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How early in your diagnosis journey were you given a colonoscopy?

David

Co-Founder
Location
Naples, Florida
I'm curious how long it took during your road to diagnosis (and for those of you yet undiagnosed) for your doctor to perform a colonoscopy on you. The first time I saw my GI he said I had IBS and sent me on my way with an antispomatic. A lot of good THAT did.

Before long I was back and he wanted to try some antibiotics or do some more wait and see since, "IBS often takes care of itself."

I insisted on a colonoscopy and was getting the procedure 3 weeks later. The biopsy results came back as IBD.

I have a feeling that if I hadn't insisted on a colonoscopy that I'd be sitting here thinking I had one hell of a case of IBS. All told, I'd figure it was 5 months from onset of symptoms until colonoscopy.
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
In Sarah's case she has never had a colonoscopy. IBD wasn't even on the radar prior to her emergency surgery. She was one of those *typical* asymptomatic of *classic* CD cases that we see so often here. The weekend she was admitted to hospital I had a phone from my husbands cousin to say she had CD and when I researched it everything fell into place. I did say to Paediatrician and Surgeon that I wasn't leaving until they proved to me it wasn't CD and, well as they say the rest is history!

Matt on the other hand had a Colonoscopy/Endoscopy within 2 weeks of his first symptoms, they were mild to say the least and I wouldn't have suggested the GP do inflammatory markers if Sarah didn't have CD, heck I wouldn't have taken him to the doctor full stop. He was diagnosed during the scope.

Dusty. :)
 
it has been over 3 years - still no colonoscopy. My last visit I asked for one and was told the scope wouldn't reach as my CD is in small bowel. I have been told for a lot of years (about 20) that I have IBS - also put on anti-spasmatic. I was also put on a drug that was later recalled as it was making people have heart problems.
 
my first colonoscopy i had when i was 14 so pretty much straight away when the symptons started, i am now 21 an will be having another one soon :(
 
I've also been diagnosed without one - and hope I never will be! Another one with some non- classic symptoms so CD was first suspected after ultrasound looking for something else. Confirmed 8 months after symptom onset by bloods and Barium FT.
 

Dexky

To save time...Ask Dusty!
Location
Kentucky
EJ was referred to his GI at Vanderbilt after our ped ruled out the benign reasons for his bloody d over the course of about 3 weeks or so. The GI scheduled the scopes on his first visit and they were done I think about 3 weeks after that. So, all in all, probably about 6 weeks in.
 
Mine was very soon after referal, my GP referred me to a GI who attempted a Sigmoidoscopy which was incredibly painful so sent me for a proper scope about a week later when i was diagnosed.

Id had severe symptoms start in July 2006 but didnt actually go to a GP until about April 2007, did a stool sample, blood etc and then i was referred on.
 
I had a flexi sig within about 6 months of initial symptoms (GP referral took ages).
Then had a colonoscopy 2 months after re-visiting GI after 2 or 3 years.
Still waiting for diagnosis :( My 5 year anniversary in August of symptoms starting.
 
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A year!! Was awful. I started to go to my GP when my mum noticed I wasn't myself. I was 8 at the time. The GP saw me every few weeks and took my height and weight. By the time I had the colonoscopy and was diagnosed, I looked like a walking skellington, could hardly keep anything down and was reduced to sitting on the sofa all day. How they let me get that bad, I'll never know.
 
I too am still waiting on a diagnosis, Had my first major symtom in June 10, and had my colonoscopy in March 11. (My original GP thought my blockage was caused by me not eating enough?! Saw a different GP in January, so two months from when I saw him!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
My onset of acute symptoms was October 2009. I had my colonoscopy in April 2010. Still currently undiagnosed a year after my scope. :(
 
I'm undiagnosed so far. First symptoms in May 2010 but not referred to GI specialist until March 2011. Will have first colonoscopy on May 12th.
 
My experience is atypical it seems. They didn't suspect Crohn's based on my symptoms. I was having RLQ pain so of course they assumed my appendix (if it wasn't my appendix they were guessing ovarian cyst). Got a CT scan and it showed inflammation. Saw the GI and they basically told me I could choose to get the colonoscopy or not. Without it I would just live with no diagnosis. I decided I wanted to know what was going on (DUH) and had it done. So basically right away.
 

allieinwonder

Moderator
Symptoms starting at age 15 (2005), then I didn't get the guts to go to the doctor until 16. Was referred to a GI for possible Crohn's/colon cancer, but then was blown off by the GI and was told IBS without even touching me. Got signifantly worse June 2010 and had my first colonoscopy Dec 2010. Still undiagnosed since my crohn's is most likely raging in my small bowel (though a CT scan in Sept didn't show much).
 
10 years.
During the 2 years of abscess/fistulas i only had sigmoidoscopies.
If i had known then what might of been happening i would have gone back to my Dr every week to ask for colonoscopy.
You live......and learn!
 
It sounds like I've been lucky compared to many of you.

I'm undiagnosed as of yet. I think I can safely say my real symptoms started sometime between December 2010 and January 2011. I had put off going to the doctor for months, because my biggest symptom was mucus in every BM. Then I started bleeding and my mom told me I had to go see the doctor.

I went to my GP in mid March, I believe. They confirmed my bleeding with a FOBT and I was referred to a GI specialist. I just saw the GI a few weeks ago; he told me that he wouldn't normally request a colonoscopy straight off the bat, but because of the bleeding and the situation I'm in he is needs to do one to see if it's CD or UC So, I haven't had any other tests (unless you count the FOBT) and I'm scheduled for my colonoscopy for May 2.

It's in a little over a week and as much as I am not looking forward to the prep, I am really excited to do it already so that I can get an answer and get some treatment so that I can get some relief!
 
I started having symptoms during pregnancy so they couldn't do a colonoscopy then. I had the baby and was symptom-free for 9 glorious months. Thought whatever it was had gone away. HA! Two months after symptoms came back, I had a colonoscopy. That was last week. So, I got a diagnosis and colonoscopy right away, really.
 

vonfunk

Bourbon Bandito
Location
Toronto,
Sometime in the first couple of days. I can't quite recall, but then again I wass in the hospital hadn't eaten in 2 weeks, was severely dehydrated and completely out of it because of morphine. But all things considered I'm not really a reliable source.
 
Mine was the day after my first visit to the doctor. We were thinking it was just a bad stomach flu at the time, but I was close to the age for a first colonoscopy anyway, so it made sense to do it right away.
 
Mine was in a couple of weeks of first real symptoms. I put off going to the doctors figuring I had a stomach bug, then when I did go they admitted me to hospital. First they did ultrasound and CT, when that found inflammation they tried to get me in for a colonoscopy. They had an emergency slot that afternoon, unfortunately, I was eating again by then so needed prepping and had to go on the regular waiting list. So they discharged me and I had it done as an outpatient 3 weeks or so later.

I was lucky in a way, Crohn's wasn't even on the radar. They were thinking gallbladder infection but when the treatment for that didn't work they examined all my adbominal organs with the ultrasound, and the inflammation showed up clear as day.
 
I was also in the no symptoms group. I was diagnosed over an apendectomy.
The moron surgeon put me under the knife without even giving me an ultrasound, then when he found the inflamation decided it was better to cut it, causing massive bleeding and I needed 10 units of blood inside the OR. I had a colonoscopy 5 weeks after surgery and it was clear The doc told me I would have at least five years flare free . After a year on Immuran (AZA) I had an obstruction and another colonoscopy and I was so inflamed the scope could not pass through. So much for good news.
 
I guess I was one of the lucky ones. Had my colonoscopy within 2 weeks of my first gastro consultation and diagnosed instantly- just had to wait for the biopsy results for confirmation. My consultant didn't wait on treatment though and I started that day.
 
Admitted to hosipital on a Wednesday, endoscopy and colonoscopy on saturday, official diagnosis on Tuesday. Before that time, life was peachy keen.
 
i went to my gp after i was in the hospital for pain in december and by 2nd week in janurary i had my colonoscopy and was diagnosed
 
I started having symptoms shortly after moving to Ohio from Atlanta and I didn't have a GP, so I found one on my insurance company's website. He turned out to be this really old guy in a really old office that was quite frankly kind of scary. He ordered an abdominal cat scan which came up negative and gave me some Nexium which did nothing (every time I was in his office I had to wait FOREVER while he visited w/ pharm reps). He then diagnosed me with UC based on the fact that I was going to the bathroom at all hours of the night and he said IBS would not wake you up at night...so that was the basis for his diagnosis! He gave me sulfasalazine which made me very nauseous. After 4 months, I finally switched GPs. My new GP did a complete blood screening and immediately suspected IBD. He referred me to a GI who scheduled a colonoscopy the next week. This led to my Crohn's diagnosis.

So in a nut shell, took about 6 months from symptoms to diagnosis, but once I found the right doc, it was a very short time. Even though there was a period of frustration at the beginning, I consider myself very lucky after hearing so many of your stories. One thing I have noticed is that doctors seem to put so much emphasis on blood work, yet so many people have active IBD with no indication in their blood work. You almost have to consider yourself lucky if you have some blood indicators that are out of whack! That's not right!
 
On Feb 7, 2011 I spent the night in the ER, Thurs the 10th of Feb I was seen by a Nurse practitioner who works for my GI. She wanted to give me a colonoscopy the next day, but I ate a can of canned carrots (I was starving I had to eat something). I actually didn't schedule it until Feb 15th because my mother wanted to be there for me and she couldn't get up until then.
 

Jennifer

Adminstrator
Staff member
Location
SLO
I had both upper and lower barium tests before any scopes along with CT scans. They sent the results of those tests to specialists and the specialists diagnosed me over the phone. Then I was sent to a specialist where they preformed both upper and lower scopes and began treatment with medication. This whole process took almost 2 months.
 
I had a CT in the ER in September 2010 which showed TI inflammation. I went to the GI February 8 and had a colonoscopy February 14. Officially dx after the blood work and biopsies came back on March 22.
 
I would have had mine immediately, but when I was hospitalized I had severe narrowing. The surgeon was adamant about getting the inflammation down before doing a scope because he was worried about perforation. The GI team at the hospital wanted to do it ASAP. In the end, the surgeon won. I was supposed to follow-up with the GI team from the hospital within 2 weeks, but they gave me a hard time scheduling an appointment and then I was referred to a different GI by my primary. I had a scope within 3 weeks of meeting my second GI for the first time. I was diagnosed immediately after the scope.
 
January 09 was my diagnosis. Had symptoms for about 2 months prior, aorund the start of January 09 I got a Perianal Abscess, was losing alot of weight and passing blood, so went to GP, looked at me a suspected IBD straight away, took bloods, came back, said by even looking at my blood work he could tell it was IBD.

So made an appointment to see a GI, but got worse later that week so decided to just go to the A&E, got seen, abscess drained, colonoscopy, and officially confirmed within my 2 week hospital stay.
 
I got referred to a GI in March of last year and he scheduled a scope immediately to rule out anything serious. I guess it was about a week after my initial appt that the scope was performed. After doing all the other scopes, too and nothing exceptionally weird showing up, I'm sort of diagnosed with IBS. I'd had ongoing problems for a long time, but things got dramatically worse in '07, then I fainted last year after an acute attack of cramping, d, etc. If not for that fainting bit, I'd probably never have gone to the doc.
 
One thing I have noticed is that doctors seem to put so much emphasis on blood work, yet so many people have active IBD with no indication in their blood work. You almost have to consider yourself lucky if you have some blood indicators that are out of whack! That's not right!
Going OT but I so agree. My GI says my bloodwork is not showing CD. That includes him ignoring 5 years of consistently raised CRP!

Because I have one abnormal test and not more it is still not enough.

:voodoo:
 
I went to the ER with nasty abdominal pain and no poop in nearly a week, thinking I had an SBO (I've had multiple abdo surgeries, so adhesions are a concern). CT showed inflammation, my temp spiked in the ER, they admitted me, scope the next day, got the Dx while still a bit dazed in the endoscopy recovery area. Couldn't believe it, but it explained a lot.
 

kiny

Well-known member
My doctor and his staff told me a colonoscopy is the only 100% sure way to know a patient has Crohn's by taking a tiny tissue sample of your intestin.

I got one in the first week iirc.
 
I can't believe there are so many undiagnosed. Why don't doc's want to make a diagnosis. Brandon had GI symptoms from birth. DX with Colic, Reflux, Food intolerance, food allergies, behavior problems causing vomiting (at age 2) . He settled down, while on a picky diet for a few years at age 7 he had bloody D and we saw a GI, he had a colonoscopy within a week, Dx with CD. Two years later had another flare. Saw a adifferent DOc, another Colonoscopy with inflamation in ileum, but Doc can't be sure its CD said its IBD. Prometheus serology 7 test was negative. We are now on Remicade and responding great. (I still have the first paper with CD dx on it,and I use that for all Diagnosis requests)

Trina
 
I got a colonoscopy the first time I met my GI, but was having symptoms for over 10 years that my family doc didn't take seriously(as anything else other than IBS) until I was hospitalized and my intestine almost swollen shut. But now I have my awsome GI and I adore her!
 
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