Re: Crohns disease and my introduction

[Guest guest]

Vickie,

I was hoping that someone with Crohn's would come forward with good info

for you but I guess not.

I don't have Crohn's but do have ulcerative colitis -- they are usually

lumped together as Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The major difference is that

UC only affects the colon and Crohn's can affect both small and large

intestine and can be much more serious in terms of nutritional

deficiencies, etc. I was diagnosed 2 years after my original RNY -- about

the same time that I started gaining weight. By the time I figured out that

it might not be all my fault, I had regained all the weight I lost after

surgery (yup, I'm everyone's worst nightmare). I finally went back to my

surgeon for an upper GI and scope which showed a staple line disruption,

stretched stoma and stretched pouch. I wanted him to revise to distal or DS

but he convinced me that it wasn't a good idea. He did fix the stoma, pouch

and staple line almost two years ago and I haven't had any problems.

I can understand why bypassing more intestine would not be a good idea but

maybe just the stoma could be fixed. Unless of course that's the area

affected by the Crohn's disease.

I'm not sure my experience will be much help but at least I can be

sympathetic. It IS discouraging but don't despair just yet. We don't know

what causes Crohn's or UC but there are new meds coming on the market and

some recent discoveries on possible causes. If you haven't already, check

out the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation http://www.ccfa.org/

The only advice I have to offer is to learn as much as you can about

Crohn's and revisions and then, when you see your weight loss surgeon take

all your records and ask lots of questions. If you act knowledgeable and

responsible, it seems docs are more likely to listen to what you want. Good

luck.

Kathleen

I've posted a couple of times but have never really introduced myself. I

joined this list way back in 2001 but somehow I just didn't feel like a

true grad and by the time I really was one year out from my revision,

lurking had become a habit.

1994 RNY

Buchwald, U of Mn

284/178

SLD, stretched stoma and pouch

Revision, 3/2002

294/191

At 01:38 AM 12/24/03, Vickie Speek wrote:

>Does anyone on this list have Crohn's Disease?

>

>I recently had an endoscope and a colonoscopy to find out why I have stomach

>pain after I eat and why I have not been unable to lose anymore weight.

>

>It turns out I have two problems - a stretched stoma the size of my

>intestines and Crohn's Disease, a chronic inflammatory disease of the small

>intestines. Sometimes, people with Crohn's will have to have sections of

>their intestines cut out, then rejoined, to get rid of ulcerative sores and

>blockages.

>

>I asked my digestive doctor if I would be able to have a weight loss

>revision because of the stretched stoma, but he said he didn't think any

>doctor would operate on me - because a revision would bypass more intestines

>and I'm going to need all the intestines I have in case of future problems

>with Crohn's Disease. I have an appointment to see my weight loss surgeon in

>a couple of weeks, but his nurse already told me she didn't think he would

>do a revision either.

>

>I'm feeling awfully discouraged. It's bad enough to find out about the

>stretched stoma, but the Crohn's Disease is even worse. My starting weight

>in June 2001 was 270 pounds. I now weigh 190. I made it down to 170, but

>have gained 20 pounds back. I'm afraid I'm going to end up back where I

>started from.

>

>Vickie

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