Crp elevated?

[Noonecantellmewhatswrong]

Hi again! I was told to see a cardio doc to rule out angina due to all of my pain up high in abdomen. Ha echo and stress tests both were good. He also did some bloodwork lipid panel and crp. My lipid profile is great but he was concerned about high crp level. Says it means there is inflammation somewhere in my body and because I have chronic abd pain he said he wanted my GI doc to know right away. So he faxed it over, and of course my GI hasn't called me yet. Quick rundown of items:

Upper abdominal pain for almost five years intermittent no pattern regardless of what I eat that is worse right before period and right when period ends.

Hidradenitis supporitva for the same length of time

Have a few anal skin tags

Constant bloating and loud gurgling and trapped gas

Hx of weird rashes

Hx of colitis in descending and transverse colon (CT) but labeled infectious colitis how he knew that I'm not sure? No fecal testing was done.

CT enterography good for small bowel

Bloodwork usually good except for this new high crp.

Food intolerances started at same time about five years ago.

Heart is good. Last colonoscopy was two years ago which was six months before colitis.

Due for a colonoscopy this Thursday.

Intermittent knee pain and wrist pain with a nodule on wrist.

Weight loss of 40 pounds during colitis in July 2011 which I have not gained back but I'm chunky so it's not an issue

What do you make of this? Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Jennifer]

CRP shows inflammation anywhere in the body and since you seem to have joint pain I'm wondering if you might also be dealing with arthritis. Do you know what the number was for your CRP? Have you been tested for arthritis? Let us know how the scope goes.

 

[Noonecantellmewhatswrong]

The crp was supposed to be 1.0-3.0. Mine was 4.15...to which I said oh that's not too bad, doc said well it's like saying your only a little bit pregnant. You either are or u aren't. You either have inflammation or you don't!

 

[Laura44]

Good luck with your colonoscopy on Thursday ... I think once you have that you can start eliminating things. I would ask to be tested for RA as well. Keep us posted how you do!

 

[xmdmom]

You mentioned you were chunky. Just wanted to say that CRP can be mildly elevated in people who are overweight or obese.

 

[Noonecantellmewhatswrong]

I'm not too chunky lol! Actually had a colonoscopy yesterday an everything looked fine. Just waiting on biopsies which I'm sure will also be fine. I guess I have no choice but to accept a bs dx of IBS

 

[David]

You mention weird rashes. Can you describe those? Also, have you had a fecal calprotectin test done? I wouldn't accept a diagnosis of IBS until a fecal calprotectin was performed. It's a cheap and easy test.

Elevated CRP has been correlated with magnesium deficiency. A magnesium deficiency (common with today's western diet) could explain many symptoms you have (please note that a serum magnesium test is useless and Mg deficiency should usually be determined via deduction of intake, clinical presentation, and response to supplementation) but I would definitely want to see the results of a fecal calprotectin test either way.