Crohn's and Colitis For Dummies

The ultimate reference for those with Crohn's and colitis and their family and friends Crohn's disease and colitis are frustrating, often debilitating gastrointestinal diseases that can have a severe impact on the overall health of those who suffer from them. According to the latest estimates, more than 600,000 patients in North America have Crohn's disease. Written by a physician specialising in the treatment of IBDs, Crohn's and Colitis For Dummies is a complete plain-English guide to understanding, treating, and living well with these diseases. Helps readers actively recognize symptoms of Crohn's and colitis and explains the diagnostic procedures doctors use to identify these diseases Outlines how the whole body is affected by Crohn's and colitis, and the potential hazards of letting the disease go untreated Offers expert advice and guidance on controlling Crohn's and colitis with diet and outlines the treatment options of medicines and surgery, including the various risks and benefits of each Provides practical advice for parents of children with Crohn's and colitis with insights into how children's treatment options can differ from those of adults

Table of Contents:
Forword xxi Introduction 1 About This Book 1 Conventions Used in This Book 2 What You’re Not to Read 2 Foolish Assumptions 2 How This Book is Organized 3 Part I: The Who, What, and Why of Crohn’s and Colitis 3 Part II: Getting Medical Help 3 Part III: Healing and Dealing with the Disease 4 Part IV: Living and Coping with Crohn’s and Colitis 4 Part V: Considering Special Populations with Crohn’s and Colitis 5 Part VI: The Part of Tens 5 Icons Used in this Book 5 Where to Go from Here 6 Part I: The Who, What, and Why of Crohn’s and Colitis 7 Chapter 1: Crohn’s and Colitis One Step at a Time 9 Knowing Crohn’s and Colitis 9 Getting the Treatment You Need 10 Recognizing That You’re Not Powerless 11 Living a Full Life with the Disease 12 Special Advice for Pregnant Women and Kids 12 Chapter 2: Defining Crohn’s and Colitis 13 What Crohn’s and Colitis Are 13 Looking at the big picture: Inflammatory bowel disease 13 Zeroing in on Crohn’s and colitis 14 The Signs and Symptoms 19 Blood in stool 21 Diarrhea 22 Abdominal pain 23 Urgency 23 Tenesmus 23 Other symptoms 23 Other Parts of the Body Involved in Crohn’s and Colitis 25 Bones and joints 25 Skin 27 Liver and gallbladder 28 Kidneys and bladder 29 Eyes 30 Complications of Crohn’s and Colitis 30 Intestinal complications 31 Nutritional complications 34 The cancer connection 38 Chapter 3: How the Digestive System Works 41 Tracking the Journey of Food inside the Gastrointestinal Tract 42 The oral cavity (or mouth) 42 The stomach 44 The small intestine 45 The large intestine 45 The anus 46 Getting Help from the Liver, Pancreas, and Gallbladder 46 Liver 46 Pancreas 47 Gallbladder 47 Understanding How Inflammation Affects the Digestive Process 48 Gastritis: Inflammation of the stomach 48 Enteritis: Inflammation of the small intestine 49 Colitis: Inflammation of the large intestine 50 Proctitis: Inflammation of the rectum 51 Chapter 4: Who Gets Crohn’s and Colitis and Why 53 Who Gets Crohn’s and Colitis 53 The Role of the Immune System in Crohn’s and Colitis 54 An immune system primer 54 When your gut’s immune system goes awry 58 Environmental Factors 58 Food 58 Air 60 Hygiene 60 Other environmental factors 61 Genes Gone Bad: The Role of Genetics 63 How genes work 63 The role of family history 64 Key genes for Crohn’s and colitis 65 Getting a genetic test 66 Part II: Getting Medical Help 67 Chapter 5: Assembling Your Healthcare Team 69 Finding the Right Doctor for You 69 Why you need a specialist 70 How to choose among the specialists in your area 70 Your first visit 71 Rounding Up Other Key Players 73 Your primary-care physician 73 Nurses 73 Physician assistants 75 Registered dietitians 75 Psychiatrists 76 Surgeons 76 Friends and family 76 Chapter 6: Getting a Diagnosis 77 Preparing for Your First Visit 77 Charting your signs and symptoms 78 Assembling your medical records 81 Talking to Your Doctor 82 Getting over the embarrassment 82 Communicating your symptoms 83 Being realistic about your expectations 83 Knowing What to Expect during a Physical Exam 84 General physical exam 84 Focused physical exam 84 Rectal exam 85 Being Poked and Prodded for Medical Tests 85 Blood tests 85 Stool tests 87 Scans 87 Endoscopy 88 Identifying Other Diseases That Mimic Crohn’s and Colitis 89 Chapter 7: Taking Medications for Crohn’s and Colitis 93 Steroids 94 Types of steroids 94 How steroids work 95 When steroids are used 96 Side effects of steroids 97 Aminosalicylates 98 Types of aminosalicylates 98 How aminosalicylates work 99 When aminosalicylates are used 100 Side effects of aminosalicylates 100 Immunomodulatory 101 Types of immunomodulators 101 How immunomodulators work 102 When immunomodulators are used 102 Side effects of immunomodulators 103 Biologics 104 Types of biologics 104 How biologics work 105 When biologics are used 105 Side effects of biologics 106 Antibiotics 109 Types of antibiotics 109 How antibiotics work 109 When antibiotics are used 109 Side effects of antibiotics 110 Other Medications 111 Antidiarrheals 111 Bile salt binders 112 Analgesics 112 Iron 113 Calcium and vitamin D 113 Vitamin B12 114 Chapter 8: Considering Surgery 117 When You May Need Surgery 117 For Crohn’s disease 117 For ulcerative colitis 118 Types of Surgery 119 Resectioning the small intestine 119 Removing a stricture 121 Treating fistulas 122 Draining abscesses 123 Resecting the colon 124 Pouch surgery 126 Complications from Surgery 128 Short-term complications 128 Long-term complications 131 Ostomy: What It Is and How to Deal with It 133 Types of ostomy 133 When you may need ostomy 134 How to care for your stoma 135 Your ostomy pouch 135 Ostomy complications 138 Part III: Healing and Dealing with the Disease 141 Chapter 9: Paying Attention to What You Eat 143 Considering the Impact of Nutrition 143 The impact on your immune system 144 The impact on wound healing 145 Identifying the Nutrients You Need 145 Macronutrients 145 Micronutrients 150 Fiber or No Fiber? That is the Question 154 Types of fiber 155 Why fiber matters 155 Fiber’s role in Crohn’s and colitis 156 Considering Specialized Diets for Crohn’s and Colitis 157 Liquid diets 157 Low-residue diets 158 Lactose-free diets 160 Elemental diets 161 Nutritional Support: When You Can’t Go It Alone 161 Enteral feeding: Feeding through a tube 161 Total parenteral nutrition: Feeding directly into your veins 162 Nutrition supplements: Boosting your diet 163 Chapter 10: Preventing Health Problems 165 Getting Vaccinated 165 Why vaccination matters 166 Which vaccines you need 166 Caring for Your Skin: It’s Not Just Cosmetic 170 Identifying the skin complications you may face 170 Recognizing and reducing your risk of skin cancer 171 Caring for your skin “down there”: Perianal skin care 172 Boning Up on Bone Health 173 Opening up about osteopenia and osteoporosis 174 Seeing what Crohn’s and colitis can do to your bones 175 Managing bone loss 176 Screening for Cancers 178 Colon cancer 178 Cervical cancer 180 Chapter 11: Alternative and Complementary Therapies 181 Let’s Get Physical: Exercise 182 Recognizing the health benefits of exercise 182 Looking at how exercise can help with Crohn’s and colitis 183 Gathering some useful exercise tips 184 Working Over-Thyme: Herbal Therapy 185 Healing with herbs 185 Identifying beneficial herbs for Crohn’s and colitis — and knowing which herbs to avoid 186 Homeopathy 187 Getting help from homeopathy? 188 Homeopathy and Crohn’s and colitis 189 Traditional Chinese Medicine 189 Understanding traditional Chinese medicine 190 Controlling Crohn’s and colitis with traditional Chinese medicine 190 Mind-Body Intervention 191 Aromatherapy 191 Hypnotherapy 192 Yoga and meditation 192 Music therapy 192 Support groups 192 T’ai chi 193 Worm Therapy 193 Putting worms to work for your health 193 Seeing how worms can help Crohn’s and colitis 194 Part IV: Living and Coping with Crohn’s and Colitis 195 Chapter 12: Living with Crohn’s and Colitis 197 Dealing with Your Diagnosis 197 Stage 1: Denial 198 Stage 2: Anger 199 Stage 3: Bargaining 201 Stage 4: Depression 201 Stage 5: Acceptance 202 People Who Need People . . .: Keeping Your Relationships Going Strong 202 So, what’s new with you? Telling people about your diagnosis 203 Come here often? Dating with Crohn’s and colitis 205 Like a horse and carriage: Keeping your marriage strong 206 Caring for a Loved One with Crohn’s or Colitis 207 Finding little things that help a lot 207 Helping during a flare 208 Helping after surgery 208 Getting the help you need for yourself 209 Chapter 13: Avoiding Triggers 211 Smoking: Why You Need to Quit 211 Drugs: Just Say No? 214 Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 214 Antibiotics 215 Stressing Out 215 Food, Glorious Food 217 Artificial sweeteners 217 High-fat foods 218 High-fiber foods 218 Caffeine 219 Dairy products 220 Alcohol 221 Mr. Sandman, Bring Me a Dream 222 What sleep does for your immune system 222 The effect of sleep on Crohn’s and colitis 222 How to get a good night’s sleep 223 Chapter 14: Working and Traveling with Crohn’s and Colitis 225 Working with Crohn’s and Colitis 225 Working your job hunt around your disease 226 Telling your employer and co-workers about your condition (or keeping it to yourself) 226 Starting your day off right 228 Planning your commute 228 Packing an emergency kit 228 Speed bumps ahead: Coping with job-related challenges 229 Taking advantage of the Family and Medical Leave Act 230 On the Road Again: Traveling with Crohn’s and Colitis 232 Assembling a vacation survival guide 232 Getting immunized before you travel abroad 233 Packing for your trip 233 Avoiding travelers’ diarrhea 235 Finding a bathroom . . . fast! 236 Part V: Considering Special Populations with Crohn’s and Colitis 195 Chapter 15: Kids with Crohn’s and Colitis 239 Identifying How Crohn’s and Colitis are Different in Kids Than They are in Adults 240 Gender 240 Symptoms 240 Effect on growth and development 241 Getting a Diagnosis 243 Managing Crohn’s and Colitis in Kids 244 Monitoring medications 244 Paying attention to nutrition 248 Vaccinating your child 249 Growing Up with Crohn’s and Colitis 250 Preschool: C is for Crohn’s and colitis 251 Surviving school 251 Turning 18: Adulthood begins (at least in theory) 252 Going off to college 253 Chapter 16: Having Sex and Getting Pregnant with Crohn’s and Colitis 255 Sex and Fertility 255 Sexual activity 256 Contraception 257 Your menstrual cycle 259 Fertility 259 Pregnancy 260 Pregnancy planning 261 While you’re pregnant 262 The big day and beyond 266 Part VI: The Part of Tens 269 Chapter 17: Ten Myths about Inflammatory Bowel Disease 271 Diet is the Cure 271 Kids Get It from Their Parents 272 It’s Caused by Stress 272 You Can’t Get Pregnant if You Have It 273 Surgery Is Required 273 If You Have It, You’re Guaranteed to Get Cancer 274 You’re Responsible for Your Flares 275 Surgery Cures It 275 You Can Stop Taking Your Medications if You Feel Better 276 You Have to Stop Taking Your Medications during Pregnancy 277 Chapter 18: Ten Reliable Resources 279 The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America 279 The United Ostomy Associations of America 280 You and IBD 281 MyIBD.org 281 WebMD 282 Mayo Clinic 282 The Culinary Couple’s Creative Colitis Cookbook 283 The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers 284 KidsHealth 284 IBD U 285 Glossary 287 Index 297

About the Author :
Tauseef Ali, MD, is an expert in the field of inflammatory bowel disease. Currently, he serves as a faculty member in the Section of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. He is also the director of the OU Physicians Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center. Dr. Ali has served as an academic editor-in-chief of the World Journal of Gastroenterology.