Sexual Health and IBD

• What does anoreceptive mean? I saw it on my chart. 

• If your medical record or the internet says “anoreceptive” - that literally means, your anus is on the receiving end in sex. Could be a penis, could be a toy, etc. - just means something is going into your anus/bottom.

• What does anal dyspareunia or Anodyspareunia mean? I also saw it in my chart.

•  Anal dyspareunia or anodyspareunia is a fancy medical term for feeling of pain or discomfort in anal sex when attempting or completely penetrating the anus. More information on this here and here —>

• What is the difference between all the different types of colitis, like ulcerative colitis, colitis, infectious colitis, allergic colitis, proctitis, ischemic colitis, pseudomembranous colitis, microscopic colitis or any other type of colitis?

• Good question! There are a lot of different types.

• Ulcerative colitis is a type of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and is a lifelong disease.

• Pseudomembranous colitis (PC) is caused by overgrowth of the bacterium Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). This kind of bacteria normally lives in the intestine, but it doesn’t cause problems because it’s balanced by the presence of “good” bacteria.

• Ischemic colitis (IC) occurs when blood flow to the colon is suddenly cut off or restricted. Blood clots can be a reason for sudden blockage. Atherosclerosis, or a buildup of fatty deposits in the blood vessels that supply the colon, is usually the reason for returning IC.

• Microscopic colitis is a medical condition that doctors can only identify by examining a sample of colon tissue under a microscope. The doctor will look for signs of inflammation, such as lymphocytes, which are a kind of white blood cell.

• Allergic colitis is a condition that can occur in infants, usually within the first months after birth. If you are reading this, you likely don’t have allergic colitis.

• For general questions about sex and intimacy with IBD, see here —>

• Bottoming/anal sex or having anoreceptive intercourse (RAI)  while in an active flare/perianal disease - what to do? Can I? 

• Answered here -->

• Is the Google search result you are getting about “Gay Men Are 2x More Likely To Develop IBD” True?

• NO!!!!! That was some misattribution of statistics and had a lot of methodological issues!! You are NOT developing IBD because you are gay or having anal sex - that paper was not it. IBD is NOT your fault and not because you are gay, having sex, or anything. Don't let Google make you think that.

• I’m in a flare now/not ready for bottoming/anal/RAI - how can I get back to all healed up and bottoming my best? 

• Answered here and here -->

• If my Crohn’s/Colitis is in remission, can I have anal sex/bottom? 

• Answered here  and here-->

• Using Fleet/saline enemas - are these okay? 

• Answered here -->

• Amyl/akyl nitrate/poppers - can I use these? 

• Answered here -->

• Can I have and or perform oral sex with my IBD? 

• Answered here -->

• Are there guidelines for PreP and IBD? Prep and IBS? 

• Answered here and here, respectively —>

• What to do if your perianal area feels uncomfortable or unusual and you aren’t sure if it’s IBD or what?

• Answered here  and here and here ->

• Sex after colorectal surgery, including, but not limited to, J-pouch surgery, IPAA procedures, and other common IBD-related surgeries? 

• Answered here ---> 

• Bottoming prep with IBD - what’s different for me than someone without IBD?

•  Answered here--> 

• And more! All the questions that aren't answered (or answered correctly), answered here by someone who's been there, done that, and got the T-shirt.

• Non-IBD topics are answered too! For example, can you bottom with hemorrhoids, bottoming with IBS, bottoming with diverticulitis, and more.