Crohn's Disease

[ruddabega]

I was just diagnosed with Crohn's Disease on top of Celiac. My GI Doc said it was rare to have both, but I was just wonddering if any one out there does have both. If so, how are you handling it? I can't tell what symptoms are coming from what. I am mostly fatigued, and have chronic stomach pain...

Thanks!

[trents]

I don't know specifically about the odds of having both Crohn's and Celiac together but I do know from my own research that in general, autoimmune diseases often come in clusters. That is to say, if you have one it is not uncommon to have at least one other. The bad thing about Crohn's is that there isn't a relatively straightforward solution like there is for Celiac disease. I assume you are on anti-inflammatory steroidal medications for the Crohn's.

[ruddabega]

Yes, I'm on a steroid medicine as well, which I don't really like. I'm really confused because a lot of the symptoms I've been having are both Celiac and Crohn's-esk, but neither fit either disease perfectly. I'm mostly fatigued (EXTREMELY) and have a lot of stomach pain.

Thanks

[hgall00]

Yes, I'm on a steroid medicine as well, which I don't really like. I'm really confused because a lot of the symptoms I've been having are both Celiac and Crohn's-esk, but neither fit either disease perfectly. I'm mostly fatigued (EXTREMELY) and have a lot of stomach pain.

Thanks

Hi, I was just diagnosed with Celiac disease confirmed with blood work, followed by a colonoscopy (and an upper GI). Long story short, my doctor has had me on this gluten-free diet for the past month and I show up for my follow-up appointment to find out that not only do I have Celiac's, my terminal ileus is not normal and Crohn's disease is added to the differential. I have to have a small bowel follow through to rule out/ or in the Crohn's disease. How often does this happen? She said they usually see this (damange to the terminal ileum) in people who take alot of NSAIDS (ibuprofen), but someone my age (mid- 20's) this usually doesn't occur. I have been feeling better since I cut out gluten but do have stomach pain here and there. I just thought that I was accidently ingesting gluten and trying to be safer with what I eat... Also very tired for days following the stomach pain. Not sure why the doctor thought it was best to wait this long to tell me that Crohn's was still on the list, even though Celiac was confirmed. I thought it was one or the other, not both!

Please help fill me in!

Thanks

[gfree in macomb]

I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 1994 and have had 3 surgeries to remove parts of my small intestine. My Gastro doctor could not understand why I was having so much diarrhea and bloating...he kept calling me an enigma. When I switched to a new gastro doctor in 2002 I told him about my symptoms and he said I could have Celiac as well as Crohn's. The blood work came back 119 and anything over 19 is a postative for Celiac. I have been Gluten Free since March of 2002...and I am on Remicade for my Crohn's...and doing pretty well.

gfee in Macomb

[NicoleAJ]

I was diagnosed with celiac in 2004 and Crohn's in 2007, only to find out later that the Crohn's diagnosis was premature (I also had a severe reaction to the Asacol they put me on). Every time I see a new GI for the severe and regular rectal bleeding and occult bleeding in my gi tract, they assume I have Crohns, and then they get in there and the test results are abnormal but inconclusive. My doctor at Hershey medical center said that though it is rare to have patients with both celiac and Crohn's, it is possible, and she has had some cases of this (these diseases are her specialties).