What does remission mean

[Soohie]

I am recently diagnosed it is my understanding remission is if you do not have a flare up? So if you are in remission Crohns is till attacking and causing damage to your body

Flare ups I just have to wait and see and my body will decide when it will flare up? Or are there triggers that will cause flare ups that I can contorl
Like eating right?

Thanks this all seems individual depending on person
Trying to wrap head around what my future will be like with Crohn
:sign0085:

 

[teeny5]

For me remission means little to no symptoms, blood work showing very low or no inflammation and a clear colonoscopy. My understanding is that even in remission you may have low level inflammation going on, at least according to my GI. Like the Crohn's goes dormant...but is still there. Even in remission I need to stay on meds or I go into a flare. But, for others they are able to come off of meds entirely.

Stress seems to be a factor in inducing a flare for me. Food doesn't seem to trigger all by itself, but can make symptoms much worse.

Everyone is different though. Hard to tell you what will trigger a flare for you.

 

[Soohie]

Thank you for the feedback!

 

[ellie]

From my understanding, remission means the inflammation is quiet. (i.e not causing further damage)
Absence of symptoms is an encouraging sign, but not necessarily diagnostic of remission...


HD

 

[Charlotte.]

I think there are different definitions of remission out there. Scientists are of the opinion that remission is a CDAI below 150 (you can have like 15 BM's a day and a couple of other symptoms like really bad arthritis etc. but still a index level below 150) while my GI says it's when you are symptom free and feel healthy like anyone else who does not have Crohn's (okay, maybe there are some foods that you should not eat and maybe you have one ore two more BM's than a "normal" person but you should feel fine). I agree with the second definition, the first one would be a nightmare and it's what I'm experiencing right now, having a flare up.