Should I go ahead with the CTE? Honest opinion, not just generic doctor stuff

[Eternal_Howl]

Was going to cancel my CTE, but guts ache started last Tuesday. Bowel hasn't moved since probably Monday and I've now got more symptoms. Will the CTE pick all this 'crap' up? Or should I just cancel. A CT with contrast back in May indicated that I had thickening in an area of my small intestine and recent endoscopy showed I had gastritis, but no H. Pylori or Celiac was found.

I was seriously going to cancel, but now wondering if I shouldn't? The problem is, what do I do with the information if it's bad? I'm not in a position to stop working. How long does a resection require time off work if you're in a physically active job of walking and carrying small loads (nothing over about 7lbs). Is it about 6 weeks? I've already established with the GI last week that we're back to square one and he doesn't know what's wrong and then begins to suggest IBS, but that doesn't cause inflammation, so lost respect there. The next day I'm sick again. If you were in my position, would you wait it as long as possible? Or get the CTE and then wait out doing anything that might require surgery until it was more viable for you personally? I know, that's silly putting other things before life and before I moved to the US, I couldn't understand it either, but at the same time, I wasn't a parent.

I've been dealing with symptoms on and off for about 8 years, so I can pretty much assume I don't have the Big C. I'd be gone by now.

 

[Cosmojo]

Ok honest opinion, I think you are assuming WAY too much. Just because you have a CTE doesn't mean it will show something that requires surgery. I'm guessing you are still undiagnosed which means there are still more questions to be answered, so get the test. Just because you have a narrowing or stricture doesn't mean it will require surgery- I've had strictures and still have all my bowel (have an appointment tomorrow where that may change...) but it might be a minor thickening or a thickening that can go down with treatment- which is pretty standard. Surgery is for extremes only.
Also don't assume because you have had symptoms for years doesn't mean it isn't something serious or that you would be dead, I probably had Crohn's since I was a toddler but I was diagnosed in high school.
You are probably doing yourself a disservice if you don't get the test done because you won't have answers, and even if the test does show something bad you can deal with it then. Don't assume you know what the test say and don't jump to conclusions, once you know you will be empowered to make the right choice for you but don't not get a test because of a scenario you are playing out in your head