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Question about Crohn's Colitis

Hi!

Does anyone know whether Crohn's Colitis has the potential to develop into other CD complications or spread into the rest of the GI tract, or does it tend to stay within the large bowel? Does it have the same problems that 'normal' CD can have (abscesses, fistulas, etc) or does it stay within the bowel wall (more like UC)?
 
After being on many forums, I'm coming to realize that every single person is different and each person's body reacts to different meds differently.

My Crohn's is in large intestines but i've had fistulas, eye inflamation, and mouth sores. I've also had Hidradenitis and Psoriasis which are other auto-immune diseases.
 
Thanks for the replies. I've got a whole list of questions to grill my doctor about in a couple of weeks!
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
Crohn's Colitis is a location based term and location is the description used to categorise the types of Crohn's.

Being Crohn's disease it has the potential to affect any part of the GI tract from the mouth to the anus. For some people their disease is characterised by movement from one area to another and/or affect several areas at once but for others it can stay relatively close to its original source.

As to the complications, they too have the potential to affect any part of the bowel however you will find that some of the symptoms and complications are more common in some areas than others...

The five types of Crohn's disease with their symptoms are:

Ileocolitis: Ileocolitis is the most common type of Crohn's disease. It affects the small intestine, known as the ileum, and the colon. People who have ileocolitis experience considerable weight loss, diarrhea, and cramping or pain in the middle or lower right part of the abdomen.

Ileitis: This type of Crohn's disease affects the ileum. Symptoms are the same as those for ileocolitis. In addition, fistulas, or inflammatory abscesses, may form in the lower right section of the abdomen.

Gastroduodenal Crohn's disease: This form of Crohn's disease involves the stomach and duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine. People with this type of Crohn's disease suffer nausea, weight loss, and loss of appetite. In addition, if the narrow segments of bowel are obstructed, they experience vomiting.

Jejunoileitis: This form of the disease affects the jejunum, which is the upper half of the small intestine. It causes areas of inflammation. Symptoms include cramps after meals, the formation of fistulas, diarrhea, and abdominal pain that can become intense.

Crohn's (granulomatous) colitis: This form of Crohn's disease involves only the colon. Symptoms include skin lesions, joint pains, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and the formation of ulcers, fistulas, and abscesses around the anus.

http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/crohns-disease/5-types-crohns-disease
Dusty. :)
 
Thanks Dusty. That's a good concise summary. I think I'm still in a bit of denial and fantasise about being told that they got it wrong and that it's really UC (it comes to something when you hope you've got UC!!), but I know in reality that it is CD. I just want to know the worst case scenario likely for me. I know I may as well try to gaze into a crystal ball!!
 
Thanks Dusty. That's a good concise summary. I think I'm still in a bit of denial and fantasise about being told that they got it wrong and that it's really UC (it comes to something when you hope you've got UC!!), but I know in reality that it is CD. I just want to know the worst case scenario likely for me. I know I may as well try to gaze into a crystal ball!!
When I was researching my original symptoms I was afraid I had celiac. I was happy it was CD! LOL
 
At first I was happy to hear that it was CD as I initially thought I had bowel cancer - until my husband quietly said "At least they can cure most bowel cancer".

Harrumph!
 
I have crohn's colitis as well (for 22 years now with no full remission, or even close) and when I first got sick it was in my colon (where it has stayed constant) my anus (also stayed constant with perianal crohn's skin tags, which is also where my CD started, externally rather than the usual internally and in the small bowel) in my rectum (comes and goes since getting sick) and in my small bowel which lasted there about the first 2 yrs of getting sick.
Oddly and luckily I've never had a fistula/abscess even though the majority of crohn's colitis patients tend to be more prone to them compared to CDers that have other parts of their GI tracts being affected. This disease is very individual for sure.
 
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