{"id":705,"date":"2015-05-10T01:37:28","date_gmt":"2015-05-10T01:37:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewellnessconnect.com\/?p=705"},"modified":"2020-12-12T02:23:09","modified_gmt":"2020-12-12T02:23:09","slug":"digestive-disorders-crohns-and-colitis-in-tt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewellnessconnect.com\/digestive-disorders-crohns-and-colitis-in-tt\/","title":{"rendered":"Digestive Disorders: Crohn\u2019s and Colitis in T&T"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is a silent shame suffered by some, about an aspect of our lives that most may prefer to keep private: bowel movements.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

But for a person with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), secrecy is difficult to maintain.<\/p>\n

Frequent bathroom visits may become a subject of ridicule to others, particularly at the workplace or at school. Excuses of illness soon ring hollow after the first few instances. Recurrent absences give the impression of delinquency.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy highlighting these issues, we hope to increase awareness and understanding for those who suffer from IBD \u2014 not just for the patients we already know of, but for other medical professionals to recognise the symptoms and consider the disease as a possibility,\u201d explains Dr. Rene Ramnarace.<\/p>\nMild discomfort to chronic pain<\/span>\n

Dr. Ramnarace is a consultant gastroenterologist and the co-founder of The National Association of Crohn\u2019s and Colitis of Trinidad and Tobago (NACCTT). Together with his co-founder Kelly Ann Bahadur, who suffers from IBD, Dr. Ramnarace lends his expertise to engage and educate patients and the wider public about Crohn\u2019s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and other forms of bowel disease.<\/p>\n

\u201cIBD does not have the same widespread knowledge and awareness as lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension,\u201d says Dr. Ramnarace. \u201cOne\u2019s experience ranges from\u00a0mild discomfort to chronic pain<\/span>, but it is not as life-threatening as many other diseases, and patients have to find ways to lead a successful life despite their symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Field of Gastroenterology<\/h2>\n

The sub-specialty of gastroenterology is fairly unique in Trinidad and Tobago, with only a handful of practicing doctors in the field.<\/p>\n

For Dr. Ramnarace, the specialty chose him.<\/p>\n

\u201cGastroenterology covers a wide range of organs, and I really enjoy the variance in the field \u2014 on one day I can have a patient with liver failure from alcoholism, another patient vomiting blood due to a stomach issue, and an outpatient with Crohn\u2019s or Colitis,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is also a hands-on aspect where I get the opportunity to interact with technology. The boundaries of endoscopy are being pushed as technology keeps advancing.\u201d<\/p>\nEarly intervention can make the world of difference<\/span>\n

He recently attended the Conference of the\u00a0Association of West Indian Gastroenterologists (AWIG)<\/a>, which consists of gastrointestinal specialists from all over the Caribbean, as well as doctors resident in the USA, Canada and Europe. It was a priceless experience for Dr. Ramnarace, who relished the opportunity to keep up to date with advances in the field, and also to connect with international experts.<\/p>\n

Dr. Ramnarace\u2019s greatest appreciation for the field is the opportunity to make a positive impact on others, particularly on his young patients, as early intervention can make the world of difference<\/span>\u00a0to the lives they go on to lead.<\/p>\n

This is particularly relevant to Crohn\u2019s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.<\/p>\n

IBD: Crohn\u2019s & Colitis<\/h2>\n

Not to be confused with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which is a much less serious condition, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is considered an autoimmune disease which occurs when the lining of the GI (gastrointestinal) or digestive tract becomes inflamed. This disrupts the body\u2019s ability to digest food, absorb nutrition and eliminate waste in an effective manner.<\/p>\n

\"\"Crohn\u2019s disease and Ulcerative Colitis are types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).<\/p>\nOnce the damage is done, the body cannot \u2018turn it off\u2019<\/span>\n

\u201cThere is often a genetic predisposition to IBD, which is then triggered by an environmental factor such as infection or stress that \u2018turns it on\u2019,\u201d explains Dr. Ramnarace. \u201cOnce the damage is done, the body cannot \u2018turn it off\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

The main difference between the two most common forms of IBD is the location and nature of the inflammatory changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cUlcerative colitis is continuous, and is usually limited to the innermost layer of the bowel \u2014 the colon and rectum,\u201d explains Dr. Ramnarace. \u201cCrohn\u2019s disease, on the other hand, is transmural and goes through the entire thickness of the bowel wall. It can affect any area in the GI tract, and can be patchy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The treatments for both types of IBD often overlap, and their symptoms are also similar in nature. These include:<\/p>\n