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cause and trigger

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Ulcerative Colitis
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damo123
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 863
Posted 9/25/2007 5:27 AM (GMT -6)
I've come across this line on lots and lots of websites since I've been finding info out about UC.

"Although stress doesn't cause inflammatory bowel disease, it can make your signs and symptoms much worse and may trigger flare-ups."

Can someone explain the difference to me between "causing IBD" and "triggering flare ups". Are they not the same thing? If not why? And if not then what is the medical difference between "cause" and "trigger". Sounds to me that for a person suffering badly with UC theres no difference netween cause and trigger!!!

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Red_34
Forum Moderator
Joined : Apr 2004
Posts : 23581
Posted 9/25/2007 6:14 AM (GMT -6)
They have just discovered that there is a defective gene that Ibd'ers have that is normally not turned "on" unless certain circumstances occur such as possible food poisoning, environmental pollutions, illness etc. Once it is turned on, then the inflammatory process begins. Once it begins there is no going back to the way it was (unless they find a way to turn it off in the future). So that is possibly the cause. Triggers for flares are things that our bodies don't like or can't handle because our bodies are already turned "on". It's like an overload in our systems.

I'm not sure if I buy into the theory that stress doesn't turn our Uc on because stress can play havoc on anyones system if we are under it for so long.
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Burli
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 1267
Posted 9/25/2007 7:04 AM (GMT -6)
Stress is a very general term. If you get the flu or food poisoning it creates stress on your bodily functions (and immune system) and that can trigger a flare but you already had UC (the disease). Many people with UC, like me, have never had their flares triggered by just emotional stress rather my flares are always triggered by "stress" on my immune system from major illnesses (flu, mono, other viruses, food poisoning, etc.). Once in a flare condition, however, emotional stess can aggravate my symptoms. All I know is my immune system is dysfunctional now and reduction in stress is always a good idea to keep the immune system healthier.

Not sure what caused my UC--mostly genetics I guess as my sister has it as well.

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kb5
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 1015
Posted 9/25/2007 7:33 AM (GMT -6)
Also remember that people without UC get sick when stressed. In emotional situations or when there is stress int he body like Burli said, the body is weakened. When in any stressful situation a person is more likely to get ill, uc or not. My husband gets D when he is stressed out at work. He has never had any medical problems. This only happens when the stress is really bad and its just a day or so.
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birdiem
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 326
Posted 9/25/2007 7:41 AM (GMT -6)
personally, i believe stress can be a primary factor in flares. just like people without UC can get sick when they are stressed, so can people with UC. as we all know, just because we can't see it doesn't mean it is not there....love to you and hope you stay stress free...
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Eric704
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2006
Posts : 261
Posted 9/25/2007 8:29 AM (GMT -6)
I know I've said this before and I'll continue to say it.

Stress is what caused my UC. I'm not talking about a term paper due in 2 days or work stress. I had some family related stress I lived with every hour of every day for a good 3-4 months before it just turned on. It's not your typical "stress" you think about with people everyday. It was far worse, and I had to live with the base cause of it because I was only 15-16 years old.

Bring up any scientific study showing me anything, and I wont care. I've never been allergic to anything all my life, I've never got colds hardly at all. I was always one of those "healthy as a horse" kind of people. But prolonged hardcore stress can cause your immune system to break down because your body gets too much cortisol. Cortisol is basically what prednisone is. Pred is just given at much much higher dose to completely shut off your immunesystem. When our body creates too much of it naturally is when things start going wrong because it starts throwing everything off balance.

That's why stress causes many different things for us in todays world.

http://stress.about.com/od/stresshealth/a/cortisol.htm

Post Edited (Eric704) : 9/25/2007 8:28:23 AM (GMT-6)

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love4cats
Regular Member
Joined : May 2007
Posts : 458
Posted 9/25/2007 8:36 AM (GMT -6)
Stress causes me to loose sleep, which I read that is when your immune system is at work.  If I have stress over a length of time and not sleep well, I will get cold sores and a flare.  To me stress on a body can include both physical illnesses and emotion illnesses, both can compromise your immune system sending it into a speedwobble.
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princesa
Veteran Member
Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 2204
Posted 9/25/2007 8:48 AM (GMT -6)
For me personally, I see "cause" as the multiple elements that combine to produce the initial diagnosis of UC. A "trigger" can be any element(s) that bring on an increase or worsening of symptoms.
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damo123
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 863
Posted 9/25/2007 12:55 PM (GMT -6)
Thanks for this. I'm with all of you in saying that stress is a big part of UC!

But how does this theory stand with the people who have put themselves into long term remission via diet or lifestyle changes. Okay they may be in the minority but there are people on here who have followed the SCD diet, raw vegetables or used anti fingal programs and havent had UC in years. Are we to conclude that

a) They are "only" in remission and have just eliminated the items that trigger flares and got lucky.

b) The never have UC in the first place but rather had inflammation of the colon brought on by some kinda allergic reaction or whatever

D

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