Ileitis, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation and blurred vision

[Shera]

Hello,

I'm very new to this and am hoping to get some insight. I will try to give the short version of my story.

On 09/17/2014 I woke up at 3am with HORRIBLE waves of pain in my abdomen with a constant dull ache in between. At 10 am my primary got me in and sent me over to the ER (they thought it was my galbaldder). After 10 hours in the ER they did blood work, a urine and stool sample, ultrasound, x-ray and CT scan. The conclusion: I had elevated D-Dimer and my CT scan said showed that my ileum was inflamed (Ileitis). My stool sample came back negative for a bacterial infection so I was referred to a GI doctor.

On 09/24/2014 I saw the GI and he scheduled me for a colonoscopy, endoscopy and biopsy for 10/16/14. In the meantime he said to stick to a liquid only diet. From the 17th of September to this last weekend my bowel movement has been one extreme or the other but never regular. I've also lost 10 pounds in one week. He said I can eat bites of solid food but no full meals. Here is where it gets sticky...

Over this last weekend I was feeling great minus a bit of a tender tummy. I ate 3 very small solid meals over the weekend (stupid I know). On Monday (yesterday at 2am) I woke up with the waves of pain again. This time I was prepared and took a Norco to try and get ahead of the pain (bad idea). The Norco made me sick so I tried to counter it with a zofran. Last night (12 hours after taking the Norco) I tried to read my phone and my vision was blurry. I had double vision in both eyes and could not get my eyes to focus. I went to bed and my eyes are not as bad today but still a bit fuzzy. I am now battling horrible constipation and feel really bloated.

I called my GI today and told them everything that is going on and they moved my endoscopy and colonoscopy to this Thursday. I feel terrible and physically run down. I have no energy and can't focus. My joints and back are constantly killing me and my stomach is tender to the touch. I've lost 12 pounds in 13 days.

Please tell me there is light at the end of the tunnel? I honestly don't want Crohn's disease but am also scared that I'm going to go in and then have the doctor tell me they don't know what is wrong. I've read threads where people have suffered for YEARS and still have not gotten any answers and that scares the crap out of me!

The waves of pain I get from these "attacks" are dibilitating. I've had three children and this pain is so much worse. :sign0085:

 

[DJW]

Hi Shera and welcome.

I'm glad you've got scope this week. As hard as it is, try not to let your imagination run wild. Let the doctor figure things out. Remember the internet is filled with worse case scenarios.

If it is IBD, its not the end of the world. Sending you my support.

 

[UnXmas]

Hi, people do go years without a diagnosis, but the tests you will be having, if they do not find the cause, will rule out an awful lot of things. Also, many of the people who go along time undiagnosed have consistently normal test results - which you do not have. The fact that your tests have been moved forward shows that you are being taken seriously. Even if an exact diagnosis is not reached right away, this indicates your doctor knows something is amiss and will keep looking and/or try to help manage your symptoms.

It's odd that your doctor advised a liquid diet right away - did he give a specific reason? A bland or low fibre diet is often recommended, but liquid only is usually only recommended in specific circumstances. What liquids are you having? Are you having liquid meal-replacement supplements to ensure your nutritional needs are being met? Are you being given any other kind of pain relief?

Try not to worry. You'll know more after the scopes. Whatever if wrong, it is very new to you - it may well be something treatable, and if it is a chronic condition like IBD, you will learn to cope with it. It will not always be this frightening, your life will normalise again.

 

[jkd916]

This sounds eerily familiar. My own story is not far off from your's, Shera, only that after entering the E.R. they told me they thought it was just "something viral" and sent me home with anti-nausea meds and an anti-spasmodic shot in my system. Not sure if you ever get on here, but it would be nice to know what the results of your scope were.