Hi All, my doctor 'thinks' I might have Crohns. I have active ulcers in the small intestine and some strictures . . found with a pill cam that got stuck. I sometimes have terrible pain in my gut . . I have never been able to determine what causes it . . but it lasts about 12 hours. Sometimes I will get a little diarrhea with that and some vomiting, but I'm completely fine after the 'episode'. Lately I have been nauseated every day . . especially by the end of the day. That is why he did the pill cam. They also did a endoscopy and found my gut to be very inflamed. The reason I am doubtful about the diagnosis is that I rarely get diarrhea except when I have the 12 hour 'episode' and that is only about once every 3 or 4 months. It used to happen more often, but I got on a really good supplement regimen and it has mostly stopped. I'm not real impressed with my doctor . . perhaps I am in denial . . but I wish there was a way to determine if I have Crohns for sure . . any help and advice would be appreciated. I am not underweight . . in fact, I could stand to loose 15 lbs . . which is another reason I wonder if I really have Crohns. Everything I have read on line talks mostly about weight loss and diarrhea . . so I am skeptical. Thanks for any and all help.
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Doubtful
- Thread starter mamasaun
- Start date
Hi mamasaun and welcome to the forum! 
First off I hope that its not Crohn's but since you do have ulcers, inflammation, strictures, nausea and vomiting its important to continue testing to find the cause. It can take a while to get a concrete diagnosis so don't lose hope. A colonoscopy with biopsies will help get a diagnosis but keep in mind that if it is clear that doesn't mean that you don't have Crohn's. You'll have to continue testing (MRI, MRE, CT scan, small bowel follow through etc).
Weight loss and diarrhea are common with Crohn's but not required. There are many members on the forum who don't have noticeable weight loss and those who don't have diarrhea (some even deal with constipation).
The "episodes" you have sound like you're dealing with partial blockages from the strictures. These narrowings make it hard for things to pass which can lead to nausea and vomiting. Partial blockages allow small amounts of stool to pass which can be in a ribbon shape, loose or diarrhea. Eating smaller meals more often, increasing your fluid intake and going on a low residue diet along with avoiding foods that pass through quickly (like fiber for example) can help to reduce symptoms caused by strictures.
Did the pill cam eventually pass or is it still in there (you didn't mention it being surgically removed or what happened with that)?
I hope you get answers soon and start feeling better. Keep us posted.
First off I hope that its not Crohn's but since you do have ulcers, inflammation, strictures, nausea and vomiting its important to continue testing to find the cause. It can take a while to get a concrete diagnosis so don't lose hope. A colonoscopy with biopsies will help get a diagnosis but keep in mind that if it is clear that doesn't mean that you don't have Crohn's. You'll have to continue testing (MRI, MRE, CT scan, small bowel follow through etc).
Weight loss and diarrhea are common with Crohn's but not required. There are many members on the forum who don't have noticeable weight loss and those who don't have diarrhea (some even deal with constipation).
The "episodes" you have sound like you're dealing with partial blockages from the strictures. These narrowings make it hard for things to pass which can lead to nausea and vomiting. Partial blockages allow small amounts of stool to pass which can be in a ribbon shape, loose or diarrhea. Eating smaller meals more often, increasing your fluid intake and going on a low residue diet along with avoiding foods that pass through quickly (like fiber for example) can help to reduce symptoms caused by strictures.
Did the pill cam eventually pass or is it still in there (you didn't mention it being surgically removed or what happened with that)?
I hope you get answers soon and start feeling better. Keep us posted.
My husband has been newly dxed with Crohn's after a couple months of "episodes" as well..
He would have similar episodes where he would be work up in the middle of the night with severe stomach cramps that would come in ways, and then vomit one or two different times, and then would "seem" normal several hours later. We chalked this up to be stomach bugs. But after the third episode we started to think, maybe we weren't dealing with a stomach bug. The "episodes" would come almost like clockwork every two weeks... After about 4 months of this (all while trying to make a appointment with a GI doctor) he had a episode that I just couldn't stand anymore, and I drove him to the ER. They ran bloods and said everything came back normal and sent us home.
Almost two weeks later, I was woken up with another "episode" so once again I drove him to the ER, this time they ran bloods, and his white cell count came back elevated, which prompted them to do a CT scan with contrast, and it was thought to be crohns. A NG tube was immediately inserted into his stomach and he was admitted to the hospital for 4 days with a colonscopy to follow! Scariest time of my life!
I've learnt that everyones experience is different in the two months that I've been frantically researching this disease. He seems to not have many of the symptoms, that alot have here....or maybe we just didn't know what to look for.
He would have similar episodes where he would be work up in the middle of the night with severe stomach cramps that would come in ways, and then vomit one or two different times, and then would "seem" normal several hours later. We chalked this up to be stomach bugs. But after the third episode we started to think, maybe we weren't dealing with a stomach bug. The "episodes" would come almost like clockwork every two weeks... After about 4 months of this (all while trying to make a appointment with a GI doctor) he had a episode that I just couldn't stand anymore, and I drove him to the ER. They ran bloods and said everything came back normal and sent us home.
Almost two weeks later, I was woken up with another "episode" so once again I drove him to the ER, this time they ran bloods, and his white cell count came back elevated, which prompted them to do a CT scan with contrast, and it was thought to be crohns. A NG tube was immediately inserted into his stomach and he was admitted to the hospital for 4 days with a colonscopy to follow! Scariest time of my life!
I've learnt that everyones experience is different in the two months that I've been frantically researching this disease. He seems to not have many of the symptoms, that alot have here....or maybe we just didn't know what to look for.