Dear Dr. SerVaas: In the March/April issue, a "Medical Mailbox" reader asked whether there is a definitive test for either Crohn's or ulcerative colitis.

Dear Dr. SerVaas: Is there a definitive test for Crohn's disease or irritable bowel syndrome? My granddaughter, age 22, has been diagnosed with Crohn's disease. I have had chronic IBS for more than 35 years. Are the conditions hereditary?

Dear Dr. SerVaas: I have a 24-year-old grandson with Crohn's disease. He has had surgery and is on medication but has no idea about other treatments. Other family members keep telling him it is emotional, so he depends on medication, especially prednisone, which can cause many problems. He may have even been misdiagnosed.

In November 2000, German veterinarian Dr. Heinrich Dahmen began to suffer the unrelenting symptoms of severe pain, cramping, diarrhea, weight loss, and blood loss. After meeting with a gastroenterologist, Dahmen was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and started on conventional treatments for the disease, including immunosuppressive agents and the steroid prednisone.