Doctors Dismissed Her Digestive Symptoms as Diet-Related. It Was Crohn’s Disease

Jamie Harris was just in her 20s, enjoying life as a graduate student and planning her future when she first encountered troubling health issues. A trip to London with her boyfriend, now her husband, marked the onset of a painful journey that would ultimately lead to a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease.

Upon returning home from her vacation, Harris began experiencing severe digestive symptoms, including intense stomach pain and blood in her stool. After consulting her primary care physician, she was advised to increase her fiber intake. However, this recommendation did little to alleviate her suffering. Over the course of the next year, her condition worsened, leading to significant weight loss and persistent abdominal pain.

Harris found herself teaching students while grappling with her health concerns. After confiding in a teacher, she was encouraged to seek emergency medical attention. Blood tests revealed an elevated white blood cell count, prompting a referral to a gastroenterologist who would later diagnose her with Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract.

Crohn’s disease can cause a range of complications, including ulcers and strictures, and if left untreated, it may lead to severe bowel damage. During her first year of coping with this diagnosis, Harris struggled both physically and emotionally. She described feeling isolated and depressed, particularly as she watched peers thrive while she battled a debilitating illness.

Initially, her mother, a registered dietitian, suggested that certain dietary changes might help. Harris began tracking her meals and experimenting with various food restrictions. Despite her efforts, including trying the BRAT diet, she found that most foods triggered her symptoms, leading her to avoid eating altogether at times and resulting in further weight loss.

While diet plays an important role in managing gut health, experts like Dr. Emanuelle Bellaguarda emphasize that it is not the sole factor in treating Crohn’s disease. There are no definitive studies showing that diet alone can heal the condition or prevent its progression.

Managing Crohn’s disease typically involves a two-step treatment approach focused on relieving symptoms and healing the bowel. Although effective medications, including biologics and small molecule agents, are available, there is currently no cure for the disease. After trying various oral medications without significant relief, Harris eventually turned to infusion therapy, which she now receives every six weeks.

Today, she maintains a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a Mediterranean diet, which helps manage her symptoms. Harris has also become an advocate for others living with Crohn’s, sharing her story to raise awareness and support those who may feel isolated by the condition.

Having joined the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation and serving on its Board of Directors, she encourages others to advocate for their health. She emphasizes that persistent symptoms should not be dismissed as mere dietary issues. “It took two years to get my diagnosis,” Harris recalls. “I felt like I was suffering for all of that time.”

Despite the challenges, Harris remains hopeful and positive. She aims to normalize discussions about inflammatory bowel disease with her family, especially her daughter. “I want to show that you can thrive with Crohn’s,” she says, highlighting the importance of health awareness and self-advocacy. With ongoing advancements in treatment, both Harris and her doctor believe that a fulfilling life is within reach for those affected by this condition.