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Can Crohn's be impacted by chemicals in water?


Tue, April 21, 2009 5:13 PM

Hi.    My husband was diagnosed with Crohns Disease in 2004 when he was 25 years old.  Throughout the years he was in and out of the hospital, saw a few different doctors, tried different medications and in 2007 had a hemicolectomy.  Recently it has come to light that the town we live in has been, possibly knowingly, tapping into a contaminated well for our drinking water since the 1980s and it was not capped off until 2007.  The chemicals in the water were Perchloroethylene, Dichloroethylene and Vinyl Chloride.  He moved here with me in 2000 but worked in this town since 1996 so he had quite a bit of exposure to the contaminated water.  Ive been doing some research online and we are working with his doctors but I was wondering if anyone has heard of these chemicals being linked to Crohns Disease?  We are not blaming the Crohns Disease itself on the chemicals (yet) but maybe the longer recovery time during flare-ups or just the intensity of the Crohns itself could have been caused by this.  Anytime my husband had a flare up he was not only drinking the water to stay hydrated but he was also soaking in it because he lived in the bathtub as that seemed to help the pain.  If anyone has a similar story or has read anything about this please let me know.  Thank you!

FPO jods23
Joined Apr 21, 2009

Sun, May 10, 2009 10:03 PM

 Reply posted for Jods23.

Have you heard about the Norwegian study that found that inflammatory bowel disease was linked to the iron content in the water supply? It appears to be legitimate.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/583342_print

FPO northstar
Joined May 3, 2009

Mon, May 04, 2009 12:00 AM

 Reply posted for patman75.

Thank you so much!  Yeah, it seems like along with everything like diet and stress, the chemicals were not helping his Crohn's.  I will look at these sites, thank you again!

FPO jods23
Joined Apr 21, 2009

Mon, May 04, 2009 12:00 AM

 Reply posted for Jods23.

I'm sure it is part of the puzzle.  I found some things in my water and when I stop drinking my home water my mild cramping went away.

I did a quick google search for you.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Perchloroethylene+immune+system&aq=f&oq=

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Dichloroethylene+immune+system

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Vinyl+Chloride+immune+system

This site might help as well.

http://www.ewg.org/tapwater/yourwater/

FPO patman75
Joined Feb 8, 2009

Mon, April 27, 2009 9:47 PM

 Reply posted for Jods23.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Growing up in Ohio, I wouldn't drink the water.  I could taste the metal in the water.  It was disgusting.  Now living in the PNW, it is well water.  I've seen the water turn people's hair orange.  I refuse to drink it.  I only drink bottled water and then I'm particular which brand. 

I say contaminated water could be one of the factor's that may lead to Crohn's.  Diet is high on the list also of a contributing factor.  Then stress.  It is a shame we suffer from a disease the medical profession knows little about.

FPO aca11
Joined Mar 3, 2009

Thu, April 23, 2009 12:00 AM

 Reply posted for sueymac.

Yeah, I agree, it's something that has to be researched in the future for sure.  I've found a few things that has them linked in some way and then others that do not mention Crohn's at all.  Thank you so much for looking into it. 

FPO jods23
Joined Apr 21, 2009

Wed, April 22, 2009 11:15 PM

 Reply posted for Jods23.

Ok, talked to husband.  He is familiar with the chemicals-- they are primarily associated with dry cleaning a or paint-stripping  facility.  He doesn't know what the concentrations of contamination were in your water source.   These chemicals are suspected carcinogens..but he doesn't know if the research has looked at the autoimmune angle.  As our population has increasingly more autoimmune disorders, i guess we will be looking more closely at links between that and the chemicals we are exposed to.

FPO sueymac
Joined Jan 14, 2009

Wed, April 22, 2009 12:00 AM

 Reply posted for Jods23.

My husband is an engineer working on ground water quality.  He knows alot about perchlorate.  He is out of town right now (actually at a convention of scientists dealing with water quality issues for the US).  Anyway--since our son has Crohn's I am sure he would have mentioned if there was a connection with these chemicals. Perchlorate may be dif. then what you mentioned, tho.  I will ask him when he gets back and post if I learn anything!

FPO sueymac
Joined Jan 14, 2009

Tue, April 21, 2009 5:14 PM

 Reply posted for Jods23.

Please skip over any of my spelling errors. 

FPO jods23
Joined Apr 21, 2009

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