Crohns without diarrhea

Digestive health
1

I've just been diagnosed with crohns disease but I don't get diarrhea, I get chronic constipation and severe inflammation with lower back pain and hip pain.

Does anyone else have this (no diarrhea) but have other symptoms?

What has your treatment been?

2

I have chronic constipation but have to take laxatives every day had a flex sigmoidoscopy but had to stop it early as it was too painful, still waiting for results biopsies looked normal so dont know what it is very worrying

3

I also take laxatives everyday.

I had my colonoscopy Monday last week and the doc said it was crohns, they also took samples to test at pathology, I'm waiting for my results too.

Good luck with your results.

Keep me posted ☺

4

Hi

i too have constipation and back pain doctors have given me lactose which I take twice a day.  It is helping

 

5

I've just been told also I have crohn's too and have constipation . It took 2yr . Now on laxatives but takes a 1wk to work. Eat very little portion feel nausea a lot and tired. Losing weight. Using special nutritional drinks when unwell.

6

Hey,

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I have also just been diagnosed after months of unbearable stomach cramps and being told repeatedly by doctors that I had gastritis.

I had a colonscopy two weeks ago and have been on steroids ever since. No diarrhea, but bad constipation. I am following a low fibre diet which has really helped, avoid anything like nuts, popcorn, dried fruit as you may struggle to digest and pass these.

I am due to go on azathioprine this week and have been told to take laxido to help with constipation. Not sure if that will help at all but the diet has helped me a bit. I hope you manage to feel better soon.

7

Hi

Glad to hear that this is helping, I have heard of lactose, I might speak to my doctor and see if this is suitable for me.

Thanks

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8

Hi Gayle,

I'm sorry to hear this, it's really a horrible thing to go through.

it seems as though us sufferers with constipation have no choice but to take some form of  laxtive to get by.

I hope you feel better soon..

9

Hi Fran,

I'm also sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

It's upsetting when people that don't have this disease just don't understand how it affects us, so it's really reassuring to be able to talk to other's who have similar issues.

I don't understand how a low fibre diet can help when they stress that a high firbre diet is what we need to keep things move along but I am glad it is working for you   in any case, it's still early days for me so I will have a lot of questions for my doctor when I go see him on Monday.

This is a very wierd disease to have.

Thank you so much for your information and I do hope that you continue to feel good.

10

Hey Grace,

It's a horrible thing to have, I'm so shocked at how many people suffer as I barely knew anything about it going back a few weeks.

The NHS have been absolutely appalling my end which resulted in me paying privately. I bought 2 books - both of which suggested a low fibre diet. The doctors were unable to tell me what to eat and what could reduce my flare up and after all the wrong medication and telling me to avoid acid free food - the books I have used completely make sense and have answered more questions that my doctors. My specialist also recommended the books yesterday so it may be helpful for you to read them too.

The first is Inflammatory Bowel Disease by John Hunter and the other is Crohn's and Colitis Diet Guide by Dr A Hilary Steinhart. It explains what causes the constipation and how certain foods can make such a difference. It has been one of the only things to get me by the last few weeks. I hope it can help others reading this too

Good luck

11

Hey Fran.

Unfortunately I knew about crohns but could never imagine it would happen to me.

Good help is hard to get, the doctors don't always give you the help and advise that we need, thank goodness for sites like this one.

I will try to hunt down these books and have a read of them in the meantime I will wait for my appointment and see what they have to say.

Thanks again and take care

12

You're welcome Grace.

I hope they help.

You take care too

13

Thanks just read your message to grace and noticed you recommend 2 books. Thanks I'll have a look at them too. Hope you feel well.

14

No problem at all. I hope they help you too

15

Hi Grace.

ive had active severe Crohn's for 1 year now and I've never had the diarrhoea symptom, although I produce a lot of gas instead. It's an awful disease but once you get on the right medication you can live painfree hopefully. Unfortunately for myself I've tried various medications and treatment but have had reactions to them all, but I'm an exception so hopefully youll get sorted quicker. 

As for low fibre diet and this helps during an active bout but for me diet doesn't seem to make any difference.

16

Hi Carl,

Thanks for your post.

I'm sorry to hear that you're still not feeling well.

Ironically, I just got back from Mr gastro doc who was happy with my progression. I'm currently pain free

I've been on Budesonide for 1 month and half and he has now instructed me to reduce the mg, once  I have taken the remaining tablets, I can stop taking these meds, YAY....

However he did say that if I start to feel sick again then he will have to look at putting me on long term medication which has side effects, Of course, so I'm keeping me fingers crossed.

As for the constipation he suggested movicol which is a very safe and gently laxtive to take on a daily basis, I can take this as often or as less as I need it. I highly recommend it. I also agree that diet doesn't make a difference for me either, so I'm eating and drinking as normal, so far so good....

I hope you find the best result for you.

Good luck and keep smiling

17

I do! When I first started having issues when I was 18, I was taking Imodium daily. And it never really helped, just slowed it.

Over the last two years, it's been constipation. I actually ended up in the er and had to be digitally de compacted because I was so bad. At first my gastro didn't want to cement the crohns diagnosis because of the constipation, but because my previous biopsy when I was 18 had markers of crohns, along with my MRI in December showing thickening of my ilieum and my colonoscopy he did in December showing erosion, I was officially diagnosed. He actually only has me on probiotics, as he says the main reason crohns patients are on meds are to control the diarrhea through inflammation. I do get terrible daily nausea, and frequent UTI's though, so I guess where I don't deal with the constant diarrhea and cramping(don't get me wrong there are still times I cramp really bad and still get diarrhea) I make up for it in other ways. I have a HIDA scan and ultrasound on my gallbladder Thursday to see if anything else is affected. Hope my reply helps! Good luck!

18

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this site and only stumbled upon the information an hour ago. I was hoping someone may be able to help with advice? My son who's just turned 17 has suffered with stomach problems since he was 8 yes old. We have been to see the GP more times then I can remember and he was diagnosed with IBS when he was around 10. His symptoms have continued to get worse and I'm convinced he has crohns. All his symptoms are exactly the same and he suffers flare ups at least 7+ times per year. He has an appointment with a specialist (finally!) on the 23rd of this month and I was wondering if anyone had any information on what I should be demanding they do for him? I can't stand to see him in constant pain, not being able to live his life as a normal 27 yr old would and I'm contemplating refusing to leave hospital until they do something to help! 😢😩

Thank you in advance xx

19

Hi Grace. 

I have crohns as well and although I have occasional diarrhea, I have more constipation with severe abdominal pain a little while after eating. I also have the lower back pain and hip pain.. 

I always find it strange to have these symptoms and wonder if it’s normal 😬

What medication are you on if I may ask? And is it helping? 

20

I was diagnosed after about a year of strange pains that I couldn't figure out. I don't really have diarrhea but I can if I have too much cream. Other than that most of my pain is pains throughout the abdomen, ribs form time to time, back pain and I guess when it's bad I can get hip pain. I also getting tingling sensations off and on which I think is related to low levels of folate.