Preface
Part 1:The Basics
1. What are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis?
2. What’s the difference between Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis?
3. How do you get IBD?
4. Is IBD contagious?
5. How do you know if you have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis?
6. Can someone have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and not know it?
7. How common are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis? I seem to know
more and more people with it.
Part 2: Diagnosis
8. How are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis diagnosed?
9. If I have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, will I pass it on to my children?
10. Can I ever be cured of IBD, or will I have it for my entire life?
11. Can I die from having Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis?
12. Are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis ever confused with other disorders?
13. Is IBD the same thing as IBS?
14. Some of my symptoms sound like a disease called celiac sprue. How would
I know if I have this?
Part 3: Medications
15. Years ago my mother used to take sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) for ulcerative
colitis. Is this drug still in use?
16. What are the newer sulfasalazine-type (Azulfidine) drugs used to treat
Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis?
17. What is the role of topical therapy in treating proctitis, and is topical therapy
used for treating anything else?
18. I’ve heard that prednisone is commonly used to treat Crohn’s disease and
ulcerative colitis. When should you use prednisone, what are its side
effects, and is it safe?
19. I’ve heard that there is a new type of prednisone with fewer side effects
called budesonide (Entocort). How does it work?
20. What are immunomodulators and when should they be used?
21. What is infliximab (Remicade)?
22. What is the role of cyclosporine in IBD?
23. What is the role of methotrexate?
24. What is the role of antibiotics in Crohn’s disease?
25. Does having Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis mean I will be on medication
for my entire life?
26. I’ve heard that if you have IBD you can’t take ibuprofen or naproxen. Is
this true, and if it is, what can I do about my arthritis?
27. Is it okay to use antidiarrheal drugs such as dephenoxylate/atropine
(Lomotil) or loperamide (Imodium), and what other drugs are available to
treat the symptoms of IBD?
28. I’ve heard a lot lately about probiotics. Can these help patients with IBD?
Part 4: Cancer and Dysplasia
29. Am I more likely to get colon cancer if I have ulcerative colitis?
30. Does Crohn’s disease also increase my risk for cancer?
31. What is dysplasia and how is it related to cancer?
32. Is a polyp the same thing as dysplasia?
33. How do you screen for dysplasia and colon cancer in IBD?
34. Should patients with Crohn’s disease be screened for small bowel cancer?
35. Can I do anything to prevent getting colon cancer?
Part 5: Complications
36. I have a friend with Crohn’s disease who was operated on for a bowel
obstruction. Does this occur often in Crohn’s disease?
37. What is toxic megacolon?
38. How do I know if my bowel is perforated?
39. What is sepsis, and why does it happen?
40. I heard that people with Crohn’s disease can get something called a fistula.
Can you tell me what this is?
41. What is an anal fissure?
42. I have Crohn’s disease and often get abscesses around my rectum. What
exactly is an abscess and how is it treated? Can I get abscesses in other
places?
43. I have really bad hemorrhoids and something my doctor calls a skin tag.
Are these common in someone with IBD?
44. I go to the bathroom so much that I get a lot of itching and irritation.
What can I do to treat this?
45. I have ulcerative colitis and often pass blood with my bowel movements. Is
this something I should worry about?
Part 6: Surgery
46. What is the role of surgery in Crohn’s disease?
47. What types of operations are performed in Crohn’s disease?
48. How often does Crohn’s disease occur after surgery, and is there any way to
prevent it?
49. What is the role of surgery in ulcerative colitis?
50. What types of operations are performed in ulcerative colitis?
51. What is pouchitis, and how is it treated?
52. What are some of the other complications found after ileal pouch surgery?
Part 7: Diet and Nutrition
53. I find that if I watch what I eat and eliminate certain foods, I feel better.
Does that mean that Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are caused by
something in the diet and can be cured by eating the right types of food?
54. Is IBD caused by a food allergy?
55. How does having Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis affect my nutrition?
56. How do I know if I should take vitamins?
57. I’m chronically underweight. What can I do to gain weight?
58. Since I have to avoid fruits and vegetables due to my Crohn’s disease, what
can I do to lose weight?
59. What foods should I eat or avoid if I have chronic diarrhea?
60. What foods should I eat or avoid if I have a stricture?
61. Is there a specific diet that I should follow if I have Crohn’s disease or
ulcerative colitis?
62. Do all patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis have lactose intolerance?
Part 8: Extraintestinal Manifestations
63. Can IBD affect parts of my body other than just my bowels?
64. How can IBD affect my skin?
65. I often get little sores in my mouth, especially when my IBD is active. Are
these related, and what can I do about them?
66. My joints are often stiff and sore. Is this related to my IBD?
67. Are any of the drugs that treat IBD also helpful in treating the joint pains?
68. How do I know if I am at risk for osteoporosis, and is there any way to prevent
it?
69. Am I more likely to get osteoporosis if I have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative
colitis?
70. How can I tell if I have osteoporosis? Are there ways to treat it?
71. Is it true that Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can also affect my eyes?
72. I recently developed a kidney stone and my doctor said it was from my
IBD. What do Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis have to do with the
kidneys?
73. Are gallstones common in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis?
74. How do Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect the liver?
75. How do Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis cause you to become anemic?
76. Am I more likely to get a blood clot if I have IBD?
Part 9: Sexuality, Reproductive Issues, and Pregnancy
77. Is it safe to have a baby if I have IBD?
78. Is there a best time to get pregnant if I have IBD?
79. Will having Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis affect my ability to conceive?
80. Why do I feel like I have no sex drive?
81. Can IBD affect fertility in men?
82. What is the effect of pregnancy on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis?
83. Should I continue to take my IBD medications during pregnancy?
84. Are IBD medications safe to use during pregnancy?
85. Are there any Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis medications that are
not safe during pregnancy?
86. Can I take IBD medications while I am breastfeeding?
87. Can I still have a vaginal delivery if I have perianal Crohn’s disease, or do I
need to have a C-section?
88. Which tests or X rays for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are safe during
pregnancy?
89. Can I safely have surgery for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis during
pregnancy?
90. Will prior surgery for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis affect my pregnancy
or delivery?
91. Will Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect my periods? Can they
make PMS worse?
92. If I have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, what is the chance that my
children will have it? Should my family members be tested?
Part 10: Lifestyle
93. Does stress affect Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis?
94. Can changing my lifestyle help with my IBD?
95. I know smoking is bad for me, but I’ve heard that smoking can actually
make IBD better—is this true?
96. Do I have to take any precautions if I want to exercise?
97. Can I drink alcohol if I have IBD?
Part 11: IBD in Children and the Elderly
98. Does IBD occur in children? How is it different than in adults?
99. Can IBD occur in the elderly?
Part 12:The Future of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis
100. What does the future hold for the diagnosis and treatment of Crohn’s disease
and ulcerative colitis?
Appendix
Glossary
Index
