Can someone please tell me the difference between ibs and ibd. I understand that ibs is a less sever illness. And ibd has inflammation, fistulas and resections and such. But with ibs you still get d or c and pain. I know they say ibs in more emotion/mental. But for me that does not seem true. I have d doing stressful times but more then not it just happens happy or stress. If anything I get stressed by the pain and having to be in the bathroom for an hour or two. I saw someone say once about ibs that it may not be life threating but it is life affecting! I think ibd fits that as well. I am just in the waiting game for bloodwork results and getting inpatient. I was diagnosed ibs over 10 yrs ago. Also I have episodes. Where I am in labor like pains and I am in the bathroom for an hour or two with d until I am completely empty. Afterwards and the next day I feel like I am reviving from a flu bug with body aching and sore my stomach is sore as if my legs would after running a mile. I do gets cramp I between episodes. I am often more c between episodes. Episodes can happen at any time but often one a Month. Everyone else seems to have d all day every day. Is there anyone else more like me? As I said I am getting impatient and bored waiting:boring:
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Ibd vs ibs?
- Thread starter Bowmancrew
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I was diagnosed with IBS a long time ago, and this April I found out I had crohns. I figured they mistook the ibs for the crohns, but when I got into remission and was still having all the same symptoms, just a little less severe, my GI told me I have ibs on top of crohns. I still experience severe cramping, diarrhea, nausea, LRQ pain, pretty much all my crohns symptoms. I wasn't convinced that I was in remission until I saw my colon during my scope and it looked immaculate.
I didn't know it was possible to have both, but I guess it is. It sucks, because since I'm in remission, they won't address the pain and symptoms I'm having from the "ibs."
I hope you get a proper diagnosis. As a general rule of thumb (not in every case, but most) IBD causes bleeding, weight loss, extra-intestinal symptoms, elevated white blood cells, low iron.. IBS usually doesn't. Just bad diarrhea, cramping, pains, ect.. But like I said, that's not how everyone's ibs is.
I didn't know it was possible to have both, but I guess it is. It sucks, because since I'm in remission, they won't address the pain and symptoms I'm having from the "ibs."
I hope you get a proper diagnosis. As a general rule of thumb (not in every case, but most) IBD causes bleeding, weight loss, extra-intestinal symptoms, elevated white blood cells, low iron.. IBS usually doesn't. Just bad diarrhea, cramping, pains, ect.. But like I said, that's not how everyone's ibs is.
Food allergy tests showed yeast and rice allergies so I am hoping that that is all it is. Crohns was not really on the radar until I had a stool test with WBC and occult blood. Then he did a prometheus test which was positive. I am waiting on results from the new Prometheus test that will confirm it for my dr. I just know my "ibs" symptoms get quite. I was on this site called ibs treatment center and he said A large majority is caused my food allergies then yeast overgrowth and bacteria. So I hope the food allergies will be all my problem is. Hope you can figure out your ibs. I am sure remission doesn't always feel like remission.
nogutsnoglory
Moderator
I don't think you develop inflammation from Ibs whereas you do with crohns. Also Ibs tends to respond well to a high fiber diet whereas crohns is the opposite.
ekay03
My dog has hands!
So what are you supposed to do when you have both? Just cause you are not currently flaring doesn't mean it is ok to eat a fibrous diet. I guess you have to eat to keep the crohns quiet and hope for the best in regards to the ibs. That really sucks!
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I personally don't think you can have both at the same time anyway. I think the understanding of IBD is not complete by a longshot, and in years to come it will be discovered that while not in an IBD flare but having symptoms the underlying IBD causes those issues, not IBS. Rather than the thinking now that it can't be the IBD if everything looks normal.
A positive stool sample for blood is one of the "red flag" symptoms that mean it isn't IBS, along with nocturnal toilet trips and some other stuff I can't remember now. Although people with "red flag" symptoms get dx with IBS all the time by lazy Drs.
A positive stool sample for blood is one of the "red flag" symptoms that mean it isn't IBS, along with nocturnal toilet trips and some other stuff I can't remember now. Although people with "red flag" symptoms get dx with IBS all the time by lazy Drs.
I am sure I think fiber helps ibs. It has never helped me and on the research I have done it is caused by other things. Thr ibs treatment center website gave a lot of good info. I think drs say add more fiber because they don't know what else to tell you to do. I have Also read that cronies are often low in magnesium which can help with c.
Stargirlll I think i agree with you. I have been wondering if they are connected. Since ibs gets dx first maybe it starts that way then leads to damaging and inflammation after having for so long. I have never had night trips to the loo except for #1. I am Hoping that the blood and WBC in stool are from my newly discovered food allergy. Thank you ladies for the info and opinions. I like info and details so I can know as much as I can. Especially on something that is such a mystery.
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Or it was a lazy dx and IBD all along lol! I see them as two seperate conditions and don't think you can have both at the same time. Just my take on it though.
My GI told me once that IBD causes actual changes to the tissues of the digestive system, while IBS is thought to be a problem with the signals the nerves send. However, CD can be positively identified by biopsies, and IBS is usually diagnosed after other things such as IBD, Celiac, etc. are ruled out. He also told me you can only have one or the other.
I kind of agree with star, I think my GI gave me the whole IBS answer because he couldn't figure out why I was still having pain. I don't really believe in IBS, to be honest. I think it's a mickey mouse diagnosis when they can't figure out what's wrong. I think it's still crohns causing my pain and diarrhea. I'm still bleeding! I don't see how I could possibly have IBS when the symptoms are the exact same as crohns.
The episodes I have/had sound a lot like yours. It was never D all day, it was these acute "attacks," exactly as you describe. When I was pregnant, vomiting was added to the mix, but thankfully that stopped for the most part.
My GI told me that IBS isn't "in your head," it's a functional disorder where signals get crossed or something like that. There is a brain-gut disconnect or something. It's definitely clear that it isn't totally understood.
I do think it's weird that IBD and IBS can coexist in the same body and that people get dxed with one on top of the other.
As far as lazy dx goes, I am sure that plenty of people get the IBS label thrown at them with insufficient or no testing, but in my case, I was scoped top to bottom and evidence of disease didn't appear anywhere. I am content now to think that IF I have IBD (prometheus test positive also) it hasn't been bad enough to show up on a scope yet. I'm okay with that - I'm also not suffering so it's easy for me to say.
My GI told me that IBS isn't "in your head," it's a functional disorder where signals get crossed or something like that. There is a brain-gut disconnect or something. It's definitely clear that it isn't totally understood.
I do think it's weird that IBD and IBS can coexist in the same body and that people get dxed with one on top of the other.
As far as lazy dx goes, I am sure that plenty of people get the IBS label thrown at them with insufficient or no testing, but in my case, I was scoped top to bottom and evidence of disease didn't appear anywhere. I am content now to think that IF I have IBD (prometheus test positive also) it hasn't been bad enough to show up on a scope yet. I'm okay with that - I'm also not suffering so it's easy for me to say.
IBS is a syndrome that causes a sensitive easily irritated bowel which can cause diarrhea or constipation or both. IBD is a disease which causes physical damage and destruction to the bowel but can also cause symptoms similar to IBS. With IBD there will be a pathological change to the tissues of the bowel causing symptoms of (but not always) bleeding, infection, altered blood results, weight loss etc. Due to the physical damage caused by IBD it is more serious and requires medication / surgery to treat the symptoms that said the symptoms of IBS can also be very debilitating on a personal level but not actually causing physical damage. Both conditions require management of diet and lifestyle changes to try and manage the symptoms. I'm not sure if the 2 can exist together but IBS does not lead to IBD. since ive had surgery for crohns and in remission i feel i suffer more from IBS symptoms now which i actually didnt suffer before i was diagnosed with crohns. That's my understanding anyway and I'm sure you can get more technical information on the net.
Can IBS cause narrowing or thickening of the walls of the terminal ileum? Three CT's have been abnormal but all other test, including colonoscopy, have been normal. Have another colonoscopy scheduled with biopsy of terminal ileum. I have been fairly symptom free for a couple of weeks now and wonder if I should still have biopsy.
no IBS will not change the structure of the tissues. Still get the biopsy. The colonoscopy omly looks at the large colon and the end of the small intestine (terminal ileum) which is often difficult or unable to access due to bowel wall thickening. The CT scan shows the whole abdominal cavity therfore that explains why the scan was abnormal and the colonoscopy was normal
Thank you Archie. I am feeling good for the 1st time in 6 months and the weight loss has seemed to slow down. I do feel like I'm just waiting on a ticking time bomb to go off and the pain and diarrhea to start again. I guess that sounds kind of negative. I am just one of many on this forum that is frustrated with no answers. I know how fortunate I am now after reading what some are going through.
Ru on any meds yet? I felt like a ticking time bomb last year then I had surgery and feel pretty good since. Once you establish what's normal for you etc it's easier to monitor if your flaring or not. It's a steep learn g curve I'm afraid but once you've been diagnosed and on a treatment plan you might get peace of mind the fact that your feeling better is def a positive.
Yes, my GI started me on Pentasa a few weeks ago. Not sure if the medicine started working that fast or I'm just at the end of the flare. But, I am definately feeling better. I even made it thru the Thanksgiving feast without any problems! You are right, I will have peace of mind when I know what has been causing the symptoms.
Thanks for the info guys. Mayflower glad in am not the only one. My preg were alway a good time for me. I sae your serology 7 came back with patterns as well and normal scopes. I the same. As I said I am now just waiting results on the new Prometheus test. Hopefully one day we will all understand the two illness. I hope everyone is well from thanksgiving. Unfortunately I ate some foods I should not have. I will not make that mistake again!
So your doc is willing to diagnose you only off the results of the Prometheus test? Or does that mean he will do more testing? That's what my doctor did - he was content to do a colonoscopy alone but once the prometheus test came back positive, he did a little more digging/scoping, whatever it is. 
WHatever you end up being dxed, I with hope you get some relief soon.
WHatever you end up being dxed, I with hope you get some relief soon.
I had a stool study with WBC and occult blood. So between that and the blood. Initially he called me and said I have crohns and need to come in and see him. Then I got there and he said he wanted to order the new Prometheus since it just came out. He gave me samples of pentasa to take of that is pos. My colonoscopy was fine. He thought I had food allergy issues until the blood test came back. Which I do have a few but not sure that it has been the problem all along. We will see. It would be nice if we could all get some relief.