The Difference Between IBD & Stomach Flu

Patients living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) have a strong message they’d like to share with the rest of the world: IBD is not the “stomach flu.” Not even close. Gastroenteritis, as the stomach flu is officially known, is most commonly caused by a virus. I will be using the terms interchangeably.

While viruses make you feel completely awful and will knock you down for a day or two, generally, they aren’t serious. Once your body fights it off, you can go back to your life as though nothing happened. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of IBD.

Stomach Flu Symptoms

The most common symptoms of gastroenteritis are nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, a low-grade fever, and abdominal cramping. These symptoms can generally be managed with over-the-counter medication until the virus runs its course.

IBD Symptoms

IBD and the stomach flu share a few symptoms. But the symptoms with IBD are much more severe and last much, much longer. Symptoms include, nausea, vomiting, fever, abscesses, anemia, bloody diarrhea, constipation, eye problems, skin problems, severe abdominal cramping and urgency (to name a few). While IBD is treatable, that in no way means that it is easier to live with.

IBD Treatment

Treatment for IBD varies from person to person and can often take a very long time to figure out which treatment works well for which patient. This trial and error period of medications can go on for weeks or even years. The medications can also stop working after a little while and the patient may be forced to start the process all over again. Many patients will require surgery at some point.

Duration of the Stomach Flu

The duration of gastroenteritis generally lasts about three days. In more severe cases, it can last up to ten days. Again, because it’s a virus, it cannot be treated and must run its course. But the point is, the stomach flu has an end. It does not last forever and rarely does anyone with gastroenteritis end up in the hospital. Sadly, the same cannot be said of IBD.

Duration of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a life-long condition. There are a lot of treatment options out there (and those treatments are constantly growing), but there are no cures for IBD. Some IBD patients are fortunate in that they flare once and once the disease is under control, they’ll never flare again (I actually know a couple of people like this). But the majority of patients go through periods of remission and flares. The IBD journey is more than likely a roller coaster ride for the rest of their lives.

Most patients that I know have multiple trips to the ER and hospital. Patients are often needing to go to the doctor to check their vitals, get their medications, have scans, colonoscopies, etc., etc. Some patients require permanent ports to deliver their medications.

Being Sick is Difficult

The bottom line is that being sick is NEVER fun. No matter what the illness. But living with a disease is much more serious. It’s a lot more complicated than gastroenteritis. We know you mean well when you’re comparing your virus to our disease… but we have to be honest… it’s extremely frustrating.