My story plus the occasional question

Hi everyone, this forum is amazing! I have found answers to so many little questions I keep forgetting to ask the doctor.
I am new to crohns and this forum and I thought I would introduce myself.

I have had intermittent tummy troubles since I was in early high school (Im now 23) plus severe chronic gastric reflux, and I finally decided to follow it up last year. My symptoms are variable bowel habits ranging from constipation to diarrhoea up to 6 or 7 times a day with lots of mucus, stomach pain and cramps, nausea, fatigue and anaemia. Plus the indigestion.

I was diagnosed as probably crohns but possibly UC late 2011, with disease all through my colon, possibly my terminal ileum and maybe my stomach.
I am currently on pentasa and omeprazole. Compared to most people on here my symptoms are pretty mild!! You guys are amazing with your positive attitudes.

Now for my question. I mentioned to my doctor that I have always been susceptible to 'tummy bugs' and he said they may have been crohns flaring up. My question is how do I tell a mild flare from a tummy bug? (My symptoms in the past, which I have put down to a bug, have been fever, nausea, increased increased stomach pain and diarrhoea with mucus, plus really bad fatigue).
I just don't really know what to expect and when to say this is a flare up and do something about it or just suck it up and ride it out.

I appreciate any feedback, and once again thanks for such a great place for people to go to

Hello gstewart, and welcome to the forum.

I'm really glad that this forum is here. I think it's amazing, too! Good thing we've joined, eh?

I think that the main way I've been able to tell bugs apart from flares is the bleeding. But I also judge by watching others around me. If my family is also falling ill, then it's a bug.

Everybody is so different, though. Many of us present in different ways.

Are you on any medications for your IBD?

Again welcome, and I hope to see you around. :hug:

The way I differentiate is by how long I'm sick. If it's over 2 weeks, it's probably a flare (for me).

Thanks guys! I have lots to learn.
Jessi - Im on pentasa 2g/day.

Yeah, we all have a lot to learn. Hang in there.

And check out this Sub-forum. 5-ASA/Mesalazine (like Pentasa) is a mild drug. I hope you don't have too many bad side effects. :hug:

For me my body just feels different when it's a flare as opposed to just a little bug. I have blood & mucus, excessive cramping, and have to go everytime I eat or drink. Also, the duration of symptoms is a big hint for me. Each person's disease is different so I would say a good rule of thumb is to think of your worst flare and when it feels like that again, you're having another flare... You could always ask your GI doctor what to look for or when you're unsure, call your doc and discuss your symptoms.

Hello and :welcome: Tummy bugs tend to only last a couple of days so I would say anything lasting more than 5 days needs to be checked. It can take time to get to know what your body is trying to tell you, after 91/2 years I am still learning! I went through a period of thinking that because I had no diarrhoea everything was fine, I was having cramping tummyaches everyday but didn't think anything of it. It was only when my husband found out and pointed out (quite loudly as well) that 'normal' folkes to not get tummyaches every day, it eventually turned out that I had a stricture.....ooops! Based on the symptoms you have listed you are definitly having flares so do not try and ride it out, everytime the bowel gets inflammed you are leaving behind scar tissue so the key is to get treatment asap.