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Sasha Taleban, MD

Arizona Health Sciences Center, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Director of IBD Program

Q: Does IBS cause IBD? Can patients with IBD have IBS concurrently?

A: IBS and IBD are completely different processes with different causes and complications. A patient can definitely have both processes and sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate between the two when symptoms arise. hide answer

Q: Do you use the fecal calprotectin test to monitor your patients GI inflammation? If so, at what intervals?

A: 90 days? I do use fecal calprotectin as a marker for inflammation. There's data that shows it can help predict a flare. I know GIs who use it every three months. In my practice, my use is based on the individual patient. hide answer

Q: How often should a patient have scopes after Pancolitis?

A: It depends on how long a patient has had pan colitis. If it's been 8-10 years, then generally the recommendation is 1-3 years depending on other risk factors (i.e., family history of colon cancer). hide answer

Q: Are there any issues with birth control pills exacerbating UC or Crohn's symptoms in women?

A: Estrogen-containing birth control pills have been associated with development of Crohn's in the past and recently there was a study suggesting that it is associated with a worse course of Crohn's. I would discuss this with your GI. hide answer

Q: What type of diet do you recommend for people suffering Crohn’s and colitis? Is there anything particularly harmful that worsens symptoms or the disease?

A: This is a very popular question. There is increasing interest in this topic and more and more information is coming out. There is some preliminary studies showing that dairy products, red meat, and coconut oil may worse IBD. When a patient is undergoing a flare, I do suggest going on a low fiber diet. Because of the individualized nature of IBD, what works for one patient may not work for another when it comes to diet. Check out CCFA's diet and nutrition brochure to learn about the role of diet in IBD. http://www.ccfa.org/assets/pdfs/diet-nutrition-2013- 1.pdf. hide answer