So, here I am.
Last year in July I had chronic abdominal pain. Went to the ER and was diagnosed with a 20mm kidney stone. Had a lithotripsy and on my follow up appt with the urologist and said "it still feels like I'm passing fragments of stone" with intermittent bouts of severe abdominal pain. Urologist said it was unlikely, the scans were clear, but give it time.
So I did. In August, when the pain continued I asked my family doctor about a GI consult. I mentioned I had a fistula and a hx of reoccuring anal abcesses and wondered if there may be a relation. He then sent me to a general surgeon.
The general surgeon did a colonoscopy and fistula plug in October. Didn't see any signs of Crohns, but also didn't get a good look due to poor prep (Osmo-Prep- I followed the instructions, but it must not have worked well).
Within a couple of weeks the plug failed. Or so I thought it had and he wasn't sure. It's at this time he says that the drs in my town really aren't equiped to handle my condition, and suggests I see a colo-rectal surgeon.
By this time the abdominal pain was tolerable... until November. Back to the ER with another kidney stone. It was passable, and the pain again went away for awhile. Well, for the majority of the time. So I held of on the colo-rectal surgeon.
In March I found myself in the ER again, I would have put money on another kidney stone, but the test came back negative. So I made the appt with the specialist. I seen him last week.
He wasn't very impressed with the general surgeon, and took about 10 seconds to find out the plug did indeed fail (which, by this time, I knew it had). He is fairly sure with my symptoms that I have Crohns, and he is placing a seton for the fistula and doing another colonoscopy.
If it is Crohn's, he believes it can be handled medically. If not, then he will do a LIFT procedure.
So, tonight I'm drinking Nulytely and living in the bathroom, for yet another
colonoscopy.
Wish me luck that tomorrow that I will have answers. I appreciate any advice you may have for a possible new diagnosis and surviving the seton. From what I read on-line it's not a pleasnt experience.
Last year in July I had chronic abdominal pain. Went to the ER and was diagnosed with a 20mm kidney stone. Had a lithotripsy and on my follow up appt with the urologist and said "it still feels like I'm passing fragments of stone" with intermittent bouts of severe abdominal pain. Urologist said it was unlikely, the scans were clear, but give it time.
So I did. In August, when the pain continued I asked my family doctor about a GI consult. I mentioned I had a fistula and a hx of reoccuring anal abcesses and wondered if there may be a relation. He then sent me to a general surgeon.
The general surgeon did a colonoscopy and fistula plug in October. Didn't see any signs of Crohns, but also didn't get a good look due to poor prep (Osmo-Prep- I followed the instructions, but it must not have worked well).
Within a couple of weeks the plug failed. Or so I thought it had and he wasn't sure. It's at this time he says that the drs in my town really aren't equiped to handle my condition, and suggests I see a colo-rectal surgeon.
By this time the abdominal pain was tolerable... until November. Back to the ER with another kidney stone. It was passable, and the pain again went away for awhile. Well, for the majority of the time. So I held of on the colo-rectal surgeon.
In March I found myself in the ER again, I would have put money on another kidney stone, but the test came back negative. So I made the appt with the specialist. I seen him last week.
He wasn't very impressed with the general surgeon, and took about 10 seconds to find out the plug did indeed fail (which, by this time, I knew it had). He is fairly sure with my symptoms that I have Crohns, and he is placing a seton for the fistula and doing another colonoscopy.
If it is Crohn's, he believes it can be handled medically. If not, then he will do a LIFT procedure.
So, tonight I'm drinking Nulytely and living in the bathroom, for yet another
colonoscopy.
Wish me luck that tomorrow that I will have answers. I appreciate any advice you may have for a possible new diagnosis and surviving the seton. From what I read on-line it's not a pleasnt experience.
