Hello,
I am so happy to have found this forum. I have been in a battle with my intestines for what seems like forever. I am 25 years old now but since I was little I have always had what they called a 'sensitive stomach'. It wasn't until I was older that I felt that it was something else. I always just took immodium and tried to get on with my life, but after having my second child in 2012 my symptoms turned from bad to worse. I would get severe right sided stomach pain and days of bloating and diarrhea. I finally saw a GI specialist and she did a colonoscopy. She said she saw inflammation and what she believed to be crohns disease. She started me on pentasa and sent me home with a follow up appointment. When I saw her in the office she said the biopsy was inconclusive but to still take the pentasa (16 pills a day!).
My symptoms never got better and I ended up in the hospital a few times. I had another colonoscopy while admitted and this time they said it was normal, to stop taking pentasa, and chalked it all up to Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
I went home feeling terrible. I felt like they were wrong, but since everything was coming back inconclusive I felt like I had no argument.
Now 2 years after all this I am still suffering- but I think I am finally close to diagnosis. About 2 weeks ago I started having really bad symptoms again, severe pain, bloating, diarrhea. I went to my primary and he sent me to the hospital. I had a CT Scan that showed thickening in my ileum that they believe is active Crohns. I was upset to hear that but also kind of relieved that FINALLY something is showing up! I might finally have an answer and start getting some relief from this!
I am seeing a new GI friday and I will most likely be having another colonoscopy or MRI. (Hoping for the latter).
I am curious- Did anyone else have such a drawn out process to diagnosis? Is this common with Crohns? Did any other woman start showing symptoms of IBD after childbirth?
Thank you for listening!
-S
I am so happy to have found this forum. I have been in a battle with my intestines for what seems like forever. I am 25 years old now but since I was little I have always had what they called a 'sensitive stomach'. It wasn't until I was older that I felt that it was something else. I always just took immodium and tried to get on with my life, but after having my second child in 2012 my symptoms turned from bad to worse. I would get severe right sided stomach pain and days of bloating and diarrhea. I finally saw a GI specialist and she did a colonoscopy. She said she saw inflammation and what she believed to be crohns disease. She started me on pentasa and sent me home with a follow up appointment. When I saw her in the office she said the biopsy was inconclusive but to still take the pentasa (16 pills a day!).
My symptoms never got better and I ended up in the hospital a few times. I had another colonoscopy while admitted and this time they said it was normal, to stop taking pentasa, and chalked it all up to Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
I went home feeling terrible. I felt like they were wrong, but since everything was coming back inconclusive I felt like I had no argument.
Now 2 years after all this I am still suffering- but I think I am finally close to diagnosis. About 2 weeks ago I started having really bad symptoms again, severe pain, bloating, diarrhea. I went to my primary and he sent me to the hospital. I had a CT Scan that showed thickening in my ileum that they believe is active Crohns. I was upset to hear that but also kind of relieved that FINALLY something is showing up! I might finally have an answer and start getting some relief from this!
I am seeing a new GI friday and I will most likely be having another colonoscopy or MRI. (Hoping for the latter).
I am curious- Did anyone else have such a drawn out process to diagnosis? Is this common with Crohns? Did any other woman start showing symptoms of IBD after childbirth?
Thank you for listening!
-S
