Please refer the the bottom post for what has been going on so far. It was from a few days ago before today's appointment.Today the doctor said that he would like to test me for Crohn's. When I went home and looked it up, I found that I have ALL of the symptoms and I am wondering why this didn't happen sooner?!!"Okay, so some of you guys know me, some not. So I'm gonna give a little background. I'm 20, I have ALWAYS had stomach issues. As long as I can remember. But it really started getting bad when I turned around 13 or 14. I suffer from IBS-D. I had a HIDA Scan on my gallbladder a few years back and it came back that my gallbladder was only functioning 7%. But my Gastro voted NO to removing it because I had no stones. I also had a colonoscopy which showed NOTHING and an edoscopy that showed minor acid reflux.2 years later here I am. Another HIDA scan and endoscopy later, I find that my gallbladder is functioning at 17% and I am suffering from what is called "biliary dyskensia." I then spoke with a surgeon that told me that biliary dyskensia generally just means, for reasons unknown, my gallbladder just doesn't work. He said since I experienced pain during the HIDA, it's a good indication I should be CURED of my IBS-D if I got my gallbladder out.So I did it. Oct. 1st. I was not warned about bile salt diarrhea and here I am now. I have diarrhea WORSE than I did BEFORE the surgery. They put me on Lomotil which simply slowed the process down but did not change the...*ahem* END result of diarrhea. Just made it "wait" longer. The diarrhea I am experiencing now is MORE painful in my lower intestines than it has EVER EVER EVER been.So then they put me on Questran which DOES work, but I am still feeling horrible cramping pain, nausea, and LOTS of gas.I am so depressed because I really did believe this to be a "cure-all". I am eating nothing but chicken, rice and low fat EVERYTHING. I can't even eat beef. Not even LEAN beef.So now I'm left with these questions:It's been a few weeks will the diarrhea ever go away?Will the effects of Questran lessen?Will I ALWAYS need the Questran now?I don't know what to do. When I'm on the Questran, I'm miserable, when I'm off it, I'm in an UNIMAGINABLE amount of pain.Not to get too graphic but when I am having D now when not taking Questran, I am literally in SO MUCH PAIN during the D, that it makes me scream and throw up because the pain is so dizzying.I hate this. I don't know what to do now. I'm so tired of waiting. This has been my WHOLE life.I had to drop out of college, quit my job, and I lost my boyfriend.Please, anyone, anywhere, ANYTHING... give me some relief."
Crohn's Disease
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Momchan.. You can always ask you rDr this questions to find out for sure. However keep in mind that IBS can mimic many GI ailments. And also keep in mind that one can have IBS AND another GI illness simultaneously. So you cold have been accurately diagnosed as having IBS before... and now your Doc wants to rule Crohns either because your symptoms have cganged... or they haven't responded as he/she thought they would to treatment etc...But like I said, for the best answer to this question... simply ask your Dr.All the bestBQ
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If during your colonoscopy they didn't find any diseased area's of your intestines then i think that would rule out crohn's? Do you have bloody stools or hot flashes/sweats? I doubt its crohn's, I think there is a blood test they can do now for crohn's? It's pretty simple, you should have it done if your insurance covers it just to clear your mind.
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A colonoscopy looks at the large intestine and usually the last part of the small intestine (the ileum) - I say usually, because it is not always possible to pass the scope into that portion of the intestine, and I do not know how far they made it on yours. The colonoscopy looks for signs of inflammation and if the doctor feels that there are worrisome areas, he/she will take biopsies which can help determine if inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's, Ulcerative colitis) is occurring. The problem with Crohn's Disease is that it can occur anywhere from the mouth to the anus (ulcerative colitis occurs only in the large bowel). The difficulty with upper endoscopy and colonoscopy is that it leaves a section of your small intestine unlooked at (typical scopes just are not long enough). Do you know how your doctor plans to evaluate you? There are several studies - video capsule endoscopy, MRI, small bowel follow through, etc. So sorry that you've had to go through this.
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Typically, a diagnosis of IBS is not given until all other GI diseases are ruled out. But, I said, typically and you have to have a good GI who gives a hoot and knows his or her stuff. I have both IBD and IBS. I had gut issues from the time I was 15, was told to destress and move on. Things got very bad in my late 20s/early thirties and it was when I had 20-30 bloody D BMs per day, lost 20+ pounds, etc. that I found a doctor who took me seriously and did the proper testing - a colonoscopy with a small bowel follow-thru. I was diagnosed with IBD - ulcerative colitis in my case - first then IBS. I can definitely tell the difference between when one is acting up and the other. I'm sorry to say that whoever told you having your gall bladder removed would cure your IBS was wrong. I've heard this story too many times and can't think of one case where gall bladder removal has made IBS go away, better sometimes, but never cured. There is no blood test that can give you a definitive diagnosis of IBD. You have to have a colonoscopy with a small bowel follow-thru, or endoscopy so that the small intestine can be seen. You should find a GI doctor who deals with IBD and does scopes on a daily/weekly basis.
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