Undiagnosed as of yet. Does this sound like Crohn's?

[alleksee]

Hey guys!

I'm a 20-year old girl from Canada and I think I might have developped Crohn's disease (or something similar).

I have been experiencing symptoms for a while now (a year or so), but never really checked into it because my dad and I both have very active bowel movements and I just thought it was my genes.
But now, I'm getting more and more upset by this because the "episodes" are becoming very frequent and the more it goes the more they get violent.

Here's what I'm experiencing:

I always feel bloated and have gas all the time. There's a pressure in my lower stomach and it's getting pretty sensitive. For the past 3 weeks, I've been using the stool about twice a day, and each and every time it's very heavy and painful diarrhea. Sometimes, it's so painful that I have to throw up, or take off my clothes because I am sweating so much. Usually, once it's done, I feel fine (except for the bloating and the soreness), but it starts again the next day and the symptoms are on repeat. But since last Sunday, my stool has gotten better and the pain has toned down, but I am experiencing mild to heavy bleeding every time I use the stool. That's when it triggered that something was wrong. I am blessed to have a family doctor, but my appointment is only in 3 weeks (with a general doctor. I need a recommendation before seeing a GI). I have yet to get a diagnosis, but I am expecting the worse. I want your advice : does this sound like I have Crohn's? I need reassurance, I need people to tell me that it'll be okay...'cause right now I feel so nervous..

Thanks for taking the time to give me your advice, or to talk to me about your story. It would help a bunch.

From a worried girl.

 

[Ihurt]

I am sorry you are dealing with all this. I also am still waiting to get a diagnosis, so I know how scary it is to play the waiting game.

When you said you passed blood with your stool, was it A lot of blood?? Did you call your regular doctor and tell her this? If not, I would. As far as what can cause these issues, I believe there are quite a few things. Infection with certain bacteria can cause bloody diarrheaha as well as Ulcertive colitis. Also some people that take NASIDS( antiinflammatory meds like motrin, asprin), can get bleeding in the stools from an inflammed colon. It is good you are going to see a specialist, but if you are bleeding an awful lot, I would definitely call your regular primary care and alert her of this and see what she recommneds. I am actually seeing some black specs in my stool. I am also awaiting my appt. I was told that if I got a fever over 101.0 then to head to the ER, that or if my pain became unbearable. Again, let your family doc know what is going on. I pray you get some answers soon and some help.

 

[dannysmom]

Hi. I can imagine that waiting 3 weeks for an appointment while you have blood in your stool every time seems like an eternity. I agree with the advice above. Have you tried a liquid diet (EN or something like Ensure)? Maybe that will help settle things down while you wait. Good luck!!

 

[ShootmeagainI'mnotdeadyet]

When you say you have blood in your stool, can you describe the blood? Is it bright red, is it like a scab floating in the water, or is it in the stool self like it would look if you had eaten it. If the blood in the water is bright red and dripping there is a chance it could be coming just from your anus/rectum from something such as hemiroids. Remember there different types of "bleeding" and that needs to be defined.

I would recommend starting diary that would encompass how you feel
( throughout the day, maybe even hourly or every other hour) what you ate, how you felt after you ate those items, what time of day you had a Bm, how you felt during the BM, and what to BM looked like , how did you feel after the b M did you have to lay down to take a nap, did you feel cold after the BM, and more importantly what time of day were your BM's. Crohn's disease very often will affect nighttime BM's, requiring the victim have to use the john several times during the night. Crohn's is the known for waking you up several times during the night to have a BM. This is 1 of the "hallmark", if you will, symptoms' along with weight loss and diarrhea in the excess that Crohn's disease provides prior to a clinical diagnosis.

I would also start utilizing if the thermomonitor and tracking my temperature throughout the day. I've gone as far is it do it hourly. Crohn's disease victims will often run a low grade fever. So getting your base temperature and then monitoring from there will help your doctor tremendously.

This me help your GI are your regular doctor out the mints Lee because you're getting more information just what in the stool.

I've had crohn's for about 14 years just 16 days ago had another resection were they removed 8 inches of bowel, strictures and fibrosis and worked on 6-7 more structures to open them up. And I always found that utilizing a journal or a diary really does help, it saves you from having to do the "hindsight is 20 20" move. I can only speak for me I found Crohn's disease is a lot like the country of Egypt, there is a lot of the Nile , in the journal will save you a little bit of time unless you're very stubborn like me and then it's nothing more than a way of writing and keeping track of things. I got the idea for the journal from another patient, and it seems to work well for him .
CD and UC are diseases that most people don't want to talk about cause of what they are all about, you 20-30 BM a day. A good support group is a great idea good luck and keep your spirits up. That's the absolute most important part. Some days are good, some days are bad but if you can keep your spirits up and keep it so good days out weight the bad days you'll do better.

Shoot me again, I'm not dead yet!