My story shortend, but think we finally have found a diagnosis!!

[Gemmajoy]

my story shortend, but think we finally have found a diagnosis!!

Hi Everyone

I am Gemma and i am a Wife and mum of thee. 4,20 months and 6 months. So pretty busy!!

Things all started a couple of years back probably when my dad passed in 2005. I was told i had IBS. And thinggs seemed to slowly get better.

I then had my firsy child in 2006 and my stomach issues got worse since then, i developed horrid hemmies and stomach issues, but at times did improve.

Since having my second daughter in 2009 and my son in January 2011 things have got very bad.

Whilst pregnant with my son i had bouts of week long diarrhoea. I was run down when i gave birth but had a great birth and we were both fine though every exhausted. However two weeks after r3covering well from child birth the other problems started. I got mastitis and was ill with that and the constant diarrhoea started.

My little boy is 6 months old now and the diarrhoea has not stopped.

After no results from blood test, stool samples and colonoscapy and biopses from that, doctor just put it down to IBS again and gave me antidepressant that i think he thought was sort all problems out, but they didnt.

I was still referred to the consultant, who also thought the same as the doctor, as its stressful with three kids etc :mad2:

But he did refer me to have an MRI and Bile salts test.

Went tot he doctors today to have a follow up from happy pills, i thought i would ask if MRI results where in. They were and they said it showed i have Crohns!!!

Relieved that i may finally have an anwser but scared about what lays ahead and how to beat this and get on with my life. Still have to wait to see consultant on the 11th August though.

I have found that taking imodium before i eat anything does delay things for a while so i can actually get out. I have also felt better since i have started to take a multi vitamin every morning.

Does anyone else have any advice, and why did it take an MRI to show thi not all the other tests.??

 

[David]

Greetings and welcome!

Crohn's Disease can be pretty tough to diagnose. It's not uncommon for the blood tests to be inconclusive and colonoscopies don't access everywhere Crohn's might manifest. So sometimes they need to do other tests like a CT scan, MRI with contrast, pill cam, or other imaging studies to see what's going on. The bile salts test was likely to see how your ileum (the last part of your small intestine) was functioning as it's in charge of absorbing them and often does a poor job of it if it's inflamed due to Crohn's Disease.

Did they say where it looked like the Crohn's was active in your body?

Good luck with the August 11th visit. I wish you well

 

[Gemmajoy]

Hello

Thank you for your reply.
No the doctor did not say where about it was located, but i am assuming that it is in my small intestine or around that area, or the colonoscapy should have picked it up.

I will find all the details out on the 16th dont want to wait another two weeks, but ive waited 6 months already and i have seen that plently more people on here have ahd to wait longer.

I just want to feel more myself again and start getting out a bit more. I'm due to go back to work in September, so anxious about that, but i am going back part time which is good.

 

[xJillx]

Hi Gemma and welcome! I am happy you finally got some answers. It can take a long time to get a diagnosis.

If I had to guess why it took the MRI to diagnose you, it would be that most likely your Crohn's is active in your small intestine. That would explain why your colonoscopy was clean. But I am no doctor.

Good luck with your upcoming appointment. I assume you'll be discussing treatment options? If I were you, I'd do some homework over in the Treatment forum to familiarize yourself with the different types. Keep us posted!