Need Help

[bootyyaya]

I stumbled across this site a month ago after my 1st visit to a GI. I don't yet have a DX and have been hesitent about posting but I need advice . I have found this site to be helpful and all of you seem very nice. In gerneral I am very healthy and compared to some of your stories, I only have mild discomfort. Here is my story so far.
First of all I have always had some stomach issues. More bowel movements than others, heartburn , hemmoroids and skin tags (these started at around 18). I felt this was just a nervous stomach and bad genes. My dad has had some stomach issues also but I am not close to him so I don't know his dx. He has had hemi. surgery and had to have weekly iron infusions at some time.
Jump fwd. to about a year ago. I began suffering from bad irriation from what I thought was hemis . I tried all the over the counter stuff nothing worked. I went to my Gyno. in Oct. and told her about the problem. She never looked or feeled anything just gave me procotfoam and said if doesn't work let me know and we will set you w/ a GI. Proctofoam only masked the symptoms. It gave me relief from the discomfort but didn't cure it.
I went to my GP a few months later w/ a postive( white blood cells) home test for a urinary tract infec and some lower back pressure. They tested me and said it only showed sugar. I am not diabetic and my blood sugar was fine. She suggested we go ahead and start cipro just in case. My GP is friend and knows that I only come in if I am bad sick or just need a cholesteroal check. I told her that I was feeling tried and mentioned about the butt problem. She set up a GI visit.
I saw the GI drs Nurse Prac. and told her the story. I told her I just got off 10 day cipro which made me better than anything yet. The irritation was not gone but so much better. She took a stool sample and found blood . She set up a colonoscopy , she felt I had proctitis and it could be related to IBD. No blood work and she also didn't look at my butt. I can't believe I want someone to look at my butt! Come on just take a look!
Last week I had colonoscopy and they found nothing in the colon. Dr. said only a few hemis. and that I need fiber everyday. He said it has to be everday not just when I remember. I go back in a month and I am lost what to do next. Hemmroids aren't causing these problems , are they? I have always had them but never had any pain or discomfort like this.
Any advice or tests that I should ask for ? I am sorry it was so long!

 

[farm]

Welcome!
I'm sorry you are going through this. There are quite a few on here who do not have a dx yet; and many who went a long time before they got a dx.
There are more educated people on here who can give you the advice you need for further tests and what to ask for.

 

[Fog Ducker]

Welcome!
Thats brutal, nothing worse than no diagnosis.
Did they take any biopsies??

 

[Nic]

Welcome!
Your story sounds somewhat similar to my husbands! He ended up in the hospital for bloody stools, well all blood no stool, and a catscan showed his colon was severly inflamed. After him being on Flagyl and Steriods, they did a colonscopy and found nothing in his colon but hemis either!! He is now off everything and is having problems again. I'm the one in the house with Crohn's and he spends more time in the bathroom and is in more pain than I am!!

I've told him that the only other thing I can think of is to have a small bowel follow through and upper endoscopy done to see if it's something higher up that they can't see with the colonoscopy. The only other thing I could think of was that the meds cleared everything up so quick that when he had his colonscopy there was no evidence of anything at that time, unlikely I know, but I'm at a loss for anything else!

Maybe try for one of the other tests just to check things out, the prep for those aren't as bad either!!

Good luck and I hope you find something out so you can get feeling better!
Keep us posted on what you find out! I would really love to hear any thoughts your doc's may have!

 

[dreamintwilight]

Maybe get a second opinion from a different GI?

 

[tamesis]

Hi there Booty, i'm so sorry that you are struggling with this. it seems that sometimes getting a diagnosis for abdominal problems can be really troublesome.
Where is your pain, it is all in the rectal/anal area, or are you also having pain in your abdomen? What color is the blood, bright red, or a dark, blackish red? you said the proctofoam helped with the symptoms, are you still using it? I would say try the fibre, lots of water, and see if there is any improvement for your next appointment? Maybe at that point you could look into getting a second opinion if you feel that the doctor is not taking things seriously or not?

I just wonder, if your symptoms are all in your rectal/anal area, then the hemi's sound like they could be a valid diagnosis, however if you are also having abdominal problems, then you should deffinately pursue things further. Keep us posted on how things go, and please, PM me if you have any questions i may be able to help with.

 

[bootyyaya]

I forgot to add that I am 38 , married and have a 5 yr. old daughter. She is currently on Previacid for reflux (had as an infant also) and mirlax.

Tamesis, I only have discomfort that comes and goes in my abdomen. Stomach aches, freq. bowel move( maybe 4 times a day and usually in the morning hours) , heatburn, and a fullness in my stomach. These things may only happen a few times a month and go away after a couple of days. I have no D and no real constipation. My biggest problem is the burning itching, and soreness in the perianal region. I see no blood in my stool only showed when they tested for blood.
I just don't feel that I would all of sudden start having such discomfort from hemis after having them for so long. My GP didn't either. I never used anything for them before, even while pregant.
The proctofoam only numbed the pain and never made things better. My gyn . only wanted me to use it for short term.

 

[tamesis]

Ok, thanks for the extra info.
It does seem a bit strange that soemthing you've had for so long would suddenly affect you so much more. Perhaps a second opinion is in order than, maybe try to push for an endoscopy, or a small bowel follow through? I can relate to how frustrating it is when they just can't find anything and you know something is wrong....that's exactly what i'm going through. I don't really have any excellent words of wisdom for you, just remember, we are our own best advocates, and sometimes, we really have to push to get the treatment we need/deserve.