Newbie waiting for investigation

[rebma25]

Hi there!

I'm new to this having been referred by my GP to gastroenterology today with suspected IBD. I started having bleeding in October after severe diarrhoea which cleared up with antibiotics (I'd been travelling) and the GP passed it off as nothing of importance. The bleeding started again a few months ago, and I returned to my GP who agreed that more investigations should have been done initially! I had blood tests which revealed an abnormal level of bilirubin but apart from that, CRP normal and no anaemia. Sent a stool sample for fecal calprotectin which took around 7 weeks to receive results, with my results being elevated at 150.

I was just wondering what investigation I should expect first, and what others FC levels are who have a diagnosis of IBD?

I know that although elevated, my FC level could be much higher if I had active IBD at the time, but am slightly concerned as my symptoms would suggest there is something going on and I do have a cousin with crohns.

Thank you

 

[araceli]

Hello and welcome. Colonoscopy and Endoscopy with biopsies are usually done. I suggest you go with a GI. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[sweetiepoo]

Welcome to the forum! I am in the same camp as you are. My Dr. suspects I have Crohn's after I explained my symptoms to her and she had me do a blood lab which came back with vitamin D deficieny and slightly elevated IGG and IGA levels. I get blood in my stool maybe about twice a year and alternate between diarhea and severe constipation, just to name a few of the major symptoms. She told me I could expect the GI to do a colonoscopy. I won't be having my first appointment with GI until the end of the month though so I am not really sure what will happen with all that.

 

[UnXmas]

You're right faecal calprotectin can be much higher with IBD, and small rises can be due to things of no significance. But even if your initial tests don't all indicate IBD, bleeding should always be investigated. How frequently is the bleeding occuring, and is it a lot of blood? Has your doctor checked for internal haemorrhoids? They're a common cause of bleeding that are easy to diagnose.

If no diagnosis arises from blood tests, etc. or if you have other symptoms, the gastroenterologist might want to do some imaging tests or a colonoscopy. (Assuming the blood you pass is red. If the blood you pass is bright red, it's likely from the colon so a colonoscopy would probably be more useful than an upper endoscopy. If the blood is darker/black, that would suggest bleeding higher in the digestive system.)

 

[mrspecker]

Hi I'm in same position in on sick and have been since hospital I Feb iv just had MRI and have colonscopy on 20 th may good days and bad today been bad and in bed I had endoscopy twice hopefully when get results and put on meds I'm on oramorph colofac buscopan cocodamol I have high liver and positive test to ibd hope we both get sorted

 

[scottsma]

I just wanted to say hello and welcome.
It's the interminable waiting between tests that I find tiresome.Although I was dx'd in 2006,I have been having tests since Aug.last year.Colonoscopy,calprotectin (300),MRI,and ultrasound scan. It seems to take far too long to get results, for what are really straightforward tests.I hope you get sorted soon.

P.S. I'm to have my gall bladder removed.They discovered polyps I wasn't even being tested for.As to when that will be........... ?

 

[mrspecker]

They thought it was my gall bladder but I have suffered years with few symptoms but got alotmore joint pain fatigue pain in stomach and right side my consultant has got me urgent appointment which was within 8 weeks doesn't want me bk at work till diagnosed and medication been on sick since Feb work coming to see me tmoz for a wellbeing visit I have ok days and really bad days people do think ur putting it on if only hope u get sorted so

 

[rebma25]

Thank you for your replies!

I also alternate between loose stools and constipation, with abdominal pain which is sometimes severe (very painful today, paracetamol doesn't work).

Bleeding is intermittent, every few months or so. It is fresh, bright red blood so I have been examined for internal haemorrhoids but that showed nothing. It usually isn't a lot of blood, but enough to be worried about. Initially it was in the stools, toilet bowl and on the paper but my most recent episode was only on the paper but there was a rather large amount of blood which worried me and caused me to return to my GP. There was no pain on passing the stool, no blood within the stool which was loose and mucousy, only on the paper.

My raised bilirubin levels have been detected on 3 septerate blood tests since September, rising on each occasion (23, 27, 39) so I too am being sent for an abdominal ultrasound to check for gall stones. When I saw my GP yesterday, he said it would have been helpful for me to have had the ultrasound before I was referred to gastroenterology, but going by my symptoms he will refer anyway - would an abdominal ultrasound show any problems with my bowels which is why he said it would have been helpful?

 

[mrspecker]

Hi ur symptoms are just like mine iv had ultrasound mri and endoscopy waiting for colonoscopy I'm in bed today in pain cocoadamol and oramorph I have joint pain hips knees elbows pelvis bloating gurgling fataigue was in hospital they thought it was gall bladder iv had stool test and is highly raised and have been told I have ibd but need to see which one just need to get diagnosed and medication to try and live a so called normal life I cant do much at moment my kids have to see to there selves on a morning doing breakfast and there own packed lunch cause I'm exhausted sometimes I don't sleep on a night my husband try his bestbut he thinks i put it on when I fits if only he knew what its like pain upduring night needing toilet but then nothing happens feeling faint when cant get off toilet who would put this on I am starting to feel down . We have booked our first holiday abroad in July with the kids before this took over.it was booked I think because we haven't had diagnosis Cr or uc don't know when I will get to go bk to work I have two jobs somebody told me to claim pip anybody else claimed