First of all I'd like to thank a lot of the posters on here. Ive been lurking the forums for a day now and everyone just seems really nice and really helpful. Im glad a place like this is here for other new users like myself. Here goes nothing...
Im a 20 year old male. About 5'10 and 155lbs. Ive always been freakishly healthy and active. Always played a lot of sports, and couldnt remember the last time I had to go to the doctor (aside from physicals) until my visit to the ER two weeks ago. I was suffering from sharp stomach pains that would come and go. Right above my belly button. My stomach felt really sore like I had done a million crunches, and every 5-10 minutes I would get this super sharp pain.
I called my doctor to make an appointment, he couldnt see me that day and told me to go to the ER instead and I did. The ER diagnosed me with 'Gastritis" and sent me home with a perscription for Protonix. I couldnt get the Protonix because of insurence issues... I called my primary again and he told me to try over the counter prevacid for a few days instead and call back if it wasnt getting better. I started feeling a little better. I then played basketball 3 nights in a row and after that third night it was worse then ever. I could barely move. I went back to the ER the next morning and again he said it was probly gastritis and gave me a perscription for Lansoprazole. He also scheduled a ultrasound and an appointment with a GI specialist.
The Lansoprazole was helping. I think. I was feeling better though.. I went to the Ultrasound and saw the GI doctor the next day. He said for the most part the Ultrasound looked good, and the blood work looked great. He saw some inflammation though and wanted to make sure it wasnt something serious. He said he was 75% sure it was from and infection, but wanted to make sure.
So I had my Upper GI Endoscope and colonoscope yesterday. My doctor performed the tests and was no longer there ( or with another patient ) when I woke up. The nurses gave me some pieces of paper and said that "The findings appear to suggest Crohns Disease". And the Doctor would call me later that night. Here is the exact impressions the doctor wrote down:
-Erythematous (hyperemic) and ulcerated ileal mucosa. This was biopsied.
-Mucosal Ulceration of the entire Cecum extending into the proximal ascending colon. This was biopsed.
-The normal appearing colo was also biopsed.
-Normal examined duodenum. This was biopsed.
-Diminutive Antritis. This was Biopsed.
-Normal Esophagus.
His Recommendations:
-Await Pathology Results.
-Return to GI office in 2-4 weeks.
-Prednisone Taper(10mg), Pentasa (500mg), and Cirpo(500mg) prescriptions sent to pharmacy.
I have been taking the medicine as perscribed, and like I mentioned .. I have felt pretty good for about a week now. I feel fine right now. I just dont really know what any of this means. The impressions sound really bad, and im confused how all of this just "happened" over the course of 3 or so weeks. I have never really had stomach pains until recently. Going to the bathroom has been kind of hard at times for various reasons, but nothing I thought was a real problem. I just figure I had some bad food or something. I dont know, the whole situation is pretty shocking to me. I know my Cousin and his mother has suffered from Crohns. He had to have some of his intestines removed a little over a year ago... and Im just scared of the potential of this disease.
Im also confused about what all the medicine is for exactly, and how it will effect me. I have only been taking them for a day, but I feel normal so far. I know a lot of people dont like to take Prednisone, so that one has me worried.
I dont feel informed enough about my situation, and that is stressful to say the least. Im not sure what foods are good or bad, what medications are good or bad .. Its been a rough couple of days.
So thats that. Feels good to write it all out. Any impressions/adivice/help would be appreciated.
Im a 20 year old male. About 5'10 and 155lbs. Ive always been freakishly healthy and active. Always played a lot of sports, and couldnt remember the last time I had to go to the doctor (aside from physicals) until my visit to the ER two weeks ago. I was suffering from sharp stomach pains that would come and go. Right above my belly button. My stomach felt really sore like I had done a million crunches, and every 5-10 minutes I would get this super sharp pain.
I called my doctor to make an appointment, he couldnt see me that day and told me to go to the ER instead and I did. The ER diagnosed me with 'Gastritis" and sent me home with a perscription for Protonix. I couldnt get the Protonix because of insurence issues... I called my primary again and he told me to try over the counter prevacid for a few days instead and call back if it wasnt getting better. I started feeling a little better. I then played basketball 3 nights in a row and after that third night it was worse then ever. I could barely move. I went back to the ER the next morning and again he said it was probly gastritis and gave me a perscription for Lansoprazole. He also scheduled a ultrasound and an appointment with a GI specialist.
The Lansoprazole was helping. I think. I was feeling better though.. I went to the Ultrasound and saw the GI doctor the next day. He said for the most part the Ultrasound looked good, and the blood work looked great. He saw some inflammation though and wanted to make sure it wasnt something serious. He said he was 75% sure it was from and infection, but wanted to make sure.
So I had my Upper GI Endoscope and colonoscope yesterday. My doctor performed the tests and was no longer there ( or with another patient ) when I woke up. The nurses gave me some pieces of paper and said that "The findings appear to suggest Crohns Disease". And the Doctor would call me later that night. Here is the exact impressions the doctor wrote down:
-Erythematous (hyperemic) and ulcerated ileal mucosa. This was biopsied.
-Mucosal Ulceration of the entire Cecum extending into the proximal ascending colon. This was biopsed.
-The normal appearing colo was also biopsed.
-Normal examined duodenum. This was biopsed.
-Diminutive Antritis. This was Biopsed.
-Normal Esophagus.
His Recommendations:
-Await Pathology Results.
-Return to GI office in 2-4 weeks.
-Prednisone Taper(10mg), Pentasa (500mg), and Cirpo(500mg) prescriptions sent to pharmacy.
I have been taking the medicine as perscribed, and like I mentioned .. I have felt pretty good for about a week now. I feel fine right now. I just dont really know what any of this means. The impressions sound really bad, and im confused how all of this just "happened" over the course of 3 or so weeks. I have never really had stomach pains until recently. Going to the bathroom has been kind of hard at times for various reasons, but nothing I thought was a real problem. I just figure I had some bad food or something. I dont know, the whole situation is pretty shocking to me. I know my Cousin and his mother has suffered from Crohns. He had to have some of his intestines removed a little over a year ago... and Im just scared of the potential of this disease.
Im also confused about what all the medicine is for exactly, and how it will effect me. I have only been taking them for a day, but I feel normal so far. I know a lot of people dont like to take Prednisone, so that one has me worried.
I dont feel informed enough about my situation, and that is stressful to say the least. Im not sure what foods are good or bad, what medications are good or bad .. Its been a rough couple of days.
So thats that. Feels good to write it all out. Any impressions/adivice/help would be appreciated.
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