Is This Crohn's? Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency?

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I was told to repost this into this section, so I'm hoping for some advice. I am a 22 year old female of normal weight. I have had painful intestinal problems for 9 years now. I have terrible diarrhea on a daily basis and a constant abdominal ache at all times of my life. Most of my lab results and my colonoscopy from years ago came back normal, as well as a CT scan. I was written off as having IBS. However, years later, I continue to suffer on a daily basis. Changes in my diets and medications have had little to no effect. In order to control the diarrhea, I literally chug 2-3 bottles of Immodium in one day. This is expensive and getting to be exasperating.
I recently got back lab test results and finally found something-- that I have a severe Vitamin D deficiency, despite having spent a summer constantly out in the sun. My doctor thought little of it and told me to begin supplements, which have, like everything else, given me more diarrhea. I also have high triglycerides and slightly high cholesterol, despite being of normal weight for my height. I have read that Crohn's is connected with severe lack of Vitamin D absorption. All of the symptoms seem to exactly match me. Is it possible that my one colonoscopy could have missed diagnosing this because sometimes the inflammation goes away with Crohn's and is undetectable? I am fairly certain I have the condition and have been misdiagnosed. IBS does not seem plausible with the kind of pain I am in at all times. Does this sound familiar to anyone else, and how were you all diagnosed with the disease? Thank you for your help
 
Hi Marie and :welcome:

I'm glad you found your way here. Whoa that's a truck load of Imodium! aside from being expensive I don't imagine it would be very good for you, so to be doing that you must at the end of your tether! It would be very easy for any colonoscopy to return a normal result if the problem is past where the scope reaches. My daughter had normal test results up until the day before her emergency surgery, which was how they diagnosed her. Now days I wouldn't necessarily trust any result that doesn't match what are feeling. Keep pushing until you get firm answers, the yelling, kicking and screaming is well worth it! ;)

Good luck and welcome aboard!

Take care, :)
Dusty
 
Hi Marie3303,

Now I am no expert, as I am newly diagnosed with uc myself.

I wonder if lack of vitamin D is just one of the first vitamins to suffer when you have this disease, I was first diagnosed in Sunny Spain, I was always in the sun, yet my Vitamin D was bad and I have tablets now, I don´t take them everyday I thought they only gave them to me as they found that I had a fractured sternum and said it would help it heal.

They wrongly assumed I had osteoporosis, a special X ray last week proved I don´t, I must have banged myself in my sternum and forgot??

My friend said take plenty of calcium, is this the same as vitamin D?

Anyway best of luck finding answers
 
Last edited:
No. Calcium and Vitamin D are two different things.

Calcium is a mineral that aids in the prevention of osteoporosis and is an integral factor in maintaining the health of the immune system.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and is needed for bone mineralisation and growth. It is also assists in the function of the immune system and in reducing inflammation.

The two are linked because Vitamin D is essential for the promoting of calcium absorption in the small bowel.

Dusty. :)
 
Vitamin D deficiency is whithout a doubt a side effect of Crohn's. I have been dealiing with this for the last 3 years and I continue to fight with it. My D levels and B levels are so low I have to take daily boosters. For some reason my body just expells both of these at an excellerated rate. Whatever is happening Crohn's is far more complex than anyone realizes even the specialists.

Unfortunately I was just told I am dying. Renal failure. My Crohn's is causing high Uric Acid content in my blood and has caused the B cell's in my pancrease to die off causing Type 1 diabetes and now high blood sugar. Now I am excreteing high levels of Uric Acid and Sugar in my urine and it has damaged my kidneys beyound repair. A transplant is out of the question, so I am left with a ticking time bomb.

I have no desire to scare anyone, but this started with my vitamin D levels dropping. Please make sure you keep your D levels up.
 

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