Currently, no one know what causes a person to have Crohn's, but.......
Crohn’s disease may affect as many as 700,000 Americans. Men and Women are equally likely to be affected, and while the disease can occur at any age, Crohn's is more prevalent among adolescents and young adults between the ages of 15 and 35.
The causes of Crohn’s Disease are not well understood. Diet and stress may aggravate Crohn’s Disease, but they do not cause the disease on their own. Recent research suggests hereditary, genetics, and/or environmental factors contribute to the development of Crohn’s Disease.
The GI tract normally contains harmless bacteria, many of which aid in digestion. The immune system usually attacks and kills foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms. Under normal circumstances, the harmless bacteria in the intestines are protected from such an attack. In people with IBD, these bacteria are mistaken for harmful invaders and the immune system mounts a response. Cells travel out of the blood to the intestines and produce inflammation (a normal immune system response). However, the inflammation does not subside, leading to chronic inflammation, ulceration, thickening of the intestinal wall, and eventually causing patient symptoms.
Crohn’s tends to run in families, so if you or a close relative have the disease, your family members have a significantly increased chance of developing Crohn’s. Studies have shown that 5% to 20% of affected individuals have a first – degree relative (parents, child, or sibling) with one of the diseases. The risk is greater with Crohn’s disease than ulcerative colitis. The risk is also substantially higher when both parents have IBD. The disease is most common among people of eastern European backgrounds, including Jews of European descent. In recent years, an increasing number of cases have been reported among African American populations.
The environment in which you live also appears to play a role. Crohn’s is more common in developed countries rather than undeveloped countries, in urban rather than rural areas, and in northern rather than southern climates.
-CCFA
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Great YouTube Video
Ten things not to say to someone with a chronic illness.....gotta see it
http://youtu.be/djCYvgSDbU0
Nicely done!
http://youtu.be/djCYvgSDbU0
Nicely done!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
52 Different Ways!?......Really??
Has anyone else seen this book?!
And here I thought there was only one way to do it.....
And here I thought there was only one way to do it.....
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Crohn's Symptoms
Since CD can be located anywhere in the GI tract, symptoms can vary. On the whole however, they often include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and not surprisingly, weight loss and lack of energy.
Crohn’s disease is a chronic (lifelong) illness. People who have CD will experience periods of acute flare-ups, when their symptoms are active and other times when their symptoms go into remission. The average risk of a flare-up in any one year is approximately 30%.
In 25% of those with CD, perianal disease may also develop. “Peri” means “around” – therefore perianal disease is located “around the anus”.
Specifically this means that a person could develop:
-CCFC
Crohn’s disease is a chronic (lifelong) illness. People who have CD will experience periods of acute flare-ups, when their symptoms are active and other times when their symptoms go into remission. The average risk of a flare-up in any one year is approximately 30%.
In 25% of those with CD, perianal disease may also develop. “Peri” means “around” – therefore perianal disease is located “around the anus”.
Specifically this means that a person could develop:
- painful, swollen skin tags (that appear to be haemhorrhoids but are not)
- abscesses (bags of pus created inside the body as a result of infection)
- fistulas (infections that have tunneled from the abscess to a hollow organ such as the rectum or vagina)
-CCFC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Crohn's Facts
Did you know...
Crohn’s disease (CD) is named after the doctor who first described it in 1932. (Since he did not have the disease itself, it is sometimes more accurately called Crohn disease).
The inflammation from CD can strike anywhere in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from mouth to anus, but is usually located in the lower part of the small bowel and the upper end of the colon (like me!!)Patches of inflammation are interspersed between healthy portions of the gut, and can penetrate the intestinal layers from inner to outer lining.
CD can also affect the mesentery, which is the network of tissue that holds the small bowel to the abdomen and contains the main intestinal blood vessels and lymph glands.
-CCFC
Crohn’s disease (CD) is named after the doctor who first described it in 1932. (Since he did not have the disease itself, it is sometimes more accurately called Crohn disease).
The inflammation from CD can strike anywhere in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from mouth to anus, but is usually located in the lower part of the small bowel and the upper end of the colon (like me!!)Patches of inflammation are interspersed between healthy portions of the gut, and can penetrate the intestinal layers from inner to outer lining.
CD can also affect the mesentery, which is the network of tissue that holds the small bowel to the abdomen and contains the main intestinal blood vessels and lymph glands.
-CCFC
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
A Crohnie Bike...??
LOL !!!!
I think it's funny that it's actually locked up....
I mean, who would steal it?!
You Might Be A Crohnie If....
If you can still fit in your jeans from Highschool....
you might be a Crohnie
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Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Remicade : Day 197
Well lets hope changing my Remicade treatment will help my abscesses. I just had my infusion after 7 weeks instead of 8 and my next infusion will be at the 6 week mark. One abscess is tollerable, two is bothersome, but when there are three....it's just a pain in the ass!
One has gone (?) and one is on the way out (after getting it lanced), but the third is intramuscular, sooooo fingers crossed.
Going to relax now....sure takes alot out of you
One has gone (?) and one is on the way out (after getting it lanced), but the third is intramuscular, sooooo fingers crossed.
Going to relax now....sure takes alot out of you
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Crohnie Quote Of The Day
I can't count how many times I've felt like this, especially when there is a flareup
“Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I'm not going to make it, but you laugh inside — remembering all the times you've felt that way.”
.
“Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I'm not going to make it, but you laugh inside — remembering all the times you've felt that way.”
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