Crohns/Colitis Tests and Marijuana?

[omtank]

Good day all, I am new to the forums and I am so thankful that this type of forum exists! I have a question involving marijuana use possibly causing faulty test results. Here is some background information of my current health before I get to the question. I am a 28 year old male, and I have been dealing with stomach/bowel issues for the past eight months with no diagnosis in sight. When I talk with my GI about my symptoms (Intense stomach cramps, abdominal pain, gnawing pain in my left side right under ribs, unformed stools with blood mucus and what looks like skin most of the time) he tells me that he thinks it could be crohns, but test results never seem to point to it. Sometimes the pain gets so intense that I vomit for between 5 hours to a solid 24 hours. I have been seeing the same GI throughout my troubles. I have had three endoscopies, two colonoscopies, two CT scans, one HIDA test, and countless blood/urine tests. The only stool test I have had was a cdiff test when I was in the hospital. The abdominal pain and vomiting has been so bad that I have gone to the ER three times to find some kind of relief. All tests have been negative for crohns/ulcerative colitis but they always find either inflammation or ulcers with the colonoscopies and endoscopies.

I am an almost daily Marijuana user and have been for the past five years. Recently I learned that Marijuana has anti inflammatory properties. Is it possible that my Marijuana use is throwing off the test results by keeping the inflammation lower than it should be? I have told my GI about my Marijuana usage the first time I was in his office but he didn't seem interested, so I haven't brought it up since. Marijuana helps me gain an appetite and keeps the nausea at bay, but if it is throwing off test results I've got to stop. Has anyone else had an issue of faulty test results because of marijuana use?

 

[Guerrero]

I doubt Marijuana could obscure IBD in the tests...

How do your doctors explain inflammation or ulcers in the endoscopies? It is usually a symptom of IBD.

Have you had a stool test called Calprotectin?

 

[Jabee]

I agree with the above comment. Although marijuana can help reduce inflammation, your scopes have found inflammation and ulcers, which are a hallmark of IBD. What does your GI mean when he says all tests are negative? Is it that biopsies aren't pointing conclusively to crohn's? A minority of crohn's patients have biopsies that test positive for crohn's. Where was the inflammation/ulcers located? Can your GI treat you for crohn's on a trial basis?