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Chances capsule endoscopy will get stuck

I

ITSMEAGAIN

Ok so it's been awhile guys. Life has been busy and the disease (?) has been erratic at best.
As of this past Spring i started Humira, primarily for treatment of my arthritis that has, as i've been told a symptom of my crohns'.
So since that time i've had very liveable pain with the arthritis(not gone, but not unbearable). The stomach on the other hand has developed a reoccuring pattern of cramping, minor daily bowel movements. Followed by a severe bout of cramps, and massive release of bowels. And i mean massive, sometimes having to flush two to three times to avoid plugging the toilet.(sorry for the mental picture).
So of course, i'm off to the GI to see what up. He gives me the big story that we won't know if i have a blockage unless we either A) wait for problem that results in me being opened up because of a severe issue, or B) try a Capsule endoscopy. which of course may get caught if i have a blockage and will of course result in me being opened up.
I go for option B..duh. Not much of an option. This was at the first of July.
I went in on Monday for the results. And then he hits me with this news.
My small intestine is clear. Looks healthy. Not sure whats causing the issue....??
Perhaps IBS? Tells me to try some fiber and pro biotics???
OK WTF!!
Do I or don't I have Crohns? I was so confused at what he told me i left and didn't even ask. I finally realized that and called his office and of course he's gone until the first of Next week? Now when i was originally diagnosed back in 2008, i had 2 colonscopies, one from a Surgeon who referred me to my current GI, and one from him immediatley following the referral. Had to check my arse out for himself i guess.
He said at the time i had areas of areas of inflamation, but the area he felt was the real issue was in the small intestine. and couldn't scope.
So I go on drugs, and booom guess what i get joint pain? almost immediatley following my starting Imuran. I ask if it can be related, and was told..probably not.
Now i'm sitting here wondering did i just go through 2 years of medically induced hell because of a mis diagnosis?
My guts are no better? My joints are weak, and this ass doc tells me You look fine try some Fibre??
Ok maybe i'm over analyzing this. And sorry for venting, but you guys here have always been so great helping me through some very dark times.
 
H

Hungry

Getting a straight diagnoses for Crohns as I have found out is very difficult. If you find out it's not crohns then you are lucky as hopefully they'll be able to fix you. Good luck!
 
Rebecca85

Rebecca85

Location
Nottingham, UK
It is possible to have both Crohn's and IBS. IBS is considered to be a functional problem with the muscles, whereas Crohn's is inflammation. So last time you were ill, you had inflammation. This time, there isn't any inflammation so the cramping must be caused by your muscles. And reading between the lines, I take it this pattern of cramping and diarrhoea wasn't an original symptom of your Crohn's, so it would make sense that different symptoms have different causes.
 
DustyKat

DustyKat

Super Moderator
Hi,

As Hungry said, for many people it is difficult to get a diagnosis, which just leaves you frustrated and confused. I guess what adds to this is the fact that so many times tests results are returned as normal. Then as Rebecca has pointed out IBD and IBS can co-exist.

One thing though, joint pain is listed as one of the rarer side effects of Imuran so I don't know that it could entirely be ruled out as a cause.

I hope you get a diagnosis soon so you can get appropriate treatment and relief.

Take care,
Dusty
 
Emkat8

Emkat8

First off, I'm sooooo sorry for what you are going through :( It absolutely sucks to feel bad and there are NO doctors who can help!!! I too have had some of the same problems as you, and I know how frustrating it is to feel like nobody is helping you. My argument to the doctors was always "I don't care what my DIAGNOSIS is, just help treat my symptoms please!!!!" But you know your body better than anyone else, so if you feel something is wrong with your guts, then you are most likely correct. Just be persistent with the doctors and hopefully they can give you something soon to help you feel better! Good luck and hang in there. Sorry you are suffering :(
 
I

ITSMEAGAIN

ok so i called my GI back and asked to clarify what my diagnosis is. Couldn't get him on the phone, so his receptionist played go between for us. She came back the next day to tell me that according to my file my diagnosis is IBS now. And he recommends that i stay on the HUMIRA as it was prescribed originally by my Rheumatologist. But what he's failing to realize is i had no joint issues until i started taking all these meds.. prescribed for Crohn's!!!!
I'm now trying to get in to see my Arthritis Doc. And set up an appointment for my family doc so i can get a referral to another GI for a second opinion.
Geez Louise... and to top it off i was sick as a dog last night.GRRRRRR
 
W

whysoserious

Glad you are getting a second opinion! My GI told me I have IBS. When I went to go see him again after gushing blood out of my backside for a few days he insisited I just had a stomach infection. Sometimes they honestly have no idea what they are talking about. I hope you get your diagnosis soon. We are here for you. :)
 
H

Hungry

I would double check she meant ibs and not ibd.
Possible his secretary got mixed up as suprized they'd risk putting you on humira for just ibs.
 
Keona

Keona

I can also relate to being run around the block and getting no answers. It is very frustrating and ridiculous! These people get paid a s**t load of dough to be doing half assed work. Sounds like you are on the right track getting a second opinion and going to your GP. Not sure how they can say that you do have IBD and then say you dont have IBD. They must have seen something the first time to have come to that conclusion.
I hope you get some answers and some relief soon :D
Wendy
 
I

ITSMEAGAIN

I hope so too guys. this has been so frustrating. I can cope. I can deal with what ever is thrown at me. but the unknown is what is getting me frustrated.
i was even talking to my wife tonight on how i can't get disability insurance on our house because i have a diagnosis of crohn's disease. Hell that will be interesting conversation trying to explain how that changed.
 
I

ITSMEAGAIN

ok so here's the latest update. I went to my rheumatologist to here whether or not i should be taking Humira, since he was the one who prescribed it. He reviewed what my GI had had concluded from my capsule endoscopy and basically said that he didn't think i can rule out my crohn's diagnosis. Just that my small bowel is healthy now and that my crohn's may be in check. The problem as he see's it is that i have IBS with Crohns. Looks like Rebecca hit the nail on the head on this one. LOL.
Any how i'm getting seriously flustered. Am i the only one who seems worse off post diagnosis then pre diagnosis. Yes i've had issues throughout the years. Some more severe then others. But since i've been diagnosised i've had more issues then i ever had.
tonight i cannot bring myself to inject my Humira.
I just can't do it. I sit and stare at the needle thinking. Is it the drug that keeps me healthy, or is it a method to keep me in the system?
Am i parinoid?
Does anyone else ever feel like seeing what life would be like without drugs?
 
Regular Joe

Regular Joe

Senior Member
Hi and welcome.

I can say with confidence I have both Crohn's Disease and IBS. No doubts in my mind. Here in Cleveland at the clinic, they are REAL BIG about differentiating the two, and the GI's know their business. My primary care doc can tell you everything you need to know about the difference between the two.

The major factor with Crohn's is, of course, inflammation. After healing, there is scar tissue. Also another biggie with Crohn's is the presence of granulotamous cells in the gut small/large intestinal lining and mucous. IBS will not indicate either inflammation or granulotamous cells. These cells are what trigger the inflammation by dropping their "granules" of histimine which causes a complicated "cell mediation" process which takes place from the mucosal cells to the neurons. The neurological system sends out T-cells that attack the intestinal mucous because they got a "mis-mediated" signal there is infection present that needs to be hammered out. Viola: non-pathogenic inflammation followed by neurological "killer cell" immune response, or as we know it "autoimmune disease".

Or as someone famous might have said: "What we have here is a failure to communicate."

On the other hand, the chief culprit with IBS is an overly sensitive and spastic colon. I can see how Crohn's can cause "oversensitivity" and spasms in the colon. The colon is getting slammed and chewed up by the immune system so often that it becomes quite afraid of anything that might trigger the response. When we get stressed, the colon starts spasms, which means it's a "functional" reaction because the colon is supposed to spasm in the digestive process. So with IBS, the colon is doing what it's supposed to do, but it's doing it too fast and too often. Its also understandable to me how there is a psychological component tied to stress, which aggravates Crohn's inflammation and IBS spasmatic colons.

Stress is bad bad bad!

Two separate disorders which can be convincingly distinguished from each other AND can co-exist in the same peculiar body - of which I'm included, and so are many others here.

ALSO, there are studies and hypothesis that indicate a correlation of IBS and Celiacs disease. In many Celiacs patients, IBS was present before the full onset of Celaics disease. Many researchers believe IBS can be a precursor to Celiacs (more studies support this) and/or IBD (some studies present this too).
 
B

brennerh

Hi everyone, im new to the forum. 25 yrs old, diagnosed at age 10, minor laproscopic resection took out ileocecal valve and 6 inches of ileum.

This is not exactly on topic, but has anyone ever researched or used squatting toilets? Ive read alot about it on the internet recenetly, and it really has me convinced that it could be a better way to go to the bathroom, especially for ppl like us that have crohns. Apparently it allows the colon to not pinch as much and there is more natural pressure from the squat that forces everything out??

Im really interested in this but I want some advice from some real people not just internet ads. Thanks guys. -harry

**I write this especially because I had a flareup recently, and I had some scarring and narrowing in my sigmoid and transverse especially -- if there could just be some way to empty them more properly I could be fighting back against the disease and lessening the pain on my scarred intestines!
 
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C

Crohn's 35

Inactive Account
HI Brenner, yes there is a post some where on the forum about that, hopefully I can find it. I have had 2ft taking out but I am older than you and squatting is hard on the legs lol. It is said it is the natural way but if you can do it go for it.

BTW would be good to post your story on your own thread so everyone can help you and greet you. Go to the first board and YOUR STORY click on that and make your own thread. Welcome and some one may see this a remember!
 
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