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Differentiating absorption problems

So I likely have Crohn's and not UC, or maybe I have both. They are trying to figure it out right now.



I have some questions about the differences between CD and UC.



I have a friend who has just CD and she can't have high fat meals whatsoever. They go right through her. Same with raw veggies, dairy, or anything low fiber. She has a lot of diarrhea but never any blood. She is also celiac.



I've noticed over the years that even in remission periods, my stools really stink badly if I eat a fatty meal. The stool might be formed but it reeks. I also don't absorb fructose (fruit sugar) that well anymore. It goes into my large intestine and then ferments. So I'm wondering if these are CD signs or not.



On the whole I think I have a malabsorption issue, but I don't know how to define it. During flares things obviously transit faster, so you won't be absorbing that much. But even in remission periods I don't seem to absorb that well anymore. Stools may be solid but they don't seem well digested... there are food bits in them or fat on the surface of the toilet.


So I'm wondering how we differentiate absorption problems between UC and CD? There's also SIBO too I guess, which can cause malabsorption. I'm just very unclear on these things.
 
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