Help, do I have IBD?

[Vikingsnail]

Hi there, I'm new here after a little support and information please I'll try to keep this as short as I can but I do tend to ramble haha.

I'm 26, female. Over the past few months I've been struggling with some unpleasant symptoms. It got put down to pregnancy (developed these symptoms around 3 months pregnant, and they got progressively worse). Had a sigmoidoscopy 6 weeks after birth (my son is 5 months now) which was clear, and the symptoms had subsided, so thought it was just down to being pregnant and that was that.

However a couple of weeks ago the symptoms came back. I get a very urgent need to go to the toilet. It's not diarrhea but it's fairly soft... Sorry! And it contains mucous, and blood. Sometimes I feel I need to go but there's just blood and mucous. Nit alot of blood, but before it started out not too much and progressed to small clots and turning the toilet water red. When I need to go I get a slight burning sensation, and if I try to hold it I leak mucous, which is obviously very unpleasant especially in public.
I am always bloated, and often have very unpleasant smelling gas! Sorry for all this tmi... My energy levels are generally low too, but I had cfs/me after glandular fever as a teenager so always put it down to that.

I saw the doctor today who said as my sigmoidoscopy was clear and I'm not in pain or have diarrhea it rul 's out colitis or crohn's, and she gave me some cream (scheriproct or something like that, had it while I was pregnant and it didn't help). If it doesn't get better in a month I'm to go back, or sooner if it gets worse.

Has anyone got any thoughts? All advice much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[my little penguin]

Sigmoidoscopy only looks at the very end of the intestine
Rectum and part of the sigmoid colon
It ignores the ascending colon
Descending colon
Transverse colon

Terminal ileum
And all of the small intestine
So without looking at those areas with a full colonoscopy and MRE images/pillcam
Crohns can not be ruled out
Did you see a GI to do the scope ?

Did they do any bloodwork or fecal caloprotectin (stool test )?

Can you get a second opinion ??

http://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/resources/diagnosing-and-managing-ibd.html

http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/ss/slideshow-inflammatory-bowel-overview

 

[JessPeper]

I would ask to have some other sort of testing done. I had 5 colonoscopies between 2002 and 2009 every time they showed nothing. I would bleed when I went to the bathroom too they kept telling me there was nothing abnormal. Until last year I was in so much pain I couldn't stand it. At that time they did a CT scan on my belly and saw the inflammation. After the CT they sent blood work off to Prometheus labs to test of the markers.

I wish they would have done it sooner. I believe I've had CD for years and believe had it been treated then I wouldn't have ended up with strictures.

 

[Vikingsnail]

Thank you! No, the sigmoidoscopy was the only test. No blood or stool tests. I was referred to the gastrointestinal unit at my local hospital for the procedure. Sounds like it might be worth a second opinion!

 

[shamrock15]

Based on what is written here, it is worth a second opinion. Go get one!

 

[sgholmes2002]

My son had terrible smelling gas months before he had bloody diarrhea. He never had pain! So glad the GI doc went ahead and did a colonoscopy and biopsies. I would definitely go see a GI doc. As my son's GI doc said, you should have 0 blood in your stools.

 

[Deleted member 431298]

hi Vikingsnail.
Sorry to hear about your symptoms. There is a test that is usually done if Crohn's disease is suspected. It is called a fecal calcprotectin, and is taken from a stool sample. If I were you I would ask my doctor to have one taken asap, if it is elevated (above 50) you could have Crohn's.