Looking for some advice please.

[Mountaineer1972]

Good afternoon and thanks in advance for taking the time to read this post.
What I'm hoping to achieve through this post is some advice on how to move forward with what I'm going through and questions for the doctor that need asked.

Let me give you a little background first.

I was first diagnost with Crohn's back in Feb of 2012. I had put off the symptons for so long it got to the point where I was just absolutely sick and couldn't function any longer.
After several unsuccessful tries with various medications; Asacol, Pentasa and steriods and no improvement I had small bowel resection in Apr of 2012. I had about 1.5 feet of small and large intestine removed.

After the surgery I immediately felt better and was acutally back to work by the end of April. I've had no issue other than the dreaded D until a few weeks ago.

Between the time of my surgery and my latest occurrences I totally changed my diet. Very little sweets and red meat. Mostly just vegatables, yogurt, applesauce and fish. Also within that time I was very religious about taking my vitamin, B100 supplement, and my Asacol HD 800mg x3.

Well maybe that wasn't a brief history but that's it in a nut shell.

So I had an appoint with my Colon Rectal Doctor the other day and he basically scoffed at the idea that my current illness was Crohn's related, he counted up the months between my surgery and said something to the affect that it was very rare for the disease to have returned so soon. So he got me scheduled for a CT scan and some blood work. He also put me on Metronidazole and Ciprofloxacin.

Well the nurse called me yesterday and told me that I hadn't devoloped a abscess but the scan and blood work showed that my Crohns was back and active.

I have an appointment with him later this afternoon to discuss what we're going to do what I need help with is what questions should I be asking? I'm honestly at a loss but this is what I was thinking.

1. Since it's back so soon, can you just go back in me and take out the diseased portion of my intestine.
2. Would Humira or Remiticide, (sorry for spelling) treatment help me get back to feeling normal again.
3. ?????

That's where I'm at and any help would be wonderful.

 

[KayleighMeek]

Hello and welcome to the forum but sorry you have been through such a tough time win his disease in such a short amount of time. I haven't had surgery for my crohns and have been lucky enough to control my symtoms with various medications. Because of this I would really think about trying the remicade or humira they have helped a lot of people and I had succes with these for a year each.
If you had surgery again there may be chance you could just end up in the same position again so I would deffinatley be leaning towards trying the medication.
Wishing you all the best x

 

[Trysha]

Hi Mountaineer,
Welcome to the forum.
Remicade may well be an answer for you, there have been very good results from this.
Trouble with surgery is the crohn's returns at the incision lines inside you.
Do you have a gastroenterologist looking after you, if not it could be worth finding a good one and have a session to see all the options other than surgery.
Of course sometimes surgery has to be done, but a good GI may help to treat medically.
Currently, the antibiotics and the blood work are a good idea.
Ask about non surgical options.
If it was me I would go for one of the biologicals (ie Remicade, Humira)-- before surgery but also would want the opinion of a gastroenterologist.
Unfortunately more surgery may not be the best answer for you in my unqualified opinion..
Hope this helps a little.
Hugs and best wishes Trysha

 

[Mountaineer1972]

Thanks both of you for taking the time to respond to my post.

Basically the only Dr's I've seen have been my PCP and the Colon Rectal Dr. I've thought about the GI but didn't follow through on it because after the surgery I was symptom free until now.

Thanks again for the replies.

 

[BigMike]

So I had an appoint with my Colon Rectal Doctor the other day and he basically scoffed at the idea that my current illness was Crohn's related,

WTF is with doctors like these? Kick this jerk to the curb and find someone who is ACTUALLY interested in your well being and is willing to listen, instead of pontificate from upon high in his ivory tower.

I know NOTHING about IBS, UC, Crohn's, yet from what little I do know is how LITTLE doctors know about it! It would appear most of you are your best doctors, and just need the medical field to fine tune what you already know you need!

This is 2012....I'm shocked doctors still have attitudes like this