Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Crohn’s Disease

Question:
I've been diagnosed with mal-absorption. Is there a link between mal-absorption and Crohn’s disease? A friend of mine has a baby that had Crohn’s, and some of the symptoms that she said he had I have. I was just wondering if anyone else has the same problem. My doctor said there is no connection, but that it has to do with diabetes.

Answer:
It started out with me having bouts of diarrhea, weight loss, floating stools. It went on from there to stomach cramps, and colic like spasms in my rectum. There are even times when I feel as though someone is sticking a knife in my rectum the pain is so sharp.    The doctor said that it was malabsorption, and when I have the floating stools it is too much fat in my diet for me to digest. I don't understand that because I eat a low fat diet. I listen to everyone talk about Crohn’s, and my friend’s baby having Crohn’s, and I wonder if there is a connection. Mal-absorption is a SYMPTOM. It can be a symptom of many conditions having nothing what so ever to do with Crohn's disease. The cause can be Cystic fibrosis, abnormal amounts of pancreatic enzymes, Celiac disease, etc., etc. Crohn's disease, causing ulcerations in various areas of the GI tract, can cause mal-absorption. Other than having a symptom - MAL-ABSORPTION - in common, there is no connection.