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Can it be crohn's?

M

Martin82

Hi Folks,

i'm one of those wo are still looking for answers and are not diagnosed yet. For over a year now, no doctor was able to find the cause for my problems. Furthermore they think, it's just IBS. But i don't think that's the real problem.

My Problems startet with upper abdominal pain and constipation, which came out of nowhere. The following weeks, my lower abdomen was very hard. I had pain in my flanks and under my rib cage. I had headaches and fatigue. My stool is a bit light brown an softer, than it was before. All of the tests (blood, sono, ct scans, colonoscopy, gastroscopy) came back negative. I was checked for food intolerances and celeac disease. They only found out, i had some light problems with fructose.

The problems got slightliy better over the weeks but never disappeared completely. Then a few weeks ago, everything got worse and now it's as bad as last year. They now also checked my stool. It seems that sometimes my markers for intestinal inflamations are high (sIga, alpha-1-antitrypsin, calprotectin), but it changes a lot - so the doctors think, it's a real problem.

I don't know what to do. The doctors think, it's psychosomatic. I also think that it is not related to specific foods. I'm on a FODMAP diet right now and it doesn't help.

Does anyone experience the same problems as me?

Thanks
Martin
 
K

Khalid Saeed

Hi Martin,
Welcome :dusty:to the forum, and I feel very sorry for you not having answers till now. Please note that IBD diseases (Crohn's, UC,...etc) are very hard to diagnose, and sometimes takes decades to be diagnosed.
Inflammatory markers are not always accurate and always fluctuating. My question is; have you had biopsies taken during your colonoscopies, endoscopes...? up to my knowledge, this is the most accurate way of diagnosing such diseases.
I hope you find answers soon.
Khalid
 
ronroush7

ronroush7

Martin82 said:
Hi Folks,

i'm one of those wo are still looking for answers and are not diagnosed yet. For over a year now, no doctor was able to find the cause for my problems. Furthermore they think, it's just IBS. But i don't think that's the real problem.

My Problems startet with upper abdominal pain and constipation, which came out of nowhere. The following weeks, my lower abdomen was very hard. I had pain in my flanks and under my rib cage. I had headaches and fatigue. My stool is a bit light brown an softer, than it was before. All of the tests (blood, sono, ct scans, colonoscopy, gastroscopy) came back negative. I was checked for food intolerances and celeac disease. They only found out, i had some light problems with fructose.

The problems got slightliy better over the weeks but never disappeared completely. Then a few weeks ago, everything got worse and now it's as bad as last year. They now also checked my stool. It seems that sometimes my markers for intestinal inflamations are high (sIga, alpha-1-antitrypsin, calprotectin), but it changes a lot - so the doctors think, it's a real problem.

I don't know what to do. The doctors think, it's psychosomatic. I also think that it is not related to specific foods. I'm on a FODMAP diet right now and it doesn't help.

Does anyone experience the same problems as me?

Thanks
Martin
Click to expand...
Hi. I would keep after the doctor until you get an answer. Sending support. Let us know how you are.
 
Glockola

Glockola

I also think it sounds psychosomatic. IBS is a real disease which can also cause fatigue and other issues. Psychosomatic does not mean it is all in your "head" as the symptoms are real and have a cause.
 
M

Martin82

Hi,
and thank you for your answers. To answer your questions: a biopsy of the duodenum was made - without significant results. There was only a gastritis.

I've had bad nausea for the last three weeks. Nothing seems to help.
 
IAFisherman1989

IAFisherman1989

Martin82 said:
Hi Folks,

i'm one of those wo are still looking for answers and are not diagnosed yet. For over a year now, no doctor was able to find the cause for my problems. Furthermore they think, it's just IBS. But i don't think that's the real problem.

My Problems startet with upper abdominal pain and constipation, which came out of nowhere. The following weeks, my lower abdomen was very hard. I had pain in my flanks and under my rib cage. I had headaches and fatigue. My stool is a bit light brown an softer, than it was before. All of the tests (blood, sono, ct scans, colonoscopy, gastroscopy) came back negative. I was checked for food intolerances and celeac disease. They only found out, i had some light problems with fructose.

The problems got slightliy better over the weeks but never disappeared completely. Then a few weeks ago, everything got worse and now it's as bad as last year. They now also checked my stool. It seems that sometimes my markers for intestinal inflamations are high (sIga, alpha-1-antitrypsin, calprotectin), but it changes a lot - so the doctors think, it's a real problem.

I don't know what to do. The doctors think, it's psychosomatic. I also think that it is not related to specific foods. I'm on a FODMAP diet right now and it doesn't help.

Does anyone experience the same problems as me?

Thanks
Martin
Click to expand...
Hi Martin, sorry to hear about your struggles =/. I was frankly told when I first started having symptoms badly ten years ago that it was due to anxiety. I asked the doctor if he believed it was IBS then and they said no, it was due to anxiety... However, my stuff has started back up again with unpleasant symptoms and once again..considerable weight loss (80 pounds and counting this time). I've asked my psychiatrist I see for anxiety if he believes anxiety and stress could cause this and he, along with my therapist, both doubt that's the cause.

I feel your frustration. I agree with Ronrush1 to keep seeing your doctor until you have a definitive answer, especially if it continues on. When I was ill years ago and now, I went to a diet consisting of oatmeal, dry cereal, yogurt, kefir milk (a probiotic drink with good bacteria), toast, small amounts of cheese and egg for protein... I guess where I'm going with this is maybe if you haven't, you could explore dietary options and test them out until you feel better or get more of a DX from your doctor. If it's IBS, eliminating certain foods can help. *I have no idea if that's true with things such as IBD* Maybe you could ask for a diet the doctor recommends to help? *besides the FODMAP diet your on now? I'm pretty sure other variants of diets are available*

I have worked in the mental health *not a doctor or therapist, so don't think I'm a professional* and also moderate an anxiety forum. In the sense of internet posters... You certainly don't seem horrible Health Anxiety. *At least from what you just posted publically on this thread* I also agree with Glockola that psychosomatic doesn't mean it's "all in your head" as you put it. There is a lot of research being done that suggests mental illness, for example, is actually a physical illness of the brain and that is what causes things such as chemical imbalances and mood disorders.

This article from the APA discusses that mental illness is actually a biological disease. Also, stress hormones are a physical response created by the body... So if you are experiencing severe stress *even to the point of not being considered depressed, anxious, etc.* it's still caused by biological processes in your brain.

Here are a few articles for you to look at if you wish, so you can hopefully get the thought of even if this is "psychosomatic" that it's all in your mind.

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/06/roots.aspx

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response

*Tells about the areas of the brain that activate stress response. And of course, since your brain is an organ, the process and reaction to stress is arguably a physical process.

I hope you get to feeling better soon and hang in there Martin.
 
Last edited:
Glockola

Glockola

I fully agree with IAFisherman1989, I would also like to add that I do think that many cases of IBS is also biological diseases that we yet do not have enough knowledge about.

Also being sick all the time would lead to depression and anxiety in most people. That is why many people with both IBS and IBD can develop mental health issues. That is why the forum have a whole section for it.
Important to remember is the fact that you can have IBD and IBS at the same time.
 
Lady Organic

Lady Organic

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Montréal, Canada
hello Martin and welcome.

You mention you had a high calprotectine result. What number was it?

A high calprotectine result should call for another colonoscopy with biopsies.
 
M

Martin82

Hi,

@Lady Organic: The result of calprotectin test wasn't that bad (ca. 120 mg/kg). When they tested it again, it was normal. So they didn't perform any further testing.

@Glockola: I'm still taking nexium 20mg each morning, after having a really bad gastritis (i think it was) a few weeks ago

@IAFisherman1989: FODMAP diet is already pretty strict. No lactose, no fructose..

I already thought about the idea, that it could be a pychological problem. I've had a kind of burnout a few years ago. I really had some bad stress problems back then. I don't feel anything like that right now. Of course i'm in a bad mood right now - but the pain is the cause here.
 
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