A 30-year-old woman with a history of Crohn's disease has been experiencing recurrent bouts of severe abdominal pain and bloating. She also reports constipation and occasional diarrhea. What could this indicate and what should be the next steps?
While this patient's symptoms could suggest a flare of her Crohn's disease, they could also be indicative of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), which is more common in patients with IBD and can coexist with it. It would be important to rule out active inflammation via lab work (including CRP and fecal calprotectin) and potentially endoscopic evaluation. If these findings suggest that her Crohn's disease is in remission, she might be managed with dietary modification, fiber supplementation, and possibly medications directed at IBS.