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Got letter off gastro doc yesterday, curious about something

As title says received letter from gastroenterologist Saturday. The letter is for my employer just confirming my diagnosis for future reference.

Says on letter that I have "Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome"
"Mild distal ulcerative proctitis"

I was unaware I had IBS to begin with but my consultant said it's not unheard of to have both IBS and IBD. Anyway reason Im puzzled, and may just be me being silly and daft, but while reading the letter the consultant says I also "have a mild degree of ulcerative colitis involving a very very short segment of my lower rectum"

So I got confused and double checked why it says proctitis at top but colitis in letter itself... found out that they're actually the same thing, and proctitis is basically ulcerative colitis in the rectum only, as oppose to colon.

Anyone else know this or heard of it being true?
 
Yes, ulcerative proctitis is the same as UC; it indicates where the UC is localized, like FrozenGirl said. I've said it many times on this forum and no one seems to believe me! :) :)
 
That website is really good thanks!

Would I be far wrong in thinking that by having a "mild degress of UC in rectum" I could quite easily experience little, to no symptoms at all?

Reason I ask is majority of my bowel movements are normal stools, I've not noticed any bleeding, and my toilet visits are about 2 maybe 3 a day, if that; and "mild" to me is like saying I have a gentle form of the disease....

I'm so uneducated on this disease Im actually embarassed
 

Cross-stitch gal

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Vancouver,
I'm glad to hear it helped. It's a possibility that yours could be mild. Even though I'm doing the best I've done in a couple years, I still flare a bit each month. So, I still see blood occasionally. But, otherwise according to my doctor I'm alright.
 
I'm glad to hear it helped. It's a possibility that yours could be mild. Even though I'm doing the best I've done in a couple years, I still flare a bit each month. So, I still see blood occasionally. But, otherwise according to my doctor I'm alright.
Yeh mine is definitely a "mild" case. How wrong was i when i initially thought UC was UC and everyone had it exactly the same. In terms of symptoms and location etc
 

Cross-stitch gal

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Vancouver,
I guess the easiest way to say it is: no two people are the same. Even if you happen to be a twin, there'll be something different in each of you. There maybe someone with similar experiences, but each one of us with IBD will have something different to share. Just because something happens to one person or we read about the possibilities of things that could happen to us with this, doesn't absolutely mean it will happen for me or you.

Take for instance, being hospitalized. I've never been and don't expect to ever be. But, I have a check off list and a few things ready for my husband in case he ever needs to grab stuff immediately for me. I planned, just in case. But, I'm thankful for how I'm doing today. Just because I have it ready doesn't mean I'm expecting to go today or tomorrow...

I've been trying to explain this same thing that I'm telling you to a friend of mine who just got diagnosed with Crohn's.
 
I guess the easiest way to say it is: no two people are the same. Even if you happen to be a twin, there'll be something different in each of you. There maybe someone with similar experiences, but each one of us with IBD will have something different to share. Just because something happens to one person or we read about the possibilities of things that could happen to us with this, doesn't absolutely mean it will happen for me or you.

Take for instance, being hospitalized. I've never been and don't expect to ever be. But, I have a check off list and a few things ready for my husband in case he ever needs to grab stuff immediately for me. I planned, just in case. But, I'm thankful for how I'm doing today. Just because I have it ready doesn't mean I'm expecting to go today or tomorrow...

I've been trying to explain this same thing that I'm telling you to a friend of mine who just got diagnosed with Crohn's.
It's just a lot to take in I think when it's relatively soon after diagnosis. Speaking of crohns ill never forget my consultant's words to me "if you have to have any form of IBD and had a choice, choose UC not Crohns"
 
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