[Feeling Pooped]

Hello all, I'm new here -- I've had bowel problems off and on for 15 years, usually for periods of 2-3 months at the longest. But I've had an ongoing flare-up since an episode of food poisoning on my honeymoon last year and just got diagnosed with post-infectious IBS (although it's mostly D so I consider it IBS-D) by a colonoscopy a couple months ago. However, my diagnosis didn't rule out possible Crohn's disease, so I wanted to tell my story here and see what people think.The most confusing thing (and something I'm thankful for) is that I don't have the classic symptom of IBS -- pain. I have some cramping right before the D comes, which was usually only once or twice a day, but otherwise I am fine. Sometimes I have some feeling off pressure in my lower right side, but I think it usually comes with gas. After about 9 months of dealing with that, I've gotten back to a more normal once a day pattern of regular stools. However, I've started having more "attacks" -- episodes where I randomly need a bathroom fast and then have to go several times. I've kept a food diary and can't trace this to any particular food or trigger, but it *might* have something to do with eating too much or eating a lot of red meat at a meal. I've also had two attacks that woke me up in the middle of the night, but that's all. In my colonoscopy last month, the doctor said everything looked fine except for a little bit of inflammation on the right side of my colon, but he said that could be from the prep and he's seen similar inflammation in patients who have IBS. The biopsies from the area "weren't definitive for anything." His diagnosis is IBS, but he said there is a small chance it could be Crohn's and I could have a capsule endoscopy if I want to see if there's anything going on in my small intestine, but it's up to me.So, because of the right-side pressure, some inflammation and the prolonged bowel problems I've been having, I am a little concerned I might be at an early stage of Crohn's. However, I don't have the classic symptoms of that, either -- no big pains, no blood, no fevers or weight loss. Do my symptoms sound like they could just be IBS, or should I go for more testing? I understand the capsule endoscopy is pretty expensive and I'm hesitant to get it just because I'm a worrier.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

[Kathleen M.]

Cramping right before a BM that goes away with the BM is a classic IBS symptom (pain relieved by a BM)You don't have to have severe screaming pain all the time. The pressure counts as discomfort which is part of the pain and discomfort of IBS as well.Generally this sounds IBSy, but it may be worth the capsule just to be sure since they saw some inflammation, but the prep can cause that.

 

[blondeoverblue24]

I would recommend getting the capsule test if you can, because if nothing else, it will help your peace of mind. You may want to discuss your concern with expense with your doctor - Not sure where your from/what insurance issues you deal with, but a lot of times the doctor may have some pull with the insurance companies and knows how to get the test covered to the point where it's not as expensive for you. Good luck!

 

[Borrellifan]

My GI said the same thing. I think with IBS there so clueless that they have to protect themselves by saying theres a chance it could be something else, well of course there is if they don't even really understand IBS. I've had a colonoscopy, flex sigmoidoscopy and capsule endoscopy and they have said the same thing to me. There's days that i feel like i have some sort of death disease and not IBS.If you have good insurance then I would have them do every test imaginable