How long did you have symptoms before you began meds?

[partlycloudy]

I had the rope poo for several months prior to mentioning it so once docs began investigating it didn't take that long for an official dx, maybe 3 months. They did a couple of stool smears with waits in between then a colonoscopy that showed inflammation but wanted to wait for possible healing in case it was the aspirin I'd been taking.

After giving that time to heal I was still having symptoms so that's when the blood work and CT scan officially dx'd me.

So, from onset of symptoms to first med dose was probably 12 months.

I'm surprised as my memory is of being suddenly ambushed with this dx.

 

[Welsh-bird]

If I remember right, I was much like you. I had symptoms for about a year before I went to my GP. Then within the space of 4-6 weeks, saw a gastro, had a colonoscopy, got a dx that day and started treatment the same day. In all, very quick once I had seen my GP.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

I'm still undiagnosed, but thankfully on meds now. I first had symptoms in Oct 2009, and started taking Entocort in Oct 2010, so it was a year between onset of symptoms and starting meds.

 

[ameslouise]

My scope in 2008 showed either CD or pouchitis, so we treated for a year with antibiotics, assuming it was pouchitis.

Once I got my offical dx in 2009, it was 3 months till I was on entocort, then another month till I was on pred, 9 months till I was on Humira, though the doc wanted me to start that much earlier.

 

[Linnie]

I literally woke up one morning feeling like crap, intense fever, and become hunched over in pain, went to the dr who sent me to the hospital where I had emergency surgery for a perforated bowel, one week later I was on meds! Quite a whirlwind experience!

So as far as I know I didnt have any symptoms before that

 

[partlycloudy]

I was pronouncing pouchitis wrong. I was saying "poochitis" and wondering if that was too many canines in your life and why antibiotics would help with that. ;D

Pouchitis: inflamed ileal pouch.

 

[Rebecca85]

I had quite severe symptoms for about 3 weeks before I was put on meds, I spent a week thinking I had a stomach bug because I was in immense pain and throwing up most nights (but in the morning I'd be fine and eating again). It took 2 hospital admissions but they found the inflamation and started me on pred.

 

[Jenny06xx]

Were u all diagnosed with biopsies from the scope then?
Anyone diagnosed another way with either no biopsies or ok biopsies from the scope?

 

[StarGirrrrl]

Well told I had IBS after 8 months of symptoms and a clear scope (in meantime I had lopermide and colofac daily), then out onto low dose AD's which helped for a few years. Now I am iller than ever, having test after test now for 18 months and still no end or treatment in sight

 

[partlycloudy]

I've had no biopsies. I was dx'd due to my symptoms, what doc saw with colonoscopy, blood work, and CT scan all combing to fit Crohn's.

 

[Jenny06xx]

See this is what makes no sense to me !

I was diagnosed by blood tests (high White count and anemeia

wee samples ( ketones and protein in urine)

Ct scan (inflammation of small and large intestines)

symptoms (pain ,diarrhoea,fatigue , weight loss, couldn't eat any solids at all !)

And colonoscopy (showed inflammation and thickening of the terminal ileum)

Then biopsies came back ok ( on 40mg pred for ten days prior to scope and during ) and they worked wonders till i reduced to 25 mg .
so now I have a 99% diagnosis till my pill cam lol it is just nuts !

I won't be giving up on a proper diagnosis I'm not gonna be fobbed off with SEVERE IBS at all !
Not a chance after hearing what everyone else says about the differences between ibs an ibd.
Jen XX

 

[Rebecca85]

Jenny- I was given meds before my 'official' results came through. Like you, I had blood tests (high white blood cells and crp, low haemoglobin), wee tests (protein), ultrasound and CT (inflamed ileum), and symptoms of periods of extreme pain and vomitting, and weight loss. At this point they said 'we are 99% sure you have Crohn's, here's some medicine. However, there are some extremely rare conditions that we need to rule out with biopsies. We're not going to tell you what these conditions are, because we don't want you worrying'.

So they did a colonoscopy about 3 or 4 weeks later (I was on 30mg of pred and tapering during this time). Even with the pred, I had ulcers, which they took biopsies of.

So I think maybe they want to double check you haven't got one of these unnamed conditions, especially as your biopsies were clear. Maybe they couldn't get to the inflamed bit with a scope?

 

[moogie]

it took me one year before I decided I had enough with my flare. I was not on any medication before that even though I had this plague for the last 25 years.

 

[partlycloudy]

This has been very interesting. Thanks everyone.

We're not going to tell you what these conditions are, because we don't want you worrying'.

Yeah, I'd NEVER worry after a comment like that, lol.

 

[Astra]

I had symptoms for 15 years before I was dx in 2005.
My meds were for being a basketcase, uppers, downers, bennies, poppers, and a lobotomy booked!
As you know my GP (the old knackered dead one) wouldn't refer me, neither would his senile partners.
They said I was mental, had IBS, and it was all in my head, so I acted mental, was convinced I was, so might as well be a 'head the ball' drugged up to the eyeballs looking like a heroin addict on a good day!
In 2001 I had a hysterectomy, fab, brill, lovely.
Then I got a new GP, cos the old one dropped dead, fab, brill, lovely
The day I got a scope I got a diagnosis and sucked the face off Dr. Bassi, and wouldn't let him go! He's my NBFF!
He started me on Pentasa and I was 'cured' for 5 years!
Til last year when it all went tits up, but that's another story!

 

[KimchiiFiend]

The only sign I had was thickened tissue in my mouth a fat lower lip. All the diarrhea and nasty stuff didn't happen till waaay after my diagnosis. Took the medication half arsed because lack of signs and symptoms and so I put it out of mind till I really flared bad a year after. Even then I was still reluctant to take them. Don't do what I did hehe.

Now I'm a good girl and take my meds on time. lol!

 

[Becky]

I had some symptoms (thought it was IBS) for about 10 yrs. It took a few months from really bad syptoms until diag. and meds. It started out as gallstones and when that didnt get better ended up in hospital. I was put on meds while hospital and getting diag.