Summary:

• S. B. Female 55
• Pain, discomfort, nausea and diarrhea
• Usual dose 3 g per day.
• Range 1 to 10 g 11 years
• Marked improvement in digestion, better tolerance of foods, little diarrhea and much improved in the level of discomfort.

Case Report

S.B., female, 55, underwent surgery for Crohn’s Disease in 1977, with removal of about 1 m of her terminal ileum. Subsequently, she experienced considerable pain, discomfort, nausea and diarrhea. Cholestyramine has helped the diarrhea by eliminating excess bile salts; she also requires injections of vitamin B12 because of the loss of terminal ileum. She began taking N-ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE late in 1977, initially at 1 g or so daily, ranging up to 10 g. Usually, she finds about 3 g per day is sufficient to cause marked improvement in digestion, better tolerance of foods, little diarrhea and much improvement in her discomfort level.

She has taken N-ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE with the approval of her physician for over eleven years and has maintained a reasonably stable condition. S.B. has had intermittent problems, including surgery for abscess, kidney stone, hysterectomy, residual effects of the Crohn’s Disease, and the surgeons have reported finding no evidence for active Crohn’s Disease. Numerous laboratory and organ function tests have been performed since she started taking N-ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE. Except for a tendency to require supplements of potassium, other tests have been normal, including blood, urine, thyroid and kidney function. S.B. has held a very responsible position for the past ten years, which she attributes largely to the benefits of N-ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE in her diet. She would not be able to handle the situation without daily N-ACETYLGLUCOSAMINE treatment.