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My Story

Hi

I am a 31yr old female. I am currently being treated for 'probable crohns', I'll give you a little bit of background info...

This all started last summer, my first problem was constipation which my gp prescribed laxatives. I then started to get an intense burning/gnawing pain in my upper centre abdominal area. The gp prescribed 20mg omeprazole a day then 40mg a day. This seemed to ease the pain for a week or 2, but then the pain started getting worse and was starting to spread to the upper right hand side. I was also feeling really nauseous, and could still not go to the toilet properly even with all the laxatives. The pain had got so bad that I could barely stand up straight I had a terrible headache that lasted for days and also a fever. I went back to the gp and she was basically calling me a hypochondriac as I was going so often. The following night I was crying in pain so went to the out of hours gp. The pain now was down the entire right hand side of abdomen. He thought it was my gallbladder, injected me with morphine and called an ambulance.
At the hospital they done bloods and my crp came back at 257, they started me on iv antibiotics. I had a ultrasound and xray which both came normal. After 2 days on iv antibiotics I felt better than I had done in ages, all my pain had gone. So the docs just put it down to a bad stomach virus and discharged me.
Then in February I started to get constipated again, and the burning pain came again. also the nausea. I went back to the gp, on examining me I was also tender around my belly button and had an elevated heart rate. He sent me to hospital had my bloods taken but all came back normal so they sent me home.
10 days later the pain had got so much worse and was below my belly button aswell, I also had a fever and the nausea was worse. He sent me back to hospital. This time my crp came back at 139 so was admitted. I had an ultrasound which showed fluid around my appendix. Rather than just take out the appendix they wanted to have a look at it first. So the put in a camera using key hole. When I came round they said appendix was fine but the end of my small bowel was thickened and inflamed and also the lymph nodes were inflamed. I then had a ct scan of lower abdominal which showed they same. They said that I had probable crohns but couldn't give me a definite diagnosis until I have colonoscopy (28th April). Anyway they started me on iv steroids, and after 12 days in hospital they discharged me with oral steroids to take at home.
I am just worried now that what if they don't find anything with colonoscopy? It's not that I want to have crohns, but it was such a relief I suppose to be told that there was something wrong and that it wasn't all in my head!!!
Just to add I have a lot of mouth ulcers and also sore joints.
 
I think they'll find something if even that brief peek at your intestines showed worrisome signs of Crohn's Disease. A colonoscopy can easily look at the areas most commonly effected by the disease. I have Crohn's Disease related arthritis too, sucks doesn't it? I'm glad you found us and you're getting closer to answers! :)
 
Welcome to the Forum. Sorry you are having problems with your belly. Your Doctor is on the right track to find out if you have CD. I suppose they will be taking biopsies when you have your Colonoscopy, even if nothing shows in colo, biopsies will show if you have something going on. There are some other tests that can be done to help with a diagnosis, Sedation rate, fecal calprotectin, pill cam. How are you doing with the steroids?
 
Thanks for your replies:)

I'm not doing to bad on the steroids, but I think the course they put me on is relatively short compared to most that I've read on here. I'm on prednisolone. Started at 40mg but only for 2 days then 30mg for 7 days and have been tapering off 5mg every 7 days. Due to start my first day of 5mg tomorrow, so only another 7days left :) For the first few weeks I was quite moody and had no patience and they also increased my appetite quite a bit! I've put on 7lb!!! All these side effects seem to have decreased as my dose has?? Saying that I have noticed a few more pains in my tummy in the last week. Also where the pain in my knees and back seemed to have nearly completely eased since I have been on steroids they have also started to hurt again?? Not sure if this is all in my head though :confused2:

They did take stool samples when I was in hospital but said that they wouldn't have results for a few weeks. So maybe this is for one of the tests you mentioned?

They also checked my vitamin levels when I was in but the only one I was deficient in was folic acid.
 
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