Blood work???

Keona · Mar 23, 2011

I dont know much about blood work but since the beginning my blood has been really good. In fact, once I was told I have the best red blood cell count they have seen.

My MRI's are coming back abnormal. I am going for another one today.
I have considerable pain in my hip, pelvic, groin and down my thigh - from a stabbing feeling to intense burning and fullness feeling in my pelvic area. I have 2 strictures and thickening of the bowel wall. I think the fact that my bloodwork is normal they are hesitant giving me prednisone even though my GI suspects Crohn's. Im having another MRI today as they cant get a "clear" image. Something is presenting the area from filling. Anyone had this issue or has anyone had really good bloodwork but everything else indicates Crohn's? My GI says the bloodwork doesn't "hang" with him - but it isnt entirely impossible.

Anyone?

peaceandsmile · Mar 23, 2011

Hello there,
I am so sorry you are having pain and all sorts of problems, I really do hope they can help you soon so they can ease your troubles.
When I first started to have symptoms of Crohn's, my blood work was fine, except for a slight iron deficiency, but a colonoscopy and catscan showed that I had Crohn's. The MRI's only showed that I had Colitis, not Crohn's, so I highly recommend a catscan.
Best wishes to you, hope you recover soon!<3

kisses, Aya

:hang:

Mayflower537 · Mar 23, 2011

So blood work is holding up your dx? I've seen tons of people on here say their blood work always comes back normal.

Have you had a c-scope? Or just MRIs so far?

Hope your MRI goes well.

Keona · Mar 23, 2011

Hi Aya and Mayflower,
thanks for the response and sharing your experiences..
yep - that is what is holding up my Dx. The results are coming back as non-definitive Crohn's - they highly suspect it and I had my 3rd MRI today...so hopefully I will know for sure tomorrow. I know it will come back abnormal b/c the pain is worse than when I had the last 2.
They are booking a CT scan for after my surgery for endometriosis (they said I had to rest for 2 weeks after, first) and they cant get me in before. They are doing the scan where they put a tube down the nose and then put the dye down the nose and then the CT. I asked about a c-scope but the GI said it wouldn't reach. It is my ilium and jejunum.
so, if it isnt clear I will have to wait until around April 19th (depending if they can get me in)
Thanks Mayflower - other than 3 tries to get an IV in the back of my hands and twice in the inside of my elbow and then blood work taken from the other (at the other end of the hospital) .. they finally got a vein on the side of my arm (once they called the IV nurse) it went really well...but so did the last 2. I found the easiest way for me to drink the stuff they give me is to ask for it extremely cold and then to time myself... 1 min 10 secs is the fastest so far for one cup.... it was soo cold though it gave me brain freeze

StarGirrrrl · Mar 23, 2011

I've had a high but stable CRP for the last 4 years, and now it's rising. The first time I was dismissed as having IBS and probably cystitis causing the inflammation. A white cell scan last year found inflammation in my digestive area.
Still my current GI is saying my blood work doesn't match CD. I did have vitamin b12 checked for the first time, I get the result next week.

spcwife23 · Mar 23, 2011

heya, yeah i had normal blood work everytime but always ended up in the emergency room with pain. i think thats what held most of us up on our diagnoses. the only thing that actually was 100 percent was my coloscopy that they did, showed i had chrons.

Keona · Mar 23, 2011

So Starrgirl..have you been diagnosed yet or are you still being worked up with the suspicion?
Thanks spcwife - I guess I have to rely on the images then. Im not sure why he isnt treating me if he is talking about resection and telling me I have strictures and thickening of the bowel wall....
i think he wants to rule out that its not all endometriosis.. i am glad I got my GP to make a request for an appointment before the surgery b/c he is asking her to do biopsies... nobody would return my calls - he would never have known about endometriosis or the surgery otherwise..

StarGirrrrl · Mar 24, 2011

Well with just the CRP (and white cell scan) i'm not being taken seriously with my current GI, and I certainly feel unless the B12 comes back abnormal I am not going to get anywhere with him and will be asking to see someone else. Because despite the positive tests the negative ones are beginning to outweigh them I feel. And I made that mistake a few years ago when I was dismissed with IBS.
I have other symptoms, such as mouth ulcers and joint pain, typical of CD, but the bloodwork is not giving enough supporting evidence and yes it totally is holding back help.
I've had a normal colonoscopy and Barium Meal, was getting a Pill Cam but the Hospital turned around and changed their minds and said I couldn't have it

Will see what happens Wednesday!

EDIT: My GP is satisfied I have IBD, my Rheumatologist is satisfied I have IBD, but not the GI, and as a side issue I think they are reluctant to overturn the diagnosis I got of IBS a few years back, it came from a top GI there.