Bowel Movements in Crohn's Disease |
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Probably one of the worst parts of having Crohn’s Disease is dealing with the diarrhea, constipation, lose stool, frequent stool, bloody stool – you name it. Bowel movements can be very different from patient to patient in Crohn’s Disease. But, amazingly, bowel movements can be very different from time to time in the same patient.
Personal experience:
I have had periods of every type of bowel movement you can imagine – even constipation. However, my typical trend as I get a flare up is the following:
Gassy à Diarrhea à Bloody Stool à Constipation à Diarrhea + Blood
Now, that is just me and you or anyone else with Crohn’s Disease may very well be different. However, diarrhea and frequent stool passing is a very common symptom amongst Crohn’s patients.
The onset of a change in your stool is normally a solid sign that you are about to get a flare-up or that something in your system is changing that requires the attention of a doctor.
If you have Crohn’s Disease or were just diagnosed, it is a safe bet to say that you will likely be using the bathroom multiple times a day – especially during a flare-up.
What to do about frequent bowel movements?
Well, first and foremost, you need to go see your doctor. Any changes in bowel movements are the best signs of changes in your Crohn’s Disease status.
Secondly, personally, I like to use Immodium to try to help ease the diarrhea. However, I am not a doctor and I know of some Crohn’s patients that do not do well with Immodium – so once again, you need to talk to your doctor about this medicine.
Thirdly, drink a lot of water. When you have diarrhea, you are losing a lot of liquid and are likely close to or already dehydrated. So, make sure to keep drinking a lot of liquid. I recently tried drinking “PediaLite” when I had diarrhea and it did help a little bit.
Fourth, REST! I have found that rest can actually really help me. If I am in the midst of getting a flare-up, rest has really helped me avoid getting a full flare-up (in combination with proper medicine and other things).
Depending on how frequently you’re going – I always find it to be a relief to stay home and if I do have to go out, I only go out with those who are close to me. I like for those who I go out with to know my situation and to understand if I need to run to the bathroom.
I am sure you will agree that your bowel movements are not the best topic of conversation with friends/family so not everyone around you knows about your situation. Because of that, when I am starting to feel irregular in my bowel movements, I try to surround myself around those who know and understand me.
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