Table 6 Descriptions of symptoms during a CD flare reported in at least 50% of participants
Symptom | Descriptive terms | Impact on daily life |
|---|---|---|
Abdominal pain | “Abdominal pain”, “severe abdominal pain”, “tender when touched”, “abdominal/stomach aches and pain”, “severe cramping”, and “stepping on stomach with a cleat” | Inability to go to work; inability to concentrate or focus; and not wanting to go out |
Diarrhea/loose stools | “Diarrhea/a lot of diarrhea”, “nothing formed”, “projectile”, and “uncontrollable diarrhea” | Afraid to/don’t leave house; affects sleep; embarrassing; have to wear Depends; and psychological impact |
Urgent bowel movements | “Urgency”, “hard to control”, “more urgent to go”, “running to the bathroom”, and “urgency to evacuate” | Being stressful, mentally; having to be aware of surroundings; needing to be close to a bathroom; and always looking for a bathroom |
Fatigue/tiredness/ weakness | “Chronic fatigue”, “lethargic”, “really tired”, and “weakness” | Difficulty doing anything and being unable to move |
Frequent bowel movements | “10−12 times a day”, “20 times a day”, “continuously going to the bathroom”, and “frequent bowel movements” | Needing to be at home; being unable to go to work; affects social life; affects sleep; missing TV shows; being unable to work out; difficult to attend the movies; getting fired; and having to wear Depends |
Bloody stools | “Bleeding”, “bloody stools”, “little blood in stool”, and “bleeding internally” | Feeling weak/anemic; having to stay close to home/bathroom; affects personal hygiene; have to be dependent on others; being unable to leave the house; and having no social life |
Nausea | Nausea | Having to go to the ER and put life on hold; being unable to do much; needing to be home near a bathroom; being worried; and being late for work/missing work |
Vomiting | “Throw up” and “vomiting” | Having to take time off from work; needing to be near home bathroom; being worried; having to stay home/can’t go out; and not being able to do daily tasks |
Bowel incontinence | “If you’re nowhere near a bathroom but you have to go” and having “no place left to go and you need a bathroom and it’s not there” | Not asked |
Constipation | “Straining”, “tough to go to the bathroom”, “constipated”, and “pain” | Everything is put on hold if hospitalized; and feeling bloated or gassy |
Joint aches/body aches | “Joint pain” | Being hard to dance; having to use a walker; being unable to cook; and being unable to open a jar or bottle of water |