Doctor warns stomach pains, diarrhoea and fatigue are signs of life-changing condition

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Many of us will relate to having some stomach problems from time to time, whether it be from something we ate, a stressful situation or merely a viral bug.But what should you do if you notice these stomach issues becoming more frequent, alongside other potentially harmless symptoms?People may notice sudden weight loss, fatigue and spending a lot of time of the bathroom - which can all be signs of a life-altering condition.The above signs, among many others, could be symptoms of Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis, which are life-changing conditions that, if left untreated, can be extremely serious, Wales Online reports.Crohns & Colitis UK carried out research last year that said that there were more than a 500,000 people living with the condition in the country.Crohn's disease is the inflammation of your digestive system, which can occur anywhere from your mouth all the way to your backside.

Ulcerative colitis is the inflammation and presence of ulcers in your colon only - which is the last part of your gut.According to the NHS, typical red flag symptoms of Crohn's disease include the following:Dr Alaa Alakkari, a consultant gastroenterologist in Leeds, explained: "No two people are the same and everyone will experience Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis differently."In the majority of cases, patients first visit their GP with stomach pain, diarrhoea, tiredness that doesn’t go away, or blood in their poo."Quite often patients will say they’ve been experiencing symptoms for a while.

The trouble is that it’s very tempting to just brush these things off as stomach ache, something dodgy you ate or just a bit of tummy trouble.