pill has been linked to Crohn's.


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## StarGirrrrl

Moriati i'm really interested in that theory. I've never heard of birth control being linked to causing IBD.

Are there any study papers or reputable research you can point me in the direction of?


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## guest20

Not sure exactly what I have at the moment only that a gp I was under about a month before my collapse and waking with the distention looked at me worryingly and warned me to take care of my stomach.I think maybe some soluble pain meds at the time or a council gas fire in the place I lived then may have triggered it.


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## DEmberton

I was 23 and in my first real job after university. I lived in a basement flat which was quite damp; I've always wondered if that was a factor as my general health did improve when I left.

Stress and anxiety may have been factors, but at that stage of my life things seemed to be going quite well, so I doubt it. And perhaps my diet changed around then, but I've never been one for junk food and always ate fairly sensibly. I do remember that I ate baked potatoes quite often, which is something that I realised over the years made my stomach issues worse and so avoided potatoes in general. Perhaps I always had some minor intolerance that became something worse.

No-one in my family has had IBD (though my grandfather did have a duodenal ulcer and I lost a cousin to stomach cancer). My brother is the one who smokes, but I got Crohns, and we grew up together, eating the same food, in the same environment and obviously are as genetically close as can be.

I was apparently quite ill at 2 years old. I may have had antibioctics back then, but I know the next time was when I was 43.

So who knows?


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## wildbill_52280

I believe it will be a combination of factors, vitamin d deficiency, lack of dietary fiber, antibiotics exposure, artificial sweeteners. neither one alone will be sufficient except perhaps antibiotics. 

For me I had all 4 combined and yep my crohn's is extremely severe. The type of antibiotic also seems to matter and ive been exposed to the two antibiotics linked to IBD, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid(augmentin) and doxycycline. If i only had foreknowledge i would've been able to escape it completely, instead I seemed to do everything i could to put myself in harms way.


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## LodgeLady

For me I think my immunodeficiencies are to blame.


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## Moriati

StarGirrrrl said:


> Moriati i'm really interested in that theory. I've never heard of birth control being linked to causing IBD.
> 
> Are there any study papers or reputable research you can point me in the direction of?



I'm not sure if it's a 100% thoroughly proven theory, but here's one paper I found: http://gut.bmj.com/content/46/1/140.1.full

We really can have no idea as to what caused our disease until they figure it out more.


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## Pilgrim

My daughter was diagnosed at 3. In retrospect there were symptoms much earlier. The first foul BM with blood I noted within a few weeks after she received a Rotovirus vaccine. She was 2 months old and breastfed only.

So for her, it wasn't food, or environment, she's our 6th child of 7 and non of the others are sick. 

I lean toward a combo of genetic predisposition, and perhaps a trigger from the Rotovirus vaccine.


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## my little penguin

Ds was 7 at dx had Gi issues since he was two weeks old.
Gene studied showed lots of crohns genes 
So for him genetics all the way .


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## LodgeLady

Moriati said:


> I'm not sure if it's a 100% thoroughly proven theory, but here's one paper I found: http://gut.bmj.com/content/46/1/140.1.full
> 
> We really can have no idea as to what caused our disease until they figure it out more.


Very interesting thanks. I would think we would see a much higher incidence in women then men but it seems it affects both equally. 

My diagnoss is very late onset ( at 50 yo). I wonder what triggers account for early vs. late diagnosis.


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## CAM477

I have crohns & my 14year old son was diagnosed 3 years ago... pretty much in the same places as me... I seem to think genes have something to do with it, but was then also told it was the low immunity I passed on to him... ??? My mum's mum died from bowel cancer, being so long ago was (undiagnosed) crohns the beginning??? I dont think a colonoscopy was even invented, so getting tested would have been hard..
I guess with modern medicine now they may be able to work out what starts it.. for the sake of my son & even his kids I hope they do..


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## aideen33

I suspect genetics. We have what my sister and i affectionately call "weird guts" in our family. She has IBS, my mother had all manner of undx'ed and dx'ed GI issues tho never IBD... My Dad took the cake by shocking the ulcer study people years ago. They told him they needed to do an endoscopy to determine which of the three types of ulcers he had as they only were studying one type and were baffled when he looked at them and said go ahead but i can tell you i do, i have all three types. Theyd never encountered someone with gastric, peptic AND duodenal ulcers. Then my niece took the prize away by being born with her guts on the outside (literally, she had gastroschisis). We all just have weird guts so i figure my weird guts manifested as Crohns and an adult pyloric stenosis dx that baffled the poor doc and nurses. (plus my immune system is weird, hence the severe asthma)


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## DEmberton

I wonder has anyone ever studied the family connections of Crohns with respect to mothers vs. fathers? If it's purely genetic then you'd expect the family connection to be 50/50 from your father's side or mother's side, but if it's more from the mother than that suggests it might be to do with what goes on in the womb. It stands to reason that those initial 9 months of life has a huge impact on your long term health.


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## 7vNH

Pilgrim said:


> My daughter was diagnosed at 3. In retrospect there were symptoms much earlier. The first foul BM with blood I noted within a few weeks after she received a Rotovirus vaccine. She was 2 months old and breastfed only.
> 
> So for her, it wasn't food, or environment, she's our 6th child of 7 and non of the others are sick.
> 
> I lean toward a combo of genetic predisposition, and perhaps a trigger from the Rotovirus vaccine.


I wonder if Rotovirus vaccine has an effect on the gut microbiome.  I sort of doubt it, but wonder if it's been tested.

Yours is a great case study.  Your kids had no differences in antibiotics administered?  No C-sections?  All breast fed (that's super healthy for development of the microbiome).  I would be interested in seeing PCR of all your kids' gut microbiome.  Do you know about american gut project?


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## idlebrain

Interesting thread. Before I stumbled upon this one, I was thinking of starting one on same lines.

My theory is also related to ibuprofen. I had severe backache a few years ago from physical activity at work that I am not accustomed to. Saw a doctor whose best advice after $50 copay every week was to keep taking advil. I did that for 2-3 weeks popping 6-8 advils a day. Knowing ibuprofen is a no-no for intestinal issues, am inclined to believe that it served as a catalyst along with other environmental and biological factors.

While we are on this topic, I will throw in another theory. Ate chinese food almost every week day for a couple of years when I first started to work. I know none of this exactly caused Crohns but could have prepped me just enough to contract this


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## baistuff

No GI problems for 31 year. Never a symptom or issue. Rarely took NSAIDs or antibiotics or any other med at all. never smoked, rarely drank. No allergies, no health problems, no family history of any GI issue. Took a Zpack for a really bad bronchitis and a few weeks later all the fun started.  Granted, I wasn't sleeping much as I was in residency at the time, but I can think of a million others who were sleep deprived and took an antibiotic who did fine. 

I have a host defect- genetic, that at the right time (early/middle adulthood) in the right setting (recent URI, sleep deprivation) and with the right trigger (antibiotic) got it all going.  

But just like anything else in medicine (heart attack, stroke, cancers) there can be various triggers and causes. Everyone is different.


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## Pilgrim

7vNH said:


> I wonder if Rotovirus vaccine has an effect on the gut microbiome.  I sort of doubt it, but wonder if it's been tested.
> 
> Yours is a great case study.  Your kids had no differences in antibiotics administered?  No C-sections?  All breast fed (that's super healthy for development of the microbiome).  I would be interested in seeing PCR of all your kids' gut microbiome.  Do you know about american gut project?


I'm curious too. One c-section (not her, she was the 11lb vbac after the kid who was the section), two of the children have had more antibiotics (again not her, at least not until they started treating the Crohn's symptoms right before diagnosis). She was the only one who had the Rotovirus dose, and she only had one of the two doses she was supposed to have as I got freaked out with the BM after the first dose.

I'll look up the american gut project, never heard of it.


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## CrohnsLifer

First I am not at all sure that all things labelled Crohn's Disease are the same thing. I suspect when all is said and done that there will be several illness strains that are currently conflated into one by similarity of outward expression.

I do accept the current notion that the immune system is involved in the condition but I would contend that it is responding to a stimulous active in the body, hence the very high rate of spontaneous Crohn's remissions when the TB cure is administered. TB is not the only pathogen lurking in our bodies - the chicken pox virus that lives within many of us and manifests itself as shingles is an example of a known internalized stimulus, but could also prove to be the stimulus causing some folks Crohn's symptoms.

Just as the Heliobacter pylori turned out to be the cause of many peptic ulcers, I believe we will ultimately conclude that the majority of Crohn's expressions are our immune system's response to an active internalized stimuli like TB, the varicella-zoster virus that causes chicken pox , or the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores and so on. And of course it has a genetic "predisposition" element, it must be so or we wouldn't have it - just like we are genetically predisposed to have TB, etc.


----------



## lbligh

Well expressed, CrohnsLifer.


----------



## DEmberton

CrohnsLifer said:


> I do accept the current notion that the immune system is involved in the condition but I would contend that it is responding to a stimulous active in the body, hence the very high rate of spontaneous Crohn's remissions when the TB cure is administered. TB is not the only pathogen lurking in our bodies - the chicken pox virus that lives within many of us and manifests itself as shingles is an example of a known internalized stimulus, but could also prove to be the stimulus causing some folks Crohn's symptoms.


That's very interesting. As I mentioned above I first had symptoms when I was living in a damp basement flat, and TB is typically associated with people living or working in damp conditions.

Put "TB Crohns" into Google, and the things that come up are about differentiating intestinal TB from Crohns as it seems the symptoms are very similar, which makes you wonder if some people with Crohns are actually misdiagnosed and have TB.


----------



## CrohnsLifer

DEmberton said:


> makes you wonder if some people with Crohns are actually misdiagnosed and have TB.


Thanks for your observation.

You are right, mixing the two up apparently happens frequently in regions of world were TB is still common. 

But a significant percentage of the world's human population has latent TB (controlled supposedly by the immune system) but lying sort of in detention in an individual's body. It is the body's over response to this "inactive" TB's stimulation and that of other silent lurkers which I suspect is the source of many folk's Crohn's symptoms. Unfortunately I have been unable to find any evidence, other than the TB cure, mentioned above, that researchers pursuing this possibility.


----------



## my little penguin

Keep in mind 
Most individuals with crohns are tested for latent tb prior to starting any biologics 
So this rules out tb for those folks


----------



## CrohnsLifer

my little penguin said:


> Keep in mind
> Most individuals with crohns are tested for latent tb prior to starting any biologics
> So this rules out tb for those folks


Good point.

Unfortunately, most of us were\are tested and treated only in anticipation of biologics treatment not as a general rule. Also it only rules them out after they are tested and treated not before. 

Perhaps we should test and treat all TB positive showing Crohn's patients whether they are ready to try biologics or not. According to the data, this is likely to help a lot of folks.

Also, as mentioned, there are many lurkers besides TB that may be the culprits in other cases.


----------



## baistuff

A good way to potentially kill someone with TB is to give them steroids. Considering the number of people with IBD who have gotten long term steroids and the fact that is really has never caused a latent or smoldering case of TB to emerge really blows that ridiculous theory out of the water.

I don't think anyone doubts their is a bacterial/infectious element to IBD.  But is someone with upper small bowel disease and a fistula the same as someone with mild rectal inflammation? Hardly.  

Some people get lung cancer because of smoking, exposure to asbestos or other products. Others get lung cancer having never had any exposure.  To those looking for 1 exact cause of all cases of IBD, forget it. don't hold your breath.  

Even garden variety things like hypertension can be caused by too much salt intake, poor kidney function, obesity, family history, loss of elasticity of vessels, medications, heart problems, age, thyroid or adrnenal condidions.  If something as simple as high blood pressure can be caused by a dozen or so different processes, wouldn't it make sense that something as complex as IBD which interacts with the gut lining, bacteria, the immune system, enviorment (food)  would be at least as complex in its origin, maintenence and management? 

So please stop throwing unproven crap around that TB meds cure IBD or IBD is caused by TB.  And in our wonderful inner city hopsital here we have a ton of TB patients- I do not recall one having CD. I just had my annual PPD for my hospital work, It was perfectly normal. 

Enough of the TB talk. It's rubbish.


----------



## CrohnsLifer

baistuff said:


> So please stop throwing unproven crap around that TB meds cure IBD or IBD is caused by TB.  And in our wonderful inner city hopsital here we have a ton of TB patients- I do not recall one having CD. I just had my annual PPD for my hospital work, It was perfectly normal.
> 
> Enough of the TB talk. It's rubbish.


Before shooting from the hip you might do well to check the data. 

Perhaps you've heard of Google well give it a try before unleashing your prejudices. You might also benefit from reading and understanding posts before commenting on them. Are you aware that Crohn's disease and IBD are not synonyms?

etc.


----------



## baistuff

CrohnsLifer said:


> Before shooting from the hip you might do well to check the data.
> 
> Perhaps you've heard of Google well give it a try before unleashing your prejudices. You might also benefit from reading and understanding posts before commenting on them. Are you aware that Crohn's disease and IBD are not synonyms?
> 
> etc.



15 years of practicing medicine in one of largest US hospitals, 12 years of Crohn's disease myself, attending IBD conferences, contacts with some of the most respected researchers in the business whom I am in regular contact with. But yeah, I'm just "shooting from the hip."

But no, I guess you are right. You solved the nearly 100 year debate by reading google.  Congrats on finding the cause and cure of IBD. 

I was attacking the theory, it was not personal.  And in case you are not aware, crohns is a form of IBD. If my occasional use of the umbrella term to describe idiopathic inflammation of the GI tract doesn't meet with your approval, well, I don't give a damn. Just because UC, microscopic and LC (that's lymphocytic colitis- another term for collagenous coliltis) may be different histoligically and phenotypically from CD, does not mean they are not part of the same conversation. CD falls under IBD, and while certainly they have differences there are many similarities. 

Discussion about TB/MAP, E coli, H. Pylori etc... is all well and good, research on them is important. But NEVER come on a board of chronically ill, often desperate people and spout things like "the TB cure causes CD to go into remission." show me any peer reviewed controlled trial that have proven that. 

And BTW- never make things personal. It reflects poorly on you. 

Good luck to you. I hope your disease is well controlled and you can heal soon.


----------



## CrohnsLifer

baistuff said:


> 15 years of practicing medicine in one of largest US hospitals, 12 years of Crohn's disease myself, attending IBD conferences, contacts with some of the most respected researchers in the business whom I am in regular contact with. But yeah, I'm just "shooting from the hip."
> 
> But no, I guess you are right. You solved the nearly 100 year debate by reading google.  Congrats on finding the cause and cure of IBD.
> .


Gee, you still didn't read and understand the posts or check the facts.

Instead, you chose to passive aggressively claim butter wouldn't melt in your mouth, then try to put me and my opinion down by telling me  how great and more experienced you are than I could ever hope to be. Not nice and no way to refute a theory.

BTW, you don't need to use potty language to refute an theory and Crohn's disease and IBD are still not synonyms.

Don't take what I'm about to say personally, its based on my experience with classes of medical professionals not you in particular. I've been ill for a long time and in my Crohn's career I've encounter some really stellar individuals. Some who as it turned out actually saved my life and others who made it more liveable. And yet others, who, trading on the goodwill of the great, use that prestige to try to beat patients into submission to their prejudices, out dated methods and ideas.

I really do have hopes for you. I hope you take the time to read and understand my posts and if you still disagree take the time to marshal facts and ideas to produce a coherent theory of your own as to the causes and cures of Crohn's. I'd like to hear it.

FYI, I believe that the TB cure benefited me greatly even though it didn't cure my condition.


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## 2thFairy

CrohnsLifer said:


> ....hence the very high rate of spontaneous Crohn's remissions when the TB cure is administered.


Maybe I didn't see it posted already, but where do you get this information?


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## baistuff

CrohnsLifer said:


> Gee, you still didn't read and understand the posts or check the facts.
> 
> Instead, you chose to passive aggressively claim butter wouldn't melt in your mouth, then try to put me and my opinion down by telling me  how great and more experienced you are than I could ever hope to be. Not nice and no way to refute a theory.
> 
> BTW, you don't need to use potty language to refute an theory and Crohn's disease and IBD are still not synonyms.
> 
> Don't take what I'm about to say personally, its based on my experience with classes of medical professionals not you in particular. I've been ill for a long time and in my Crohn's career I've encounter some really stellar individuals. Some who as it turned out actually saved my life and others who made it more liveable. And yet others, who, trading on the goodwill of the great, use that prestige to try to beat patients into submission to their prejudices, out dated methods and ideas.
> 
> I really do have hopes for you. I hope you take the time to read and understand my posts and if you still disagree take the time to marshal facts and ideas to produce a coherent theory of your own as to the causes and cures of Crohn's. I'd like to hear it.
> 
> FYI, I believe that the TB cure benefited me greatly even though it didn't cure my condition.





Yup, I use my prestige to put patients in their place. Wow. you figured me out so easily and so quickly.  Yes, I'm so prejudiced about my medical practice. I will make sure to forward this to the holistic and alternative/compl. med folks I work with on a regular basis. They will sure to get a laugh out of it.  I'll make sure to go re-read the letters from all my patients over the years about how nasty and patronizing I am. I guess I have a lot to learn. Thank you for pointing out all my shortcomings. I'll try my best to work on that.


Now, can we return to the program in progress. I really don't get the hostililty. You made a claim that TB meds induce remission. I am calling you out on it, and as I have said on this forum many times, I will STRONGLY AND VOCALLY call out any unproven claims not based on established evidence.  I asked you to cite a peer reviewed published source for that comment. Instead I get insults.   So, I will try again. Please cite  a scientific study or peer reviewed source to backup your claim.  Why did I not hear about this at DDW last year?  I'm sure you were in Chicago as well with all the leaders in IBD research. I heard about QBECO, some interesting other SSI works, the gut microbiome, fecal transplants, then the usual biologic and other traditional stuff, new things related to the genomic side etc.... I don't recall anyone discussing TB meds.  So again, please, bring your sources.  Many folks here do not have science backgrounds, and take things posted here very seriously.  Since there are not many here who can verify accuracy, I feel it's justified to protect some vulnerable folks here from pie in the sky claims. 


And just FYI, I had a fecal transplant and have been med free, and mostly symptom free since. Do you see me coming on here calling FMT a "cure?" heck no.  I reported my own success, will update changes as they occur, but for now I'm nothing more than a data point, not even a statistic yet. More research will come in, data will be reviewed, analzyed and published, and then maybe we will be able to make some more general conclusions. Until then, my results are nothing more than an interesting anecdote.  And if I would claim otherwise, I would hope someone would call me out as well. 

BTW- I went back and looked at my prior posts- I see not a single offensive or non PG word. So I'm not sure where my "potty mouth" is.  But if there was a term you found offensive, my apologies. 

And for the last time, b/c this is a real waste of everyones' time, I DID NOT SAY CD IS A SYNONYM OF IBD. It's a FORM of IBD.  But, the other forms of IBD to share some similarities to CD, and sometimes in conversation the terms can overlap.


----------



## baistuff

2thFairy said:


> Maybe I didn't see it posted already, but where do you get this information?




Thank you. That statement about remissions either needs to be backed up or deleted.


----------



## CrohnsLifer

2thFairy said:


> Maybe I didn't see it posted already, but where do you get this information?


The info is available through Google. It's not difficult to get Remicade info but you really have to dig in order get study detail that includes Control Group info, then you have to check the same info for other drugs such as Imuran to get an idea of how control group remission rates compare.

Here's a summary of my findings. If you are interested, you can either refute or confirm them through Google or in this case the manufacturer of Remicade.

As a general rule, control group spontaneous remission rates of non-biologics Crohn's related drug studies run between 4% and 7%. (Google again)

In a brochure provided by the drug manufacturer provided when I was considering taking Remicade, it quoted a study in which the Remicade group remission rate was 53%, the spontaneous remission rate in the control group was 25%. Both groups according to my GI received the TB treatment. To me if you can put into remission 25% (perhaps -4% to -7% of the usual remission rates) of a Crohn's group with a free medication that's pretty significant. Presuming the study was valid.

And I was told that not only was the TB treatment free (in my area) it had relatively low side effects and was low risk.

In studies I have seen through Google, control group biologics remission rates have been as high as 35%.

I've looked around for the brochure but this all happened several years back and I haven't found it yet, if I do and it's not copyrighted I'll post a copy.


----------



## baistuff

Instead of preparing a lecture for my residents on polyarticular gout in the hospitlized patient, I've spent the last hour plus on the Natl. Library of Medicine/Pub med and contacting some folks much smarter than I am.  

I have found no study published linking TB treatment to inducing remission in CD.  One of my GI research friends wrote me back saying that there are some anecdotes floating around and some research about some anti-mycobacterial drugs in general potentially showing some benefit in CD but the data is really not supportive at this point, and most of the prior studies really didn't show much benefit, but did say more research on it could be productive.   He did say, and this is all over in the literature, that intestinal TB can and does mimic CD, so getting the correct diagnosis first is important.

So my take away is that it may be worth looking into, but there is really no validated data to hang your hat on. 

But of course, don't trust the big bad doctor. We just sit in the  back room with all the drug company execs while we toast our greatness and laugh at how we are hiding the truth and keeping everyone buying expensive drugs and squashing real cures. 

And for those who think TB meds have no side effects, INH causes increased liver enzymes in about 10% and significant drug induced hepatitis in about 1%- not that rare. Other TB meds have been known to cause renal failure, optic neuritis, and neuropathy.  And most of these effects are more common when used in combination and extended durations. 

Please everyone, be careful if you decide to follow this route.


----------



## CrohnsLifer

2thFairy said:


> Maybe I didn't see it posted already, but where do you get this information?


Here's a link you might try 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2721293/

The specialized language makes the article difficult to follow but if you take a look at "Figure 2" you'll at least get a summary of the findings. As with many things in these studies, the independent ones are often less cut and dried in their findings.

BTW, it was never my intention for folks to rush out and take the TB cure, just that it is something to consider as an option and should be discussed with your GI before proceeding.


----------



## Clash

Am I missing something? The figure 2 table is the comparison of humira to placebo. Placebo isn't the TB treatment. I'm not really certain where you are going with your theory. Those statistics are affected by patients that are primary or secondary non responders and those that possibly have refractory crohns. But since you can't start a biologic until you have tested negative for TB then it isn't possible for that table to show those with TB who had a response to the placebo or otherwise.


----------



## CrohnsLifer

Hey Clash

According to my GI everybody in these studies took the TB cure, then were placed in placebo (as a control group) vs biologics in this case Humira. So as I see it, the placebo group is responding to the TB cure since they were not treated for Crohn's. 

I am not a trained medical professional or researcher so it is entirely possible that I am reading this study incorrectly, I merely gave out so that those interested could review it for themselves. And if you Google hard enough, you will find that there are many more studies showing the same thing.


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## 2thFairy

You keep referring to "TB cure."  Which medication or combination of medications are you specifically talking about?  There is more than one.


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## 2thFairy

CrohnsLifer said:


> And if you Google hard enough, you will find that there are many more studies showing the same thing.


If you Google hard enough, you can find ANYTHING to support every argument known to man.


----------



## baistuff

"BTW, it was never my intention for folks to rush out and take the TB cure, just that it is something to consider as an option and should be discussed with your GI before proceeding."


This is a fair and reasonable statement.

 Though I don't necessarily agree with it, it is a lot different than making the statement "tb meds induce remission in crohns."   And I guarantee you no one, myself included will attack that kind of statement. 

Personally I'm not impressed with the study. In today's world remission is measured in mucosal healing which is not demonstrated.  I'm not fully discounting clinical remission or CDAI scores- tt is certainly possible some symptomatic relief is obtained from these meds- they are antibiotics after all, and it has been well established that antibiotics have a role in CD management.  It also has not been reproduced  so the incidental finding of a higher placebo effect (and BTW, it's not entirely clear whether they all were given TB meds first, but I'll assume they did) is actually not all that surprising if they received antibitoic. 

In short, is it worth a question to a GI? sure, no harm in asking. But I would not run in the streets screaming we are on the cusp of curing CD based on a nice, but really not surprising incidental finding in a 7 year old study that hasn't been reproduced.


----------



## CrohnsLifer

2thFairy said:


> You keep referring to "TB cure."  Which medication or combination of medications are you specifically talking about?  There is more than one.


The treatment I received was a 9 month course of isoniazid, because of absorption issues I opted for liquid rather than pill.

I was not one of the lucky ones to go into remission but I did benefit. A rectal fissure that had plagued me for years disappeared within weeks of beginning the treatment. Another (perhaps) subsequent relief has been a significant reduction in the frequency and severity of iritis attacks.


----------



## CrohnsLifer

baistuff said:


> "BTW, it was never my intention for folks to rush out and take the TB cure, just that it is something to consider as an option and should be discussed with your GI before proceeding."
> 
> This is a fair and reasonable statement...
> 
> In short, is it worth a question to a GI? sure, no harm in asking. But I would not run in the streets screaming we are on the cusp of curing CD based on a nice, but really not surprising incidental finding in a 7 year old study that hasn't been reproduced.


The question asked was "What's your theory on how you got Crohn's Disease?" not "Do you have a doctoral thesis on the genesis and cure of Crohn's disease".

And I stand by my theory!
At least as a working hypothesis.
Have you read any of the other posts?


----------



## baistuff

CrohnsLifer said:


> The question asked was "What's your theory on how you got Crohn's Disease?" not "Do you have a doctoral thesis on the genesis and cure of Crohn's disease".
> 
> And I stand by my theory!
> At least as a working hypothesis.
> Have you read any of the other posts?



You have every right to stand by it. I took issue with the statement "TB meds induce remission."  That's not a theory on how you got it. That's a statement on how to successfully treat this horrible disease, and at this point, because there is no evidence at all, it is not accurate, and can mislead a number of people on this board looking for evidence based answers. 

I'm glad we resolved that issue. 

There may be something to your theory, there may not be. I have no itention to debate how you think you got your disease.


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## CrohnsLifer

baistuff said:


> I took issue with the statement "TB meds induce remission."


At the risk of beating a dead horse here's my entire initial post -

"First I am not at all sure that all things labelled Crohn's Disease are the same thing. I suspect when all is said and done that there will be several illness strains that are currently conflated into one by similarity of outward expression.

I do accept the current notion that the immune system is involved in the condition but I would contend that it is responding to a stimulous active in the body, hence the very high rate of spontaneous Crohn's remissions when the TB cure is administered. TB is not the only pathogen lurking in our bodies - the chicken pox virus that lives within many of us and manifests itself as shingles is an example of a known internalized stimulus, but could also prove to be the stimulus causing some folks Crohn's symptoms.

Just as the Heliobacter pylori turned out to be the cause of many peptic ulcers, I believe we will ultimately conclude that the majority of Crohn's expressions are our immune system's response to an active internalized stimuli like TB, the varicella-zoster virus that causes chicken pox , or the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores and so on. And of course it has a genetic "predisposition" element, it must be so or we wouldn't have it - just like we are genetically predisposed to have TB, etc."

Now what in that did you take issue with?


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## mf15

These may be of interest to some in this thread.
Old Mike
http://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(14)01434-9/fulltext#tblfn0025

http://www.pulsus.com/cddw2010/abs/114.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18070971

Thiopurine drugs azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine inhibit Mycobacterium paratuberculosis growth in vitro.

Shin SJ1, Collins MT.



Author information 




Erratum in
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2008 Mar;52(3):1208. 

Abstract

The in vitro susceptibility of human- and bovine-origin Mycobacterium paratuberculosis to the thioupurine drugs 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and azathioprine (AZA) was established using conventional plate counting methods and the MGIT 960 ParaTB culture system. Both 6-MP and AZA had antibacterial activity against M. paratuberculosis; isolates from Crohn's disease patients tended to be more susceptible than were bovine-origin isolates. Isolates of Mycobacterium avium, used as controls, were generally resistant to both AZA and 6-MP, even at high concentrations (> or =64.0 microg/ml). Among rapidly growing mycobacteria, Mycobacterium phlei was susceptible to 6-MP and AZA whereas Mycobacterium smegmatis strains were not. AZA and 6-MP limited the growth of, but did not kill, M. paratuberculosis in a dose-dependent manner. Anti-inflammatory drugs in the sulfonamide family (sulfapyridine, sulfasalazine, and 5-aminosalycilic acid [mesalamine]) had little or no antibacterial activity against M. paratuberculosis. The conventional antibiotics azithromycin and ciprofloxacin, used as control drugs, were bactericidal for M. paratuberculosis, exerting their killing effects on the organism relatively quickly. Simultaneous exposure of M. paratuberculosis to 6-MP and ciprofloxacin resulted in significantly higher CFU than use of ciprofloxacin alone. These data may partially explain the paradoxical response of Crohn's disease patients infected with M. paratuberculosis to treatment with immunosuppressive thiopurine drugs, i.e., they do not worsen with anti-inflammatory treatment as would be expected with a microbiological etiologic pathogen. These findings also should influence the design of therapeutic trials to evaluate antibiotic treatments of Crohn's disease: AZA drugs may confound interpretation of data on therapeutic responses for both antibiotic-treated and control groups


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## DrewP

I think stress had a lot to do with mine.  I started getting really bad symptoms just after my father passed away from mesothelioma,  But I also think that the parasite I had in my intestines a few years before might have had something to do with it because after that my gut never felt the same.


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## sue2003

Me too. I think stress was a major factor in causing my Crohns. My first dymptoms started with my residency in a children's hospital with excess both physical and psychological stress. Another major flare was during the first master exams. My f irst intestinal obstruction was during doctorate degree exams and was the reason of my diagnosis at 2003.


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## gracestrong

My mother has Multiple Sclerosis and Grave's Disease ( Removed her thyroid ).  Both are auto-immune so I have the genetics.

It triggered my senior year of high school when my mom's disease took a nose dive from then through my freshman year.  That followed by a really stressful second year of college kind of cemented it.  Spent almost the next decade thinking I was just one of those people who pooped when they were stressed or ate something weird.

Turns out it was Crohn's.  So genetics triggered by extreme stress events is my guess.


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## Dekar

Crohns is a fungal infection due to death of good gut bacteria by antibiotics, NSAIDS, accutane, or other bacteria-killing subtances.


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## Firebrand

I think I picked up a bacteria swimming in a lake.  Trouble started after that.


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## Bob from Midwest

I have lived at least the last 28 of my 36 years in some combination of worry or anger.  I feel that stress has caused the progression of my disease.


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## my little penguin

Genetics for DS all the way
Did 23&me study
He has tons of genes for crohns
He started to show signs at two weeks old and was dx at age 7.
Definitely genetics in his case


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## frank246

When I was 29, my wife and I bought a house that happened to have underground streams. The problem was essentially unsolvable so this gave me a lot of stress. On top of it, it caused cesspool backups and cleaning these up continually exposed me to all sorts of bacteria. But notice that 29 is a typical age for Crohn's to blossom. So these contemporary factors might have been mere coincidence.

On the other hand, my worse and ongoing flare came when I severely sprained my ankle and took long term daily doses of NSAIDS. I know -- I repeat, KNOW -- this caused the flare. This was no mere coincidence. Now I know better and won't go near NSAIDS.


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## Miss Underestimated

*no title*

this topic seems to have gone dormant. I have the gene - family members have Crohn's. I have the kind of genetic mutation that requires a trigger, and my trigger was food poisoning. I had lunch with 2 friends, who got mildly sick afterwards. I got very sick, and it just didn't go away. My doctor finally isolated the bacteria that caused the food poisoning, and gave me the appropriate antibiotic, and I got better. 

Then it seemed to come back. I convinced the doc to give me the antibiotic again, and again it cleared up. After several go-rounds with the antibiotics, my doctor didn't want to give them to me any longer. He did a gazillion tests - but he couldn't figure out what was wrong. Finally he tried to send me to a psychiatrist. After numerous similar situations over the years, where doctors (and family members) insisted it was in my head, I just decided I had to deal with it.

When it got bad, I went to a doctor I didn't know and convinced him/her to give me Cipro, because that was what it responded to. I figured out what I could and couldn't eat, took vitamins, and managed. I figure it would kill me one day, and then they'd find out what it was. It almost did.

Although this is not the "story" section, I'll finish the story. In 2008 I got terrible stomach pains, and nothing stopped them. I couldn't eat at all, and started vomiting some nasty stuff. I had an emergency laparotomy, and the surgeon removed part of my small intestine and some other stuff. I had a perforated colon, peritonitis, and sepsis. They weren't sure I would make it because of the sepsis, but I did. 

I've been in remission for 2 years now on Humira. I eat whatever I want. Life is good.


----------



## Grumpy

Interesting question that I think we've all asked ourselves but requires a certain amount of brutal honesty.

I was 18 and thought I was immortal.  I didn't live in very hygienic places. I liked enjoying myself.  I drank. I smoked. I took recreational drugs. I didn't sleep alot.  I lost.

So I lived with that for many years as the explanation.

Many, many years later my mum said, "Well, I don't know where this Crohns came from, there's nothing on my side of the family and on your dad's side there's only his mum who had Ulcerative Colitis...." :angry-banghead:

This information came after I had already propagated my skanky DNA and, now I have teens who are about to be 18 and I have to try and get them to look after themselves and try not to be 18 too much.


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## marmalade22

I think mine was caused by genetics, stress and a dodgy chicken sandwich. I used to have a bowel of steel! Perfect regular bm! It wasn't until I got gastro in 2014 that I started to get sick and although after a week of gastro I got slightly better, little did I know it was the beginning of a 2 month decline in which I ended up in hospital.

At the time I got sick i had also lost my grandmother to bowel cancer 2 months previously, graduated from uni and was working two jobs, so i was very stressed and run down.

On the genetics side, we suspect my grandmother had undiagnosed Ibd. My grandfather on the other side also passed due to bowel cancer. My sister is lactose intolerant and has ibs and my mother has two other autoimmune diseases not associated to the bowel. So I guess I'm from a family with dodgy bowels and immune systems!


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## IrishCrohnee

1. Quitting Smoking then wheatgrass for cleansing
2. Anxiety/Panic Attacks
3. Stress at home
4. Bacterial / Yeast imbalance 
5. Good diet strict / poor diet (not balanced, always very good or very bad)
6. Took adult acne cream sparingly for 3 months. Could be irrelevant dunno.
7. Rule out ibroprofen/antibiotics as i rarely needed either
8. No known hereditary link as of now
9. Believe i remember first issue being after taking wheatgrass a few times to detox after quitting smoking. Could be linked , maybe, maybe not.


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## Zora11

Mine may have been a combination of 2 things. First, I was hiking in the Alps with some friends and I didn't take enough bottled water. I had to drink from a stream. It was actually quite pure water but something didn't agree with me because I became very ill several hours later with issues at "both ends". I don't remember much of the rest of the trip. I came back to the States and got some 
Cipro at the doc and that took care of it. That was in October 2006. In April of 2008, my step-daughter moved back in for awhile. She contracted Strep Throat and it turned into full-blown tonsillitis. She had her tonsils removed at age 25. She did well. I developed an upper sinus infection that ended up turning into or was conjoined with Strep Throat. So I went on 850mg of Augmentin twice a day. I was never the same after that. For over a year my abdomen distended whenever I ate and I could usually be found on the toilet if I could be found nowhere else. One doc affirmed it wasn't C-Diff. My Primary Care doctor didn't wish to speak about it when I brought it up. She looked at me like I was crazy and I thought that if she didn't care then I shouldn't either. I am much more assertive these days. My hubby became ill and I took care of him over the next few years and only in early 2013 did I start noticing new abdominal pain and great fatigue. I was so tired one day that I just sobbed at my desk at work. I had no pain at that time. I even lost 10 pounds in less than two weeks but then gained it back. Finally, I could stand the pain no more and went to the ER in August 2013. The estimated time for active disease according to the doctor was 5 - 7 years at least. That would correspond to either one of those events. I now state that I have an allergy to Augmentin. If anyone takes Augmentin and starts having very watery stools or worse, please STOP it immediately and notify your doc. I really think that is what did it for me.


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## joss8

I have no idea, but if I had to throw an idea out, I would probably say a combination of having far too much fun at university, and eating too much fast food. 

When I started uni I weighed 15 stone, but when I graduated it was 18. 2 months later when I was diagnosed it was 15 again, so maybe my body just thought I needed to lose some weight. In an unusual turn of events, my crohns helped me be better at sport as I lost weight so quickly that, once my first flare finished and i had some energy back, my agility and speed went through the roof. Silver linings I suppose


----------



## JaimeM

I got food poisoning in college, I've had problems since then. But I was also on antibiotics a lot as a kid. So that could have something to do with it.. I have an uncle with UC or Crohns or some IBD I'm not actually sure.


----------



## Pug Gamer

Mine was definitely stress! I had a job I loved, got wind of the company going down the pan and that week a family member had a accident and nearly died. Also found out he had cancer. I started having symptoms right then, I was 21. Then made redundant days before my birthday and my partner was made redundant 2 weeks later! Then had a whole world of stress from money worries and no jobs in area, jobcentre stopping money all the time. Feeling so worthless and not affording to eat most of the time was the final nail in the coffin.


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## Ian_H

I think for me it is a combination of environment, stress and genetics.


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## scottsma

A bad case of food poisoning on holiday in Scotland in 2000 (Mussels ?) and an even worse bout in 2002 in Australia.Also complications after a hysterectomy twenty years ago,but that's a maybe.......Dx'd in 2006.


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## smt

One reads this thread and is amazed. Many people are blaming it on *perceived* stress/a bug/the like, but we have not used a control. My guess is that if one picks 100 random healthy individuals, most will complain of stress/bug at some point in their life. In that sense, this group is not much different from controls. What is undeniable, though, is genetics. Since Crohn's is a rare condition, it is quite clear that genetics is the culprit. The most that can be said for stress is that it is a moderator.


----------



## Ian_H

smt said:


> One reads this thread and is amazed. Many people are blaming it on *perceived* stress/a bug/the like, but we have not used a control. My guess is that if one picks 100 random healthy individuals, most will complain of stress/bug at some point in their life. In that sense, this group is not much different from controls. What is undeniable, though, is genetics. Since Crohn's is a rare condition, it is quite clear that genetics is the culprit. The most that can be said for stress is that it is a moderator.


Agree Genetics is a major factor!


----------



## Eridon2002

Genetics definitely contribute, but there is something going on in our environment. Our genes haven't changed from 100 years ago(unless you count epigenetics which is caused by enviroment) but the incidence of IBD has skyrocketed in recent years. Our environment has changed drastically with engineered food, pesticides, processed food and liberal use of antibiotics.
For me, I never had any bowel problems. Although my Mom and sister have IBS. I think mine was multi-factorial. Take underlying genetic predisposition, add extreme stress from a break up, horrible eating habit(everything processed) and altering my microbiome with long term antibiotics and blamo Crohn's. As soon as I went off the antibiotics I landed in the hospital. At first they thought C Diff but later confirmed Crohn's. I'll be getting my 23&me results back in a few weeks and am curious to find some of my genetics background.


----------



## Lizzie

Dodgy genes in my family, dad had Crohns, but I got IBD within a year of his death and I think it was triggered not so much by the stress of losing him but because I ate like a pig to cope with my distress.  I put on two or three stones and I think my gut just couldn't cope with the overload of junk.


----------



## valb

I agree with the gene factor although I am the first in my family to be diagnosed but many family members have experienced many undiagnosed gut issues and pain.  My mom was convinced she had Crohns after I was diagnosed but she was cleared.  Our enviroment, food and habits are definitely major factors as well and I think illnesses bring on the flare ups.  For me I think being on many antibiotics as a kid being treated for Scarlet Fever ( like who has that these days) affected me for sure.  Everyone has different triggers and everyone has to be treated individually.  Hate this disease!!!!


----------



## 7vNH

smt said:


> One reads this thread and is amazed. Many people are blaming it on *perceived* stress/a bug/the like, but we have not used a control. My guess is that if one picks 100 random healthy individuals, most will complain of stress/bug at some point in their life. In that sense, this group is not much different from controls. What is undeniable, though, is genetics. Since Crohn's is a rare condition, it is quite clear that genetics is the culprit. The most that can be said for stress is that it is a moderator.


I agree and have the same reaction when I come back to this thread.

"How you got CD" might not be the best wording for the thread.  People seem to be answering the question "what do you think triggered your CD".  Then stress, poor eating, a GI bug, tobacco, drinking, a course of antibiotics, any and all of that stuff is known to change your gut microbiome.  If one is susceptible (genetics) and has a triggering event like those mentioned in this thread, then maybe (only maybe) does that person develop disease.  There is considerable acceptance of the idea that it takes something else besides genetic susceptibility and a triggering event.  That something else is an unknown pathogen or set of pathogens; it doesn't stop at your human genetics, but also the genetics of the gut microbiome that your body has settled upon.


----------



## Miss Underestimated

7vNH said:


> I agree and have the same reaction when I come back to this thread.
> 
> "How you got CD" might not be the best wording for the thread.  People seem to be answering the question "what do you think triggered your CD".  Then stress, poor eating, a GI bug, tobacco, drinking, a course of antibiotics, any and all of that stuff is known to change your gut microbiome.  If one is susceptible (genetics) and has a triggering event like those mentioned in this thread, then maybe (only maybe) does that person develop disease.  There is considerable acceptance of the idea that it takes something else besides genetic susceptibility and a triggering event.  That something else is an unknown pathogen or set of pathogens; it doesn't stop at your human genetics, but also the genetics of the gut microbiome that your body has settled upon.


So true.


----------



## Layla

I agree that this thread should have been called what _Triggered_ your IDB rather than _Cause_ it.

I've always had a "weak" tummy and can't remember not having D regularly but the first 2 big flares I had were both triggered by holidays in Mexico and Thailand respectively. Both time I got very sick while there, the D didn't stop for months on end after I returned and I lost a lot of weight, and after the second trip I was diagnosed with UC.

I have no idea however what has triggered the last couple of flares, they came on slowly, kind of crept up on me and I don't have the pain or the weight loss I did all those years ago.

I grew up eating mostly healthy food, no soda's or many sweets etc. I did have more than my fair share of antibiotics when young due to recurring ear infections but I don't remember a direct correlation to any stomach issues.


----------



## smt

This is a wonderful discussion that is on here.

However, some of you say that Crohn's prevalence has skyrocketed in the recent years, and also blame processed food. Seemingly there is a link between the two. But have you looked at the alternative explanation that diagnostics are much better now? In the same vain, some say that it is a rarer condition in countries like India. Can diagnostics account for that? 

In a real experiment, one would have to control for diagnostics and processed food simultaneously. In a society where processed food is available diagnostics is available. In real life such experiments are difficult.

Maybe one day a cure would be found, maybe not. More probably it would be imperfect, like much of life is. But there is no denying that the excellent people on fora such as this would not give in, and strive to get a better life. Our genetics might have dealt a blow to us, but we are fighting it out.


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## scottsma

Absolutely no known genetics in my family.I am the first to be dx'd with IBD,and then not until my mid fifties.I indicated that bad food poisoning MAY have been a trigger because it seems like the most obvious to me.


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## cdnrose

I was put on some medication to help control my rheumatoid arthritis and started having D almost right away. I lost about 10lb in 2 weeks so the Dr took me off it.  Since then I have had stomach issues, I think the meds triggered my CD. There doesn't seem to be anyone in my family that has any autoimmune diseases other than myself and I have 2!


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## smt

cdnrose said:


> I was put on some medication to help control my rheumatoid arthritis and started having D almost right away. I lost about 10lb in 2 weeks so the Dr took me off it.  Since then I have had stomach issues, I think the meds triggered my CD. There doesn't seem to be anyone in my family that has any autoimmune diseases other than myself and I have 2!


I appreciate contrary viewpoints. However, genetics is not an entity that can be manifest necessarily within the last one or two generations. Probably, there are environmental triggers such as stress as I had mentioned, but genetics is the main variable influencing the disease. The two main ideas resonating in this thread are genetics and environment. If you subtract these two from controls, you are left with genetics. I agree that the interaction of genetics with environment is interesting and needs to be studied.


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## fuzzy butterfly

Hi I am pretty sure mine was caused by a genetic component (my maternal aunt had it), and stress. I used to be a real stress head, slightest things would have me ripping my hair out. 
Since being diagnosed and suffering terribly till my surgery induced remission, I have done a complete turn round on the stress front. I have learned to not be stressed now, so much so I'm practically horizontal I'm that laid back about stuff, that used to send me round the bend. 
I also think that environmental issues  and processed foods may be connected. 
My mantra is don't stress the big s**t, don't stress the small s**t, coz it's all just s**t... All will be good, it too  will come to pass..


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## Christi

I dont know what triggerd my cd i just became very sick all of a sudden and i did not do anything different that i did in the past up untill now


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## duh panda

I have a vague idea. I try to avoid dwelling on the how. But there's some correlations that are hard to ignore. I think genetic combined with environmental triggers. My mom's side has some pretty unruly guts, no diagnosis's but can't be diagnosed when refusing to go to the doctor sooo... who knows. Chronic headaches my entire life which I took ibuprofen for, daily, for a decade. There was a cluster of high-disease rates in children in my neighborhood. We lived between valleys covered in vineyards. Water, pesticide run off, who knows. Regardless - multiple crohnies, several cases of UC, four on my street with various types of cancer over the years including colon cancer. That said, while I struggled with health, inflammation, and joint issues earlier I did not start having Crohn's symptoms until stress really began to lead my life in high school.

My theory? Some kind of domino effect. What those domino's are? I can't say, probably a differing combination for each of us.


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## sagette

I believe I have a genetic component that made me susceptible to Crohn's. I have several family members- maternal grandfather, two maternal aunts and a maternal uncle had/have ankylosing spondylitis. I had a paternal aunt who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.


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## hcrum87hc

I was diagnosed with "indeterminate colitis" for about 8 years before a stricture caused a blockage and sent me to the ER.  I had just started a new job 3 months before my hospital visit and was very stressed out, because I didn't feel that I was prepared for the job and they'd find out I was a fraud.  I'm sure that stress didn't help matters and probably had something to do with it.  However, I still have the same job now, and it's relatively stress free now that I've grown into it.


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## Archa004

Dominos pizza.
At least that's what I jokingly tell myself. I've heard that infections/food poisoning/etc. can trigger your first flare. It was February 2015, I was in the process of moving and eating dominos regularly until one night I had the worst case of food poisoning of my life. It lasted until my diagnosis in July 2015. 
It probably had a lot to do with stress from work and moving too, as I have no family history of any gut issues, but I still blame the pizza. #neveragain.


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## Miss Underestimated

Archa004 said:


> Dominos pizza.
> At least that's what I jokingly tell myself. I've heard that infections/food poisoning/etc. can trigger your first flare. It was February 2015, I was in the process of moving and eating dominos regularly until one night I had the worst case of food poisoning of my life. It lasted until my diagnosis in July 2015.
> It probably had a lot to do with stress from work and moving too, as I have no family history of any gut issues, but I still blame the pizza. #neveragain.


There is a test that can tell if you have the genetic mutation. The main mutation has to be "triggered" by something else. So people in your family could have the genetic mutation, but never had anything trigger it, so no one would ever think yours was genetic.


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## Archa004

Miss Underestimated said:


> There is a test that can tell if you have the genetic mutation. The main mutation has to be "triggered" by something else. So people in your family could have the genetic mutation, but never had anything trigger it, so no one would ever think yours was genetic.



I heard about that! I'm actually waiting to get the results back from a genetic test/IBD study so we'll see what they say. I'll be interesting to read the results either way.


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## Justanothercp

No idea. Honestly, I've never given it much thought. I work in the medical feild and see people with horrible disease and accidents all the time, and most are of unknown cause, so I just accept and try to move forward.


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## IronLen1972

I have a twin. He is fine, I won the Crohn's lotto. I have had the disease since my pre teens, roughly 30 years. It's interesting that we both were inseparable as kids. We ate the same, did everything together. Neither of us were anything close to what I would consider stressed. We ate very well, exercised and we're otherwise very healthy. I have wondered many nights as to causation. Hereditary inherited disease doesn't fit, I am the only family member to have it, in both trees three generations back. In the end, I believe the cause must be environmental or dietary and also incredibly innocuous. My 2c.


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## MissLeopard83

I haven't been diagnosed yet, but I am having a colonoscopy done 9 days from now.  I've always had a sensitive tummy.  I hate wearing anything tight around that area because it causes terrible discomfort.  I was diagnosed with PTSD in 1999, which caused depression and anxiety, stemming from losing a friend in a car crash.  I think this is the time that my Celiac disease began, as well.  I've read that psychological trauma can cause brain and body chemical reactions.  I had horrible symptoms - vomiting, nausea with hypersalivation, diarrhea (was often in unison with vomiting, which was horrible), and medical anorexia (I was hungry but couldn't keep anything down due to vomiting).  My PCP in 1999 suspected problems with my gallbladder as I reported symptoms similar to it and pain in the abdomen.  I recently had my gallbladder tested - by ultrasound and HIDA scan - and it was shown normal and working perfectly.  I suspect that, if I have IBD, it's been going on for about 17 years now, but just started getting worse this year due to stress of a full-time job.  I love my job, don't get me wrong, but it's the first time I've worked full-time in several years.  I went full-time for school and part-time work, but it doesn't quite compare.  It took quite a while to get used to the full-time schedule of M-F, 8:30-5.


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## lenny

It's beginning to feel strange to say that 2 of our kids have crohn's when one has been symptom and med free for over 10 years. We recently found out my husband's cousin has crohn's - was diagnosed as an adult over 40.

Our kids were diagnosed at 16 and 24.

We had some financial stress when our youngest was born and I often think it contributed to both of our kids getting sick.


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## Miss Underestimated

Personally, I think they say it's psychological - stress or otherwise - when they don't know. JMO


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## Ihurt

I have not been diagnosed, but have been having gut issues on and off for the last 5 years. I do have other health issues too. My thought is that it is an immune system malfunction that causes these types of diseases. The gut is the hub of the immune system and if something happens to disrupt the delicate ecosystem( microbiome) of the gut, then that leaves a person vulnerable to many disease states. Lots of things can cause a disruption in the gut flora ( antibiotic usage, Viruses, mold, lifestyle, diet choices, stress, etc..).


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## BqHM7z7Ks8sP

I think I got Crohns from mucho ibuprofen.


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## hauermich

My son had constant ear infections until his tonsils were removed at 3 years old. He was on antibiotics more times than I can count.    A pediatric gastro at CHOP told me there could be a link to excessive antibiotic use in children and Crohns.


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## Layla

hauermich said:


> My son had constant ear infections until his tonsils were removed at 3 years old. He was on antibiotics more times than I can count.    A pediatric gastro at CHOP told me there could be a link to excessive antibiotic use in children and Crohns.


That's interesting, never heard that before. I too had constant ear infections as a child and took loads of antibiotics over the years. Who knows, that might have been part of the cause too.


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## cytwombly

I blame bad diet as a child. Someone else mentioned reluctance to poo as i child and i had that too. I also had bad infections as a child and was on antibiotics. Stress is also a factor for sure. So many issues, but i think diet is the key factor.


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## hauermich

cytwombly said:


> I blame bad diet as a child. Someone else mentioned reluctance to poo as i child and i had that too. I also had bad infections as a child and was on antibiotics. Stress is also a factor for sure. So many issues, but i think diet is the key factor.



I hear so many people mention diet and I have to say my son was not the typical kid.  Sure he ate chicken nuggets and pizza but he also ate tons of fruit, veggies, salad, fish, etc.  He tried everything and ate things most kids wouldn't touch, lots of healthy things and he has Crohn' s.  My daughter who is almost 22 who never touches fruits or veggies exists on hot pockets, Totinos pizza rolls and Dunkin Donuts and she's fine.


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## linds08

Mary said:


> I think mine was stress related. I have severe anxiety especially about my health, and was having panick attacks everyday. Lost my brother years ago that really affected me. I am 41 so how come so late in life. When I read alot about people getting younger.


I lost my brother almost 15 years ago. I think the stress over these past years have brought on my Crohn's as well. I was only diagnosed yesterday Feb 7, 17. Thanks for sharing your story


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## tinytina

No its not strange. My belief thats in our dna. My aunt has Crohns and my Grandma had 
Coiltis.


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## dejavucandace

I have no single person in my family history with anything like this and I will for sure go along with the stress factor....I mean who doesn't have stress? But Im really leaning towards the NSAIDS.  I had whiplash a few times and when those things came out as over the counter is what like heaven for me. That and I fully suspect I have an overgrowth of candida that I have not been able to get under control for more than 5 years now.  My belly pain coincides with that time line.  Since I am 50 it seems very odd to be showing up now as Crohns. Its plain to see though that we are killing ourselves in this day and age!


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## ronroush7

dejavucandace said:


> I have no single person in my family history with anything like this and I will for sure go along with the stress factor....I mean who doesn't have stress? But Im really leaning towards the NSAIDS.  I had whiplash a few times and when those things came out as over the counter is what like heaven for me. That and I fully suspect I have an overgrowth of candida that I have not been able to get under control for more than 5 years now.  My belly pain coincides with that time line.  Since I am 50 it seems very odd to be showing up now as Crohns. Its plain to see though that we are killing ourselves in this day and age!


The only pain reliever my doctor will a!low me is Tylenol.  The others cause bleeding.


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## hauermich

Layla said:


> That's interesting, never heard that before. I too had constant ear infections as a child and took loads of antibiotics over the years. Who knows, that might have been part of the cause too.



http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/news/20120924/antibiotics-bowel-disease-risk-kids

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/777412


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## Ozboz

Have a read of this i tend to agree as i was an angry kid and in a lot of my school reports its says i had a lot of potential but couldn't pay attention properly in school and generally had learning difficulties then got diagnosed with UC 
http://www.glutenfreeschool.com/2014/10/07/signs-of-gluten-sensitivity/


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## danmc

Mary said:


> I think mine was stress related. I have severe anxiety especially about my health, and was having panick attacks everyday. Lost my brother years ago that really affected me. I am 41 so how come so late in life. When I read alot about people getting younger.


I was diagnosed at 50. Although I've had digestive issues all throughout my life, the Crohn's stuff didn't manifest until a year and a half ago.


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## skittle

I have no idea what caused mine.  I guess stress could be a factor as the last 5 years have been huge - my daughter was born with a rare skin condition which has been a huge learning curve. My mum has been battling stage 4 melanoma. My dad had a nervous breakdown. I have 3 children lol. I feel like I've dealt relatively well woth everything considering,  but maybe it's taken a bigger toll on my body than I thought. 
I stopped smoking for 4 years and stupidly started again 3 years ago.  That probably plays a big role too, but I'm really struggling to stop.


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## cmack

I smoked and made poor food choices. Bachelors don't tend to eat very well.LOL! Plus I worked around a lot of chemicals in the auto body shop. I think Glyphosate in our GMO foods killed a lot of good gut flora too and gave me leaky gut syndrome. Plus as a kid I had a lot of antibiotics and back then we never knew about probiotics to help replace what was killed off. The only one we knew about was acidophilus. Those are some of the things that I think triggered my first serious bout. After I became more educated and started making better choices I sure noticed a big difference.


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## Bufford

I had my first anal boil and steaks of blood in the toilet in my last year of high school at a private boarding school I was forced to attend for the last 3 years of school.  I would only see my family once a month throughout the school year.  This was back in the 1970's and the school was rough.  Stress was very high and we had to share toilets which is where I believe I got Crohn's from.  That and perhaps from sharing cigarettes and joints with others.  
I was very stressed out as a teenager, and once I got out of that school and got on with my life the blood in the toilet occurred more often, followed by the nasty painful anal abscesses of the 1980's.   The doctors didn't know what caused these and just stated that I would heal up since I was young.  These did not and I ended up on a colostomy and took early retirement.


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## Tuff

I had a lot of work related stress for a couple of years before I got sick. I've always cooked healthy food, no processed junk, so it wasn't my diet. I did like my Southern Comfort though. But if it was stress, how do little kids get Crohn's. Maybe the stress triggered whatever I already had. A virus, bacteria? I hope they find out, so that they can cure it, instead of bombarding us with all these chemicals.


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## eneg16

Took a lot of Advil in high school for shin splints in basketball, along with a lot of stress due to starting uni and getting a job I did not like all within a year. Those things combined with genetic predisposition (uncle and cousin have it) are why I believe I have it.


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## cmack

eneg16,

Hello my fellow Canadian. Welcome. you can talk to me any time.
We all stick together around here.

cmack


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## AliGilbreath

I had never had any bowel or stomach issues until I was 26 and I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth pulled. I was put under anesthesia for the procedure. Literally when I went home to recover, I've never been the same since. Thought it was the pain pills upsetting my stomach, thought it was C Diff from the penicillin I was given to prevent infection in my gums, it wasn't. A couple months later, the stomach pains and diarrhea wouldn't stop, I had a colonoscopy, and I was diagnosed with Crohns. I don't know if something went wrong in my body during or after the procedure, but I think it triggered my crohns. I wish I would have never gotten them removed, I always think, what if I never had them removed and I could be normal again.


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## Bufford

I often wonder if CD is transmitted by things such as improperly sterilized dental instruments and similar means.


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## mypurpose

My 9 year old is in the process of being diagnosed - my theory is the swimming pool where she was taking swimming lesson was infected with a bacteria that she probably ingested. 4 weeks into swimming lessons, she got sick.


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## danicali

I have UC, diagnosed last month. my theory is that my symptoms started following a stomach virus/food poisoning where I was very ill for three days.. I also had recently been eating loads of very hot curries, something I never did before, so i think the two combined triggered the flare and now I've got pretty bad UC that shows no sign of going into remission ... probably lied dormant in me for years as I've always had a dodgy stomach and been funny with milk all my life... so that's my theory x


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## Newhope123

I am sure I got it from medicines.i was having low grade fever an year back and few doctors would brush it off saying nothing and few would say yes I have fever. So was taking medicines for fever. I went under series of test it showed nothing I was admitted to hospital for 3 days. I was prescribed a full course of malaria , doxy for 2 months,  augmentine for one month. Since I had never taken medicines before I never knew that if after taking medicines I am having I have to report it to doctor. So went on taking them. After 1 month I started to have nausea, could not eat full meal. I am now diagnosed with IBD.
I wish I was warned for the side effects of medicines. I would have never taken it. I struggling to bring my gut to same level it was before. I am loosing hope now.


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## ronroush7

Newhope123 said:


> I am sure I got it from medicines.i was having low grade fever an year back and few doctors would brush it off saying nothing and few would say yes I have fever. So was taking medicines for fever. I went under series of test it showed nothing I was admitted to hospital for 3 days. I was prescribed a full course of malaria , doxy for 2 months,  augmentine for one month. Since I had never taken medicines before I never knew that if after taking medicines I am having I have to report it to doctor. So went on taking them. After 1 month I started to have nausea, could not eat full meal. I am now diagnosed with IBD.
> I wish I was warned for the side effects of medicines. I would have never taken it. I struggling to bring my gut to same level it was before. I am loosing hope now.


Don't lose hope.  You have a lot of support here.


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## jaj207

AliGilbreath said:


> I had never had any bowel or stomach issues until I was 26 and I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth pulled. I was put under anesthesia for the procedure. Literally when I went home to recover, I've never been the same since. Thought it was the pain pills upsetting my stomach, thought it was C Diff from the penicillin I was given to prevent infection in my gums, it wasn't. A couple months later, the stomach pains and diarrhea wouldn't stop, I had a colonoscopy, and I was diagnosed with Crohns. I don't know if something went wrong in my body during or after the procedure, but I think it triggered my crohns. I wish I would have never gotten them removed, I always think, what if I never had them removed and I could be normal again.


This exact situation happened to me. But I did get C Diff. Took 2 months to correct and my b.m. was never the same. I became very unpredictability sensitive to random foods. 

7 Years later I am now waiting for my colonoscopy date in 2 weeks bc I've spent the last 3 months with severe abdominal pain, gas, cramping and mucus in the stool. I regret that surgery too...


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## rorho19

I think a) genetic predisposition b) Naproxin for a bad back & C) stress loss of parents/ children leaving/ redundancy.


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## Deleted member 431298

Recent research seem to suggest that a bacterial infection is associated with Crohn's in some cases. Specifically the mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP).

- MAP also cause a similar diesase (Johne's disease) in cattle
- If has been established that a NOD2 (crohn's gene) variance cause problems handling mycobacterium-infections
- some patients respond very well to a specific anti-MAP antibiotic regime
- using recently developed diagnostics methods MAP is found 8 times more frequently in the blood of Crohn's patients than in controls

MAP is consistently found by researchers in milk products and cow's meat (the bacteria is widespread in dairy farms across the globe). If a cow gets sich with MAP it keeps delivering milk until it is so weak (weight loss, diarrhea) that it is no longer profitable. Then it is "culled" which means it is slaughtered, and the infected meat (including infected lymph notes) is sold as beef, minced meat etc.   

I recommend this lecture held by the canadian microbiologist prof. Marcel Behr from McGill university (independent research institute which is public funded) who presents some very interesting research that warrent the idea of Crohn's as an immunedefect and possible MAP infection. Search YouTube for "Crohn's autoimmune or infectious disease?"

Stomach ulcers is another disease that was considered to be caused by stress, and later found to be caused by bacteria.


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## HolisticHealing

Went to get acupuncture for Crohns last week. The doc told me in Chinese medicine, it is caused by a higher than normal blood temperature, usually (not always) brought on by underlying ANXIETY and STRESS!!!! He gave me Chinese herbs to calm anxiety and cool the blood. I have been feeling amazing since.


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## Tracy1968

I had a lot of asprin when I was younger took years for the doctors to realise I was allergic to penicillin even though my mum kept asking them if it was the penicillin but no they was right!!  my brother and sister never they are fine only one in my family with ibd ! You can't give asprin to under 12s now so?? That's where I think mine stemed from that and healthy eating!! Stupid salad


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## katiesue230

I think having my amalgam fillings removed was the cause of mine.  I had never had any type of issue.  In November of 2015, I began seeing a dentist bi-weekly and having each quadrant of my mouth "updated" with white resin fillings.  I had amalgam in each of my molars.  I believe I ingested some of this as it was being removed because January 2016 I ended up in the hospital having 4-5 ft of bowel removed and being diagnosed with Crohn's.  I have been back to the dentist but have left the top right portion of my fillings as amalgam because I'm afraid to have them removed at this point.  

Additionally, I had a mass growing in my intestines that I think was scar tissue.  I had visited ER after a 60+ lb dog jumped onto my stomach.  I was asleep on the couch and my children let him out of his crate.  He pounced me and at the time, ER treated me as if I was wasting time and never properly checked me.  I had a lump in that area from that day forward and it continued to get larger for six years.  They found it in Jan 2016 when I was diagnosed with Crohns and had the bowel resection.

I guess this is why I'm kind of in denial.  I don't believe I have Crohn's.  I think I have short bowel--just not 100% convinced I have Crohn's.


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## ronroush7

katiesue230 said:


> I think having my amalgam fillings removed was the cause of mine.  I had never had any type of issue.  In November of 2015, I began seeing a dentist bi-weekly and having each quadrant of my mouth "updated" with white resin fillings.  I had amalgam in each of my molars.  I believe I ingested some of this as it was being removed because January 2016 I ended up in the hospital having 4-5 ft of bowel removed and being diagnosed with Crohn's.  I have been back to the dentist but have left the top right portion of my fillings as amalgam because I'm afraid to have them removed at this point.
> 
> Additionally, I had a mass growing in my intestines that I think was scar tissue.  I had visited ER after a 60+ lb dog jumped onto my stomach.  I was asleep on the couch and my children let him out of his crate.  He pounced me and at the time, ER treated me as if I was wasting time and never properly checked me.  I had a lump in that area from that day forward and it continued to get larger for six years.  They found it in Jan 2016 when I was diagnosed with Crohns and had the bowel resection.
> 
> I guess this is why I'm kind of in denial.  I don't believe I have Crohn's.  I think I have short bowel--just not 100% convinced I have Crohn's.


Keep at your doctor until you are satisfied


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## Lintel

Stresss


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## raff

I know my story will look so weird but I believe it is true.

I was afraid to death of getting an STD after my condom broke.
So I went to a doctor and prescribed me two antibiotics and since then I started having symptoms.... nausea, cramps, then belly pain and a lot of things which led to a lot of stress and fear that led me to Crohn's.... I still can't forgive my self for the way I reacted to the situation and I'm only 22 and I'm only hating myself right now.


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## alicegrace

I was on antibiotics for two years for my acne when I was 13/14 and then BOOM. Suffered with mild IBS and conspipation then it blew up 5 years later into full scale inflammation and a 6 day hospital stay. Now I have Crohn's, I'm 19.


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## Jjoworries

alicegrace said:


> I was on antibiotics for two years for my acne when I was 13/14 and then BOOM. Suffered with mild IBS and conspipation then it blew up 5 years later into full scale inflammation and a 6 day hospital stay. Now I have Crohn's, I'm 19.


I have a similar story.  I had been on low grade antibiotics for rosacea for 2 years, and a few months after weaning off, all crohns symptoms started.  My diet was extremely healthy, but dud include grains at the time.


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## Jjoworries

HolisticHealing said:


> Went to get acupuncture for Crohns last week. The doc told me in Chinese medicine, it is caused by a higher than normal blood temperature, usually (not always) brought on by underlying ANXIETY and STRESS!!!! He gave me Chinese herbs to calm anxiety and cool the blood. I have been feeling amazing since.


I believe my Crohn's was brought on by anxiety and antibiotic use.  I often feel I get heated easily.  Would you mind sharing the names of the herbs?  I take some adaptigenic herbs like ashwaghanda, but I'd really like to research the Chinese ones.  Thank you!!!


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## JackG

Aren't there pretty advanced theories about Crohn's being caused by our fatty Western diet? That it doesn't appear nearly as often in the East?

I've also been researching the MAP virus theory here and other places. It suggests that cows milk has some kind of virus that causes Crohn's. Asked my youngish GI about it and he didn't recognize it at all.


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## fuzzy butterfly

Basicaly i dont think anyone knows what really causes it...genetics, diet,enviroment etc have all been thrown in the mix of possible cause. It may one of them or all of them. I had a maternal aunt with crohns, so it could be genetic for me but i dont know if it is, or just bloody unlucky. What ever causes it is still a bummer of a disease. We have to live with it, till a cure if possible comes along.
Meanwhile gotta keep on trucking i guess.


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## Jjoworries

JackG said:


> Aren't there pretty advanced theories about Crohn's being caused by our fatty Western diet? That it doesn't appear nearly as often in the East?
> 
> I've also been researching the MAP virus theory here and other places. It suggests that cows milk has some kind of virus that causes Crohn's. Asked my youngish GI about it and he didn't recognize it at all.


Maybe.  However, before getting Crohn's, I was vegetraian, then vegan for 23 years.  I make my own food, juice, ate lots of raw, ferment my own jun tea, etc.  I had not consumed dairy or fast food in at least 10 years when my Crohn's symptoms started.  I personally believe antibiotics, environmental pollutants, vaccines, and stress were what did it for me.


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## Deleted member 431298

Jjoworries said:


> Maybe.  However, before getting Crohn's, I was vegetraian, then vegan for 23 years.  I make my own food, juice, ate lots of raw, ferment my own jun tea, etc.  I had not consumed dairy or fast food in at least 10 years when my Crohn's symptoms started.  I personally believe antibiotics, environmental pollutants, vaccines, and stress were what did it for me.


Both observations do not exclude the hypothesis that this is caused by a mycobacteria infection (MAP). The increased prevalence in western countries would be explained by an increased presence of mycobacteria in our environment (soil, water, food) due to intense farming. 
Omnipresent sources of infection would also explain why a vegan can catch it. It happens when you are susceptible and ingest the bacteria - 
same as with peptic ulcers, where H.pylori is the bacteria involved. 

May I suggest a read through the Consensus from the Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP) Conference 2017

The consensus was written by researchers and clinicians who are experts in the field, after a conference on the MAP in 2017 in Philadelphia. They say:

_Using a standard definition of consensus, which is the majority opinion, the conference participants reached consensus on several issues relating to MAP. *A majority of the conferees (78%) at the Temple University MAP conference concluded that the accumulating information now strongly supports the theory that MAP is a zoonotic bacterium * [causing disease in humans, OEJ's comment] while 22% were uncertain whether MAP causes human disease. A majority of the conferees (72%) noted that MAP present in dairy products and meat causes disease in some humans and thus poses a public health threat while 28% were uncertain whether MAP is a public health risk_

Here the experts say that MAP causes disease in humans. We know that MAP causes a condition similar to Crohn's Disease in catte (Johnes disease). Putting these two together, we can conclude there is strong evidence that MAP causes Crohn's disease in humans, as the experts say in this part of the consensus:

_A majority of the conferees concluded that current evidence strongly supports the theory that MAP causes CD in some genetically susceptible human hosts. While it is impossible and inappropriate to feed MAP to healthy human infants to test whether genetically predisposed individuals develop CD, such exposure to viable MAP in infant formula and milk occurs daily. The best proof of causation is still Koch’s and later Relman’s postulates, which have now been satisfied for MAP in CD (51, 52)._


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## Jess_inToronto

I've got two theories: I chalk my diagnosis up to too much stress all at once (busy time at work + too much Advil for a winter cold + the wrong diet changes after a gallbladder removal). Although I also had digestive issues when I was a teen (I'm 30 now), we'll never know if that was CD or just hormones. 

But I also read in a biology textbook that some people think that allergies and autoimmune diseases may be caused by not enough exposure to germs as a kid. I was born prematurely and spent the first few months of my life in an incubator, so maybe I missed out on training my immune system? Just my two cents.


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## Heffalumpen

My father has Ulcerative Colitis, and I have Crohns. All our doctors are very clear that it is probably hereditary in my case. But I was not having problems until I was 39, which I understand is very late. In my case, I think the trigger was stress. Possibly combined with an extremely tough exercise routine. I do not think it was food related, because I was living in Korea at the time. And as long as I lived there, my symptoms were under control and I had very little discomfort. But when I moved back home... I got worse immediately. Maybe the western diet is related.


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## The

Father had "intestinal issues". His father died of "intestinal issues". TNF-14 (?) gene is "bad" in me.

Also: I had very, VERY bad eczema on my feet until my early 20's. It went away and the Crohn's got way worse. 

Go figure?


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## HalkiGirl

Had a first bout of GI issues after eating some sushi, initially chalked it up to food poisoning. Problems continued off and on for a couple of years (eventually started to think I had a "low grade" giardia from the bad sushi) at which point normal stress at work went off the charts and coincidentally started taking Aleve 2x/day for a bad shoulder. Went on vacation and during 3 weeks in Europe only had 2 episodes (and those were likely due to really good ice cream and a cream sauce).

...and then I went back to reality. 3 weeks after my return I scheduled a colonoscopy (family history of colon cancer and diverticulitis) which was perfectly timed to the new problem of bloody stools from the soon to be discovered lesion in my sigmoid colon.

So, food poisoning + stress +  Aleve...absolutely no doubt in my mind.


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## Miss Underestimated

HalkiGirl said:


> Had a first bout of GI issues after eating some sushi, initially chalked it up to food poisoning. Problems continued off and on for a couple of years (eventually started to think I had a "low grade" giardia from the bad sushi) at which point normal stress at work went off the charts and coincidentally started taking Aleve 2x/day for a bad shoulder. Went on vacation and during 3 weeks in Europe only had 2 episodes (and those were likely due to really good ice cream and a cream sauce).
> 
> ...and then I went back to reality. 3 weeks after my return I scheduled a colonoscopy (family history of colon cancer and diverticulitis) which was perfectly timed to the new problem of bloody stools from the soon to be discovered lesion in my sigmoid colon.
> 
> So, food poisoning + stress +  Aleve...absolutely no doubt in my mind.


Yep, food poisoning triggered mine too. How I wish I hadn't been so eager to eat Mexican food that day!


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## erk

My issues started occurring about 2 weeks after I'd moved in with my boyfriend. The idea was to just try living together for a month and see how it goes, so I don't think stress at the time was a factor, and I think things were going pretty well. I definitely started eating more food than my normal amount, but nothing drastically different.  

I have a cousin on my father's side with UC, and a cousin on my mother's side with Crohns, so I lean towards there being a genetic factor in my case, other than that I can't think of anything else to go on.

Edit: Meant to add this is a really interesting thread!


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## aypues

autoimmune diseases run in the family on my mom's side. her father had scleroderma, and my cousin has psoriasis. my Crohn's developed while in high school, around 15 yrs old - could have been around longer though but that's when I started having the pain


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## JoeyJava

No diagnosis yet but I'm convinced it's CD. Presumably it's just been dormant until recent years. Can only account for 50% of my genetics. If it IS, suddenly the childhood jokes about my wind don't seem so funny. And maybe it's connected to this skin condition.


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## Miss Underestimated

JoeyJava said:


> No diagnosis yet but I'm convinced it's CD. Presumably it's just been dormant until recent years. Can only account for 50% of my genetics. If it IS, suddenly the childhood jokes about my wind don't seem so funny. And maybe it's connected to this skin condition.


Many people who have Crohns also have skin conditions. I have to see a dermatologist once a year.


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## ilgirl

I'm new here, but I've had Crohn's for almost 2 years (or at least that's when I was diagnosed).  I believe mine was brought on through a "perfect storm" of gastroenteritis, antibiotics, genetics, and NSAIDS that I took for headaches and back pain.  My mom and grandparents had IBS, but I was the first to be diagnosed with Crohn's (at age 42).  Since then my brother was also diagnosed with Crohn's.


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## Miss Underestimated

ilgirl said:


> I'm new here, but I've had Crohn's for almost 2 years (or at least that's when I was diagnosed).  I believe mine was brought on through a "perfect storm" of gastroenteritis, antibiotics, genetics, and NSAIDS that I took for headaches and back pain.  My mom and grandparents had IBS, but I was the first to be diagnosed with Crohn's (at age 42).  Since then my brother was also diagnosed with Crohn's.


Welcome!


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## ivan.fiedoruk

Stress and lots of anti inflamatory from a Achilles tendinitis. Then my small intestine went BOOM and I had an emergency surgery.

But I had lots of other symptons for years... anemy, lactose intolerant... stomach pain, etc.


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## ilgirl

Miss Underestimated said:


> Welcome!


Thanks!


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## Gabriel89

I was completely healthy until I was 12 then I had an infection (My lung was inflammed) I took antibiotics for a week or two. As soon as the flu-like disease ceased right after i felt my stomach getting imflammed and since then it did not stopped.

I felt like that i am in remission in the previous years (I am 28 now)  until last year i drinked must (pre-wine liquid) right after my stomach got inflammed pretty badly. I think it was already started to get spoiled, but for sure it was not fresh. The symptoms started to escalate and i had to get back to Medrol again.

My grandfather also had stomach/duodenum ulcers and inflammation for his whole life until he had received a long and very strong antibiotics treatment for pneunomia. His stomach pain were dissapeared after taking the antibiotics. But he was never diagnosed with Crohns (Well he was born in 1923) so I am not sure if it was just Helicobacter...

So in my case I am pretty sure its genetics and bacteria and/or antibiotics.


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## RenLPC

*How I got my Crohn's Disease*

Mine had a very clear start.  Growing up, I always brought a packed lunch to school and my mom did a lot of home cooking that was apparently very good for my digestive system.  Then as soon as I went to college and started eating the cafeteria food (pizza, chicken tenders, fries, Chinese food, preservative laden crap!), and also started drinking a lot of cheap vodka.  I immediately started to suffer symptoms, but wasn't diagnosed until 5 years later.  However, looking back it's like DUH!!!  Of course that's what triggered it, I do believe that I was probably genetically predispositioned for it and the horrible nutrition at college brought it out.  

Ren


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