My name is John. I have not been given an official diagnosis but my GI doctor is certain I have IBD. I have seen him for a year but have had symptoms for years. The biopsies from my colonoscopy last March did not reveal anything but he said it is common for people to go for years before confirming a diagnosis. It wasn't until 2 or 3 years ago that I even started thinking about something like Crohn's. When I was 19 (1985) I had persistent rectal irritation and an Air Force surgeon told me I had hemorrhoids. It didn't occur to me until years later that not many 19 year old guys usually have hemorrhoids. From my 20's to present I would have episodes of diarrhea but didn't really think much of it since it was not life altering. But it was persistent. In my 20's I had some episodes of mouth sores. In my late 20's to present I had episodes of joint pain that worsened about seven years ago. Around this time I started noticing bad abdominal pain and fatigue. When I developed a rash on my face I went to a rheumatologist thinking I had lupus. She confirmed I did not have lupus, the rash was rosacea. Throughout my adult life I have dealt with rectal inflammation and bleeding, what I thought was hemorrhoids. It took many years to look at all of my symptoms and realize that maybe they are all related. So my PMD did a CT scan that showed sigmoid colitis and sent me to the GI doctor. He did the colonoscopy that did not reveal anything to confirm Crohn's or UC. He gave me Anusol suppositories then proctofoam. I got no relief so he started Asacol last June. My joint pain and abdominal pain went away. I rarely have diarrhea but the proctitis is persistent. I am now on Canasa and Asacol. I'm not sure what I have but I do know that my current treatment is making everything feel better. Is there such a thing as a "mixed picture"? Can Crohn's, UC and UP overlap? Another interesting point is that one of my sisters has the same symptoms I do.
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- Thread starter johnd66
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afidz
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Hello and welcome!
Your symptoms do sound like an IBD. But like your doctor says, they can be very difficult to diagnose. Have you noticed certain foods upsetting your stomach?
Its good to hear that your meds are helping, atleast you can get some relief while you wait for an official diagnosis. other that a CT and a colonoscopy, have they done any other tests? What about blood work? Are you taking any supplements?
Is your sister going to a GI?
Your symptoms do sound like an IBD. But like your doctor says, they can be very difficult to diagnose. Have you noticed certain foods upsetting your stomach?
Its good to hear that your meds are helping, atleast you can get some relief while you wait for an official diagnosis. other that a CT and a colonoscopy, have they done any other tests? What about blood work? Are you taking any supplements?
Is your sister going to a GI?
- Location
- Austin, Texas
For so long my tests didn't show CD. THEN I ended up.with a stricture.
Was diagnosed again last year after a small bowel series and this time around my
blood work also showed sign of CD.
I hope the rest of your symptoms clear up soon,
Lauren p
Was diagnosed again last year after a small bowel series and this time around my
blood work also showed sign of CD.
I hope the rest of your symptoms clear up soon,
Lauren p
I haven't noticed any foods that trigger symptoms. But I really haven't paid close attention to particular foods. I did have an EGD too but it didn't show anything. My IBD panel didn't suggest anything either. He did a celiac panel that was negative. He wanted to repeat the colonoscopy in two years which will be next March mainly because of a polyp he found but I guess to see if there were any changes to suggest a diagnosis. I saw his NP last week for a follow up and she scheduled a flex sig since I have had persistent rectal symptoms and I have a family history of colon cancer. My sister has seen GI because of a significant GI bleed that required hospitalization. At one time she was seen by many different doctors at Emory because they thought she had lymphoma. Turns out she didn't but they still didn't diagnose her with anything. She does not see the doctors at Emory anymore and her PMD told her a couple of years ago he wanted to have her repeat a colonoscopy and get back to GI but she hasn't done any of it yet.
For years I thought I had hemorrhoids and pain/inflammation associated with hemorrhoids. It never occurred to me why I had ongoing problems with hemorrhoids. A few years ago my wife kept telling me she thought I had Crohn's. At my recent visit with the GI office I was told that they suspect UC. I went back and reviewed the CT and colonoscopy reports and the biopsy results. I did more reading on UC and I'm convinced that I have ulcerative proctosigmoiditis. My CT showed colitis involving the sigmoid colon and rectum. The biopsies from the scope showed abnormal crypts. I am on day 20 of the Canasa supps and my butt feels more normal than it has in at least 20 years. I'm not completely normal but feeling better.