Crohn's symptoms

I think everbody knows someone with Crohn's disease or knows someone who knows someone. The stories about those people symptoms are different each time. That's because the symptoms are numerous and different for each person. The symptoms are also very similair to other bowel diseases, what makes it even more difficult to diagnose Crohn's disease.

 

People with Crohn's will have (some of) these symptoms:

• Diarrhea (sometimes with blood); 
• Abdominal pain (sometimes with stomic cramps); 
• Sometimes constipation; 
• Anemia; 
• Weight loss; 
• Feeling tired; 
• Fever; 
• Night sweats;
• Lagging growth in children / teens; 
• Rectal pain and/or rectal bleeding;
• Minor wounds, fistulas and abscesses, often around the anus; 
• Strictures in the intestine may be caused by the formation of scar tissue in areas where ulcers and fistula's were created. This narrowing can cause symptoms such as pain and problems with bowel movements such as constipation. Over time, even an intestinal obstruction (ileus) arise.

Other symptoms that are not directly related to the inflammation in the bowel and/ or small intestine: 

• Painful, inflamed eyes; 
• Painful, swollen joints (especially knees, elbows, ankles and wrists);
• Skin problems: painful, bluish-red spots on the skin (erythema nododsum), usually of the lower legs; 
• Arthritis;
• Small ulcers in the mouth; 
• Gallstones.

People with Crohn's have a slightly increased risk of getting cancer. That's why they also need regular check-up's.

 

The course of the disease is different with each patient. Some people have occasional symptoms, while others frequently have violent attacks. A Crohn's attack is also called a flare(-up), inflammation or an active period. My flare has been going on for a year now. Some will have a flare for a few months followed by years with minor symptoms, or just the other way around. With Crohn's it's very unpredictable.

 

Besides the symptoms of Crohn's, people with this disease can also have side effects from the medication they have to take. That's why sometimes it's difficult to find out if a symptom is caused by Crohn's or caused by use of medication.