Occult Blood and Inflammation Test

[Farmwife]

Occult blood and Inflammation test, that Grace did 4-5 days after her big bleed came back clear. :soledance: YA:soledance:

So then my question is............

What does that mean???? No IBD:biggrin:

My hubby and I know what we have seen on multiple occasions since then. DARK BLOOD
As we all know when you see blood, no matter the color you know what it is.

Someone please help us make sense of this.:shifty:
I'm very happy about this but perplexed.:heart:

 

[Tesscorm]

I'm glad all came back clear!! But frustrating that it isn't leading you to an answer!!!

I hope these results won't affect the scope that is scheduled!

Have you ever been given reasons as to why there is blood if not because of IBD??? Perhaps someone else knows?? From what I've read, IBS does not cause bleeding but I imagine there are conditions, other than IBD, that may cause bleeding???

Good news is ALWAYS welcome!! But, I really do hope you can get some answers soon!!!

 

[Farmwife]

Thanks! I've looked at so many diseases, I think by the end of them I fell I have it.

Now my hubby JUST brought up to me:ywow:....
would ME or MIBD show inflammation in the stool?
Maybe David knows this. :wink:

My hubby's idea is that she has a bleeding ulcer that brought about the blood but the ME or MIBD wouldn't show inflammation in the first place.

Sorry, just thinking out loud.:shifty:

See you guys might still get rid of us yet!:medal1:

 

[Sascot]

Yay for good test result, but no help with diagnosis! Just out of interest - what is MIBD?

 

[Crohn's Mom]

Was this all one test ?
Or did she have a Fecal Occult Blood and a Fecal Calprotection ?

What we're her inflammatory levels ?

And the fecal occult test looks for microscopic blood. You did 3 different samples correct? Can you share the results of them with us ?

How is her LDH now by the way ?

 

[Farmwife]

UMMM:shifty:......UMMMM:shifty:............... UMMMM:shifty: I don't know.

Wow, I never though to ask that to the nurse.

Let's see. The test card was testing of microscopic blood . Now the FC, I don't think he (GI) does that test, or I misunderstood when he said it 6 months ago.
When I ask the GI Monday night he said the children can bleed from constipation or for no obvious reason.

Oh, LDH was back to near normal. YA!
That's what pattern we've picked up. Normal for a few months than high for a few months.

 

[muppet]

Have you ever gotten a sample of bloody stool to the doc? I'd prioritize that in light of these other test results and the lack of an explanation for her symptoms.

 

[Farmwife]

No muppet because the GI nurse said for the samples, we need ones that have NO blood that we can see. So the one I had I dumped... only to be told by my GP nurse WHAT!!!!... we could have used that. I can't make everyone happy no matter how I try.

Since starting Zantak for her the blood in the stool has only popped up a few times and of course no hat was under her.

Has anyone ever given a stool sample that has been in the toilet water?:ywow:

 

[muppet]

I have but its not ideal.

Your GI practice is frighteningly incompetent. Have I said that yet? I'm holding back some prime cursing here where it regards that GI nurse....

 

[Catherine]

Calling aussie. Maybe he has some ideas.

 

[Aussie]

Hi Catherine and Farmwife.

In regards to no microscopic blood meaning no IBD - unfortunately not. All you can say was that one stool test likely didn't contain blood.

I would think a faecal calprotectin test would be extremely useful here, but I really don't understand the testing for blood. Faecal occult blood tests should only be used as a screening tool in asymptomatic people, once you have symptoms, and especially if you can see blood, then you need to be properly investigated with a colonoscopy for starters. Faecal occult blood tests have ABSOLUTELY no role here, not only are they not helpful, they can be quite harmful, for example, if you have genuine bowel pathology, and do a stool test which comes up negative for blood (which might happen if there is erratic bleeding, very unlikely for a lesion to bleed all the time), then this might falsely reassure leading to you missing out on appropriate investigations. The only reasons I can think they are asking for this test is either 1. they don't believe you when you saw blood, or 2. they don't really understand the tests they're ordering.

Might I suggest, next time you see blood, definitely test it so you can get on with proper investigations.

Best wishes.

 

[Suzysu]

After Freddys recent bleed the GI nurse said that if they are constipated it can cause a tear in the intestinal mucosa that causes bleeding and inflammation\ irritation? could it be that? with Graces weight loss and lethargy I would be worried - is she still passing dark blood> has any Dr actaully palpated her abdomen to see if she is impacted???? sending big hugs xxxx

 

[AZMOM]

Okay I hate to beat up on anyone's doc/nurse but ANYONE can order a fecal calprotectin. If you're taking stool in anyway, it's just another check mark on a lab sheet!

You need to ask the lab for urine hat to put in the toilet and have grace use it everytime. You can rinse it etc. This accomplishes you not fishing in the water for stool, which is not ideal. And, gives you a better look at what's coming out (sorry to be so blunt but you all have been there). This is what we do in the hospital.

And as someone just mentioned (sorry can't see it while typing on my phone to give them credit ) small fissures can lead to blood in stool and quite frankly, so can a bad virus.

The scopes you have scheduled in late December should give the definitive answer.

Hugs,

J.

 

[AZMOM]

Don't mean to sound so short - hard to be fluffy on the iPhone at 5am

 

[QueenGothel]

I might be rambling here and if so...sorry. But as her tests coming back normal. Her WBC has always been low so I would say if it is normal couldn't this not be her normal. Also have you ever talked to them about ***? I have some fellow J-poucher that had that and the symptoms are..
rectal bleeding
iron deficiency anaemia
abdominal pain
diarrhoea
weight loss
Low WBC

In regards to blood tests? Why does it take them so freaking long to do anything. I got my test results back in a day usually. Wth? Just bc they were good that day doesn't mean squat to me. Rowan had perfect test results before and 4 days later things changed drastically. Like WBC 13000 to 62000 in days. So don't let them make you think she is fine.

 

[Patricia56]

So Farmwifey dear. Knowing I have lawn darts in my back pocket.

I believe you and I have discussed your going for a 2nd opinion someplace where they truly know what they are doing and would very likely produce a diagnosis and treatment plan, perhaps as quickly as in a single visit.

Someplace like Cleveland Clinic or Chicago or Mayo Rochester.

It's not clear to me what's standing in the way of your pursuing that kind of help.

I truly do not want you to feel that I am judging you or implying that you are anything short of a wonderful mother with my comments. But I think that you could keep doing this for a very long time with these "professionals" and still not have an answer. And in the meantime your daughter continues to be ill. Depending on the true nature of her illness, vital treatment might be delayed by the failure to diagnose her accurately.

I'm pretty sure you already know these things but I'm a know-it-all and just have to make sure everyone knows what I know.

I've met a couple families who, for one reason or another - all very good reasons, not necessarily under their control - could not get a competent medical/GI team workup of their child and this delayed accurate diagnosis. In one case it was almost 6 years from the time the family first brought concerns up to their pediatrician to the time of diagnosis of stage IV cancer.

Ever since then I have felt strongly compelled to get pushy about going for 2nd opinions when a child has "mysterious" or atypical symptoms.

We are not doctors. We are parents. We may try really hard and be really good at what we know but we do not have the tools, experience or training needed to figure this stuff out. So we must find a way - if we are able - to get access to that for our kids.

If there is any way I can help you do that Farmwife, please let me know.