A man who suffered severe bowel symptoms that forced him to visit the bathroom more than 100 times a day was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease after about two years of tests.
According to the British outlet 'Metro' on the 1st, local time, Sas Fasad, 45, who lives in Eastbourne, England, woke up one night about 15 years ago, when he was 30, with severe abdominal pain and a sudden urge to have a bowel movement. He initially thought it was food poisoning. Fasad said, "I thought I had eaten something wrong and that I would be fine in two or three days."
However, the pain did not subside even after 10 days. Doctors raised the possibility of a salmonella infection, but his symptoms continued to worsen. He experienced cramping pain in the upper abdomen and repeated sudden, urgent urges to go to the bathroom.
When his symptoms were severe, he went back and forth to the bathroom throughout the night. During the day, he could not go far from a bathroom, making it difficult for him to work or meet people. Fasad said, "I could barely leave the house and could not work," adding, "I went to the bathroom more than 100 times a day and was also bleeding. I was afraid to eat because I thought it might make things worse."
Over about two years, he lost around 15 kilograms. His complexion became pale, and symptoms of psoriasis around his eyes and elbows also worsened. Medical professionals investigated the possibility of irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions, and he underwent various tests, including magnetic resonance imaging, a colonoscopy and an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Then, in March 2012, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Fasad said, "The doctor explained that there was inflammation and ulceration in my intestines and that problems could occur anywhere in the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus," adding, "I was told that it was a chronic disease that I would have to manage for the rest of my life." At the time, medical professionals reportedly recommended treatment with steroids and immunosuppressants.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause chronic inflammation in any part of the digestive tract, which extends from the mouth to the anus. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss. Pain around the anus, anal fistulas and abscesses may also occur, while some patients develop inflammatory symptoms outside the intestines, including in the joints, eyes and skin.
Symptoms may improve and then worsen again repeatedly. If inflammation continues for a long time, complications such as strictures that narrow the intestines or fistulas, abnormal passageways that form between the intestines and other organs, may develop, making consistent treatment and monitoring important.
After his diagnosis, Fasad said he changed his diet and lifestyle. He mainly eats home-cooked food, reduced his intake of sugar, refined foods and ultra-processed foods, and also pays attention to his fluid intake and sleep. He feels that his symptoms have since decreased significantly.
However, Crohn’s disease cannot be treated with a specific diet alone. Fasad also said, "It is different for everyone, and something that worked for one person will not necessarily work for another." Treatment for Crohn’s disease may involve medication or surgery depending on the severity and location of the inflammation and whether complications are present, and patients should not stop treatment on their own even if their symptoms improve.
Fasad is now married and has a daughter, and he runs a company related to intestinal health. He said that he still sometimes experiences fatigue or abdominal pain, but that his overall condition is stable.
According to the British outlet 'Metro' on the 1st, local time, Sas Fasad, 45, who lives in Eastbourne, England, woke up one night about 15 years ago, when he was 30, with severe abdominal pain and a sudden urge to have a bowel movement. He initially thought it was food poisoning. Fasad said, "I thought I had eaten something wrong and that I would be fine in two or three days."
However, the pain did not subside even after 10 days. Doctors raised the possibility of a salmonella infection, but his symptoms continued to worsen. He experienced cramping pain in the upper abdomen and repeated sudden, urgent urges to go to the bathroom.
When his symptoms were severe, he went back and forth to the bathroom throughout the night. During the day, he could not go far from a bathroom, making it difficult for him to work or meet people. Fasad said, "I could barely leave the house and could not work," adding, "I went to the bathroom more than 100 times a day and was also bleeding. I was afraid to eat because I thought it might make things worse."
Over about two years, he lost around 15 kilograms. His complexion became pale, and symptoms of psoriasis around his eyes and elbows also worsened. Medical professionals investigated the possibility of irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions, and he underwent various tests, including magnetic resonance imaging, a colonoscopy and an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Then, in March 2012, he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. Fasad said, "The doctor explained that there was inflammation and ulceration in my intestines and that problems could occur anywhere in the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus," adding, "I was told that it was a chronic disease that I would have to manage for the rest of my life." At the time, medical professionals reportedly recommended treatment with steroids and immunosuppressants.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause chronic inflammation in any part of the digestive tract, which extends from the mouth to the anus. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss. Pain around the anus, anal fistulas and abscesses may also occur, while some patients develop inflammatory symptoms outside the intestines, including in the joints, eyes and skin.
Symptoms may improve and then worsen again repeatedly. If inflammation continues for a long time, complications such as strictures that narrow the intestines or fistulas, abnormal passageways that form between the intestines and other organs, may develop, making consistent treatment and monitoring important.
After his diagnosis, Fasad said he changed his diet and lifestyle. He mainly eats home-cooked food, reduced his intake of sugar, refined foods and ultra-processed foods, and also pays attention to his fluid intake and sleep. He feels that his symptoms have since decreased significantly.
However, Crohn’s disease cannot be treated with a specific diet alone. Fasad also said, "It is different for everyone, and something that worked for one person will not necessarily work for another." Treatment for Crohn’s disease may involve medication or surgery depending on the severity and location of the inflammation and whether complications are present, and patients should not stop treatment on their own even if their symptoms improve.
Fasad is now married and has a daughter, and he runs a company related to intestinal health. He said that he still sometimes experiences fatigue or abdominal pain, but that his overall condition is stable.