Exotic Travel

[Vally]

Hi all.
First post on here.
Just a question that been puzzling me for a few days.

How many of you travelled to an exotic destination Caribeen, Egypt etc etc on holiday and fell victim to food posioning and then up to 2 years later being diagnosed with Crohns.

Kind regards
Valley

 

[forum contributor]

Oh Vally...
I know a lot of ppl may be bored with my story already, so I'll keep it short.
Went on a cruise to the Caribbean/BVI last June, second night in, got extreme nausea, bloody and reg diarrhea, vomitting... thought it was the food, didn't drink the water (had bottled), didn't eat ice, you name it!

For over a month, had constant diarrhea. Was in and out of ER. Went through 4 doctors. Finally, in August, I was diagnosed with Colitis.

 

[imisspopcorn]

I didn't travel anywhere exotic but my symptoms did seem to come about after a bad food poisoning incident. I ate chinese food at the mall around Christmas time. By January I was having symptoms. Finally dx in April of 1998. I have always suspected that was the trigger!

 

[JillianB82]

I did not travel anywhere either, but about 2 years before I was diagnosed, we made Christmas dinner & in the middle of the night I woke up with horrible D & was throwing up like mad. I ended up in the hospital a few days later to get IV fluids. Looking back on it now, I think that's when my flare really started. I was "ok" until August of last year & my symptoms have since not gone away.

 

[Vally]

Have any of you had blood tests for antibodies to gut pathogens? I mean a FULL battery of tests.
I have just come back from Egypt and I work with someone who is Crohns sufferer.
We were talking about Egypt and became to realize that her symptoms started just after returning from there.
Given the large number of people who now travel for cheap hot holidays to what are really third world destinations, it is plausible to suggest that some forms of Crohns could be linked to travel, or to food posioning.
Instead of taking stool samples perphaps doctors should be taking blood samples ?

 

[D Bergy]

I am fully in the dysfunctional or weak immune response camp. I do not know the source that caused the original dysfunction as there are so many possibilities. Antibiotics are certainly one suspect, especially Flouroquinolones.

The evidence I have gathered points to an improper or weak immune response to certain bacteria. If this was not the case Low Dose Naltrexone could only make symptoms worse when used, as it ramps up the immune response.

There is a genetic component that makes use susceptible to this immune dysfunction, but does not always result in Crohn's or any autoimmune disease, but can result in Crohn's and other autoimmune diseases.

Likely pathogens involved with Crohn's, and there may be more, are Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies paratuberculosis.
H-Pylori
Certain strains of E-Coli. These are symbiotic to the MAP bacteria.
Fungus such as Candida.

What I think I know about Crohn's at this point in time, always subject to change as new evidence presents itself.

Dan