Chron's?

[sadbowels]

I've been having diarrhea, gas, burning abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, blood and mucus in my stools for eight months. I've been seeing a GI doctor who has been trying to figure out what's wrong with me but every test comes back negative. I've had blood and fecal tests, celiac screening, endoscopy and colonoscopy all completely normal. My symptoms come and go in terms of severity, but are always present no matter what I eat. I've had this happen to me before and it lasted for over a year. I lost a lot of weight and was hardly able to eat near the end and then it just went away completely. That was about 5 years ago and out of nowhere I started getting sick again. As before, it started mild and then got more frequent and more painful. Now the doc. put me on digestive enzymes but they aren't doing anything. He says he doesn't think that my symptoms are consistent with IBS and I haven't responded to any of the IBS medications I've tried so far. I'm a graduate student and this is really destroying my life because I can't work.

My question is, could this still be chron's disease even with all the negative test results so far. Does anyone know how accurate these tests are? Has diagnosis been difficult for any of you? Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong with me if it's not chron's? When should I start looking for a second opinion?

Thanks so musch for your help

 

[mwb3779]

When they dx'd me, my blood tests came back with it not being Crohn's. When the biopsies came back from the colonoscopy it was a definitive Crohn's. When did you last have a colonoscopy and did they take any biopsies?

All those symptoms sound familiar to me. Out of the blue 5 years later.... maybe a flare up??

 

[sadbowels]

The doctor said he took several biopsies and they were all normal.

 

[mwb3779]

Did you get to look at any of the pix?It'll look like a war zone if you did. I didn't even know what the heck I was looking at with mine at first. Once I knew what I was looking at..... it hit me pretty hard. It was bad. When was your last colonoscopy?

 

[sadbowels]

The colonoscopy was three weeks ago. I looked at the pics and I'm obviously no expert, but I've looked at colonoscopy pictures of IBDs on-line and they didn't look anything like that. No ulcers or anything. There was one small pulp that he removed and he said it was no big deal to find one. It wasn’t cancer.

 

[mwb3779]

Well amen to that. No cancer, no ulcers? That's the good news. Do you know if they checked for Celiac's disease?

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/celiac-disease/celiac-disease-symptoms

 

[crazycanuck]

I'm really sorry your having such a hard time and that sounds quite strange to have everything come back negative like that. You may want to get a second opinon on the IBS because I have heard thats much easier to mis-diagnose. With that being said I don't know your exact cirumstances and am definately not an expert on IBS. It also isn't exactly a good indicator you don't have something like it if you haven't responded to any meds because many of the people on here have gone through almost every med out there before finding one or a combo that works. I wish you the best of luck and hope you find some answers and solutions soon!

 

[crazycanuck]

I just finished reading another post by Santos. She says she has been sick for decades and never ever felt well. Turns out it was her gall bladder and not IBD/IBS at all. She says she feels good and all. Could be something to check out?

 

[Crohn's 35]

It took me many months of tests and emergency surgery didnt show anything, my dx took about a year to find it.

 

[Peaches]

I agree with the gallbladder check after what just happened with Santos on here - just to be safe. Not that I'm a big proponent of using prednisone in this way - but I just have to wonder if they can't figure out what is wrong with you and you are bleeding and having mucous (a sign of inflammation or irritation) - I'm wondering what would happen if they put you on a prednisone taper to see if you got better. If you did - maybe this would be a sign of inflammation somewhere - pointing more towards an IBD? Just a thought.

 

[Miss Rose]

Hi Sadbowels - welcome. Have you had your CRP checked ? - it's a blood test which shows up inflamation in the body. It can't tell you where but if the results are abnormal it would tell your doc that something somewhere is inflamed. Do a search on it on here, there are lots of threads.

 

[imisspopcorn]

:welcome: sadbowels...I hope you don't have Crohn's...It sounds like they are doing all the right tests to rule it out. ...It took me 4 months to get a diagnosis, and that is somewhat short compared to some stories I have heard. Definitely have the old gallbladder checked, it can't hurt. Keep us posted, and hope you start to feel better.

 

[sadbowels]

Thanks to all of you for the good information. I'll be sure to talk to the doctor about CRP, gallbladder, and additional meds. for IBS when I see him on Friday. I really hope that it's not Crohn's. I have a professor with the illness and she has such a hard time and is always sick. Thanks again for the help. Wish you all the best and I'll keep you posted.