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Gastroenterology (Expert Forum)
Re: Ulcerative Colitis
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
Re: Ulcerative Colitis
by HFHSM.D.-ym, Jan 01, 1995 12:00AM
Posted By HFHSM.D.-ym on October 06, 1998 at 22:50:46:
In Reply to: Ulcerative Colitis posted by Concerned Sister, Dee on October 04, 1998 at 23:57:16:
: : : : : Hello Doctor,
: : : : : My 55 year old brother is in the hospital with a very bad case of Ulcerative Colitis. Upon entering the hospital, he was very ill, with yellowing of the skin around the eyes and face area, bloody diahrea, etc.. I ha
: : Dear Concerned,
: : Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory condition that only affects the large intestine. If the large intestine is completed removed surgically the risk of colon cancer is obliterated. It sounds like your brother's colon is narrowed (strictured) in some areas. It is sometimes difficult to rule out cancer in these areas. If it becomes impossible to adequately survey his colon (with colonoscopy) and he is refractory to medical therapy surgery is an option. The bloating may be secondary to colonic inflammation or a secondary process in the stomach. The inflammation of ulcerative colitis does not involve the stomach. On the other hand, Crohn's disease of the stomach has been described. If your brother is truly jaundiced it may be necessary to rule out a condition called primary sclerosing cholangitis (disease of the bile ducts characterized by scarring and inflammation) which is an extraintestinal manifestation associated with ulcerative colitis. It would be extremely unlikely that Prozac had anything to do with the development of ulcerative colitis. I hope you find this information helpful.
: : This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.
: : If you would like to be seen at our institution please call 1-800-653-6568, our Referring Physicians' Office and make an appointment to see Dr. Muszkat, one of our experts in Gastroenterology.
: : HFHSM.D.-ym
: : : : *Keywords: ulcerative colitis
: Thank you Doctor, for taking the time to answer my questions. And with your answers, I have a few more questions. Is there any knowledge of what does cause Ulcerative Colitis? And yes, my brother does have an area in the large colon-about 6-8 inches that the opening is about the size of a pencil. All of the large colon is very ulcerated. What are his chances of getting cancer of the colon from this illness? And is Ulcerative colitis curable, if everything does heal up? Could a person have Crohns disease in the stomach and Ulcerative Colitis in the colon at the same time?
: : : We are from a relative small town and his Doctor is confereing with a specialist in Fargo, ND on how to treat his illness-but the specialist has not seen him yet.
: : : On the jaundice when he first entered the hospital, his Dr. said it was because the infection had started to go into the blood stream, and had he waited a few more hours to go to the hospital, he may not have been with us. Is this the possible cause of the jaundice, or would it only be caused by the problems you mentioned with the bile ducts? Last night he had a terrible night-with diahreah-passing lots of black blood, and puss, etc. The Dr. says this is good, as it means the infection is moving out. Is this your opinion too? Sorry for so many questions, but I am really worried about my brother and worried that something may be passed by in his treatment he is receiving here. I do know they would remove the colon as a last resort- as want to try these treatments first. Does it generally take a long time for the Prednizone and Kerafate to heal this problem-it is now going on 4 weeks in the hospital. Thank you very much for your patience in answering my questions.
Dear Concerned Sister,
The pathogenesis (cause) of ulcerative colitis is essentially unknown at this time. Some theories that have been proposed include: poor blood flow (ischemia), immunological and autoimmune mechanisms and allergic reactions or bacterial infection. No matter what the cause, the end result is the same. An inflammatory response is triggered which cause ulceration, pus, bleeding and inflammation of the lining of the large intestine.
Hello Again,
: My thanks to both of you for all the help and answers. There has been a new development in my brother's case-they now say he has Crohns Disease, as yesterday a test was taken on the small intestine and a small ulcerated area was also found there. I have read about Crohns also, and it appears that it attacks "areas." The Doctors, also ran another colonoscopy on part of the colon, and there has been very little improvement. In their words" It looks like someone has drug a steel brush from the top of the colon all the way through the rectum." They were prepared to remove all of it, until the test yesterday showed a problem in the small intestine also. Can you have Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis together??
: It has been 5 weeks now of treatment, without much sucess, so they are sending him to Mayo Clinic at Rochester, MN., tomorrow. He has been on 5 weeks of Prednizone treatment, 2 weeks of being fed through a tube, to try and bypass food going into the colon, 52 lb. weight loss, and now today, he needed 2 pints of blood, as his red blood count was way down. Are we still looking at Ulcerative Colitis or Crohns Disease, or may we be looking at possible cancer of these areas? Does Crohns attack the whole colon, Doctor? If so, this has to be a very bad case of Crohns, right? Any more info you can give me will be greatly appreciated. I do have the greatest confidence in Mayo Clinic, but know it will be several days yet, before we can get any direct answers. Thanks so much, Dee
Dear Dee,
Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease do not coexist in the same patient. On the other hand, there are cases where the exact type of inflammatory bowel disease is indeterminate. Crohn's disease can affect any area of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus. Although the risk of colon cancer is higher in patients with ulcerative colitis the risk is possible with Crohn's disease as well. Your brother's case is quite complex so it's a good idea to have him seen at Mayo Clinic. I wish you all the best of luck.
HFHSM.D.-ym
*Keywords: inflammatory bowel disease, management
Dear Doctor,
Sorry for taking up any more of your time, but I have one more followup question to ask. I understand that Crohns Disease could run in families, but it appears from information received from the doctors at Mayo,
that it is also contagious. Is this true, or could this be a misunderstanding in the explanation of the disease? In the process of my brothers care, eleven Doctors have been involved with his testing, etc., so am wondering
if things may have gotten confused in the explanation by family members.
Thank you so much again for any clarification of this. Dee
Dear Dee,
Many investigators have tried to link the cause of Crohn's disease to an infectious organism. Some feel that mycobacteria (non-tuberculous) may play a role. Yet there is no conclusive evidence to date that an infectious agent is the primary cause of Crohn's disease. Genetic factors do play a role and that may partly explain the reason that Crohn's disease tends to run in families. There is no evidence that Crohn's disease is contagious. I hope you find this information helpful.
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.
If you would like to be seen at our institution please call 1-800-653-6568 our Referring Physicians' Office and make an appointment to see Dr. Muszkat, one of our experts in Gastroenterology.
HFHSM.D.-ym
*Keywords: Crohn's disease
In Reply to: Ulcerative Colitis posted by Concerned Sister, Dee on October 04, 1998 at 23:57:16:
: : : : : Hello Doctor,
: : : : : My 55 year old brother is in the hospital with a very bad case of Ulcerative Colitis. Upon entering the hospital, he was very ill, with yellowing of the skin around the eyes and face area, bloody diahrea, etc.. I ha
: : Dear Concerned,
: : Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory condition that only affects the large intestine. If the large intestine is completed removed surgically the risk of colon cancer is obliterated. It sounds like your brother's colon is narrowed (strictured) in some areas. It is sometimes difficult to rule out cancer in these areas. If it becomes impossible to adequately survey his colon (with colonoscopy) and he is refractory to medical therapy surgery is an option. The bloating may be secondary to colonic inflammation or a secondary process in the stomach. The inflammation of ulcerative colitis does not involve the stomach. On the other hand, Crohn's disease of the stomach has been described. If your brother is truly jaundiced it may be necessary to rule out a condition called primary sclerosing cholangitis (disease of the bile ducts characterized by scarring and inflammation) which is an extraintestinal manifestation associated with ulcerative colitis. It would be extremely unlikely that Prozac had anything to do with the development of ulcerative colitis. I hope you find this information helpful.
: : This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.
: : If you would like to be seen at our institution please call 1-800-653-6568, our Referring Physicians' Office and make an appointment to see Dr. Muszkat, one of our experts in Gastroenterology.
: : HFHSM.D.-ym
: : : : *Keywords: ulcerative colitis
: Thank you Doctor, for taking the time to answer my questions. And with your answers, I have a few more questions. Is there any knowledge of what does cause Ulcerative Colitis? And yes, my brother does have an area in the large colon-about 6-8 inches that the opening is about the size of a pencil. All of the large colon is very ulcerated. What are his chances of getting cancer of the colon from this illness? And is Ulcerative colitis curable, if everything does heal up? Could a person have Crohns disease in the stomach and Ulcerative Colitis in the colon at the same time?
: : : We are from a relative small town and his Doctor is confereing with a specialist in Fargo, ND on how to treat his illness-but the specialist has not seen him yet.
: : : On the jaundice when he first entered the hospital, his Dr. said it was because the infection had started to go into the blood stream, and had he waited a few more hours to go to the hospital, he may not have been with us. Is this the possible cause of the jaundice, or would it only be caused by the problems you mentioned with the bile ducts? Last night he had a terrible night-with diahreah-passing lots of black blood, and puss, etc. The Dr. says this is good, as it means the infection is moving out. Is this your opinion too? Sorry for so many questions, but I am really worried about my brother and worried that something may be passed by in his treatment he is receiving here. I do know they would remove the colon as a last resort- as want to try these treatments first. Does it generally take a long time for the Prednizone and Kerafate to heal this problem-it is now going on 4 weeks in the hospital. Thank you very much for your patience in answering my questions.
Dear Concerned Sister,
The pathogenesis (cause) of ulcerative colitis is essentially unknown at this time. Some theories that have been proposed include: poor blood flow (ischemia), immunological and autoimmune mechanisms and allergic reactions or bacterial infection. No matter what the cause, the end result is the same. An inflammatory response is triggered which cause ulceration, pus, bleeding and inflammation of the lining of the large intestine.
Hello Again,
: My thanks to both of you for all the help and answers. There has been a new development in my brother's case-they now say he has Crohns Disease, as yesterday a test was taken on the small intestine and a small ulcerated area was also found there. I have read about Crohns also, and it appears that it attacks "areas." The Doctors, also ran another colonoscopy on part of the colon, and there has been very little improvement. In their words" It looks like someone has drug a steel brush from the top of the colon all the way through the rectum." They were prepared to remove all of it, until the test yesterday showed a problem in the small intestine also. Can you have Crohns and Ulcerative Colitis together??
: It has been 5 weeks now of treatment, without much sucess, so they are sending him to Mayo Clinic at Rochester, MN., tomorrow. He has been on 5 weeks of Prednizone treatment, 2 weeks of being fed through a tube, to try and bypass food going into the colon, 52 lb. weight loss, and now today, he needed 2 pints of blood, as his red blood count was way down. Are we still looking at Ulcerative Colitis or Crohns Disease, or may we be looking at possible cancer of these areas? Does Crohns attack the whole colon, Doctor? If so, this has to be a very bad case of Crohns, right? Any more info you can give me will be greatly appreciated. I do have the greatest confidence in Mayo Clinic, but know it will be several days yet, before we can get any direct answers. Thanks so much, Dee
Dear Dee,
Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease do not coexist in the same patient. On the other hand, there are cases where the exact type of inflammatory bowel disease is indeterminate. Crohn's disease can affect any area of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus. Although the risk of colon cancer is higher in patients with ulcerative colitis the risk is possible with Crohn's disease as well. Your brother's case is quite complex so it's a good idea to have him seen at Mayo Clinic. I wish you all the best of luck.
HFHSM.D.-ym
*Keywords: inflammatory bowel disease, management
Dear Doctor,
Sorry for taking up any more of your time, but I have one more followup question to ask. I understand that Crohns Disease could run in families, but it appears from information received from the doctors at Mayo,
that it is also contagious. Is this true, or could this be a misunderstanding in the explanation of the disease? In the process of my brothers care, eleven Doctors have been involved with his testing, etc., so am wondering
if things may have gotten confused in the explanation by family members.
Thank you so much again for any clarification of this. Dee
Dear Dee,
Many investigators have tried to link the cause of Crohn's disease to an infectious organism. Some feel that mycobacteria (non-tuberculous) may play a role. Yet there is no conclusive evidence to date that an infectious agent is the primary cause of Crohn's disease. Genetic factors do play a role and that may partly explain the reason that Crohn's disease tends to run in families. There is no evidence that Crohn's disease is contagious. I hope you find this information helpful.
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.
If you would like to be seen at our institution please call 1-800-653-6568 our Referring Physicians' Office and make an appointment to see Dr. Muszkat, one of our experts in Gastroenterology.
HFHSM.D.-ym
*Keywords: Crohn's disease
