Undiagnosed - does this sound like UC?

[Eowyn]

Hi, I think I might have UC and in the beginning of a flare.

I have had digestive issues since my teenage years. About 8 years ago I was told I have ibs but no tests were ran. I am now 27 with 2 small kids and it's getting worse. 6 months ago I went to the doctor and described by symptoms, and she thought I didnt just have ibs, so she referred me to a GI specialist. The wait to see the GI is 1.5 years.

I have to poop 6+ times a day. It makes work very akward because I leave sometimes.

On October 4, I caught a nasty stomach virus. I had severe liquid diarrhea followed by straight blood. I had only blood coming out. I called a nurse who told me to go to emergency. They determined that I had not lost too much blood because my CBC was normal. Since then, I have had frequent urgent diarrhea and lots of bloody stool. I've lost 8 pounds. It's 8:30 am and I've had to go number 2 three times already and each time it's been quite bloody. I don't think its hemroids because it looks like it's throughout the stool.

Do I need to go back to my family doc ASAP? All the doctors I've spoken about this with do seem to take it seriously, theyve all suspected ibd, not ibs, but they don't seem urgent to get me diagnosed. Can I wait a YEAR for a colonoscopy, or should I try to get bumped up the list?

 

[mama21princess]

I would try to get the colonoscopy as soon as possible!

 

[Jennifer]

I'm sorry you're going through this Eowyn. :hug:

It does sound like it could be a form of IBD (Crohn's or UC because with IBS you don't bleed) and I do think you should try very hard to get bumped up the list because that's a long wait for someone who's constantly bleeding. Use the Hospital as well to run any tests like a small bowel follow through (they can also do a barium enema) and/or a CT scan. They can send these results to your GI so you can get treatment faster. Keep seeing your regular doctor as well to see if they can help you get into a GI sooner. Also ask to be put on the cancellation list to see the GI in case anyone cancels.

I hope you're able to get in soon and get a concrete diagnosis so you can start treatment and start feeling better. Keep us posted.

 

[spingirl]

It could also be darviticulitis (no idea how to spell it) with ibd or Crohn's or UC...but either way I just can't believe it is a year wait to see GI. I would push the issue. Your general practitioner can't get you in any sooner to see GI? Is this for one special GI or all of them? 6 poops a day for me is a good day but when I am really flaring I can go 6 times just before lunch. It really is exhausting! I poop in the same amount of time it takes someone normal to pee. It's so hard in work...I know...When I have morning meetings and I have had any coffee...I am running and it's embarrassing...I have taken to wearing adult pUll ups just for security...helps calm me down knowing I have it and seems to work so I don't get more worked up and have to go even more. In the meantime I would cut out dairy...and raw veggies. When I am flaring I eat a lot of mashed potatoes and chicken - plain. Salads and dairy kill me. Has any of the doctors given you any prescriptions? Keep us posted.

 

[Searchingforhealth]

Have you had a stool test for c-dif? My daughter had a flare with lots of bloody D and tested positive. It is treated with strong antibiotics. We are considering a FMT next

 

[Eowyn]

Thank you so much for the responses.

I followed up with my family doctor yesterday with all the new issues I've been having. She is definitely concerned. I went for a blood test late yesterday and dropped off a stool sample this morning. Then my doctor is going to fax a new letter to the GI specialist outlining my current issues and any irregular results from this testing. Hopefully I can get moved up.

If the tests come back normal I think I'll still have a year to wait. I'm in Canada so I do not think I can just get a CT scan at the hospital unless there is something to support emergency testing, such as severe pain(my pain is mild to moderate but has not been severe) or signs of blood loss in a blood test.

My stool is being tested for C. difficile.

 

[Eowyn]

So I did the blood test at 4:00 pm on Monday (last blood test of the day) and brought in the stool sample yesterday morning. I know it's probably too soon to hear anything. I'm only going to hear from my doctor if there is an abnormal result, so how many days do you think should pass before assuming my tests are normal?

 

[Jennifer]

Depends on what they are testing for but if you don't hear anything after a week then its ok to go ahead and call to try and get the results. Personally I wouldn't assume that things are normal as doctor's offices can get busy and people can be forgotten. You could also make an appointment to hear the results.

 

[Eowyn]

Update.

I didn't hear from my doctor so I assumed my tests came back normal, but the specialists office called my tomorrow and I have an appointment on December 3, and the receptionist said my referral has been upgraded to urgent.

That being said, I'm doing a lot better although my issues would not be considered normal by most people, I'm doing a lot better than I did a month ago.

I'm hoping I'll get a colonoscopy and then I'll have answers. Thanks again for all your responses.

 

[Eowyn]

Sorry they called me yesterday, not tomorrow!

 

[rrhood1]

So sorry to hear about your difficulties. I had to wait a year for my first colonoscopy but once the doctor had finished & realized that I had Crohns, she took me on as a patient immediately. She is absolutely awesome - Kerri Novak at the Foothills GI clinic. If your GP can get you in to see her, you will be well taken care of. She has even given me her email address so that if I have issues, I can tell her immediately and she responds. She even got me admitted in a Winnipeg hospital when I was running fevers while on holidays. I can't say enough good things about her. She has got me in for follow up colonoscopies in 2 days when it was needed. She also got me admitted to Foothills without waiting in emergency for 12 hours when I had an obstruction. I hope you can find someone good in Calgary. Dr Gabe Kaplan is also good. I saw him when I was in the hospital.

 

[Eowyn]

My referral is to Dr. Novak. You aren't the first person that has recommended her to me! That's just who my dr sent me to.

 

[rrhood1]

You will love her. She is absolutely the best. Ask lots of questions & she'll give you the answers you need. I'm so glad you're seeing her.

 

[Eowyn]

Another update. I went to Dr Novak for my first appointment today. I really liked her. I'm not really experiencing many symptoms right now. I'm still going poop 4-5 times a day, but I'm not in much pain and there hasn't been blood. I am completely exhausted for some reason despite both my kids sleeping well for days now.

I have a colonoscopy scheduled in two weeks. I could have gotten an appointment for this Thursday but my boss would have had a heart attack as we are in the middle of an acquisition and I gave my notice yesterday (going to stay home with my kids) Dr. Novak suspects ibd, and placed me as urgent on the list, so hopefully I'll have answers soon. I'm not hoping I have UC or Cd, but if I do, I really need to know before I get sick again.

Anyways thanks for all the supportive comments.

 

[rrhood1]

That's great. She'll certainly get some answers for you.

 

[mama21princess]

Glad you are going to have the colonoscopy soon!

 

[Eowyn]

Hi again,

I had my colonoscopy this morning and I am confused about the results.

I got report at the end and the nurse who have it to me said she was sorry, that it looks like I have ibd and that I should try an have a nice Christmas.

The findings are that everything was normal, no polyps or diverticula or inflammation for most of the tract. The only abnormality was present in the distal rectum - an inflammatory mass/lesion on both muscular/rectal folds- both the proximal and distal folds, as well as multiple inflammatory appearing nodules/polyps in the distal rectum, just at the outlet. Multiple biopsies were taken.

What does any of that mean???? I was told to follow up in a month after biopsies are completed. My husbands freaking out and I'm not sure if this is even serious.

 

[rrhood1]

I'd contact Dr Novak if I were you. She will be able to explain exactly what is going on. If you want her email address, let me know.

 

[Eowyn]

I'm going to wait until the follow up. I think I'll have answers soon and I'm sure she'd talk to me sooner if she was really concerned. It's going to feel like a long wait for results!

 

[rrhood1]

If you want her email just let me know. I've had to contact her about questions and she's really good about sending information or getting answers for me.