Help? Do I have Crohn's?

[Linz18]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum.. Over the last 3 weeks, almost 4 I have been having up to 10 bowel movements a day. Some being diarrhea and some regular, in both cases I have blood in my stool. As the days are going by I am seeing more blood my stool, lots of blood clots in toilet, and it is both bright red blood and dark blood, with mucus.
I finally went to my PCP last Thursday, as my husband had a mini freakout that I had not said anything or seen a doctor about this. With my busy schedule, I just thought it would go away on it's own, little did I know this is serious. My PCP ordered blood test and stool samples. She called with my results on Tuesday and said it showed a crohns trigger and that I needed to go see GI. I have my GI appointment scheduled, but now my anxiety is out the roof, I can't stopped googling everything..
so here are my blood test results. Any insight would help me a lot get through this long weekend.. Thanks!!

CBC With Differential/Platelet

WBC 10.7normal



Reference Range: 3.4-10.8 x10E3/uL
RBC 4.48normal



Reference Range: 3.77-5.28 x10E6/uL
Hemoglobin 12.9normal



Reference Range: 11.1-15.9 g/dL
Hematocrit 38.7normal



Reference Range: 34.0-46.6 %
MCV 86normal



Reference Range: 79-97 fL
MCH 28.8normal



Reference Range: 26.6-33.0 pg
MCHC 33.3normal



Reference Range: 31.5-35.7 g/dL
Neutrophils 75normal



Reference Range: Not Estab. %
Immature Granulocytes 1normal



Reference Range: Not Estab. %
Lymphs 17normal



Reference Range: Not Estab. %
Monocytes 6normal



Reference Range: Not Estab. %
Eos 1normal



Reference Range: Not Estab. %
Basos 0normal



Reference Range: Not Estab. %
Platelets 275normal



Reference Range: 150-379 x10E3/uL
Neutrophils (Absolute) 8.2high



Reference Range: 1.4-7.0 x10E3/uL
Immature Grans (Abs) 0.1normal



Reference Range: 0.0-0.1 x10E3/uL
Lymphs (Absolute) 1.8normal



Reference Range: 0.7-3.1 x10E3/uL
Monocytes(Absolute) 0.6normal



Reference Range: 0.1-0.9 x10E3/uL
Eos (Absolute) 0.1normal



Reference Range: 0.0-0.4 x10E3/uL
Baso (Absolute) 0.0normal



Reference Range: 0.0-0.2 x10E3/uL
RDW 13.0normal



Reference Range: 12.3-15.4 %


Sedimentation Rate-Westergren


Sedimentation Rate-Westergren 8normal



Reference Range: 0-32 mm/hr



C-Reactive Protein, Quant


C-Reactive Protein, Quant 10.3high



Reference Range: 0.0-4.9 mg/L



IBD Expanded Panel


Atypical pANCA Negativenormal


Negative

Reference Range: Negative
AMCA 56normal



Reference Range: 0-100 units Negative < 90 Equivocal 90 - 100 Positive >100 . This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by LabCorp. It has not been cleared or approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has determined that such clearance or approval is not necessary.


Comments Suggestive of Crohn's Disease. Pattern is not conclusive for diseasehigh


Suggestive of Crohn's Disease. Pattern is not conclusive for disease

behavior risk stratification.


gASCA 18normal



Reference Range: 0-50 units Negative <45 Equivocal 45 - 50 Positive >50


ACCA 127high



Reference Range: 0-90 units Negative <80 Equivocal 80 - 90 Positive >90


ALCA 13normal



Reference Range: 0-60 units Negative <55 Equivocal 55 - 60 Positive >60





Basic Metabolic Panel (8)


Calcium 9.3normal



Reference Range: 8.7-10.2 mg/dL
Glucose 99normal



Reference Range: 65-99 mg/dL
BUN 14normal



Reference Range: 6-20 mg/dL
Potassium 3.8normal



Reference Range: 3.5-5.2 mmol/L
Sodium 139normal



Reference Range: 134-144 mmol/L
Chloride 99normal



Reference Range: 96-106 mmol/L
Creatinine 0.61normal



Reference Range: 0.57-1.00 mg/dL
Carbon Dioxide, Total 24normal



Reference Range: 18-29 mmol/L
BUN/Creatinine Ratio 23normal



Reference Range: 9-23
eGFR If NonAfricn Am 125normal



Reference Range: >59 mL/min/1.73
eGFR If Africn Am 144normal



Reference Range: >59 mL/min/1.73

 

[ronroush7]

I don't know how to read blood work but I hope you can get answers soon and get relief soon.

 

[Scipio]

You might have Crohn's or it might be something else entirely. It's difficult if not impossible to diagnose Crohn's solely by a blood test. And in any case your test results are only weakly positive for Crohn's. Only two of all those tests are positive - a moderate elevation of CRP indicating that some moderate inflammation is occurring somewhere in your body (not necessarily in your gut), and a moderately positive ACCA test - which is a test for the presence of a certain antibody that sometimes occurs in Crohn's patients.

So you are still a long way away from a definitive diagnosis of Crohn's. But given your troubling symptoms it's good that you are getting in to see a GI. The key test will be the colonoscopy coupled with the examination of the tissue specimens they collect by a pathologist. Those two pieces of information will be far more telling and important in determining your diagnosis than where you are now. Hopefully they will settle the issue, although sometimes more testing is needed even after that.

But whether the diagnosis for Crohn's turns out to be yes or no, the important thing is to have the correct answer so that the GI can get you going on the best therapy to get your symptoms under control and stop all that miserable diarrhea.

 

[Lady Organic]

When is your GI appointment?
considering you are having blood clots 10x a day, I am hoping the appointment is very soon. I would not let the situation deteriorate furthermore. If you see an increase of symptoms especially, dont be shy to go to the ER in hope to get an emergency colonoscopy.

 

[Linz18]

Thanks everyone! I am scheduled to see GI this Wednesday, I did have an appt with another GI this last week, but ended up canceling because of the negative reviews. Meaning, someone’s colon ruptured right after seeing him so I got to scared and scheduled with a highly recommended GI. I am still having lots of blood in my bowel and just in the toilet. I am having lots of diarrhea & just this week the urgency to poop is becoming too much. I hope Wednesday I can get some answers.

 

[ronroush7]

I wish the same for you.

 

[Lady Organic]

thats good news, the GI will most likely want to have colonoscopy very shortly. let us know,
wishing you well.

 

[Linz18]

Went for my appointment today, after looking at my blood work he said he definitely does not think it’s hemorrhoids. He said the blood work shows a sign of Crohns, but my stool sample was negative for it. He did a rectal exam and did not find any hemorrhoids. He saw the blood & mucus though. He said he’s sure it is a form of Colitis and he is leaning more toward Ulcerative Colitis, but won’t know for sure until he does the colonoscopy and to see the progression of it. That was all nice to hear, until it was time to schedule my colonoscopy, it isn’t until Memorial Day which is so discouraging.

 

[ronroush7]

Went for my appointment today, after looking at my blood work he said he definitely does not think it’s hemorrhoids. He said the blood work shows a sign of Crohns, but my stool sample was negative for it. He did a rectal exam and did not find any hemorrhoids. He saw the blood & mucus though. He said he’s sure it is a form of Colitis and he is leaning more toward Ulcerative Colitis, but won’t know for sure until he does the colonoscopy and to see the progression of it. That was all nice to hear, until it was time to schedule my colonoscopy, it isn’t until Memorial Day which is so discouraging.

Ouch. I am so sorry. Sending support

 

[Scipio]

Not getting your colonoscopy until more than a month from now is disappointing but not unheard of. It's common for colonoscopy suites to be all booked up for a month or two.

 

[Linz18]

Is excessive gas and diarrhea daily normal? I feel like I constantly have to be in range by a bathroom. I took my three kids to a birthday party on Saturday and had to leave them with my in laws and run home to use the bathroom.
This awful..
I wish I could have gotten a colonoscopy sooner. My anxiety is through the roof.

 

[ronroush7]

Is excessive gas and diarrhea daily normal? I feel like I constantly have to be in range by a bathroom. I took my three kids to a birthday party on Saturday and had to leave them with my in laws and run home to use the bathroom.
This awful..
I wish I could have gotten a colonoscopy sooner. My anxiety is through the roof.

I get both gas and diarrhea a lot. Csn you call your doctor,trll him what is going on and ask if there are any cancellations if he can fit you in sooner for the colonoscopy?

 

[Linz18]

I get both gas and diarrhea a lot. Csn you call your doctor,trll him what is going on and ask if there are any cancellations if he can fit you in sooner for the colonoscopy?

I have and they put me on the cancellation list. I work with doctors and my neighbors is a doctor so they’ve all been checking on me. They told me if gets any worse I just need to go to the ER.
I know everyone is different, but typically how long do ‘flare ups’ last? I’m so new to all of this and am just trying to learn more about it. I’ve read so many horror stories that have me completely freaked out.

 

[ronroush7]

I think mine can last several months sometimes.

 

[vishnujbr]

I have my colonoscopy and biopsy done. Some auto immune markers have also been tested from my blood, like pANCA and ASCA. The thing is ASCA is of 2 types IgG and IgA. I have tested negative for IgA(3.2, Less than 10 not detected), but my pANCA is 1.2 (>1 being positive, means my immune response somewhat gone haywire, though mildly). Blood samples were taken today for IgG. It's gonna take a while. I have no history these conditions running in my family, so genetically predisposed can be ruled out. Environment plays a huge role. Seeing my blood results, i have been told to take immuno suppressants , very unwilling to take because of the potential side effects. Like somebody said here there's no one size fits all approach to solve crohns or UC. My recent blood test showed CRP levels elevated (2.7mg/L to 3.7 mg/L where the ref range is <5mg/L). So an active inflammation is about to strike me any moment. GI Specialist told not to wait for it, he prescribed Azoran 50 mg, a kind of immuno suppresant once every day for 10 days along with a cocktail of other drugs.

I don't have symptoms like you have mentioned. My toilet visits are once or maybe twice max a day, Stools are fat and often causing fissures around the anal area. Pains are moderate but since i'm very mindful of these things , it often exacerbates the situation. My advice is think positive. Good things will come, maybe not tommorrow, but definitely will.

Also my biopsy proved every section of my colon has ulcerations and mucosal thickening. When i got the report i clearly remember i was scouring through the text just to find one word -"normal". I couldn't find one. It was devastating for me, i should mention. Till today , i'm trying to get over that. Changing life styles and food habits keep CD n UC under control. My last ditch move is to bring it under control through ayurveda. I have read some success stories here, so i'm positive it could help me control this condition. In my case , i'm a bit nervous about taking antibiotics , but i should say when i have taken an antibiotic to populate more gut friendly bacteria (Cadigut and Rifagut), My CRP levels were brought down the reference value for adults and i have seen some positive change. I took that drugs for almost 1 month.

Vishnu R

 

[Linz18]

Thanks!
I’m trying to stay positive, it’s just so stressful because of the unknown. I won’t know anything until the end of next month [emoji31]

 

[Lynda Lynda]

Thanks!
I’m trying to stay positive, it’s just so stressful because of the unknown. I won’t know anything until the end of next month [emoji31]

I am sorry you have to wait so long to get the answers you need to start treatment. Sending support your way.