Could this be Crohn's?

[jlgaustin]

I will try to give a nutshell version of my symptoms over the last 2 months.

Test done to date:
1) CT scan while in the hospital - no one ever mentioned crohn's, just some swelling in parts of my bowel. Bloodwork showed elevated levels of liver enzymes and lipase. These were normal by the next day. Had second round of bloodtests 3 weeks after and those were all ok.
2) Ultrasound in hospital - Normal results.
2) Barium with contrast pelvic CT about a month after my hospital stay - Normal results.

1) Oct 25 - I got what was initially diagnosed as bacterial gastroenteritis. This required a trip to the ER and a overnight stay the pain was so bad. I couldn't even stand up. I never had fever or vomiting, no blood in my diarrhea. I had moderate diarrhea, not severe where I couldn't make it to the toilet. I had a CT scan in the hospital which showed some swelling in parts of my bowel, they thought it might be a bowel obstruction so they called in a surgeon. THe surgeon disagreed it was a obstruction. The put me on Cipro and within 4-5 days I was feeling close to normal. Still had loose stools but other than that felt good.

2) Nov 7 - Diarrhea and mild abdominal tenderness/pain. I noticed that my right side hurt more, near my top of hip bone (I guess from what I read this is the location of the ileum), can other digestive stuff affect the ileum? The loose stools resolved after about 4 days and the abdominal tenderness and discomfort was completely gone after about 2 weeks. Felt great..

3) Dec 12 - At night had a painful tummy ache followed by diarrhea, next day the tenderness was back, the whole next day I had loose stools probably 3-4 times. Wednesday the tenderness in my abdomen was getting better and my stools were firm.

4) Dec 15 - Made an appt with GI doctor, he wants to do a colonoscopy.

Questions.

1) If the other test all came back normal, do I really need a colonoscopy? Wouldn't the other tests showed something small? Also my bloodwork was all normal too.

2) I am the type that reads too much on the internet and have all but convinced myself I have Crohn's. My 1st cousin has it and I read it's heriditary, but not sure if 1st cousin counts. Also I took tetracycline back in the 80's when I was a teen for pimples, I also read something about a link with that. Am I reading too much into these?

3) Does this sound like Crohn's or am I worrying too much?

Thanks..

 

[Crohn's 35]

Hi there :bigwave: I had many of the symptoms you had in my early days before diagnosis. There were no computers back then let alone this site. A colonoscopy in my opinion is the best way to see what is there and where as well as getting biopsies. NO two people are exactly alike with symptoms and some people take months to years for a diagnosis.

Yes it is hereditary but alot of people here have it only themselves. If two parents have it on both sides of the family it is 50/50 percent but if one memember has it only 5%.

When you see the doctor get them to test your Vitamin B12 and vitamin D levels, those are signs as well. When is your scope? Keep us posted. And dont tell your doctor you get your information on the internet, they hate that! You can't always believe what you read on it anyways. Good luck.

 

[sunflower]

It can be the easiest way to diagnose Crohn's AND it can be an easy way to see if it something else. Have they tested you for C. difficile? If not, they will take samples and see if you have it. Crohn's and UC have specific cells that they can see under a microscope when they biopsy the colon. Presence of those cells, and you most probably have them. Absence of those cells are a good thing - but not a conclusive no. It is best to just do it and let them look! I hate them, too, but then it is over and done with and I have had good nap and some very excellent farts!

 

[David]

Greetings and welcome

Could it be Crohn's? Maybe. Should you listen to your GI and get the colonoscopy? Absolutely.

Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[jlgaustin]

Well I go tomorrow for a colonoscopy and upper GI. I am just keeping my fingers crossed the news is good.

I am trying to stay positive that the doc will come in after and say everything looks great and then when the biopsies comes back those are normal.

Since the rest of the tests I have had done are normal I am hoping this will be the case. Surely they would of seen something, if even minuscule on my other tests if there was something wrong.

 

[Angrybird]

Hi there, it seems a few of us have colonoscopies tomorrow - the docs sure know how to give an early xmas present it is good to have one of these though as they really give the best picture of what is going on inside, I will keep my fingers crossed also that the news is good.

 

[jlgaustin]

I guess just knowing one way or the other is the best. The not knowing is whats driving me nuts.

All the test so far point to normal, but then I look at other things and am afraid I have Crohn's.

Does anyone know there percentage of odds that I would have Crohn's with my cousin having it for 20 years and then the whole tetracycline link.

Oh well maybe I will dodge a bullet here.

I will post back with the results after I get them.

 

[David]

Best of luck to you!