New around these parts!

[Leese]

Hi all, hope you're having a pain-free day!
I'm new to all of this Crohn's stuff, and currently waiting on a concrete diagnosis by way of Pill Camera Endoscopy this Wednesday. My GI is confident that I have small bowel Crohn's.

It all started up in May this year when I was out shopping on my lunchbreak from work and had the most heinous stomach pain hit me out of nowhere. I left the shopping mall and sat in my car for 15 minutes before I could actually move properly enough to drive back to work!

I didn't think much of it at that stage, but then two weeks later I had diarrhea for 24 hours that was just "blood water". My fiance phoned an ambulance and I was taken to an after hours emergency centre. The doctor there was very proactive and ran lots of tests before sending me home with a liquid diet for the next 48 hours. He also arranged an urgent colonoscopy for me for the following week.

I went along to the colonoscopy and the GI that did it was very un-helpful. He advised that the blood was caused by food allergies and that I should see a dietitian. I went to see a dietitian three days later, she was confident that this was not caused by a food allergy.

So my general doctor referred me for a second opinion with a very reputable GI. Within half an hour of speaking to me and going over my past notes and test results he said that he is fairly confident that this is small bowel Crohn's. He then arranged a lot more blood tests and stool tests and then referred me to have the Pill Camera Endoscopy - which I am hopefully having done this Wednesday!

Over the past two months, I've had a LOT of diarrhea (at least 5 motions per day) with some of them being very dark blood and all of them being full of mucous and what looks like sand? (Maybe I'm turning into an alien?? )

I also am having a lot of trouble sleeping and only got 1 hours sleep last night, so that was really um, fun. NOT!

I was diagnosed with Endometriosis and Adenomyosis three years ago and Interstitial Cystitis 7 months ago. Prior to this suspected Crohn's flare up I thought my Endo/Adeno pains were bad! Turns out the Crohn's pains are a whole new level!!

Anyways, just thought I'd share my story with you all x

 

[Racheld]

Hi Leese,

I too was diagnosed a few weeks back from a pill camera. This was also after spending 12 hours in hospital with stomach pains & diarrhoea, I was referred by my GP query appendicitis/ovarian cyst. The hospital thought it was just a "bad period". After being sent home my GP arranged for me to see a GI, and here I am on on my first course of meds, after the camera showed crohns near my appendix. Hope you get a result soon so you can start on the right course of treatment for you.

 

[Leese]

Thank you Racheld I must admit that this Crohn's could've been at play for a few years in my system, but I'd just assumed it was Endo issues causing the pain/cramps. Hospital's can be so frustrating at times can't they! Before being diagnosed with Adenomyosis I spent 12 hours in the hospital and the gynecologist thought it was a bladder infection! Rather big difference LOL. I hope your medication is starting to work for you x

 

[David]

Hiya Leese and welcome!

A GI told you that food allergies were causing you massive amounts of blood in your stool without conducting further testing to rule out other possibilities? :facepalm: Good grief. It's so frustrating to hear stories like that because you wonder how many other people that quack is screwing over who don't keep searching.

Anyway, I'm glad you're at a thorough GI now Please let us know the results of your pillcam. And we're here for you anytime.

Take care!

 

[Angrybird]

Hello Leese and welcoe to the forum, am glad that you got that second opinion and the correct tests are being done Pls keep us updated on how you are getting on.

AB
xx

 

[Leese]

Hi all, been a while since my last post, but thought I'd post an update.

I had the pill camera endoscopy which came back clear. But still have had no let up from the pain/symptoms. 4 weeks ago I had my fourth laparoscopy for Endometriosis, so now I know that my Endo has all been cleared out and it wasn't Endo causing the pain/Crohn's symptoms.

Just had an appointment with my GI today and he has advised he is going to start treating me for Crohn's for the next month. Then he will review me and most likely schedule another Colonoscopy. He didn't do the Colonoscopy I had back in May - it was the "less reputable specialist" that did that one. So Dr Ding wants to do a Colonoscopy himself so he can see exactly what is going on.

He has prescribed me PicoPrep x 2 to clear out my system and re-set everything (hopefully) and then an organic fiber powder to take each day. So we'll see how the next month goes I guess!

 

[michaelearnest]

Hello Leese - good luck with all of that, I think if you finally get an answer, your stress level will be lower which will make you feel better.

 

[David]

Thanks for the update. Best of luck with the colonoscopy!