Exactly what is the difference, is there a difference? and what do we UC/Chrohns/FAP fall under?

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is what Chrohns and UC are grouped under. I'm not real familiar with FAP, but I do not believe it falls under the same category. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)is not a disease, and does not harm or lead to a serious disease. Most people can control IBS with diet changes and over the counter medications.

In addition, FAP is neither an inflammatory disease or a functional disorder like IBS. It is a genetic disease that causes precancerous polyps to grow in the colon (and elsewhere).

IBD is inflammatory bowel disease. The mucosa becomes inflamed, bleeds, and can cause perforation and systemic illness. It is characterized by crampy abdominal pain and diarrhea, bloody with UC, usually not bloody with Crohn's.

IBS is irritable bowel syndrome. It is what they call a functional bowel disorder, that is characterized by symptoms of gas, bloating, and constipation and/or diarrhea. It does not lead to damage of the mucosa and it is not associated with disease outside of the colon.

Some people have both IBD and IBS.

Jan