Waiting for initial test results and antibiotics

[aether]

Newbie here, and this is my first post to the forum.

I'm 29 and I've been having symptoms of an IBD for the past few weeks, though I think I might have been having more mild symptoms for a lot longer that I've just been ignoring. For the past 2+ weeks, I've been experiencing bloody and mucous-y stool, intense fatigue, dizziness, stomach pain, nausea, bouts of diarrhea, increased frequency of having to go, blurry vision, and just a general feeling of unwellness. I should have gone to the doctor sooner but just kept thinking that maybe it was a bad cold or something.

Oh, and my father had Crohns, so I also have a family history.

I finally saw a gastroenterologist yesterday and he suspects ulcerative collitis. I am waiting to hear back about the results if my bloodwork and stool sample. In the meantime, the GI gave me two antibiotics to take: cipro and another one (flaxyl maybe? I forget). I will probably be scheduled for a colonoscopy next week.

I have two questions for the more experienced members of the forum. First, is it typical to be given antibiotics before a diagnosis? I don't like taking antibiotics if I don't need them and I'm a bit confused about what exactly the antibiotics would do. Are antibiotics a typical early treatment for this sort of thing and do they help you feel better?

Second, I'm really struggling with the way that my spouse and family are reacting to this, which is basically downplaying the significance of me possibility having this disease. Basically, everyone's been like "oh, that's not such a big deal". But I'm feeling really really sick and it's having a major impact on my ability to function, to play with my kids, to work, etc, and I'm struggling to juxtapose my experience of these symptoms and stress about how this might change my life with their reactions to it. Granted, my father was also sick with pulmonary fibrosis, which eventually killed him, when he was diagnosed with Crohn's, so in that context my family didn't really pay all that much attention to it as an issue. But for me as a previously healthy person with young kids and my life ahead of me, I'm really struggling to accept this and to cope with these symptoms.

I think it's also hard for my husband and family to understand what I'm going through because there's no diagnosis yet. Any tips on how to deal with others not understanding and for getting through the dianosis period? I'm so stressed and I feel so crappy, but it's hard just not knowing what's really going on yet.

 

[Farmwife]

Hi and welcome.
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles.
As to the antibiotic questions, I'm not sure why they give it but I know that a lot of people with crohn's get them at the beginning or dx or flares.

I'll tag in theOcean and nogutsnoglory. I'm sure they'll give a better explanation to it.

As to the family situation, my heart goes out to you. It's hard enough when your undiagnosed and are unsure yourself but when family adds to the concern it doesn't help your physically or mentally.

Keep us update.:hug:

 

[Ness1993]

I was given antibiotics to start with before my diagnosis. The doc said it was incase it was caused by an infection. Not sure if that helps.
My family was really supportive and was the complete opposite as in they over reacted to it. I feel for you and sending hugs though.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Antibiotics are commonly used as an augment to crohns treatment or for crohns specific infections. The jury is out on how effective they are. Some have no response and others find them very helpful. .

I can't speak for how common using antibiotics before diagnosis is but many of the crohns meds are quite serious and they want to give you some relief in the meantime but can't prescribe the IBD meds without a diagnosis. This may be why they decided on these for now.

 

[aether]

Thanks, everyone, for the support. It's just so frustrating to feel so sick and not have a diagnosis. I see my GI tomorrow, so here's hoping it goes well.