Symptom confusion

[AIjen]

I feel that I really need to get this question answered. I've been wondering about it and researching it and coming up empty.

Many of you, if not all of you, have severe diarrhea as your primary symptom. I do not have this. Once in a while (last night it happened) I'll have to rush to the bathroom, but it's usually only once and it usually only happens maybe once a week, mostly less than that - 2-3 times per month. I think I'm linking that to over-eating. My mom makes a really yummy spaghetti dish and I kind of over did it last night

So here's my question -- do any of you suffer from constipation instead of diarrhea? That's where my issues are. I may go every day for while, but it still feels like constipation. I have to push really hard to get it out and it never seems like I get it all out. Eventually I just stop because I can't push anymore. It's not hard or dry or huge or anything. For me, it's actually pretty soft. I used to be a hard, dry potty person and only went 1-2 times per week!:eek2: Now I seem to be more regular, but it hurts more and it's harder to get it out. I swear I push harder to go to the bathroom now than I did with birthing my kids!

So there ya have it. Am I an abnormality? I don't have a final diagnosis yet as I go for an EGD on Tuesday to check for upper GI inflammation (which was there 5 years ago).

 

[Colt]

Crohn's comes in a few different 'flavors.' Constipation crohn's is the 2nd most common after the diarrhea. Usually it's as a result of crohn's disease that is heavy on inflammation and/or scaring that results in a reduction in the space available inside the intestines. With a smaller tube to flow through it flows more slowly. I have this myself. In fact I'm due for a test in 12 hours to check for strictures (narrow parts) in my small intestine.

 

[Creepy Lurker]

I get the same problem because of strictures made by scarring in the large intestine. I'll be having a stricture dilatation in a few weeks. I hope it sorts things out.

 

[AIjen]

Well, at least I know by dr. isn't barking up the wrong tree, though he didn't find any strictures. There was inflammation and infection though, so maybe that's it. I don't know about my small intestine yet. I'm not sure if he'll do any more tests after the EGD or not yet either. Maybe the upper GI barium thing? Doesn't sound pleasant - hopefully I can actually swallow it............guess I'll burn that bridge when I get there. IF I get there.


thanks!

 

[Colt]

Get a pill cam if it's at all available. It's really the only way to check your small intestine effectively. It's especially important for constipation style crohn's disease because strictures are far more common and risky in the small intestine due to the smaller initial size.

 

[Guest]

yup me too.... constipation, swelling, pain, fevers.. those were my Crohns symptoms on a daily basis when i was really bad. very very rarely did i get D.

when i was diagnosed with Crohns, although i did believe the diagnosis, i was confused because almost every other Crohns sufferer i then talked to had constant diarrhea and spent their lives running to the toilet.. whereas i also spent a lot of time in there, but just waiting.. and wishing.. and waiting..

 

[Colt]

Yeah, I go 4-5 times a day normally but it's to work out small amounts of hard dry stuff.

Unfortunately we trade in some bathroom time for pain. Constipation style tends to be the more painful of the top 2 due to so much inflammation. It's also the least visible on tests because it usually is just inflammation and not lots of ulceration which is what blocks the absorption for the D people. We tend to only show signs of illness when we're in a really bad flare or there's been a bad complication like a severe stricture.

 

[dayng1016]

Your description fits me to a tee. I have never had the diarrhea. I have a BM everyday, morning only. My constipation begins once I start eating. Usually for me my constipation feeling is the rest of the day. Sometimes the urge hits and off to the bathroom, but once in there I feel like I have to really push, but still nothing. Its very frustrating. I do have a stricture in the terminal ileum, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's what is causing the constipation. I've had the stricture since being dx'd last year and I think it's only gotten worse b/c my last colonoscopy they couldn't get any size of scope/tube through it. Although the constipation is pretty much my main complaint at this point. I don't have much pain at this time.

 

[AIjen]

Thank you all for your answers and explanations! Though I must admit - I was hopeful that I couldn't possibly have Crohn's since I didn't have constant diarrhea......... Funny how when I look information up on the internet about Crohn's, it doesn't really mention constipation as a side effect.

 

[art_nj]

I was just diagnosed 5 weeks ago with Crohn's, but I've had symptoms for 18 years now. Don't ask why it took 18 years to be diagnosed, it's a long story.

I had a horrible flare up this summer which finally forced me to seek medical help. Looking back now, I had a several major symptoms hit me all at once this summer and they hit me hard. When I initally went to the doctor he was thrown because I don't have diarrhea, in fact, my symptoms fit yours to a tee as well (just like dayng1016). I underwent a sigmoidoscopy, ct scan, blood work, colonoscopy and a small bowel series. The colonoscopy showed multiple ulcers scattered throughout the large intestine, an inflammed ileocecal valve and my asca test came back high indicating Crohn's. My small intestine was okay and my doctor diagnosed with Crohn's Colitis.

I'm beginning to think that if the large intestine is mainly affected your symptoms may be different from those with Crohn's in the small intestine. It's just been my observation here on the forum, but who knows if I'm right.

 

[mark]

i always have diarea, a lot to do with my diet, when it actually is of some sort of texture its soft and looks very narrow, shaped like its been squeezed through a small oval hole if u know wot i mean. i also get wot feels like constipation and push and push, but its always diarea that follows.