First time I took my daughter to her pediatrician with symptoms, she was tested for parasites. Came back negative, put on antibiotics. She was 9 yrs old. Her symptons of D and pain came and went but she kept it quiet. At 11 she had a very odd thing happen to her when she was bowling, had loss of peripheal vision and mild disorientation. Rushed to hospital. I thought she had stroke but after numerous tests, ruled out. Bloodwork showed high ANA levels. Sent to Rheum who tested her for Lupus. Tests inconclusive. He wanted to put her on meds any way. Her dad and I said No. She continued thru her senior yr with bouts of D and pain but again, dealt with it. No doctor even thought of GI tract. Senior yr she ended up with horrible anemia and blood transfusion. Hemotologist suggested she see a GI. Took her to three diff ones. None wanted to do coloniscopy bc they said it was too invasive
She was tested for Celiac...negative. She was given Nexium...didnt work. I finally started my own research and went back to hematologist and seeing her anemia continued, he referred me to a top pediatric GI.
It took her five minutes to diagnose her with Crohns. Besides symptoms, she had an anal tag which she said was a def indication of Crohns. Scheduled colonoscopy at 18 and diadnosis confirmed.
Funny thing is that when I took her to pediatrian at 8 yrs old with the D and pain, I told him about the anal tag which she had discovered and mentioned to me. At that time, he looked at it and said not to worry. That a lot of women have that! Duh...I asked myself.
Anyway, some drs dont want to jump into colonoscopy bf they exhaust all other possibilities. After ten years of bouncing around doctors, my daughter was ready for whatever it took to find out what was making her so miserable. She found out at 18 and has been in pretty much the same adventure as most here....few good days and lots of yucky days. But at least she knew she wasnt crazy or had acid reflux like one GI tried to convince her she had!