Crohns & Ulcerative Colitis?

[Kimmiekay]

I was just wondering if anyone else has Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis. I'm not really sure what the difference is but supposedly I have both. I was diagnosed about a year ago. After my colonoscopy, when I was starting to wake up, my doctor told me I had Crohns and gave me a bunch of info on it. Then I went to his office two weeks later and he told me I had UC. At the time, I was so new to this, I didn't know what questions to ask so I just left it at that. Then I went to my gynocologist (who was the one who sent me to the other doctor in the first place) and he said according to the report, I definitely had Crohns. Does anyone know the difference? I started out taking Asacol and an antibiotic but he changed the Asacol to Lialda. Does anyone take Lialda and if so, is it more for Crohns or UC?

Kim

 

[jed]

thats a time tested question i think Kim

been a bit of discussion about that around here, i dont think there was a definitive answer??

mine was UC, then CD, then CC, back to UC, and then finally after they removed my large intestine they said CD....


eeep!

 

[pb4]

With CD the inflammation is patchy with some healthy tissues in between inflamed and it can go through the many layers of the intestinal lining, but with UC the entire area will be inflamed (not necessarily the entire colon either, as that is referred to as pan colitis) but it stays on the surface of the lining unlike crohn's. The reason why CDers can get fistulas is because the inflammation can go through the many layers (even right through) and that's why fistulas are not involved with UC.

Instead of possibly having both (there's a 2% chance of one patient having both UC and CD) it could be that you have crohn's colitis which is crohn's affecting the colon where UC typically hangs out.

CD can affect the entire GI tract from mouth to anus where as UC is limited to the colon/rectom only.

CD can also affect more than one area at the same time.

 

[ladyB]

Could be the doc is more worried about covering his arse with your diagnoses than he is about your arse.

 

[Kimmiekay]

Thanks for the replies ya'll. A few months ago, one eye went blurry for over eight hours. I couldn't see anything out of it. My doctor said that was more associated with UC. Then another time, I got a big sore in the roof of my mouth. I was told that was more of a CD thing. I'm the worst at asking questions when I go to the doctor. I just sort of forget everything once I'm there so I don't seem to get the answers I need. I've learned a lot just from reading everyone's posts here. Thanks again.....Kim

 

[pb4]

The extra intestinal manifestation (eye, skin, bone, joint issues) are the same basically with UC and CD so they cannot go by that, they have to go by what the inflammation looks like as I posted above, to be able to get a better idea and where exactly all your inflammation is to also help with DX but remember CD can affect the colon and colon only or it can affect more than one area at a time...and as a general rule with UC the rectom is almost always involoved since that's where UC usually starts and then moves up into the colon but generally not any further.

Maybe you need another opinion via colonoscopy.

 

[Kev]

Hey Kimmiekay... You are definitely not alone... tho rare, having both, or a vague sort that displays classic symptoms of both does occur.. in about 10 - 12% of the cases. mine looks like it falls into that category too... just waiting for a symptom not shared by both UC, CC or CD to confirm that... Like, if they could examine any area above my colon, get into my ileum with a scope or pill cam, and found what is so far just 'suspected', then the diagnosis of my having both would be more than just tentative.. or, if I developed a fistula, that would prove CC or CD.. on top of the UC. I guess it would be 'nice' to know (if I can use that term... it would certainly help if another operation was suggested).. In the meantime, it doesn't make a hill of beans (theres a food I crave constantly) difference... meds are the same, treatment is the same... neither offers a rosey outcome. My suggestion? Right now concentrate on getting better, then worry about what exactly it is you are getting better from. Maybe in time, they'll find out what exactly you have, or better still, find a cure to help us all.

 

[Kimmiekay]

Thanks Kev....I swear, sometimes I think just "knowing" makes you feel worse. I think I was better off before I ever went to the doctor. It seems like the more you go, the more they come up with. I guess it doesn't matter whether it's CD or UC anyway. I do appreciate this forum though. I've learned way more here than from my doctors.