This is my first post and I apologize in advance for this being such a long one but need your opinion. For years I've been convinced I have IBS but but a lot of the symptoms I have are fairly similar to Crohn's so aat this point I'm not sure what it is. Here's my story:
I'm male, 51 years old, and was told about 18 years ago by a physician that I have IBS. In the beginning I went from being normal to being very, very sick with multiple bouts of diarrhea per day that none of the over the counter meds would help -- but was later quickly put into check after taking predisone. All of this seemed to have begun after taking an antibiotic. At first the doctor thought I had ulcerative colitis after she found inflamation during a sigmoidoscopy she performed and I was put on a IBD med for about a year which really did not do a thing. Then I had a colonoscopy at that time and it was determined I had IBS since the scope indicated no problems. Doctor said to increase my fiber intake such as taking Fibercon -- which I did and after a while things greatly improved. Later I was able to go off the Fibercon and seemed to be over the major intestinal problems I was having at the time -- for the most part. I still had many bouts of urgent diarrhea, bloating, bad gas usually after eating a large meal or foods with spice. Other foods such as peanuts, Coke, eating a lot of candy and/or chocolate, foods with teriakaki sauce on it, greasy foods, and various other foods will kick it off.
Well, for whatever reason, for the last 4 weeks I've been dealing with multiple bouts of diarrhea per day. For the first two weeks it was nothing but watery, explosive diarrhea several times per day blowing out yellowish particle material (sorry for the explicitness) that mostly floats in the water and stinks to high heaven. Then for the past week the diarrhea BMs have become less watery but still explosive with particle material that floats. When I have a BM there is usually a huge amount of gas/air that comes out as well. I have always been a daily gas passer some of them very foul. When the need to have a BM suddenly hits, I have to find a john fast. I do have abdominal pain in various places in the abdomen right now but sometimes that's relieved after passing gas or having a BM, but for the most part the gut pain is present but not to a very high degree. By the way, over the counter meds to not help and neither is the Fibercon.
I went to my GP doctor last week and he felt around and ordered a ultra sound of my abdomen which came out normal in terms of my gallbladder and liver. He was concerned it might be appendicitis but I'm pretty sure that's not it but it could be, I guess. After the tests were shown negative he's pretty much blown me off as it being IBS. Anyway, the diarrhea persists and a few days ago, when the need for a BM hit me, I did not make it to the toilet fast enough and literally messed my pants -- fortunately I was at home. Before that time as well as after there have been times where I've come close to not making it in time to the john. My symptoms are mainly:
- Explosive, foul-smelling, sometimes watery but always very loose diarrhea. The color was a yellowish color for the first two weeks now it's the same consistency explained above but it's more of a yellowish-brown color now. About a week ago I has 13 BMs in one day -- beat my old record of 7 about 16 years ago.
- Pain and bloating but the pain is not too noticeable most of the time but is felt when pressure is applied to the abdomen and sometimes noticeable when there is no pressure on the abdomen. There is no blood in my stools.
- General feeling of bloating but not all the time.
- Weight loss -- about 8 pounds in last 4weeks.
- Lately I usually have a massive diarrhea blow out right after having a meal as well as feeling sick but seems to get better after awhile after the BM.
I met with a GI doctor last Friday and he said that what's going right now is not IBS and he's not sure what it is until he gets the labs back -- blood work and stool sample.
What do you think? Does this sound like IBS or Crohn's or something else? By the way, I did have a colonoscopy about 6 months ago and it was normal. Is it possible to have a colonoscopy turn out to be normal and still have Crohn's?
Thanks for your help.
I'm male, 51 years old, and was told about 18 years ago by a physician that I have IBS. In the beginning I went from being normal to being very, very sick with multiple bouts of diarrhea per day that none of the over the counter meds would help -- but was later quickly put into check after taking predisone. All of this seemed to have begun after taking an antibiotic. At first the doctor thought I had ulcerative colitis after she found inflamation during a sigmoidoscopy she performed and I was put on a IBD med for about a year which really did not do a thing. Then I had a colonoscopy at that time and it was determined I had IBS since the scope indicated no problems. Doctor said to increase my fiber intake such as taking Fibercon -- which I did and after a while things greatly improved. Later I was able to go off the Fibercon and seemed to be over the major intestinal problems I was having at the time -- for the most part. I still had many bouts of urgent diarrhea, bloating, bad gas usually after eating a large meal or foods with spice. Other foods such as peanuts, Coke, eating a lot of candy and/or chocolate, foods with teriakaki sauce on it, greasy foods, and various other foods will kick it off.
Well, for whatever reason, for the last 4 weeks I've been dealing with multiple bouts of diarrhea per day. For the first two weeks it was nothing but watery, explosive diarrhea several times per day blowing out yellowish particle material (sorry for the explicitness) that mostly floats in the water and stinks to high heaven. Then for the past week the diarrhea BMs have become less watery but still explosive with particle material that floats. When I have a BM there is usually a huge amount of gas/air that comes out as well. I have always been a daily gas passer some of them very foul. When the need to have a BM suddenly hits, I have to find a john fast. I do have abdominal pain in various places in the abdomen right now but sometimes that's relieved after passing gas or having a BM, but for the most part the gut pain is present but not to a very high degree. By the way, over the counter meds to not help and neither is the Fibercon.
I went to my GP doctor last week and he felt around and ordered a ultra sound of my abdomen which came out normal in terms of my gallbladder and liver. He was concerned it might be appendicitis but I'm pretty sure that's not it but it could be, I guess. After the tests were shown negative he's pretty much blown me off as it being IBS. Anyway, the diarrhea persists and a few days ago, when the need for a BM hit me, I did not make it to the toilet fast enough and literally messed my pants -- fortunately I was at home. Before that time as well as after there have been times where I've come close to not making it in time to the john. My symptoms are mainly:
- Explosive, foul-smelling, sometimes watery but always very loose diarrhea. The color was a yellowish color for the first two weeks now it's the same consistency explained above but it's more of a yellowish-brown color now. About a week ago I has 13 BMs in one day -- beat my old record of 7 about 16 years ago.
- Pain and bloating but the pain is not too noticeable most of the time but is felt when pressure is applied to the abdomen and sometimes noticeable when there is no pressure on the abdomen. There is no blood in my stools.
- General feeling of bloating but not all the time.
- Weight loss -- about 8 pounds in last 4weeks.
- Lately I usually have a massive diarrhea blow out right after having a meal as well as feeling sick but seems to get better after awhile after the BM.
I met with a GI doctor last Friday and he said that what's going right now is not IBS and he's not sure what it is until he gets the labs back -- blood work and stool sample.
What do you think? Does this sound like IBS or Crohn's or something else? By the way, I did have a colonoscopy about 6 months ago and it was normal. Is it possible to have a colonoscopy turn out to be normal and still have Crohn's?
Thanks for your help.
