Did your parents have Crohns?

[Gianni]

Hi, I am doing a little bit of independent research on the genetic link of Crohn's. Painting my own theory, if you will

Anyways the question is: Do or did one of your parents have Crohn's? And if so, did you start experiencing Crohn's related problems under the age of 12?

Thanks

PS. If you are representing maybe a child or another loved one and you also have crohns, please vote for yourself and then post the appropriate answer for the person you are representing. Thanks.

Gianni

 

[DustyKat]

Neither my partner or I have Crohn's.

Both of my children experineced symptoms after the age of 12. I have edited the poll to reflect that.

Dusty.

 

[Gianni]

Thank you Dusty!

 

[2thFairy]

Neither of my parents, but maternal grandmother and maternal aunt both with UC. Symptoms didn't start for me until early 20s.

 

[Gianni]

Thanks 2thFairy!

 

[Catherine]

My daughter has crohn, I was dx with ibs at similar age to she was dx with crohn 16-17.

 

[Jennifer]

My parents never developed the disease but are both carriers (Crohn's is on both sides of their families). I was 9 when I was diagnosed and my second older sister was 11 when she was diagnosed (my parents have 4 children and so far 2 have Crohn's).

 

[rob101]

my parents didn't have it but my paternal grandfather did . I was dx after the age of 12.

 

[Gianni]

hmmm, very interesting crabby thanks.

 

[EthanClark]

I am 32 have only been diagnosed for 3 years but have had the symptoms since I was 16. My Aunt on my dads side has crohn's as well. My 3 year old son has been sick since Feb of this year and we are still awaiting a final DX but crohn's is suspected.

 

[KWalker]

Nobody else in my family has crohns or any bowel related problems and I was diagnosed with crohns when I was two and my little brother had UC and now has an illeostomy

 

[Gianni]

I am 32 have only been diagnosed for 3 years but have had the symptoms since I was 16. My Aunt on my dads side has crohn's as well. My 3 year old son has been sick since Feb of this year and we are still awaiting a final DX but crohn's is suspected.

Can i make the assumption that things didn't get bad for you symptoms wise until 3 years ago when you were diagnosed?

Gianni

 

[bettyboop12]

Mum doesn't have it but my Dad died in his late 40's from bowel cancer.

I was diagnosed at 26 but had no symptoms - I had routine blood test and my platelet count was high and then I was tested. Only now that I am 33 am I getting symptoms and currently in a flare.

 

[2thFairy]

My husband and his twisted sense of humor about every illness I have ever had says that a better question is "Were your parents cousins?" Hahaha!!

 

[EthanClark]

Gianni,
No I have had pretty bad symptoms since I was 16. Uncontrollable diarrhea and very painful stomach pains but I was told by my GP that it was IBS and to take some metamucil. Of course that never worked. I have just lived with the symptoms. The main reason I finally went in to get tested for Crohn's was because my 9 year old daughter was having chronic diarrhea for a month and I was pretty sure I had the disease but wanted to be completely sure so that I could let her pediatric GI know. Turns out I was positive but luckily my daughters was only a case of salmomella that hadn't been taken care of. My symptoms did get worse after the birth of my son though. I don't agree with my previous doctors drug choices and have opted to forgo the scary drugs and doctor that weren't working anyway and treat naturally.

 

[Gianni]

Ethan,

Thanks for the info. I'm glad to hear your daughter was alright in the end. I also chose to forgo drugs and treat naturally

All the best

Gianni

 

[SarahD]

What about people who got their first symptoms at 12 years old? There is no category for them...

I first got ill 3 months before my 13th birthday and neither of my parents have any form of IBD.

 

[Gianni]

Ya i overlooked that, I will add you as no and older than 12 (meant to say 12 years or older) Thanks for the info

 

[Jennifer]

Gianni why choose the age 12 and not say 5 years or 18 years etc? Why 12? Just curious.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

My parents don't have UC or Crohn's but, one of my cousins has UC. I was diagnosed with UC at 18 and then diagnoses was changed to Crohn's at 32. But, my parents think that I may have had IBD ever since I was little. So, am not sure how to vote on this for you.

 

[Gianni]

Gianni why choose the age 12 and not say 5 years or 18 years etc? Why 12? Just curious.

At first i was going to do 15 years because 15-24 is the most common diagnosed bracket for crohn's. I wanted to see if those with parents with IBD had a greater chance to develop symptoms early. But i felt that it wouldn't have been conclusive enough since 14 is still a commonly diagnosed age. So i decided to set it at 12 because its the typical age in which puberty starts. Basically i wanted to see if CHILDREN were more at risk to developing IBD if their parents had IBD. And I made the cut off for child as under 12 years old.

The results so far don't seem to support that idea. Only 1 person falls under this category (a post tally). Furthermore 8 people have said they were diagnosed before 12 and didn't have parents with crohn's. Poll isn't over but so far it doesn't support the idea.

Of course other factors are at hand. Whether or not the parents have mild or severe crohn's, whether grandparents had crohn's. Whether parents had IBS. Whether dietary restrictions were on set at an early age and such. Whether Crohn's was never diagnosed but digestive problems still existed... etc.

It has surprised me to see how many votes there are for no diagnosis of crohn's in parents and diagnosed under the age of 12.

But then again you see a huge differential between the generation. I.e. 21 of the 24 voters did not have parents with crohns. So begs the question, why the sudden onset in this generation?
Gianni

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

Well, we wondered about my maternal grandmother having crohn's or a digestive disease because she's got some of the same type of symptoms I have. But, recently she's been in the hospital and it was questioned. Doctors said that it's a no that she doesn't have crohn's. Although, my mother doesn't have IBD she has been recently diagnosed with diverticulitis.

Got to admit that you've got an interesting study on your hands! Hopefully you'll be able to come up with some accurate answers...

 

[Jennifer]

We're talking about genes here so its more than likely that the parents are carriers of the disease (if not all of them).

 

[DustyKat]

Questions edited.

 

[Gianni]

Well that's why i said "painting my own theory" I don't believe a particular chromosome can cause many of the diseases today. I think it has to do with the continuously weakening of the human genome. Generations of unhealthy habits leads to unhealthy children. I don't believe there is one common gene amongst all Crohn's sufferers.

Gianni

Also, Thank you Dusty!

 

[DustyKat]

So begs the question, why the sudden onset in this generation?

It surely is a complex disease and a complex question.

I think one thing that has to factored in is survival. I do believe that Crohn's is not a new disease and likely in centuriues gone by it fell under the catch all of the few names given to diseases.

As we know Crohn's presents in varying types and intensities. Had my children been born in a different time they would be dead. No passing on of their exact genetic material but that still allows for those with a milder form of the disease, or a later onset, to exist and procreate.

Are my children the product of faulty genetic material passed down over the centuries? I don't know but I do think it is worth considering.

Dusty. xxx

 

[Gianni]

Great points Dusty. Yes the survival of the fittest idea could very well explain the sudden onset. But it still begs the question of why the immediate parents didn't get the disease. It also begs the question of why siblings are more likely to pop up with the disease. Siblings often grow up together and in identical environments. I think it is worth exploring.

An even bigger question is why all of the sudden in the last 30 years have we seen a massive increase in crohn's sufferers. Even though in earlier times someone diagnosed with such a disease might have died, 40 and 50 and even 100 and years ago technology still existed for such people to stay alive long enough to procreate.

I think it is worth exploring a much simpler answer than just "its the luck of the draw" or by just leaving it to a genetic chromosome that has yet to be isolated or proven to be directly associated with crohn's or any other auto immune disease for that matter.

And why would a genetic problem occur? Certainly something caused it. So if something damaged a chromosome why can't a chromosome be strengthened or healed. I mean that is what humans are, we are strengthened chromosomes evolved through our ancestors. But what happens when systems of diets drastically change in just a short period of time and life styles change? My guess is genes are damaged as a genome weakens.

Gianni

 

[DustyKat]

I don't necessarily look at it as being survival of the fittest as such but rather just survival, IYKWIM.

When my daughter was the only one diagnosed in my immediate family I thought long and hard about why this happened to her. I settled on it being a combination of genetics, environment and a trigger and I thought that perhaps they played a relatively equal role. Then my son was diagnosed and my thinking changed, it was and is difficult for me not to think that genetics plays a far greater role than I previously thought, not simply because they both have Crohn's but also the fact that given Crohn's can have many and varied presentations theirs mirrors each other. Perhaps what cemented my thinking somewhat was a Crohn's specialist saying to me that in all his years of treating IBD he only had one other patient that's disease exactly followed the presentation and outcomes in another family member, that being a mother and her two daughters.

I can't answer as to why some children have the disease and the parent's don't. I could toss up some theories...

1. Is it that the fault lies in a recessive gene and it must be present from both parents for it to become activated?

2. Is it linked into a circle of diseases? e.g. asthma, eczema, hay fever etc. A parent can present with asthma but the child may have eczema.

3. Related to the above thought. What if a parent having a bowel disease like diverticular disease or a family history of bowel cancer predisposes a child to developing something like IBD?

As I said I don't know the answer, I wish I did and then I could stop thinking, thinking, thinking. :lol:

I have agonised over the why my children have this disease and I have analysed their environment to the nth degree. So many similarities and yet so any differences. Two of the main ones that pop up on this forum from time are breastfeeding and antibiotics. For breastfeeding the suggestion is that those babies that are breastfed have a lesser risk of developing this disease. I breastfed both of my children and for quite considerable lengths of time. As far as antibiotics go, neither had antibiotics in their entire lives until after their diagnosis.

I know you have another poll thread on diet but I will include my thoughts here.

I do believe that diet plays a role in maintaining remission and in symptom control when flaring, I don't believe it causes Crohn's.
I don't think diet plays as big a role for some people as it does for others, much the same as some people respond wonderfully well to medication but for others they are a failure.
My own daughter follows a raw vegan diet. She was in remission when she commenced this diet and remains in remission now, she still takes 50mg of Imuran daily. She says she feels well and energised on the diet and she does look well. If she was able to maintain a solid remission with diet alone for years and years and years I would be one very happy Mum!

Dusty. xxx

 

[carey]

They don't have crohns, but my uncle and my mother have celiac, and my father had bleeding ulcers

 

[moogie]

My parents do not have any problems with their gut.

I was Dx when I was 11 with this plague. Nobody in my immediate family has any gut problem. One exception my aunt has colon cancer. That's the only thing.

 

[Ihurt]

This is very interesting. I will say that I do believe that there is a huge increase in these chronic diseases due to the fact that there are a lot more pharmaceuticals out there. They have a drug for everything now. Not that medication is the only cause to getting crohns or any other disease, but I think it does play a part. Genetics likely also plays a part. Like someone else posted on here earlier, back in the day there likely was crohns disease and other chronic illnesses. Some people survived, some did not. We will never know the numbers of people who had these disease though. Back in the day when someone died, it was automatically blamed on consumption if they did not die from the plague or were killed another way.

Now to our foods we eat. Today, our foods a laden with all kinds of chemicals, pesticides, you name it. My theory is that we have been ingesting all these chemicals for years and it adds up. Then you might ask, why are some people healthy as a horse and they eat all these things too; well then it goes back to how good of genes you have. Lets say you have a person who has a mother or father or even other distant relative that has immune issues. Well then that person is more apt to have a weaker system and is more vunerable. If you take a completely healthy person who has good strong genes in both sides of his/her family, well then they can get away with a bit more abuse on the body.( i.e. you can take two smokers that have smoked for years, one lives a perfectly healthy life to 100 years of age. The other dies of lung cancer at age 50). It is all in the genes.

Now to medicines. Well medicines are chemicals. Granted, they are life savers in some instances, but they are widely overused in most cases. My aunt was just told she has high cholesterol. Her doctor immediately put her on a cholesterol drug. I my opinion, the doctor should have talked to her about what her eating habits are. My uncle also was told he had high cholesterol a few years back. The doctor wanted to put him on a drug as well. He refused all drugs. He went on a diet and ate only fresh whole foods, cut out most bad fats and now his cholesterol is better than most 40 year olds! He is 70 years old! I know some meds are needed and I am glad we have come along way and have some of these life saving meds. But I honestly think that doctors are over prescribing and this is actually adding to the problem and causing an increase of some diseases.

So bottom line, I think genetics play a huge part in how each and every one of us end up, but also our living habits and what we eat, where we live( pollution), how we chose to live also plays a part. One thing is for sure, doctors do not have the answers, they never will ( at least not in my lifetime). They are not interested in an answer nor a cure. With a cure, there is no money to be made ( I know it sounds harsh, but it is true). Greed is what runs our world these days. If they came up with cures for everything, then the hospitals would go out of business as well as the doctors. Think about it.....

Great points Dusty. Yes the survival of the fittest idea could very well explain the sudden onset. But it still begs the question of why the immediate parents didn't get the disease. It also begs the question of why siblings are more likely to pop up with the disease. Siblings often grow up together and in identical environments. I think it is worth exploring.

An even bigger question is why all of the sudden in the last 30 years have we seen a massive increase in crohn's sufferers. Even though in earlier times someone diagnosed with such a disease might have died, 40 and 50 and even 100 and years ago technology still existed for such people to stay alive long enough to procreate.

I think it is worth exploring a much simpler answer than just "its the luck of the draw" or by just leaving it to a genetic chromosome that has yet to be isolated or proven to be directly associated with crohn's or any other auto immune disease for that matter.

And why would a genetic problem occur? Certainly something caused it. So if something damaged a chromosome why can't a chromosome be strengthened or healed. I mean that is what humans are, we are strengthened chromosomes evolved through our ancestors. But what happens when systems of diets drastically change in just a short period of time and life styles change? My guess is genes are damaged as a genome weakens.

Gianni

 

[SugarberryGA]

Neither of my parents have/had Crohn's, but I strongly suspect that my paternal grandmother did. I do have a 3rd cousin with Crohn's.

 

[Gianni]

I don't necessarily look at it as being survival of the fittest as such but rather just survival, IYKWIM.

When my daughter was the only one diagnosed in my immediate family I thought long and hard about why this happened to her. I settled on it being a combination of genetics, environment and a trigger and I thought that perhaps they played a relatively equal role. Then my son was diagnosed and my thinking changed, it was and is difficult for me not to think that genetics plays a far greater role than I previously thought, not simply because they both have Crohn's but also the fact that given Crohn's can have many and varied presentations theirs mirrors each other. Perhaps what cemented my thinking somewhat was a Crohn's specialist saying to me that in all his years of treating IBD he only had one other patient that's disease exactly followed the presentation and outcomes in another family member, that being a mother and her two daughters.

I can't answer as to why some children have the disease and the parent's don't. I could toss up some theories...

1. Is it that the fault lies in a recessive gene and it must be present from both parents for it to become activated?

2. Is it linked into a circle of diseases? e.g. asthma, eczema, hay fever etc. A parent can present with asthma but the child may have eczema.

3. Related to the above thought. What if a parent having a bowel disease like diverticular disease or a family history of bowel cancer predisposes a child to developing something like IBD?

As I said I don't know the answer, I wish I did and then I could stop thinking, thinking, thinking. :lol:

I have agonised over the why my children have this disease and I have analysed their environment to the nth degree. So many similarities and yet so any differences. Two of the main ones that pop up on this forum from time are breastfeeding and antibiotics. For breastfeeding the suggestion is that those babies that are breastfed have a lesser risk of developing this disease. I breastfed both of my children and for quite considerable lengths of time. As far as antibiotics go, neither had antibiotics in their entire lives until after their diagnosis.

I know you have another poll thread on diet but I will include my thoughts here.

I do believe that diet plays a role in maintaining remission and in symptom control when flaring, I don't believe it causes Crohn's.
I don't think diet plays as big a role for some people as it does for others, much the same as some people respond wonderfully well to medication but for others they are a failure.
My own daughter follows a raw vegan diet. She was in remission when she commenced this diet and remains in remission now, she still takes 50mg of Imuran daily. She says she feels well and energised on the diet and she does look well. If she was able to maintain a solid remission with diet alone for years and years and years I would be one very happy Mum!

Dusty. xxx

Could the answer be so basic though it almost seems too simple to be true. Could it be just generations and generations of a constant weakening of the immune system until the youngest and newest generation suffers from an auto immune disease.

My Grandfather didn't eat well nor did he take care of himself like he should have, My Father definitely didn't eat well enough and he introduced plenty of environmental toxins into my diet. My mother also didn't eat well and neither did her parents. We've only seen this new age diet for 100 years. To me it is no surprise that these diseases are becoming more and more common. You can't change the course of the human diet that has been carefully selected for hundreds of thousands of years in just one human life time. Consequences ensue. I was diagnosed with crohn's and two years later my brother was also diagnosed with crohns. Is the sibling connection there simply because we were given the same genome from our parents. They passed on a weakening genome and my brother and I continued to weaken it by giving the body too much of the wrong things. Furthermore if i went on living and never tried to correct it, i believe my future kids would have an even more increased chance of getting crohns than i did. But if i correct my diet and my lifestyle and start regulating what goes in my body and i start to strengthen my genome i believe i can give my children the best shot at completely avoiding the disease. IF you can weaken a genome, you can strengthen one.

We see how these foods and new age toxins are so detrimental to our bodies. Obesity, Diabetes, fatty livers, Cirrhosis, Heart Disease, Osteoporosis, Certain cancers and so on and so forth all are caused by the modern diet. Well i think this list extends to most diseases. I find it too funny that many people will point towards environmental toxins being the cause but no one wants to point at diet. Yet diet is part of our life 3 times a day, diet is the one thing that actually shows a correlation with the diseases we have today(i.e. showing the modern changes in diet and showing the modern changes in disease) , and diet is directly related to other types of health so why not immune system health but at the same time if you get a cold many people take airborne or vitamin c supplements (but people correlate these with medicine, not diet).

I'm glad to hear your daughter seems to be doing well. I too am a raw vegan. I actually achieved remission through the diet so I think if she sticks to the diet she should see great results from it.

All the best

Gianni

 

[Gianni]

This is very interesting. I will say that I do believe that there is a huge increase in these chronic diseases due to the fact that there are a lot more pharmaceuticals out there. They have a drug for everything now. Not that medication is the only cause to getting crohns or any other disease, but I think it does play a part. Genetics likely also plays a part. Like someone else posted on here earlier, back in the day there likely was crohns disease and other chronic illnesses. Some people survived, some did not. We will never know the numbers of people who had these disease though. Back in the day when someone died, it was automatically blamed on consumption if they did not die from the plague or were killed another way.

Now to our foods we eat. Today, our foods a laden with all kinds of chemicals, pesticides, you name it. My theory is that we have been ingesting all these chemicals for years and it adds up. Then you might ask, why are some people healthy as a horse and they eat all these things too; well then it goes back to how good of genes you have. Lets say you have a person who has a mother or father or even other distant relative that has immune issues. Well then that person is more apt to have a weaker system and is more vunerable. If you take a completely healthy person who has good strong genes in both sides of his/her family, well then they can get away with a bit more abuse on the body.( i.e. you can take two smokers that have smoked for years, one lives a perfectly healthy life to 100 years of age. The other dies of lung cancer at age 50). It is all in the genes.

Now to medicines. Well medicines are chemicals. Granted, they are life savers in some instances, but they are widely overused in most cases. My aunt was just told she has high cholesterol. Her doctor immediately put her on a cholesterol drug. I my opinion, the doctor should have talked to her about what her eating habits are. My uncle also was told he had high cholesterol a few years back. The doctor wanted to put him on a drug as well. He refused all drugs. He went on a diet and ate only fresh whole foods, cut out most bad fats and now his cholesterol is better than most 40 year olds! He is 70 years old! I know some meds are needed and I am glad we have come along way and have some of these life saving meds. But I honestly think that doctors are over prescribing and this is actually adding to the problem and causing an increase of some diseases.

So bottom line, I think genetics play a huge part in how each and every one of us end up, but also our living habits and what we eat, where we live( pollution), how we chose to live also plays a part. One thing is for sure, doctors do not have the answers, they never will ( at least not in my lifetime). They are not interested in an answer nor a cure. With a cure, there is no money to be made ( I know it sounds harsh, but it is true). Greed is what runs our world these days. If they came up with cures for everything, then the hospitals would go out of business as well as the doctors. Think about it.....

Ahh cholesterol medicine! The doctors tried to put my father on such medicine as well. People don't realize the effects certain medicines have on people, and it amazes me that people dont even do simple research on the drug they take (they trust doctors blindly). Cholesterol medication basically attacks the liver. Since the liver creates its own from of healthy cholesterol (yes cholesterol is healthy, its only the animal cholesterol and too much of it that is damaging). the medicine will go in and remove the livers function to create cholesterol but only momentarily of course (because if it permanently removed the livers ability to create cholesterol people wouldn't need to keep buying the pills). So now all the healthy cholesterol is removed from the body and only the unhealthy cholesterol remains! Perfect health right!?!?

That's just one example of the ignorance the medical profession shows in thinking they can outsmart mother nature with no consequences. Yes there will never be a allopathic cure for crohns but people will continue to hold hope. Truth is research is being done for more biologics to maintain symptoms. But very little research is being done to find the cause or the cure of crohns. They want to keep the disease very unknown because it is more scary that way and the patients are more likely to buy drugs from the "safe" reassuring pharmaceutical industry. It's all about money.

the pharmaceuticals have share holders, so its completely understandable that they want to make money and they need to make money, but unfortunately curing a disease that makes them tons of money isn't in their best interest.

Gianni

 

[SugarberryGA]

In addition to Crohn's, I also have asthma and neither of my parents do/did. I have two siblings and neither one of them have any health issues. I've heard that Crohn's often skips a generation.

Gianni, I see you have been vegan since 2011. I tried it for three months earlier this year and by the third month, I was getting extremely fatigued so I started eating dairy and poulty again. May I ask what your typical diet is on any given day? Thanks!

 

[Gianni]

Hi sugarberry,

Glad to here you at least tried it. Many people won't even give it a try. It is often when you first start out to feel different. Maybe uncomfortable or tired but i promise you it changes. 3 months is an awful long time to feel this way so i'm not entirely sure why you were still fatigued. When you start introducing a large amount of produce into an otherwise lacking diet of produce your body is able to use the fiber and nutrients to detox your body. So often with all these toxins moving out of your system people can sometimes fall a bit ill as the body is being re introduced to toxins. But the body will rid the toxins eventually and then you will start to feel amazing! There is no reason why you should feel tired. The only thing i can really think of is if didn't intake enough calories and you were working out, or just simply was not eating well enough.

Many people will call themselves vegans and think they are healthy while they are chowing down on 3 bags of potato chips. That obviously isn't going to give you energy.

Plants contain much more energy than animal products... 10x more energy actually (look at the trophic level pyramid(google it)). So by consuming plants you should feel rather energized. It is actually one of the first things people notice, it sure was for me. I slept better, and woke up more alert and ready to go.

Also if you cooked your meals or even lightly steamed your veggies you lost the enzymes that were in them along with some crucial vitamins. So without enzymes you are asking your body (mainly the pancreas) to create the enzymes necessary for digestion so that may have played a factor in your fatigue.

My diet consists of Juicing at least once everyday and then eating raw fibrous veggies. I just juice or grab a piece of fruit in the morning and then I have a large salad for lunch. I then get creative for dinner and create a raw recipe or i will cheat and cook some vegan food There are plenty of websites for vegan and raw recipes and they are fun to play around with. I think i can attribute my high energy levels mostly to Juicing. To learn more about Juicing and why i think it benefits crohns click here.

hope this helps

Gianni

 

[Crohnie86]

My aunt on my mother's side apparently has Crohn's, and my grandmother on my mother's side had colon cancer, but I'm not sure if she ever received a diagnosis of anything.

 

[Ihurt]

Oh yeah, you hit that nail on the head Gianni!!

Ahh cholesterol medicine! The doctors tried to put my father on such medicine as well. People don't realize the effects certain medicines have on people, and it amazes me that people dont even do simple research on the drug they take (they trust doctors blindly). Cholesterol medication basically attacks the liver. Since the liver creates its own from of healthy cholesterol (yes cholesterol is healthy, its only the animal cholesterol and too much of it that is damaging). the medicine will go in and remove the livers function to create cholesterol but only momentarily of course (because if it permanently removed the livers ability to create cholesterol people wouldn't need to keep buying the pills). So now all the healthy cholesterol is removed from the body and only the unhealthy cholesterol remains! Perfect health right!?!?

That's just one example of the ignorance the medical profession shows in thinking they can outsmart mother nature with no consequences. Yes there will never be a allopathic cure for crohns but people will continue to hold hope. Truth is research is being done for more biologics to maintain symptoms. But very little research is being done to find the cause or the cure of crohns. They want to keep the disease very unknown because it is more scary that way and the patients are more likely to buy drugs from the "safe" reassuring pharmaceutical industry. It's all about money.

the pharmaceuticals have share holders, so its completely understandable that they want to make money and they need to make money, but unfortunately curing a disease that makes them tons of money isn't in their best interest.

Gianni

 

[SugarberryGA]

My grandmother died in 1933 at the age of 27 and her death certificates says she died of colon cancer. I highly doubt at that age, someone would have colon cancer. Anyway, I talked to my gastroenterologist about it and he said she probably had Crohn's and because she lived so long ago, they didn't know what Crohn's was and naturally assumed it was colon cancer. Any thoughts?

 

[JMC]

I have Crohns, diagnosed at 33, but symptoms since age 9. My Dad was diagnosed with UC in his late 20s which hospitalised him, but then spent the rest if his life largely symptom free. My paternal grandfather died of bowel cancer.

 

[atomb]

Im new here but figured i would add myself to the list.....

Dad was dxd with Crohn's 2 years ago and I have been fighting" IBS" and a list of flaring Crohn's type pains for as long as i can remeber .

For me its has beens since puberty Im 39 now no drugs were used to alleviate anything from 13 to about 28 which is basically the nuts and bolts of life..I hated life. Spent high school on the porcelain bowl. Most of my life spent trying to deal with my flares.

All colononscopies are clean right now no biopsies to look for Crohn's have been done and my colon "looks" healthy . ...
My pain has showed its face since youth but dads pain really only set in late in his life...
Odd I guess. Now we are in pain together. Misery loves company.

Since I do not have an official diagnosis I dont want to screw up your poll.
I put that yes and since before 12 would be true for me which i saw afterwards is quite different than most.
I manage my pain with anti depressant and the flares with allegra which are killing me at the start of this season.

 

[Kip1]

My mum has crohns. She was diagnosed at 17, I was diagnosed last year at age 39.

 

[prplkow]

No one has IBD in my family. My mom does have undiagnosed gut problems (pain, bloating, etc.), but she also eats tons of Equal. She has chronic pancreatitis and recently diabetes.

I do believe that a huge portion is environmental. IMO, genetically modified food is wreaking havoc in our guts, then add the microwaves which really came into popularity in the '70s, all the fake sugars and plastic foods that so many people eat, the preservatives, the pesticides, the pharmas, antibacterial everything, something has to give and it is our guts (among other areas)....so I think environment is a huge factor, and I think that Gianni is hitting the nail on the head....it is the constant weakening of the genome due to the environmental inputs over the past few decades. Good thread. =)

 

[Gianni]

My grandmother died in 1933 at the age of 27 and her death certificates says she died of colon cancer. I highly doubt at that age, someone would have colon cancer. Anyway, I talked to my gastroenterologist about it and he said she probably had Crohn's and because she lived so long ago, they didn't know what Crohn's was and naturally assumed it was colon cancer. Any thoughts?

Hi Sugarberry,

In 1933 the diet still had drastically changed from what humans were used to in the past. In the 1800's sucrose was introduced from india and we know now that sucrose has a profound negative effect on the body.

Hershey Chocolate was introduced in 1900
Pepsi was introduced in 1902
Kellogs corn flakes- 1906
Crisco- 1911
Oreo cookies-1913
Wonderbread- 1921
And many other high calorie, high sugar foods were also introduced.

The human genome had not been introduced to hydrogenated oils, refined sugars, refined grains etc. And adverse health reactions occurred. Also systems of agriculture was changing and stronger and stronger pesticides were being used. back then lead was a popular pesticide, as well as DDT, mercury and even arsenic.

Having said that it wouldn't surprise me if your grandmother did have colon cancer as well as not surprising me if your grandmother had crohn's with all the new food additives introduced in those years.

Gianni

 

[jamieariss]

Hi,

My mother has Crohn's followed by myself. my brother doesn't.

I had symptoms after ages 12, maybe about 18 years old. hard to put my finger on it.

 

[Momnsyd]

Hi all, my mom had colitis and was diagnosed with colon cancer and past at the age of 37 in 85' I was diagnosed in 92 with crohns at the age of 19, my little girl has had bowel problems since she was about 6 and finally got diagnosed at 12 years old...

 

[seebee]

Neither one of my parents have but my brother was diagnosed at 16 with Crohn's and I was diagnosed at 24 with it.

 

[PsychoJane]

My mother has crohn and potentially UC. Her disease started when she was in her 20's. I was diagnosed at 14 but the symptoms were present since 13.

 

[DougUte]

I am the only person in my family with IBD.None of my relativea have eveE had this diagnosis. I guess I am just special.

 

[Gianni]

I would like some more feedback so gonna bump the thread.