Crohn’s Disease

Uncomfortable digestive problems may have you feeling nervous and cause you to put off seeing a doctor. At AdventHealth, we want to make this journey more comfortable. Many of our procedures are performed while you’re under general anesthesia, so you won’t feel a thing. Before, during, and after, our dedicated team will be there, providing step-by-step instructions for clarity and keeping you as comfortable as possible. We'll get a full look at what’s going on in your digestive system with the help of diagnostic tests that may include:

• Barium enemas X-ray the soft tissue within your lower digestive system.
• Capsule endoscopy uses a tiny camera that is swallowed and takes pictures of your body as it travels through your digestive system.
• Colonoscopies take pictures of your colon using a camera inside a tiny, flexible tube.
• CT scans X-ray your abdomen from outside your body.
• Endoscopies take internal pictures of your esophagus and upper digestive system, using a camera inside a tiny tube.
• Endoscopies use a scope designed to see further into your small intestine.
• MRIs take pictures of your digestive system from outside your body.
• Sigmoidoscopies screen the lower section of your colon with a flexible camera.

You might resist talking to your family or friends about your digestive problems. You may be tempted to treat your digestive symptoms with over-the-counter supplements or a wait-and-see attitude. It’s natural to feel hesitant about reaching out and getting help, but digestive health is a part of whole-person wellness, and it can affect the rest of your body, too. By monitoring common symptoms of Crohn’s disease such as blood in your stool, decreased appetite, diarrhea, fever, mouth ulcers, and weight loss, our team of gastroenterologists can tell how advanced your Crohn’s disease is and which part of your digestive system it affects most:

• Crohn’s colitis primarily affects the colon or large intestine.
• Gastroduodenal Crohn’s disease only occurs in about five percent of people with Crohn’s and centers in the esophagus, stomach, and/or duodenum (the first part of the small intestine).
• Ileocolitis impacts the lowest portion of the small intestine and the large intestine.
• Ileitis is located in the last part of the small intestine.
• Jejunoileitis is more common in children and affects the upper part of the small intestine.

Because Crohn’s disease causes inflammation in your body, you may also experience other symptoms such as arthritis, bile-duct inflammation, eye infections, liver disease, or skin rashes. We can help you understand your risks for these complications and empower you to move forward with successful Crohn's disease medications and treatments that not only soothe your stomach, but ease your mind and spirit as well.

You want to eat your favorite foods and plan outings with friends. AdventHealth wants to help make these things possible. Some remedies prescribed by your gastroenterologists, nutritionists, and dietitians may include:

• Diet and Supplements to Ease Symptoms
• Drug Therapy to Decrease Inflammation in the Colon
• Intravenous Feeding to Boost Nutrition

Sometimes, Crohn's disease medications aren't enough. If that’s the case, we may recommend surgery to remove any damage from your intestines, prevent future flare-ups and complications, and restore your quality of life. But trust that we’ll try to use the most minimally invasive procedures, like laparoscopy and robot-assisted surgery, all to help you recover faster and get back to your life. Some surgeries to treat Crohn's disease include:

• Bowel Resection
• Colostomy
• Drainage of Abscesses
• Ileoanal Reservoir Surgery
• Ileostomy
• Ostomy

At every step of your journey, lean on us to provide compassionate, whole-person care. While we help ease the symptoms of Crohn's disease in your body, we also want to ease your mind and lift your spirit. You have a beautiful life ahead of you. And at AdventHealth, we want to help you get there.