What does diarrhoea feel like with Crohn's disease?

Diarrhoea is a common presentation of Crohn's Disease and may involve urgency, cramps, loose stools, or repeated bowel movements. During active inflammation, you may also feel tired, lose your appetite, or notice abdominal tenderness. Some people have blood or mucus, but these features are not present in every flare.

A flare can create a sudden need to reach the toilet, with cramping that eases partly after passing stool. Stools may be watery or soft, and bowel frequency can change from your usual pattern. Pain may be felt in one area or across the abdomen. Similar symptoms can have several causes, so the feeling does not establish Crohn's disease by itself; assessment may include blood, stool, or imaging tests.

Take regular sips of fluid and choose foods you can tolerate while symptoms are active. If you already have Crohn's disease, follow your personalised flare plan and take prescribed medicines as directed; do not change doses without advice. Record stool appearance, urgency, pain, temperature, food, and medicines so your gastroenterology team can identify a change from baseline.

Get urgent help for severe abdominal pain with swelling, repeated vomiting, faintness, confusion, marked weakness, or blood or black stool. Contact your care team promptly if diarrhoea is increasing, you cannot keep fluids down, you are passing much less urine, or your usual treatment is not controlling a suspected flare.

Ask which symptoms should trigger your flare plan, whether stool testing is needed, and how to replace fluids safely. Tell your doctor about night-time stools, weight change, joint or skin symptoms, recent antibiotics, and any missed or newly started medicines.