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??? GI Doc thinks it's colitis ???

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 4/25/2006 8:59 AM (GMT -8)
Hi everyone,

As promised I am keeping you posted as I await a diagnosis.  Saw the GI Doc yesterday afternoon.  Still experiencing increased frequency of bowel movements (some steatorrhea - floaters and some nocturnal diarrhea), almost constant RLQ pain despite antispasmotics and metamucil, and some nausea without vomiting. (I'll do anything not to puke.)  The antispasmotics do reduce the number of trips to the bathroom, but do nothing for the pain.

After the physical exam he suggested Celiac Disease - however I had already eliminated gluten grains and dairy hoping that would do the trick, but no luck.  He then stated that he believes I have "Colitis".  I have been scheduled for a colonoscopy 5/15.

I do not have bloody diarrhea.  Is it possible to have colitis without bleeding?

Also he didn't specify ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.  I assume he is looking for some kind of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.  And he states he will be able to visualize the ileocecal area with this test.  I hope I can get through the next three weeks awaiting a diagnosis so I can begin appropriate treatment, because the pain is becoming unbearable.  Sometimes I actually wake up dreaming I am in labor!

Thank you for any insight you can share.

Best of health to all.

Mary

 

Posted 4/25/2006 9:10 AM (GMT -8)
Hi Mary,
I'm just the opposite. My doc and I never dreamed that he would find what he did on the colonoscopy. I bled but mostly from hemmies and the occasional blood gush that my diverticuli would produce. I had other problems to put as to why I was bleeding. On top of that, I have had colonoscopies prior to that and the pics looked so good, no reason to suspect. I think though I have heard of people getting a dx without seeing blood, see there is occult blood also that is not visible to the eye. That's why docs will do an occult spot test (my doc does one every visit UGH) but its helpful for them to see if you have blood even if you don't see it. The colonoscopy will be able to visualize the terminal ileum as well.

I sure hope you get some answers, I know I just went through that and got some answers still looking for more. When I was dx'd with UC, I wasn't looking for anything but I got it. Things just happen weirdly.

Take Care
Posted 4/25/2006 9:16 AM (GMT -8)
They did check your appendix with you having lower right-hand pain, didn't they? My dad was sick with his for weeks and weeks and weeks and no one could figure out what was wrong with him until it ruptured and he had to go into the hospital. I don't know that it affected his bowel movements, but I've heard that it can. It certainly hurts like everything.
Posted 4/25/2006 9:23 AM (GMT -8)
Dear dbab,

Thank you so much for your prompt and as always supportive response. I hope you know how much help you have given me by answering my posts.

Have the medicines I see you are taking helped you feel better. Do you have to take them forever?

Can I expect a painfree day sometime in the near future?

Best wishes to you.
Mary
Posted 4/25/2006 9:30 AM (GMT -8)
Dear Keriamon,

I had a CT Scan of the abdomen and pelvis as well as bloodwork. All negative, except for an increased hematocrit due to dehydration. Also he said he will check out my appendix during the colonoscopy.

My father also had appendicitis pain for a long time without a correct diagnosis before having a similar experience as your father - but that was in the 1960's. I hope these Docs are a little more savvy now!

Mary
Posted 4/25/2006 9:31 AM (GMT -8)
Give me a 2 X 4 cause I really need to seriously touch wood before I answer this one :)

I have managed to stay in remission with my UC with my meds, I would have to say that my case is mild to moderate. I'm on sulfazine which is to keep my in remission and the same thing with the mesalamine enemas. Do I like taking all these meds and giving myself enemas??? NO... Even if it meant I could stay in remission... HECK YEA!!!!!!!! lol

If you go on the UC board, you will see lots of people that have mild to very severe cases of UC. Some of it will scare you however you need to remember that there are plenty of people in this world that don't post on any forum cause their illness is not to that point. It kind of skews the appearance that not all people have a bad case or that theirs didn't respond to meds/treatment.
Posted 4/25/2006 10:14 AM (GMT -8)
You'd think they'd be a bit more savy now, but my dad's appendicitis happened, oh, about 7 years now, I guess. Of course it took multiple doctors 5 years to diganose my gall bladder disease, despite my having all the classic symptoms as well as a family history of it.
Posted 4/25/2006 11:18 AM (GMT -8)
Dear dbab,

I figured it was meds for life. Thanks for the info. Well it's better than going through this again. Anytihing to minimize the chances of being out of remission.

Dear Keriamon,

It's too bad about you and your father. Docs can drive you crazy.

Mary
Posted 4/25/2006 1:01 PM (GMT -8)
Yes, it is possible to have either UC or CD without bleeding...I have crohns and did not have bleeding symptoms for yrs after being sick with it...it's 15 yrs of it for me now, and recently suspected IBS as well.
Posted 4/25/2006 1:53 PM (GMT -8)
You know, I wonder if diagnoses don't go in and out of fashion. IBS seems to be very popular right now. I know that's what I was told I had when I didn't have anything like it. I don't know if my dad was told that too when his appendix was acting up, but there are a lot of people that come here and say "the doctor says I have IBS" and one of us will tell them to do this or do that--something simple, like don't eat sugar alcohols--and then they are perfectly fine. Seems to me that doctors want to use that label because it's supposed to be untreatable, and then they can just get you out of the office without having to work any. Or maybe they expect you to be a patient for life. Who knows?
Posted 4/25/2006 5:03 PM (GMT -8)
You are right about the diagnosis being somewhat of a trend. The last couple years it was acid reflux, now it seems everyone has IBS.

I was sick for over 2 years with pain, nausea and bloating and the appendix problem never came up. that was before CT scans so they finally went in and did explorative surgery and found my appendix was all tied up with my intestines. that was why it never showed up as an infection on blood tests. I think CT scans with contrast would show all that now. I don't know about the coloscopy as it is attached at the end butdon't know how they would see it. I think a CT scan would show it though. I just found out I have a second spleen with a CT scan and find that it is pretty common enough that it was never mentioned on my other scans even though in going back it shows quite clearly. Definetly get the appendix checked out. They always said never to take a laxative if you think it is appendix so doing it with a colonscopy goes against that idea. I hope you get some relief soon.
Posted 4/26/2006 5:07 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks everyone for you helpful responses. I quess we need to listen to the Docs ideas but take them with a grain of salt. See what works for us and just do that no matter what they say..... Hey they're not tho ones with pain or in the bathroom half the day! I've been told eat low residue, don't eat wheat or dairy, add fiber to your diet, etc. etc. etc. All in a matter of weeks - how can I tell what is best if I'm only given a few days to try them out? Right now I'm adding only 1tsp of metamucil to the diet as advised, but I'm not going to bother with the antispasmotics (Levbid and Donnatal) since they do nothing for the pain. If they think it's colitis isn't low residue supposed to be the best diet, at least for a time? Hopefully if they see inflammation during the colonoscopy they will start mesalamine or something so I can get some pain relief.

Thanks for letting me vent.
Mary
Posted 4/26/2006 6:52 AM (GMT -8)
What exactly is a low residue diet?
Posted 4/26/2006 7:47 AM (GMT -8)
Keri, A low residue diet is a diet low in fiber and limited milk products. These foods tend to cause problems in people with IBDs when they are going through a flare.
Posted 4/26/2006 7:59 AM (GMT -8)
Makes sense. Lord knows fiber supplements make whatever problem I have--constipation or diarrhea--worse.
Posted 4/30/2006 4:28 PM (GMT -8)
Just my 2 cents worth...have been going through tons of tests..5 colis in 2 yrs...I am hosptialized every 2 or 3 months and so on. Have had spirochetosis and have been dx with IBS and for some odd reason one hosptial says I have CD but no one else does...I have no clue. Then in Jan thought I had the stomach flu as all other family members did...and went to the hospital thinking it was bad stomach flu turned colitis..waited 28 hours in ER...it was ruptured AP. If I have IBS or sprio or whatever they want to call it..I just know I spend tons of time in the restroom where ever I am or have accidents and have lots of pain and land in the hospital on IV every 2 or 3 months...so they can call it whatever they want...the docs dont seem to figure out what in the world I have. I usually run fever with it also so the GI doc now says IBS doesnt have fever..so I am clueless what I have...so like I said they can give it whatever name they want..I know I just hate it! Good luck on in your doctor visits and testing!
Posted 5/1/2006 8:25 AM (GMT -8)
good luck to you too JEC003
Posted 5/1/2006 10:30 AM (GMT -8)
JEC, you sound exactly like me!  I have no idea what's wrong either and wind up at the hospital every few months.  You should start a new thread to introduce yourself...we can start figuring out what's wrong with you! (Hmm, wouldn't that be nice?)
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