Latest news with #CrohnsDisease
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Common 'exercise injury' was the only sign of super-fit 39 year-old's bowel cancer...now it's spread and he has to have a buttock removed
A keen runner has told how doctors missed the only sign of his bowel cancer, mistaking it for an exercise injury as it wasn't included in the list of 'typical' symptoms. Andy Spary, 39, from Tunbridge Wells, began to struggle with pain in his left buttock in March last year, describing the sensation as a 'severe burning'. But doctors who examined the carpenter at his local A&E said it was likely his pain was the result of a recent rollerskating injury. However, a subsequent MRI scan and biopsy revealed a tumour in his bowel, which had spread to nearby lymph nodes. Doctors delivered the devastating diagnosis of stage three bowel cancer. Medics suspect the development of the deadly disease was linked to his existing Crohn's disease, which features chronic inflammation and swelling in the digestive tract and can lead to cancer-causing abnormal cell growth. 'The tumour has branched off of my bowel to my buttocks area and is spreading,' said Mr Spary, who is married to Amy, 35. 'We're focusing on the positives, which helps, taking it that it's treatable and I can beat it.' In July last year, he underwent a procedure to prepare his body for chemotherapy, which involved fitting a stoma—where a part of the large bowel is brought through an opening in the stomach and attached to a bag to collect waste. Two months later he began chemotherapy and radiotherapy to shrink the disease, but doctors didn't see the results they'd hoped for Mr Spary had a second operation on May 21 which will hopefully leave him cancer-free with his stoma still in place. 'In an ideal world, if the treatment completely destroyed the tumour then the stoma could be reversed,' he said. 'But realistically I think this is rare. The plan was always to have surgery and end up with a stoma bag for life.' The surgery involved doctors removing the remaining section of his bowel, including what was left of his tumour, as well as a section of his buttocks. A plastic surgeon then carried out laparoscopic surgery to repair his pelvic floor and reconstruct his bottom using tissue from the area. 'One surgeon removes the tumour and then the plastic surgeon patches everything up. New bum, new me, all good,' he said. Another advantage of the operation is that it is likely to relieve him of his Crohn's symptoms because the affected area will mostly be removed. He said doctors are confident the surgery was a success but he will have to wait at least one month for a scan to confirm whether he is cancer-free. 'Keeping fit and healthy has been my best weapon,' said Mr Spary. He is now planning to run the 2026 London Marathon on behalf of cancer charity Trekstok for which he has so far raised more than £3,350 on GoFundMe. 'If I could make £10,000, that would be unbelievable,' he said. Mr Spary is currently recovering from surgery in hospital and hopes to be discharged by the end of May. He will have to relearn to walk with the help of physiotherapy before restarting his marathon training by the end of the year. So far, he has managed to sit up and take his first steps. 'Having the goal of running my first marathon next year – stoma bag and all – is my motivation to stay positive and keep going,' he said. 'After this process, I'll be back on my feet, stronger and fitter with no more Crohn's and no more cancer, sorted.' Mr Spary's story comes amid a startling rise in bowel cancer among young people in Britain. Between the early 1990s and 2018, the number of adults aged 25 to 49 being diagnosed with bowel cancer has risen 22 per cent in the UK— a rise that's among the fastest of all high income countries. Experts are not yet entirely sure what's causing this increase, but some have suggested it may be due to a combination of changing diets and exposure to environmental factors like pollution.
Health Line
2 days ago
- Health
- Health Line
Does Crohn's Disease Affect Fertility?
More studies are needed to better understand Crohn's effects on fertility and reproductive health. Here's what we know so far. People with Crohn's disease may be concerned about how their condition might affect their fertility or their ability to conceive children. Many people who have Crohn's are able to safely conceive. Research to understand how Crohn's affects fertility is still ongoing. What the research says Inflammation, nutritional deficiencies, certain medications, and surgery can all impact your fertility and sexual health when you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Women who have IBD (including Crohn's and ulcerative colitis) have similar fertility rates as women who do not, according to a 2021 review of medical literature. Women with IBD do have a higher risk of complications, such as preterm delivery and cesarean delivery. Women who have Crohn's may have slightly lower fertility rates than the general population, according to a 2021 Swedish study. In another 2021 review, women with Crohn's disease were found to have infertility rates of 3% to 14%. This is around the same as the infertility rates of women without Crohn's, which range from 2.4% to 14%. Many researchers currently believe that men who have well-managed Crohn's disease have the same fertility rates as the general population (or people without IBD). The exception to this might be those taking certain types of Crohn's medication. The medication sulfasalazine is often used for treating Crohn's disease. It can temporarily reduce sperm count and the viability of the sperm that's produced. It can take several months for sperm to return to healthy levels after sulfasalazine treatment. A note on gender and sex terminology Most research surrounding fertility and IBD separates participants into male and female sex categories and uses gender and sex terminology interchangeably. Gender and sex are not the same, and both occur on a spectrum. In summarizing scientific articles or studies for our readers, we use their language to preserve intent and accuracy. However, Healthline acknowledges that medical research often doesn't represent everyone equally, and we should all strive toward more inclusive practices. People of all sexes can have IBD, including Crohn's disease, and may also experience fertility and sexual health effects. Finding a doctor you trust and receiving an individualized approach to your care is essential. Potential causes of fertility issues in IBD There's no single component of IBD that definitively impacts fertility. Many people with IBD will have little to no effects on fertility or libido. However, there are a variety of factors that, separately or together, may become issues for someone with IBD trying to conceive children. Let's look at some common concerns and research findings. Crohn's and getting pregnant Women with Crohn's may have difficulty getting pregnant after colon resection surgery. This type of surgery may sometimes impact reproductive organs and leave scar tissue in the area. There's also concern that pelvic inflammation from unmanaged Crohn's could decrease the chances of conceiving. Crohn's and being pregnant There's a chance Crohn's may flare during pregnancy, even if you were in remission when you got pregnant. This is why it's essential to have active treatment for your IBD during pregnancy and work with your doctor to safely address any symptom flare-ups should they arise. Crohn's and sperm count A 2019 review of 14 studies found that quality studies on how all types of IBD affect male fertility are lacking. From what we do know, it seems most people with Crohn's have no issue with having levels of healthy, viable sperm. Medications for Crohn's, especially sulfasalazine, can cause a temporary reduction in sperm quality and sperm count. Switching to a different medication for several months typically solves this issue. Crohn's and choosing to be child-free Some people with Crohn's may view their condition as an obstacle to pregnancy. They may avoid trying to conceive children out of concern for their health. Medical literature points to widespread misconceptions about Crohn's and fertility as part of the reason many people with Crohn's forego having children. While there's research suggesting IBD can affect fertility and reproductive health, many people with Crohn's are able to have healthy, safe pregnancies. Managing Crohn's symptoms effectively is key. It's important to keep in mind that not everyone wants children. Some people may make the personal decision to be child-free due in part to their Crohn's disease, or completely irrespective of it. Your sexual and reproductive health is no one's business but your own. While everyone deserves access to the information and care surrounding fertility that they need, no one should face judgment for the decisions they make regarding their sexual and reproductive health.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Sponsored content: Gutsy Walk 2025
A Halifax woman living with Crohn's discusses the disease and what fundraising efforts like the Gutsy Walk mean to her.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
New once-a-month jab can eliminate distressing symptoms for patients with severe bowel diseases like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis in only three months
Patients with severe bowel disease are set to benefit from a new drug that can eliminate their distressing symptoms in only three months. The once-a-month jab, guselkumab, treats Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, two debilitating conditions which occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue in the gut and other parts of the body. The medicine binds to immune cells that cause this damage, significantly reducing symptoms. Studies show that more than half of patients with Crohn's – an aggressive condition which can damage the gut as well as the mouth, stomach, and anus – were symptom-free within 12 weeks of starting guselkumab. About a quarter of patients with ulcerative colitis, where the damage is limited to the gut, experienced a similar benefit after beginning the treatment. Earlier this month, the drug safety watchdog, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, gave the green light for guselkumab to be prescribed in the UK to patients who have failed to respond to other treatments. It is likely to be rolled out on the NHS within the next year. About half-a-million people in the UK suffer with Crohn's, which causes severe pain, diarrhoea, exhaustion and weight loss. It can also trigger pain in the joints, anus and eyes. About a third of patients living with the condition, where the gut lining becomes inflamed, will require surgery. Ulcerative colitis affects roughly 146,000 people in the UK. Symptoms include diarrhoea, blood in the poo, and regularly needing to go to the toilet. Both conditions can be controlled by drugs called biologics. These injections limit the damage caused by the immune system to the body. However, not all patients respond to them. The NHS spending watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, is currently deciding whether to fund guselkumab. Experts say the £2,250-a-month jab will be a lifeline and crucial addition to the Health Service's bowel disease treatments.
SBS Australia
6 days ago
- Health
- SBS Australia
Suffering in silence: the rapidly rising disease impacting Australians
In her first year of university, when Natasha Jiwani should have been revelling in her new-found independence, she started to experience constant abdominal pain. "I straight after finishing high school, first year of university would get severe abdominal pain to the point where I would wake up with it and go to sleep with it. No one could diagnose what it was." Eventually, Natasha was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. "The overall experience was quite different. So, walking into a gastroenterologist waiting room, I'd look around and I was the only one that was in my close to 20's. Everybody else, the average age was 60 onwards, so there was a lot of confusion." Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis both fall under the umbrella term of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, or IBD — an autoimmune disease where the body's immune system attacks the gut. Crohn's disease can cause inflammation anywhere in the digestive system, though it usually affects the bowels. Ulcerative colitis, often referred to simply as "colitis", can cause inflammation and ulcers in the colon and rectum. Vincent Ho, a gastroenterologist at Western Sydney University, says both conditions cause multiple symptoms including diarrhea and abdominal pain, though to others they remain invisible. "People with inflammatory bowel disease may look perfectly fine but are actually suffering from the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease, which can be quite severe in many cases and affect their daily life." The number of Australians living with I-B-D is rapidly on the rise, increasing from 100,000 a decade or so ago to around 180,000 today, according to a recent State of the Nation Report. That number is expected to rise to 200,000 in the next 10 years. Doctor Ho says the rates of IBD in Australia are among the highest in the world. "Over 65, we're seeing more cases, but we're also seeing cases of inflammatory bowel disease in young children as well. And there are a number of cases of what we call very early onset in inflammatory bowel disease where children can get it a younger than six years of age." Dr Ho say, while it's largely unknown how this inflammation arises, we are starting to learn more about its causes. "Some risk factors in the environment include exposure to tobacco smoke, the use of antibiotics, the use of certain drugs like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, for example Nurofen, Voltaren, those sorts of drugs. We know that some types of infections can increase the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease." Another risk factor is diet. One recent world-first pre clinical study, by the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, shows how eating just a few meals high in saturated fats, can cause inflammation in the body. Those foods can also weaken the production of a crucial protein called IL-22, which helps fight this inflammation. Mice were used in this research, which also reveals something that excited researchers: while saturated fats suppress IL-22 production, unsaturated fats, found in nuts and avocados, actually boost the protein's production. Dr Ho says this provides immense hope for people living with chronic inflammatory diseases like IBD. "We know that certain types of foods, a high-quality diet, for example, reaching fruit, vegetables, fish, and other fibre sources is considered to be a protective factor when it comes to inflammatory bowel disease." Natasha has found eating well has had a huge impact on her symptoms. "I know that if I'm living off fast food for a week as opposed to making healthy at home meals, my Crohn's is a lot better in that latter thing because my body's healthier and it's ensuring that my body's not flaring up with what I'm eating." While IBD is a chronic condition with no cure, it can be managed with treatment. Early diagnosis is important, with symptoms including abnormal bowel movements and the presence of mucus or blood in stools, as well as abdominal discomfort, bloating and flatulence. Leanne Raven, CEO of Crohns and Colitis Australia, says greater awareness around I-B-D will also help when it comes to diagnosis, support and treatment. "Because it's below the belly button, people don't necessarily talk about it. So, a lot of people become quite isolated in trying to manage their conditions. So, we're trying to shatter the IBD silence through raising awareness of and encouraging people to have conversations." Natasha says while there is less stigma and embarrassment around I-B-D than ever before, more people need to talk about it. "I think what's really also important is clarifying the support that's available. I definitely do think awareness, raising funds, raising funds to help with finding a cure potentially for this disease as well would be amazing."
