What are Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease?

I figured I should come around to this topic eventually, which is one of the soul purposes of this blog.  What exactly are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's Disease?  I'd also like to put in context how ulcerative colitis affected me and, of course, the differences between the two.

*Most information is from CCFA.org, the main website for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, one of the leading groups for advocacy and support for those with the two diseases.

Let's start with the one I was diagnosed with.  Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease of the large intestine and rectum.  It is caused by an abnormal reaction of the immune system.  Some sort of trigger, which it isn't known what that is yet, causes the immune system to act as if a foreign contaminate, such as a virus or bacteria, is present in the large intestine.  However, it could very well be attacking things that should be in there, like food and liquids being digested.  The way the body goes to fight those things in the large intestine area makes it so the walls are lined with white blood cells and antibodies.  This is the start of what many call 'flare ups'.

There are a few things that happen while this is going on.  First, your body will act as if it is sick, both possibly due to how your body responds to diseases and the fact that the immune system has its resources concentrated at the large intestine.  Second, since the body is rejecting things going into that area, nausea and weight loss may occur and the body doesn't absorb as much, since the body doesn't want to absorb things it thinks are threats.   Lastly, with the enzymes given off by the white blood cells, the concentration of them causes damage to the tissue, causing ulcers, which causes the colon not to be as effective while causing discomfort with cramping.   Bleeding and loose stools are common as the colon is also not absorbing as much water along with the damage.  Obviously with the lack of absorption, fatigue can also be an issue with the lack of nutrients coming in from what people may be used to.

While Crohn's is caused by the same ailments, its the areas affected that make them unique from one another.  Ulcerative Colitis can affect the lining as well as the main tissue, but is limited to the colon and rectum.  Crohn's, while it only affects the lining, can affect the entirety of the digestive tract.   Due to the differences, it is possible to have both at the same time.

The lifestyle effects can be pretty drastic as well.  For me, I had to miss a lot of school and have had to essentially start college over now that I have my surgeries.  I'll get to that in my next blog writing.  I also had to deal with certain psychological affects.  Living up to having Crohn's or colitis is a very hard step to get to, having to drastically change your diet and habits while being out.  Knowing how far the nearest bathroom is a pretty big deal, especially with the increased frequency of having to go and the sudden urges to go, let alone making it in time.  I often think I may have had boarder line agoraphobia during the time I was at the peak of my ulcerative colitis right before my surgery, though the first 2 years after surgery were hard as well in getting used to that new anatomy.  Finding the right kind of support can be a HUGE thing, and if you have one nearby, by all means go to it and learn more about what you are going through with people who may have more experience with it.  Finding the right doctor is also essential, so if you feel you're not at the right one, by all means find one you're comfortable with.  Finding the right people outside those groups is a great thing as well.  Just knowing you have people who can understand you and who you feel comfortable talking to can take a lot of stress and burden off your shoulders.

As I've said before, the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America and their website (CCFA.org) is a great place to begin to learn about either disease.  There are lots of articles and links to point you in the right direction as well as a directory to support groups in your specific area.

Next blog- the surgery I went through.