Irritable Bowel Disease with RNY

Hello all- After assuming my frequent trips to the bathroom were a function of the Gastic Bypass ( I would have bouts that lasted a while and then disappear). My iron bottomed out in 3 months. I just had a colonoscopy and endoscopy and a diagnosis today--- Chrohn's colitis -- Does anyone out there have a WLS and IBD? How do you cope? Is there anything I should know. Information would be SO appreciated!

I'm sure it is probably out there.  According to the NIH it tends to run in families. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/crohns/

I can't directly answer your concerns since I don't have Crohn's and haven't had WLS, but I have had limited exposure to the problem.   My grandmother lived to be in her 90's.  Could work circles around me and most people.   Although she had many more health problems before she passed away, she was rushed to the hospital and then diagnosed with Crohn's.  About this same time I was having some problems.  We both had the same doctor.  When he found out who my grandmother was, he immediately decided that he needed to test me.  I was told that it skips a generation, so I was right in line to be the unlucky "next" one.  Luckily, I came  out ok.  I had always thought that Crohn's was characterized by "cracks" in the intestines, but it appears from what I'm now reading that it can be a variety of problems with the intestines. I hope with working through your doctor that you can find a treatment that helps you.  Best of luck to you.

Hi Andrea,   Last October I was  diagnosed with  Crohn's disease, and as far as I remember, no one in my family had it. I suspect it is from my GBS surgery which I am a post op of 7 years. I am also 61 years old. So there goes the assumption it strikes the young (25-35). I have terminal Crohns of the ileum. It is painful with bouts of diarreah (as you know) and pain in the lower belly area. My Gastro doctor put me on Pentasa, which is not only very expensive, it requires taking 4 to 8 pills a day. The good news is, my son-in-law whom is a doctor, did some research and found that a medicine called "Low Dose Naltrexone" helps persons with Crohns and is inexpensive. I have been taking it for 6 months, no pain, no extreme diarreah. It might help you too, but do some research on it, then talk to your Gastro doctor about it. http://autoimmunedisease.suite101.com/article.cfm/low_dose_n altrexone "The results of clinical trials on LDN to date have shown remarkable improvement in patients with Crohn’s disease and patients with MS. " I hope this helps you, God Bless, Marilyn

Marilyn-

Thanks so much for your support and help.  It helps to know I am not alone out here. It seems to be counter intuitive to everything we learned about good eating.  I also find it weird that this seemed to start after the RNY-- and I am 40-- so not exactly the prime age group-- but not as an extreme of an outlier.

Right now I am on Lialda and Iron. I have a follow up in a week or so, so we'll see how it goes.

I miss my strawberries and salads, but I can cope, as long as it gets better. Thanks again.

Andrea

Hi Andrea, I have IBS and WLS My gastroenterologist has me on Bentyl 4 times a day, 75 mg of elavil at bedtime. To relax my colon becasue it gets the spastic with IBS. I have had IBS for years though. I just kind of deal with it for the most part but sometimes after I eat I get really bad cramps and gas pains I just lie down afterwards Good luck in your quest. Be Well, Stephanie