Hi,

My gastroenterologist is pretty sure I have IBD, just have to have a colonoscopy for him to confim his diagnosis.

My symptoms started ages ago now, probably about 15-16 months, but by the time I got a referral to the gastro I was then just pregnant so he said we could not do a colonoscopy, I then miscarried but fell pregnant again straight away and my symptoms disappeared during pregnancy, which is apparently normal. Now Ben is 4 months old, my symptoms are back, together with issues following a complete 3rd degree tear during labour.

I have been given a medication called Colifoam - a foam that I have to insert into my bottom - oh what fun

So - are there any other women out there who have IBD - if so, care to share and let me know what happens next, i.e. do you need to take medications or change your diet etc etc.

Also - does anyone know the difference but Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Thanks in advance.

Nic

Bump.

Are there really no other ladies in I-do land who suffer IBD??

I hope somebody can help you out!!! Sorry I don't even know what IBD is - but I hope you get some relief soon!

I am so sorry to hear you are suffering from this. It is a horrid thing.

I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis ( a form of inflamatory bowel disease which affects your large intestine) about 7 years ago. It means that when my illness is active I develop ulcers in my colon that bleed and cause pain, upset stomachs (severe), and a range of other symptoms (for me these are skin problems). The other form of ibd is called crohns disease and this can affect your entire digestive tract.

There is no cure as such (except removing the colon which is obviously not ideal) but many people go into remission for long periods. I have been very healthy for ages although I get the odd flare ups if I eat the wrong things or drink too much alcohol. I also find stress is a trigger but there are no real studies that support that.

I am typing on my mobile so it's a bit tricky but feel free to ask me anything or drop me a pm if you need more info.

Hello Cole,

I suffer from Crohns disease (an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause inflammation thoughout the whole digestive tract) and was diagnosed 4 years ago. Please feel free to PM me for any info/advice you want. I am also on an IBD support forum which I can give you the link for if you like.

Back on my proper lap-top so wanted to write a proper reply to your questions Cole.



In terms of what happens next it really depends on the type and severity of your IBD. There are a range of different medications that IBD sufferers are given. When I was first diagnosed I was probably the sickest I've been with it and I was put on a steroid medication called salazopyrin. This worked well for me once they got the dosing right. I have been part of a study on the use of probiotics in treating UC (I also found this helped with some of my symptoms). At the moment I am not taking any medication and have not had a flare for over a year!!!

Depending on how severe your illness is you can also be admitted to hospital. In seven years I've had two stints in hospital and they were to give my bowel a rest (I was fed via an IV). You will also have regular colonoscopies (even when you are feeling well) just to make sure everything is healthy. I have one every 18 months but again I think it depends on your disease and doctor.

In terms of diet, it also really depends. There is no evidence that diet causes IBD but lots of sufferers find that certain foods cause flare ups, or add to them. I avoid anything with too much fibre (brown bread, dried fruit, beans, lentils etc) as my gut doesn't cope well with them. Alcohol can also be a problem for me. My gastro told me that onions and garlic can also cause problems for people and also certain additives etc.


From what I understand IBS is a collection of bowel related symptoms whose cause is not entirely clear. Unlike IBD it doesn't actually cause damage to the bowel although a lot of the symptoms can be similar.