What's your theory on how you got Crohn's Disease?

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UnXmas..you know, I completely can commiserate with you!i cannot even tell you how many times health care givers have labeled me and blown me off and I have a very clear diagnosis of crohns and have been resistant to most treatments. I have a huge chip on my shoulder about this issue..and I know exactly what you mean about people throwing that 'stress' term around. It's not bad enough that I have a debilitating illness that severely limits the quality of life but I also have to endure some yahoo spouting about how my disease is caused by stress! Grrr!
So I so understand your feelings in this issue. it seems to me if they can't objectively see a clear neon sign pointed to our stomachs saying CROHNS HERE CROHNS HERE', then it's 'all in our heads'!!
Even with some horrible past experiences with idiots, it's helped me doing my own research. I have learned so much from this forum and others on it! I'm being worked up for the stem cell transplant program in Chicago and only found out a week before going there that this even existed..I learned about it right here and was able to get into their database, have some preliminary tests done and just started the ball a Rollin'!
I try to jus look at all aspects of something..and now I basically take what I need from my caregivers and leave the rest!or find new ones!
 
Ok I read through almost everyones posts and was surprised to not see anyone say anything about an immune deficiency. Thats what I honestly believe leads to Crohns. I think all of us have some kind of immune deficiency, some worse then others...i definitely did not have a healthy childhood, as I read some of you didnt either. But that would make since for some of you who did have a healthy childhood, maybe you just have a small immune deficiency.

I have discussed it with multiple doctors and they were the ones that even gave me that idea. They think everything that I have dealt with is all caused because of my immune system. They discussed starting me on a treatment called IVIG which is supposed to boost your immune system (monthly IV infusions). They dont think i am a candidate for it though.
 
Be careful with the IVIG shots. My good friend who has a lot of immune issues did a series of the IVIG shots and she had a terrible reaction to them. They nearly put her in anaphlacitc shock! The doctor that gave her the shots did not tell her that this was a very common effect. Actually they say that a person can only tolerate so many of the IVIG shots, that it will eventually cause any one person anaphlaxis if given too many treatments with it. It took my friend months and months to get back to normal after those shots. She had extreme hives for months due to the IVIG shots.. Just be careful is all I am saying. I had a doctor wanting me to also do the IVIG shots. When I asked my regular primary care doc about it, she flat out said NO way. She said those should be used with extreme caution.....











AmandaMB said:
Ok I read through almost everyones posts and was surprised to not see anyone say anything about an immune deficiency. Thats what I honestly believe leads to Crohns. I think all of us have some kind of immune deficiency, some worse then others...i definitely did not have a healthy childhood, as I read some of you didnt either. But that would make since for some of you who did have a healthy childhood, maybe you just have a small immune deficiency.

I have discussed it with multiple doctors and they were the ones that even gave me that idea. They think everything that I have dealt with is all caused because of my immune system. They discussed starting me on a treatment called IVIG which is supposed to boost your immune system (monthly IV infusions). They dont think i am a candidate for it though.
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Stress, anxiety and ibuprofen in the past 3 years - recently diagnosed!! .... oh and my mother has Crohn's so there is some genetics involved. I believe the stress threw me over the edge at 44.
 
Don't know about Crohn's but for sure my present condition with Crohn's was caused by a two week holiday in Mexico. About five years ago. Before that I was able to eat anything and weighed 10kg more than I do now. During that holiday I lost 10kg and me ever could put it back on. Also my Crohn's before that was in remission with the use of diet for approximately twenty years. Maybe a gastric Infection started the downward spiral.
 
AmandaMB said:
Ok I read through almost everyones posts and was surprised to not see anyone say anything about an immune deficiency. Thats what I honestly believe leads to Crohns. I think all of us have some kind of immune deficiency, some worse then others...i definitely did not have a healthy childhood, as I read some of you didnt either. But that would make since for some of you who did have a healthy childhood, maybe you just have a small immune deficiency.
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We are immune deficient.

NOD2 and IL23R is involved in bacterial recognition
ATG16L1 and IL6ST is involved in bacterial autophagy
slc11a1 vdr and lgals9 are involved in control of mycobacteria like MAC, MAP, Leprosy, TB

All those genes, or rather their mutations, and plenty of other ones are involved in genetic predisposition of crohn's disease, they all show immune deficiencies, specifically control of bacteria.

But crohn's disease rates around the world rise so fast that genes alone don't explain it anymore at this point, it's purely a predisposition, nothing more.
 
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I was told that I had crohns when I was 19, but, I never had a flare after that first one. It only bothered me after I decided to "De-Worm" myself using diamataceous earth. To the worms, it acts like glass shards and cuts them up, to my intestines, I think it activated the crohns. It coincides anyway,
 
I went on Accutane when I was 13 have had issues ever since but did not get diagnosed until I was 18.
 
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My sister and I both have several different auto-immune issues...At differenct times we got mono and both of us now have several issues each.
 
I don't think its any coincedence that I begun to develop swollen lips around the same time that my parents began a rather messy and dramatic seperation. Also, my diet when I was younger was awful and lacked any nutrition. Recipe for disaster in hindsight!
 
I think the reality is that we have an underlying immune deficiency. The real question is what is the trigger. I was an eczema kid which can often be an indication of a compromised immune system. If you ask my mom my symptoms started when I got my hep B vaccine at 13 even though I wasn't diagnosed until I was 20. I do know that stress triggers flares for me. I also know that I was misdiagnosed with parvovirus the year before I finally got my crohn's diagnosis and was told to take heavy doses of ibuprofen for the pain which I believe threw my undiagnosed crohn's into the severe crisis that landed me in the hospital. While I am still trying to pinpoint my triggers I am pretty sure that there is a list of foods that ae toxic to me and I would not be surprised to find out that there are also environmental triggers as well.
 
I think I've always had Crohn's disease. I don't think my mom had Crohn's but I think she had something wrong with her when I was pregnant that resulted in my genes getting turned on for it but my brother not three years earlier. She said she had a hard pregnancy with me and my brother was really easy.
 
Also had food poisoning in Mexico and was never right after that. Celebrex (motrin-like stuff) for knee injury tripped off the ulcers.
 
I think my crohns was triggered by a bacterial infection. Coincidentally though my dad has psoriasis which is an auto immune. Does anyone else have a relative or relatives with psoriasis? Also I was hit with a ton of stressful news months prior to my bacterial infection which I have a lot of anxiety from still even now, sure that doesn't help.
 
I have psoriasis and both of my daughters have Crohns disease. Oldest was triggered after the flu and youngest after a bacterial infection. Both started stressing after starting high school.
 
I have a mild case of psoriasis. 2 of my kids have Crohn's. My oldest was in college and under quite a bit of stress when she was diagnosed and my youngest had an extremely stressful event occur at age 10, which I feel he never fully got over. He was diagnosed at age 16, but he was probably sick for 2 or 3 years prior to diagnosis. I wouldn't be surprised if stress helped cause their illnesses. :(
 
Dunno but i think trying ecstasy and speed also i took a bad pill also that made me dehydrated and also felt like my insides were burning up
 
Hey Pwndkake,
funny you mention the diet in Germany. I was just telling a few people about how I couldn't believe what they eat a lot over there. I go to Germany every so often for business and have stayed with quite a few different people and seen what they ate. It was a ton of sausage, bread, french fries, and milk. They all used mayonaise like it was ketchup! Although a lot of their sausage is very good I think this diet is a disaster for anyone on the verge of coming down with crohns or like what you said a direct switch to foods like this could have caused it. I'm guessing you lost a lot of weight because the diet is similar to adkins.
 
I am pretty sure that for me it was 3 factors: 1. Genetic susceptibility 2. Some environmental susceptibility (possibly pollution or an infection-I am not sure what to believe, there is not much research into environmental factors) and 3. The trigger. For me, I am sure the trigger was stress related since my symptoms started just after I left for college (when I started eating new foods, worrying about exams, and making friends)
 
My first flare up was 22yrs ago, I remember it was the first time I ate rare lamb. It wasn't something I had eaten b4 and I blamed the pains next day on it. I don't think it has anything to do with it now btw. Next flare was after a holiday in Cyprus and the next when I went travelling to nz. 2005 I went back there to live there for three years and the pains got more regular and so started a noticeable decline in health. The whole time my doc blamed ibs. Prior to this I had been in the TA, I was about as fit as I could be and suffered nothing for 3 yrs. I think change in life circumstance, stress and poor diet all have key roles in setting off a flare. As to why they started in the first place is a mystery to me. I think about this quite a bit and parts of me want to believe its a virus I caught somewhere along the way. If anyone has the answer I sure as hell would love to hear about it!
 
I'm sure there is a genetic predisposition, I have always had a "bad stomach" even when I was a kid...I had my first symptoms after I went on weight watchers to lose some weight. Doubt that actually caused it, but since WW stresses high fiber in your diet that likely triggered my first flare.
 
I think when you play with your body and do not respect it. Bad lifestyle, too much of stress, bad daily routine, lack of sleep, bad diet,(and in my personal opinion too much of non veg and very less vegetables and fruits) etc. these things trigger the process of weakening your immune system and getting crohns is just a result of it.
 
Diet.

Too much milk and bread. Add into that the genetic engineering of the grain supply (Specifically Bt and Glyphosate), and the hormone manipulation of the cows producing the milk.

I don't buy into the "genetic" label. If Crohns was genetic we'd have it since the day we are born. None of us are born with it, we develop it after years and years of contaminating our body.

That's my theory at least.
 
Hmm, i dunno. I developed Crohn's at the epitome of my health, and i was never much of a milk drinker. If it were milk and bread you would think the disease would be much higher in less healthy people, and have an equal rate of occurrence in siblings raised on the same diets.
 
I stopped drinking milk 20 years before I got Crohns. I think lactose intolerance is independent of the disease but can aggravate it.

For me, I think hormones and immune system play a big part.


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Poppysocks said:
I don't buy into the "genetic" label. If Crohns was genetic we'd have it since the day we are born. None of us are born with it, we develop it after years and years of contaminating our body.

That's my theory at least.
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That's not really how genetic diseases work.
 
UnXmas said:
That's not really how genetic diseases work.
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But, it technically is. If something was "truly genetic" they would have it the moment they are born. And every pair of identical twins would result in the same illness. They don't.

But family members are more likely to eat the same types of diets. Also, different ethnic groups eat different things. Every ethnic group besides Europeans and Jewish ethnicity is, for the most part, lactose intolerant. They don't drink milk. There diets are different.

The problem with calling something "genetic" is it gives the impression there is nothing anyone can do about their illness. They have it, they WILL GET IT, and there's nothing they can do about it sans medication. It's a cop out way of describing why somebody has an illness. It's something somebody says when they really have no idea what is actually causing the problem.
 
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You can be genetically predisposed to something, which means that under the right conditions you would be more susceptible to a disease than someone else might. It's only when the environmental factors line up that the predisposition becomes evident. Scientists can see genetic markers for susceptibility to certain disease in healthy people, in some cases well before they develop the disease.

I think Crohn's is an emergent result of a person's genetic susceptibility and being exposed to the wrong environmental factors. In essence, i think both the genetic theory people and the environmental causes people are both right. You need both. It cant be just stress because how do you explain young children with it? And it can't be just environmental or everyone would be sick.
 
Rocking on said:
You can be genetically predisposed to something, which means that under the right conditions you would be more susceptible to a disease than someone else might. It's only when the environmental factors line up that the predisposition becomes evident. Scientists can see genetic markers for susceptibility to certain disease in healthy people, in some cases well before they develop the disease.

I think Crohn's is an emergent result of a person's genetic susceptibility and being exposed to the wrong environmental factors. In essence, i think both the genetic theory people and the environmental causes people are both right. You need both. It cant be just stress because how do you explain young children with it? And it can't be just environmental or everyone would be sick.
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I think some people are just more "sensitive" than others to certain environmental factors. Whether you want to say that is genetic or not is up to you. They might have a high extreme sensitivity, and a small amount of something may set them off. They may be highly sensitive, and start seeing symptoms in their 20s. They may be mildly sensitive, and not see symptoms until their 40s. Or barely sensitive at all and just over decades and decades of contamination their bodies finally give in and start experiencing symptoms towards the end of their life.

But, in the end, in all of those examples, it is ultimately the environment that is triggering, or gradually deteriorating the health of people.
 
I am not sure how sensitivity and genetic makeup could be any different when it comes to reaction to our environment. You point is well made, but really our environment eventually does everyone in. Humans rust, we literally oxidize. The suns bombards us with cancerous radiation. Meat is i known to raise inflammation levels. Some alcoholics destroy their liver in years and some in decades. It's our genetic makeup that determines how long we can sustain it. Genetic weaknesses will do some in much faster than others. How well our bodies can repair the self against genetic damage is also, well, genetic.

I know Crohns seems unfair, and it is quite natural to want to blame someone or something for it, because it satisfies our sense of justice. It's very hard to accept you were screwed from the start. My mother still blames my Crohns on a trip to Egypt I made 5 years before I started having any symptoms. I chuckle but I know it just satisfies her lust for an answer. We are all but a roll of the dice, forced to play the hand we are dealt. Makes us vulnerable, but it also makes us unique and special.
 
For acne i took antibiotics for long periods of time. Probably took about 2 and a half years worth in total. I then ended up taking accutane and got crohns 3 months after my accutane course ended.

I'd say the antibiotics were at the very least a large contributing factor. Accutane possibly added to that and led to the crohns.
 
okay, here's the thing about genetic diseases. We all have two variants of the same gene, right (remember high school biology?). Genes are translated into proteins which do almost all the work of the body. Some genes are inherited dominantly-meaning that only one variant of the gene has to be mutated in order for the disease to occur (this would be like Huntington's-a genetic disease that you always get it you have it from one parent). Crohn's is a more complex case. Research tells us that multiple genes are involved in the disease, and that it may not be the same genes for every person. Furthermore, many of these genes may not be expressed dominantly. For example, say you are born with a few mutated variants of a disease that predispose you to crohn's. Because you still have one functioning variant of the protein, your cells are still able to behave normally. However, our cells make mistakes and are dividing every day. Each cell division is another chance for a new mutation. Probability says that there is a chance (over our lives) that the non-mutated variants will mutate. When you have a genetic predisposition (one mutated variant passed from one of your parents), and this happens, there is no longer a functioning protein in the cell and it can no longer behave normally. In somebody with crohn's, it is a mixture of this sort of chance event, mixed with more dominantly inherited genetic variations, and then environmental factors which can speed up the rate of mutation in your cells. See, it is all a genetic lottery. That is not to say that the disease is entirely genetic, but some part of it is definitely due to this.

Sorry-I am a bio-sciences girl. There are a lot of misconceptions about genetics out there. Hope I cleared up some things for those of you who aren't so biology-crazy. ;)
 
Drinking dead water with no mineral content, taking baths in water that steal minerals from the skin, eating acid forming foods with low nutritional value, sex and masturbation depleting minerals.

Ever had dry cracked hands? That's what happens to the colon lining without adequate minerals to pull water into the cells.
 
I would say stress,Years ago my mum took me to the doctor about me being very anxious I was only about 13 he mentioned back them if I had stomach problems which I didn't at the time.
But I defo think stress is the main cause.
 
I was living in an apartment by myself. I had never lived by myself and was depressed. I think that the stress from that set it off.

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Rocking on said:
I am not sure how sensitivity and genetic makeup could be any different when it comes to reaction to our environment. You point is well made, but really our environment eventually does everyone in. Humans rust, we literally oxidize. The suns bombards us with cancerous radiation. Meat is i known to raise inflammation levels. Some alcoholics destroy their liver in years and some in decades. It's our genetic makeup that determines how long we can sustain it. Genetic weaknesses will do some in much faster than others. How well our bodies can repair the self against genetic damage is also, well, genetic.

I know Crohns seems unfair, and it is quite natural to want to blame someone or something for it, because it satisfies our sense of justice. It's very hard to accept you were screwed from the start. My mother still blames my Crohns on a trip to Egypt I made 5 years before I started having any symptoms. I chuckle but I know it just satisfies her lust for an answer. We are all but a roll of the dice, forced to play the hand we are dealt. Makes us vulnerable, but it also makes us unique and special.
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Why is it then, that the U.S displays more sickness than any other developed nation on the Planet? Why is everyone so sick in this country, and not as sick in others? This whole nation is a cesspool of sickness. Whether it's IBD, Infant Mortality Rates, Cancer, Obesity, age of death. The U.S is the unanimous leader in all these categories, and I don't believe you can simply say. "Hey, it's just your genes man." There's a lot more too it!

Believe me, I've gone through the stages of confusion, anger, self denial, and acceptance. I've been through it. But, in my mind, there's a more logical explanation. Looking around me. Looking through the history of a company like Monsanto, and the effect that company has on the entire food supply. And other major conglomerations dealing with our food supply, whose profit motive far outweigh any sense of self righteousness those sick people have in their souls. After learning about these things it's clear to me that there is just something truly f'd up with our environment.
 
Poppysocks said:
Why is it then, that the U.S displays more sickness than any other developed nation on the Planet? Why is everyone so sick in this country, and not as sick in others? This whole nation is a cesspool of sickness. Whether it's IBD, Infant Mortality Rates, Cancer, Obesity, age of death. The U.S is the unanimous leader in all these categories, and I don't believe you can simply say. "Hey, it's just your genes man." There's a lot more too it!
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Because the US has advance medical care which diagnoses illnesses which some time ago, or in other countries, would go undiagnosed and have no official record of their existence? Because of the medicalisation of conditions which would previously not have been classified as diseases? Because in the US people are actually healthier and living longer, hence reaching an age where more chronic health conditions develop, whereas previously they'd have died before they got the chance to acquire so many non-fatal conditions? Because diseases that would previously have killed people are now, due to advances in medical care, no longer life-threatening but yet not curable?

But I do agree with you that obesity is a growing problem, clearly the consequence of bad diet, and causing many health problems. I just don't think Crohn's is one of the health problems it causes, because there's no evidence that that is the case.
 
I will have to disagree with a few of your comments. Definitely our diet in the US has made us have different diseases specific to it. However less affluent countries deal with other dietary issues that we don't ( cholera, disintary) so there are trade offs .

This disease is world wide. I'm not blaming it all on the US diet. The US also imports a lot of food. How about chemicals? Or lack of? There are just too many variables.

The constant I see is a defective immune system. What variables trigger it are inconclusive. This, I believe, is inherited.
 
LodgeLady said:
I will have to disagree with a few of your comments. Definitely our diet in the US has made us have different diseases specific to it. However less affluent countries deal with other dietary issues that we don't ( cholera, disintary) so there are trade offs .

This disease is world wide. I'm not blaming it all on the US diet. The US also imports a lot of food. How about chemicals? Or lack of? There are just too many variables.

The constant I see is a defective immune system. What variables trigger it are inconclusive. This, I believe, is inherited.
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Some of our foods aren't like God originally made them. Therefore, we have trouble with them. We have built up allergies to them.

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UnXmas said:
Because the US has advance medical care which diagnoses illnesses which some time ago, or in other countries, would go undiagnosed and have no official record of their existence? Because of the medicalisation of conditions which would previously not have been classified as diseases?
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I've heard this theory. But, I could just as easily say those underdeveloped nations don't have the manipulated, contaminated food supply that ours does.
Because in the US people are actually healthier and living longer, hence reaching an age where more chronic health conditions develop, whereas previously they'd have died before they got the chance to acquire so many non-fatal conditions?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy
The U.S is 33rd in life expectancy. One place above communist Cuba and Barbados. You'd think with all the money and medical advancement, the U.S would be far and away tops on the list. The U.S also leads industrialized nations in first day infant death rate, rates of IBD, and rates of cancer.
Because diseases that would previously have killed people are now, due to advances in medical care, no longer life-threatening but yet not curable?
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Could be. But you can just as easily say the food supply is making people sick.
But I do agree with you that obesity is a growing problem, clearly the consequence of bad diet, and causing many health problems. I just don't think Crohn's is one of the health problems it causes, because there's no evidence that that is the case.
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http://www.twnside.org.sg/title2/biosafety/pdf/bio14.pdf
http://www.criigen.org/SiteEn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=351&Itemid=84
http://stopogm.net/files/Ewen.pdf
http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/glyphosate/NancySwanson.pdf

Oh, there's plenty of evidence.
 
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LodgeLady said:
I will have to disagree with a few of your comments. Definitely our diet in the US has made us have different diseases specific to it. However less affluent countries deal with other dietary issues that we don't ( cholera, disintary) so there are trade offs .

This disease is world wide. I'm not blaming it all on the US diet. The US also imports a lot of food. How about chemicals? Or lack of? There are just too many variables.

The constant I see is a defective immune system. What variables trigger it are inconclusive. This, I believe, is inherited.
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The US also exports a ton of food. Specifically to Western Europe.
 
But I do agree with you that obesity is a growing problem, clearly the consequence of bad diet, and causing many health problems. I just don't think Crohn's is one of the health problems it causes, because there's no evidence that that is the case.
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http://www.twnside.org.sg/title2/biosafety/pdf/bio14.pdf
http://www.criigen.org/SiteEn/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=351&Itemid=84
http://stopogm.net/files/Ewen.pdf
http://www.mdpi.com/1099-4300/15/4/1416
http://people.csail.mit.edu/seneff/glyphosate/NancySwanson.pdf

Oh, there's plenty of evidence.
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I was only speculating about why the US has high numbers of illness btw - I probably should have been clearer about that.

I looked at the links you sent and searched each for "Crohn's" and "IBD". Only the last link actually contained either of those words, so - since I'm lazy - I'm just going to read the part on Crohn's in that one paper. So if you can summarise how the other papers refer to IBD, it would be helpful, but no worries if you've got better things to do. :)

Edit: so the last paper mentions IBD and just says that the number of "hospital discharge diagnoses" of IBD roughly correlates with the amount of corn planted? I'm not quite sure how that contradicts what I said about my belief that Crohn's is not a result of obesity and bad diet.
 
I really don't know, the first signs of the disease occured after I came back from a trip overseas so I don't know if it was from something I ate or drank that set it off or what.
 
Interesting reading for sure! Wow love that back & forth re: genetics, diet, etc.

Anyway .... I believe my CD was from overuse of antibiotics as a child. I was very sickly & remember being on them ALL the time. I would miss over 25 days of school easily through elementary years.

I also believe personality does play into it. I'd be willing to bet a vast majority of crohnies are type A personalities.

No one in my family has been diagnosed, but I suspect my paternal grandmother has IBS at the very least. Oh the poop stories her I share are ridiculous.

I was not diagnosed until I was 36 but looking back, suspect I've had it most of my life, just not as full blown as it is now. Too many unexplained rashes, long bouts with fevers & fatigue, even some "accidents" in my late teens.

Maybe we each get it a different way & that why treatment is so difficult. The disease mutates itself to survive in us. I tell my husband it's a beast alive in me all the time.
 
Sassycat said:
okay, here's the thing about genetic diseases. We all have two variants of the same gene, right (remember high school biology?). Genes are translated into proteins which do almost all the work of the body. Some genes are inherited dominantly-meaning that only one variant of the gene has to be mutated in order for the disease to occur (this would be like Huntington's-a genetic disease that you always get it you have it from one parent). Crohn's is a more complex case. Research tells us that multiple genes are involved in the disease, and that it may not be the same genes for every person. Furthermore, many of these genes may not be expressed dominantly. For example, say you are born with a few mutated variants of a disease that predispose you to crohn's. Because you still have one functioning variant of the protein, your cells are still able to behave normally. However, our cells make mistakes and are dividing every day. Each cell division is another chance for a new mutation. Probability says that there is a chance (over our lives) that the non-mutated variants will mutate. When you have a genetic predisposition (one mutated variant passed from one of your parents), and this happens, there is no longer a functioning protein in the cell and it can no longer behave normally. In somebody with crohn's, it is a mixture of this sort of chance event, mixed with more dominantly inherited genetic variations, and then environmental factors which can speed up the rate of mutation in your cells. See, it is all a genetic lottery. That is not to say that the disease is entirely genetic, but some part of it is definitely due to this.

Sorry-I am a bio-sciences girl. There are a lot of misconceptions about genetics out there. Hope I cleared up some things for those of you who aren't so biology-crazy. ;)
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some of these genes they have ASSOCIATED with crohn's or IBD, cannot even predict who will develop the disease. there is only a slight tendency that these groups of people will have a small increase in the disease occurance. their are people walking around perfectly healthy with the same genes the are involved in crohn's disease.

I find that fascinating. my bet is on damage to the intestinal bacteria and this is why i have much hope for fecal transplants to restore missing species. remissions are already proven for crohn's and Uc, and Doctor Borody suspects some patients with uc have been cured, the same may be true for crohn's. More info- http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=52400
 
I also believe personality does play into it. I'd be willing to bet a vast majority of crohnies are type A personalities.
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Interesting theory! Would you mind sharing how you came up with that idea? (I'm genuinely asking, btw, I'm not trying to criticise the idea!)

As far as I know there's no evidence that personality plays a role. Perhaps it could play a role in determining who goes to see a doctor about such an embarrassing problem, and how sick one has to get before seeking medical help, agreeing to treatment, etc.

If there were definite links between Crohn's and environmental factors such as diet, then personality would almost certainly come into it. Hasn't there been some evidence that smoking can affect Crohn's or UC? Not determining who actually gets it, but affecting the symptom severity of those who do have it.

Why, do you think, type A personalities would be more likely to get Crohn's? Perhaps a certain personality type is more likely to get online and talk about it. I'm not sure how it could actually cause the disease though.
 
I think the personality comes into play because of the stress factor. In this post alone, a large portion point to stress. We all know that stress comes in many forms & we ALL have it. Obviously everyone deals with stress differently.

Type A's aren't known for their relaxation skills. And add to that a Type A with a perfectionist expectation of oneself, stress is guareenteed. Stress related CD.
 
My doctors think i'm wrong (of course), but i know i developed Crohn's because of many abdominal surgeries. My symptoms grew over the years. The penultimate surgery (6th), which was the only one for Crohn's (strictureplasty, where a loop of small bowel was sutured together to create a larger diameter) gave me peritonitis, led to my 7th. I began having Crohn's symptoms after the 4th surgery (to lyse adhesions from former surgeries), and it has only gotten worse. Since the strictureplasty four years ago my attacks have increased so that nowadays i can expect to have an episode of cramping, pain, unbelievable Sci Fi bowel sounds, diarrhea, bloating, etc., about a week out of every month. Needless to say, i don't have much faith in doctors any more.
 
UnXmas said:
But there's no evidence that stress causes Crohn's disease.
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There may not be true evidence, but the responses in the forum sure do point with big flashing neon signs to stress. I also know that when I was first diagnosed & in a nasty flare, when my toddler daughter would cry, my stomach would cramp almost instantly. That's why I think personality & response to life's stresses influence CD.

We'll never know I fear.
 
mal-ileus said:
My doctors think i'm wrong (of course), but i know i developed Crohn's because of many abdominal surgeries. My symptoms grew over the years. The penultimate surgery (6th), which was the only one for Crohn's (strictureplasty, where a loop of small bowel was sutured together to create a larger diameter) gave me peritonitis, led to my 7th. I began having Crohn's symptoms after the 4th surgery (to lyse adhesions from former surgeries), and it has only gotten worse. Since the strictureplasty four years ago my attacks have increased so that nowadays i can expect to have an episode of cramping, pain, unbelievable Sci Fi bowel sounds, diarrhea, bloating, etc., about a week out of every month. Needless to say, i don't have much faith in doctors any more.
Click to expand...

Surgery does not cause Crohn's disease or UC.
 
Not sure how much diet comes into play since its not proven but here is my take on it since no one has IBD in the family.

Since the age of 2, I stopped eating healthy. I quit all fruits and vegetables. I went to plain foods - carbs and carbs galore. Mac and cheese, cheese pizza, bagels, cereal, waffles, crackers, etc. Only vegetables i ate were corn and potatoes. No fruits though just juice. The only meat I did was very thin plain hamburgers and chicken nuggets.

This lasted till I was 23. I am 26 now.

Problem is now that I have this disease, I am back to an unhealthy diet after trying to get normal for the last 3 years.

So if food has something to do with Crohns, I am a clear selection for it.
 
aliciars said:
There may not be true evidence, but the responses in the forum sure do point with big flashing neon signs to stress. I also know that when I was first diagnosed & in a nasty flare, when my toddler daughter would cry, my stomach would cramp almost instantly. That's why I think personality & response to life's stresses influence CD.

We'll never know I fear.
Click to expand...

I think people have a tendency to look for meaning, for patterns. As you said yourself in your previous post - everyone has stress. People with Crohn's and people without Crohn's. The amount and types of stress people experience vary hugely, but if anyone with Crohn's considers the time their disease began, they will inevitably be able to find something in their life that can be classified as stressful, whether they look to the year prior to their disease developing, the week before, or the day before. People who want to have an explanation for their illness will have no trouble explaining it as a stress-reaction, if they want to do so. Someone could have got divorced months before getting sick, and blame it on that. Someone could have just finished their exams at school. Someone could have lost a relative, moved house, changed jobs, been bullied. Someone could have been stuck in a traffic jam just before they had their first attack of diarrhoea. No one goes through life without experiences of this nature. So how can we look to it as evidence?

My disease came on after a happy childhood. It was only after I got sick that I experienced anything that I would class as bad stress. Do you think that if you had a calm period in your life Crohn's would go away? What about babies who exhibit Crohn's before their lives have really begun?

The definition of stress is just so vague and open to subjective interpretation that I find it unhelpful. The people on this thread, on this forum are probably not representative of the total Crohn's population. I think there's a possibility that stress could have a role in triggering Crohn's - it hasn't been disproved - but it seems to me very unlikely. No "neon signs" that I can see.
 
I agree, surgery can mess a person up and Does cause issues. Anytime you manipulate the body in an unnatural way, it can cause issues. But, unfortunately, sometimes surgery is a necessary thing and cannot be avoided. I also have lost faith in the western medical profession. They really do not know much at all. It is pretty scary when you really stop and think about it. I cannot even tell you some of the things I have been told by doctors. It would make your head spin. I have been chronically ill with many things for the last 11 years and I have seen many many specialists,( some were the top doctors!), and it scares me to see just how little they really know when it comes to a lot of these chronic diseases.. They are clueless...






mal-ileus said:
that's what they say…..
Click to expand...
 
honeybeast said:
I think it may of been caused by smoking. I will never forgive myself for doing such a stupid thing!
Click to expand...

there is some recent research that associated some depletion in gut bacteria with smokers.

i believe antibiotics may be a more common cause of rising rates of IBD, but diet and vitamin d deficit are all other factors too.
 
Honestly, I don't think anyone knows what causes these diseases. It may just be a disease that attacks a persons weakest area. I mean I know is seems like a lot of people who have taken antibiotics have developed crohns. But then again I know people who take tons of antibiotics ( due to chronic lyme disease) and they don't have Crohns. So who knows. I know someone on here posted they thought it was from smoking, yet there are tons of people who smoke that don't have Crohns or any digestive issues. So I think it is more complex and I don't think there is one standard answer. I think there has to be multiple reasons a person comes down with any disease. The biggest being a weakened immune system. That is the top factor I believe. I think anyone who gets sick with any disease would have to have a weak immune system for a disease to take hold. After that , certain conditions make it easier to come down with certain illnesses. Genetics probably does play a small part. I mean if you come from a family line of illnesses, then you already are at a disadvantage. I know my mothers side of the family has ALL sorts of health issues. Now my dads side, all healthy except for there is a history of heart issues and strokes in my dads side, but no chronic illnesses. I unfortunately got my moms genes, Ughhhh!
 
I got food poisoning followed by a bad case of Gastroenteritis, I reckon that kicked it off for me.
 
I think it was stress when I started college that started it for me. And too much ibuprofen.

But I also think I was predisposed to it, as a kid I had all types of tummy troubles, and my mom has UC.
 
I think mine is partly genetic - everyone in my family has something wrong with their digestive system and my grandpa had a baggie and eventually died of bowel cancer so yes, gut issues run in the family.

In 2011 I had a really bad case of food poisoning from reheated rice (beware Chinese all-you-can-eat buffets) and not long after that got really bad acid reflux, which kept on recurring. I think the combination of the two probably didn't do me any good and I think Crohns was the end result of all my gastric and intestinal issues. At first I thought I had IBS but then sort of stopped eating so... eheh. Yes.

I blame my genes. And the rice.
 
Ihurt said:
Honestly, I don't think anyone knows what causes these diseases. It may just be a disease that attacks a persons weakest area. I mean I know is seems like a lot of people who have taken antibiotics have developed crohns. But then again I know people who take tons of antibiotics ( due to chronic lyme disease) and they don't have Crohns. So who knows. I know someone on here posted they thought it was from smoking, yet there are tons of people who smoke that don't have Crohns or any digestive issues. So I think it is more complex and I don't think there is one standard answer. I think there has to be multiple reasons a person comes down with any disease. The biggest being a weakened immune system. That is the top factor I believe. I think anyone who gets sick with any disease would have to have a weak immune system for a disease to take hold. After that , certain conditions make it easier to come down with certain illnesses. Genetics probably does play a small part. I mean if you come from a family line of illnesses, then you already are at a disadvantage. I know my mothers side of the family has ALL sorts of health issues. Now my dads side, all healthy except for there is a history of heart issues and strokes in my dads side, but no chronic illnesses. I unfortunately got my moms genes, Ughhhh!
Click to expand...


there are multiple variables involved to develop the disease. any combination of these factors but not necessarily one alone, may cause it. for example, low vitamin d in combination with low fiber low fruit intake and antibiotics may be enough, but good diet, and exposure to antibiotics, not enough to permenantly damage the bacteria. other ways are just bad diet in combination with some gi infection, experimental studies show sever einflammation itself can cause depletion in benefical bacteria, and vice versa, damage to bacteria can cause inflammation.

in the end, you can say there is one cause, extinction of intestinal bacteria, which disables our ability to inhibit everyday pathogens we come in contact in everyday life, and allows them to thrive in our intestines due to a reduction in colonization resistance. in a way we have a chronic infection, and that partially explains the constant diarhea, our body is trying to get rid of all this bad bacteria, that it can no longer mount an effective defense to.
 
I have never assumed there was an cause I could pinpoint. I have always thought it was my body (genetics). I have psoriasis, and people with psoriasis have a 2.5x higher Crohn's incidence. When I had my ruptured appendix, I guess the narrowing between my small and large intestine was already evident.
 
I have no idea how my CD started! I was misdiagnosed with IBS for about 5 years before being diagnosed. I do however know that I was also taking a lot of Ibuprofen for constant morning headaches I was getting on waking up every morning. I had a persistent pain in my upper abdomen which I can now pinpoint to the taking of Ibuprofen!!! When I was eventually diagnosed with CD I wasn't entirely convinced, I asked my GI consultant if it could just be damage caused by the Ibuprofen, he said no. Funnily enough I am still not 100% convinced it's CD....but if it was damage caused by NSAID's the damage would have been healed by now surely as I have not taken any for 4 years. I dunno :/ I definitely suffer from stress/anxiety and depression as well so maybe all related :ybatty:
 
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I was diagnosed in April of 2013 but I think I have had it since I was a child. All my life I've had digestive problems I can remember as early as kindergarten being spanked by my teacher cuz I wouldn't eat. She thought I just didn't want to eat but every time I ate my tummy hurt. I think I missed more days of school than I attended. I've been treated for gastritis, GERD, I was even thought to have a heart condition and at one point (faulty valve) from coughing up blood all the time. The list goes on More recently I have had a bacterial infection called H Pylori (few years ago) which went undetected and untreated for a little while. I think that was my trigger. It went downhill from there. I have been to so many doctors (arguably I have lived in 3 third world countries so that may have contributed to the late diagnosis). Now I am just happy to have a diagnosis.

My mom always says that during her 9 months of pregnancy she was sick and could only stomach dried quaker oats, crackers and water. Nothing else. I weighed just about 5lbs at birth. I always wonder if there is some relation to my mom being so sick. Some people think it's genetic and just lays dormant until triggered.
 
I herd that ur born with this condition and go in back to the old days they reckon a lot of people died with it because left untreated, and didn't have equipment then to test for it,h ok w true this is I don't no but does make sense x
 
I am not sure if people are born with this or not. I think it may be acquired somehow, possibly a bacteria that we ingest at some point, who knows. I mean genetics could play a role. I honestly don't think Crohn's was as wide spread years ago as it is today. I think a lot of it is environmental, foods we eat, medication etc.. I mean I especially think when antibiotics first came out, that is probably when a lot of gut issues really started to escalate.
 
I have two grandparents (both sides) that died from it, my dad died from colon cancer, my 38 yo cousin died from CD, so I'm pretty sure I was predisposed. BUT, I am a stress maniac, and I live in a town with the largest EXXOn refinery, a BP plant, a Bayer plant and a Chevron plant. I guess I was doomed. Funny thing, I didn't know about the relatives, except Dad, until I was diagnosed, and my oldest cousin told me.
 
I contracted CD my first year of college (age 19).

1/ Had wisdom teeth removed.
2. Infection ensued in gums
3. Prescribed heavy antibiotics by dentist
4. Popped Darvon for pain. (Darvon has been deemed unsafe by FDA.)
5. Taking heavy course load in college and stressed to max.

How many of you had a virus or infection prior to diagnosis? My good friend was diagnosed after a very bad case of the flu. Probably the most heath conscious person I know.

Great thread!

Miles
 
My daughter came down with Crohn's quite suddenly, after being the kind of kid who never gets sick.

A bunch of kids at her school were sick and recovered fast, she recovered more slowly. About a month later the fevers and stomach aches started and another month after that we got the Crohn's diagnosis.

We wonder if the earlier illness was a precipitating event. Did it trigger an inherent susceptibility? We may never know.

MAP is one of the possibilities we wonder about. MAP can survive pasteurization, and we had been drinking local milk that was processed the bare minimum amount required by law. Just in case, we've switched to ultrapasteurized milk (though now we're on SCD so it only gets used for making SCD yogurt).
 
It runs in my family. My father has it and so did his father, plus we have the jewish ancestry on that side that used to be linked to Crohn's. Otherwise: where I live supposedly has the highest incidence of IBD, and my maternal grandmother also has autoimmune issues.
 
No family history of autoimmune disease. When I was 42 I had a real bad flu (the one year I didn't get a flu shot because of a shortage) and after that recovery I noticed some changes in my system - sense of smell was more sensitive, etc. Two months later my weight dropped and the cramps started. When my abdomen got inflamed and the pain started, the doctor had me tested for colitis and CD. Unfortunately it was the latter.

I think that flu bug triggered CD. Stress level was low around then.
 
Before reading this thread, I always just chalked it up to bad genes (paternal grandfather died from bowel complications and uncle had to have bowel removed). But I agree with most here that that predisposition does not equal a 100% chance of manifestation. I never really took anything but an occasinal aspirin for a headache, but I had my share of antibiotics, and did get treated with accutane. Weird that it took 20 years (yep, I'm pretty old) for the problem to surface, so I'm not convinced of any connections.

  • Treated with tetracycline for acne (high school)
  • Had mono and was treated with prednisone (high school, if that is interesting)
  • Treated with minocycline for acne (high school)
  • Chewed tobacco (HS and college for a couple of years, if that is interesting)
  • Sulfasalizine for a couple of years (last year of college, to address symptoms)
  • Treated with accutane (first years of work)
  • Symptom free for 20 years
  • 5-ASA's for the last 10 years
 
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I have Psoriasis, and both of my daughters have Crohns. My relatives were German Jews who immigrated in the late 1800's. My oldest had a bad flu, and Crohns came soon afterward. The youngest had a bacterial infection, and Crohns came soon also. Both were 15 when symptoms started. Both stressed in high school. Both type A personalities. Very healthy eaters growing up. Non smokers and never exposed to second hand smoke. I feel basic genetic component needed for this disease, and then triggered with environmental/emotional event resulting in compromised immume system.
 
I am undiagnosed so you can include this or not...

I think there must be a genetic predisposition and gut dysbiosis - probably caused by antibiotic use in both people and animals. My grandmother was given loads of antibiotics while pregnant with my mother, in the days when doses were much larger, and to the point that she became allergic to them. And the first thing that happened to me when I was born was that I got dosed with antibiotics because my lungs were full of mucus.

What I think was the straw that broken the camel's back in my case was mineral deficiencies, caused by excessive menstrual bleeding, caused in turn by the copper IUD. In the end I ran out of iron and zinc, and the immune system cannot function properly without them.
 
could be a lot of factors i think, foods i think may be a key thing to look at here, so much crap in foods these days, all the GMO's additives, preservatives and things like wheat gluten (the small intestine finds it hard to digest gluten) are all things our bodies were not originally designed for although i think it may effect others more than some obviously... and the humans who can not tolerate and continue to eat the bad stuff end up with diseases like IBD.

Environment could also be a part too, but i honestly think food is one of the major things.

I've decided to start eating all organic, non gluten foods, no wheat barley etc and as clean as possible and drinking only water, juicing is one thing i have heard can help too which i am going to give a go.
 
I was diagnosed after a bad bout of the flu. I spent an entire week feeling dizzy,I barely ate, and had diarrhea. The flu got better, the diarrhea just didn't go away. After that flu I couldn't tolerate milk anymore, I was going to the bathroom all the time, and I was diagnosed pretty soon after that.
 
Stress is ment to be the main course for flare ups all foods react differently with different people will we ever get to the bottom of this,would be nice to actually say it was this or that what as coursed it x
 
I had symptoms as a teenager before I was formally diagnosed with Crohns. I believe stress and anxiety as a kid had a part to play. Smoking during my late 20s and 30s made my Crohns severe.
 
Don't think we ever get to the bottom of this nasty disease all I can say is hope everyone of use look after yourself u no ur own body better than anyone wish u all healthy future since joining this group I no am not alone an its helped me this past week thank you xx
 
It is genetic. While it might make itself known during a time of stress, mine was during my final exams at University, you have to have a genetic predisposition to it, or that is my understanding. I think I had it as a child. I had a bad bout of anaemia when I was 7 and had many stomach viruses. While we might do things that make it worse, I smoked, it is not our fault. It is bad enough having a chronic illness without being made to feel that we are responsible.
 
I am not sure it is all genetic. There are too many people out there who have it that have absolutely No family history of it.. I mean it can be genetic in some families, that is true, but too many people that have it have no family history of it.







Daisy123 said:
It is genetic. While it might make itself known during a time of stress, mine was during my final exams at University, you have to have a genetic predisposition to it, or that is my understanding. I think I had it as a child. I had a bad bout of anaemia when I was 7 and had many stomach viruses. While we might do things that make it worse, I smoked, it is not our fault. It is bad enough having a chronic illness without being made to feel that we are responsible.
Click to expand...
 
The standard explanation for that I have read and been told is that, while they aren't sure of the specifics, there is a genetic factor followed by an environmental trigger. Basically a powder keg waiting for a spark. For some heavy dose of antibiotics, others food poisoning.

For myself personally, I have UC, here were random signs growing up, I went through phase growing up when I would get terrible cramps etc. However my first actual flare was triggered when I quit smoking (UC being the only disease that is helped by smoking. I blame my ex-girlfriend, I did it for her). However you can't un-ring a bell.
 
There is a theory about CD...sometime in ones life you contracted a very bad virus that lasted a while. The body tried its best to attack the virus with the immune system and it went into overload. But, I truly believe our food today is so Genetically Modified to grow larger, faster, and crammed with all types of preservatives that over time the body just does not recognize it and attacks.

The normal age of CD is around 19, we found out about my Mother out of the blue at age 60.
 
Genetic + Trigger. A pile of leaves won't spontaneously combust until it is given a reason.

It is also thought that autoimmune diseases are all connected, so while there might not be a history of IBD (my brother and I are the only ones with it) there might be some history of other autoimmune diseases (lupus, arthritis etc).
 
My father has Crohn's Disease, so for me it is genetic. It just popped up though for me at age 32 in January....I blame me being out on worker's comp, due to a head injury and popping 600 mg ibuprofen regularly (an anti inflammatory that I hardly ever took) for it to make itself known!
 
vonfunk said:
Genetic + Trigger. A pile of leaves won't spontaneously combust until it is given a reason.

It is also thought that autoimmune diseases are all connected, so while there might not be a history of IBD (my brother and I are the only ones with it) there might be some history of other autoimmune diseases (lupus, arthritis etc).
Click to expand...

Yep and yep.
I have several autoimmune diseases in my family. One or two were thought to be random. The last generation of kids, however, have brought 4 more different autoimmune diseases into the mix.

It is all very interesting.
 
My theory is Accutane caused a serious imbalance in my gut flora that spiraled out of control over the years and lead to Crohn's.
 

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