Do I Have Crohn’s Disease? Symptoms To Watch Out For

For years, I asked myself this exact question: Do I have Crohn’s?

At first, the early signs felt like I just had a “sensitive stomach.” Then it turned into gut pain, blood, mucus, bathroom urgency, fatigue, and confusion. What made it worse? I couldn’t get clear answers. My symptoms were brushed off as stress, IBS, or just “bad luck.” It took time, multiple doctors, and honestly, a lot of trial and error before I finally got a name for what was going on: Crohn’s colitis.

In this post, I’ll break down everything I wish someone had told me back then. What Crohn’s disease actually is, what symptoms look and feel like, how to tell it apart from other conditions, and how I got from daily flare-ups to long-term remission.

Let’s start with the basics.

Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and it can affect any part of the digestive tract from your mouth to your rectum. In my case, it hit the colon the hardest, which is why my diagnosis was technically “Crohn’s colitis.”

The tricky part is that it doesn’t show up the same way in everyone. Some people get it in the small intestine, others in the large intestine. Some deal with constant diarrhea. Others with constipation, cramping, bloating, or just feeling wiped out. It’s chronic, which means it sticks around. But with the right approach, it doesn’t have to control your life forever. I’m living proof of that.

Before I had a diagnosis, my symptoms came in waves. Some days were fine, others were straight-up miserable. Here’s what I experienced—and what a lot of others go through too.

GI Symptoms

My biggest red flag was blood and mucus in my stool. Not once or twice, but for weeks. Diarrhea or loose stools was also a regular visitor. I’d eat something and then immediately feel like I had to sprint to the bathroom. I also had a lot of cramping, sharp and unpredictable, and a constant feeling of “not done” after going.

Whole-Body Symptoms

I didn’t realize how tired I was until I started to feel better. Crohn’s drained me. I’d sleep eight hours and still need a nap by noon. I also lost a bunch of weight, even though I wasn’t trying. Food just didn’t appeal anymore because everything seemed to trigger symptoms.

Outside-the-Gut Symptoms

This one surprised me. I got mouth ulcers, sore joints, and weird rashes during flare-ups. At one point, even my eyes were red and inflamed. Crohn’s is a full-body experience, definitely not just a stomach issue.

IBS was the first label I got first. “It’s probably IBS,” one doctor told me. But IBS doesn’t cause bleeding or visible inflammation. It’s not the same. Ulcerative colitis is closer, but that stays in the colon and behaves differently under a scope.

I also looked into celiac disease, food poisoning, even stress-induced gastritis. Crohn’s can mimic a lot, which makes diagnosis frustrating. If you're wondering if your symptoms could be Crohn’s, you’re not crazy for asking.

I didn’t grow up with gut issues, and no one in my family had IBD. But once I got sick, I started reading everything I could find. Here’s what I learned.

There’s a genetic component, sure, but it’s not everything. My immune system seemed to be attacking my gut for reasons that didn’t make sense. I also had a history of antibiotic overuse and poor diet before diagnosis. Once I started learning about the microbiome, things started clicking. Stress didn’t help, and neither did the standard American diet I was eating at the time.

For me, diagnosis wasn’t instant. It took blood work, stool tests, a colonoscopy, and eventually a biopsy to confirm inflammation. One doctor suspected colitis. Another said maybe Crohn’s. It wasn’t until I saw visible inflammation and polyps on a scope that I got a firm answer: Crohn’s colitis.

If you’re in this stage, I know how frustrating it is. You just want to know what’s going on. The good news is that once I had a diagnosis, I could finally take steps that helped me actually get better.

Doctors gave me medication like mesalamine, which I still take to this day. But they also strongly pushed treatments like biologics, which I chose not to take. That’s when I started going all-in on lifestyle changes: food, supplements, stress, everything.

Diet made the biggest difference for me. I cleaned it up, cut out dairy, gluten, and processed foods, and started eating for gut repair. Bone broth, wild salmon, grass-fed meat, cooked veggies, and nutrient-dense fats. That’s still the core of how I eat today.

I also relied on a few key supplements during flare-ups like ginger, fish oil, oregano oil, zinc, magnesium, and others I list out in the GutMellow Supplement Guide.

If I had to describe my protocol in one sentence: I removed what was hurting my gut, and I added back what supported healing. That became the foundation for GutMellow.

There were years where my gut dictated my life. I’d plan everything around bathroom access and avoid travel completely. Once I figured out what triggered my flares and what helped calm them, everything changed.

Now, I stick to a routine that works. I move my body, but not in extreme ways, get good sleep, eat intentionally, and check in with myself regularly. I built GutMellow because I wanted others to have what I never did. A clear, practical roadmap based on lived experience, not another list of vague tips or a stack of prescriptions.

I’m not anti-medicine. I’m just pro-results. If you’re curious what actually helped me stop flare-ups and stay in remission, you can check out the Remission Roadmap for the full breakdown.

I ignored my symptoms for too long, and it only made things worse. Blood in the stool, major fatigue, weight loss, and constant pain are not normal. If you’re seeing these signs, it’s worth getting checked. I wish I had sooner.

Even now, I stay on top of symptoms. I’ve had colonoscopies show inflammation even when I felt fine. Testing helps separate real flares from false alarms, and sometimes what looks like a flare is just a food reaction or minor infection.

If you’re reading this and wondering, Do I have Crohn’s?, know that I’ve been there. I remember the confusion, the doctors brushing me off, the constant Google searches, the nights of pain.

Getting a diagnosis didn’t solve everything, but it gave me a place to start. What helped me most wasn’t just medication. It was figuring out what triggered my symptoms, rebuilding my gut through diet, and supporting my body consistently over time.

Today, I’m in remission. No more blood, no more urgency, and no more fear around food or travel. If you want to see the exact path I followed, I put everything into GutMellow. It’s the resource I wish I had when I was first diagnosed.

And if you’re still in that uncertain, exhausting “do I have it?” phase, just know that answers are possible. Relief is possible. I found my way. I hope something in here helps you find yours.

After a decade of trial and error, I finally found a combination of strategies that actually worked. I went from constant flare-ups to long-term remission, without biologics or surgery. I created GutMellow to share my experience and help others navigate their own healing journey.

The GutMellow Remission Roadmap includes everything I wish I had when I was first diagnosed. It’s a comprehensive resource that outlines the exact steps I took to regain control of my gut health, including:

This blog is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While I am sharing my personal experience, every individual’s health journey is unique. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, supplements, medications, or lifestyle. Healing is a personal journey, and what worked for me may not work for everyone.