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Ldn & tb

A

amber_griffin

I never questioned my husband's crohn's dx, I just questioned and researched all the medicines, which lead me to LDN. But after his last scope the doctor seemed confused. He said it "looked" like crohn's. His report said "There were strictures found with pseudopolyps, with no ulceration's found in the effected area. Suspect Crohn's disease but lack of ulcerations atypical. But, strictured segment suggest crohns. Colon appearing normal."

Did a CT Scan to check further than he could get with the scope but no other areas of concern. It's all located in the TI.

Got a letter a few weeks later, that said "based on biopsy" results I would like to talk about additional medication.

Back story: Husband was Dx in 2013 after having (what I now know) many blockages. Had a 4 day hospital stay with the NG tube and colonoscopy. Put on lialda, had another CT scan in January of 2014 and showed "inflammation". Still having stomach pains and loose stools. Went on LDN in april of 14' while still taking lialda, gluten free, no red meats lots of supplements. Slowly the stomach pains have went away, solid stools and his energy level is back to normal. He is slowly adding back in some red meat products.

After reading up on things that mimic crohn's, I ran across Intestinal TB. And ALL his symptoms correlate to TB, more than crohn's. TB even throws a high fecal cal. score.

We are gonna have him tested the next time we see his regular doctor.
I wish I would have known to ask his biopsy to be tested at his last scope.

My question is: Could it really be TB and the LDN is helping it? I can't find much literature on TB and LDN.
 
J

JDTM

OMG LDN BBQ
Hi Amber -- sorry that I can't offer any insight on this. I did some research after I first read your post, and you are correct: intestinal TB and Crohn's can sometimes present in a remarkably similar way. I too have Crohn's Disease that is (thus far -- knock on wood) localized to the TI. (I also had duodenal ulcers, so perhaps that's not entirely true. But for the sake of this response, let's just say that your husband's case and my own sound similar. The terminal ileum is a really common place for Crohn's to present, from what I've read, and I also did not have any issues in my colon at last check.)

Also, I didn't know to be tested for intestinal TB either, but I know that I was tested fairly extensively for Crohn's after an initial process of elimination -- first gastroenteritis, then gastroenteritis with IBS, then tested for C. diff (came out negative), and finally a lower endoscopy with biopsies finally confirmed that I had IBD. I also had a Prometheus test later on that further confirmed that Crohn's was my diagnosis.

Anyway, I can't say one way or the other if LDN would or wouldn't help a case of intestinal TB. That said, I think the main problem is figuring out whether or not intestinal TB is what may or may be happening; if you can eliminate it as the cause of your husband's symptoms, well, that answers that.

Sorry that I can't be of more assistance, but I'm definitely interested in what you guys find out. If you're still posting on the forum by the time you learn anything further, keep us posted.
 
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