GI Update

I saw a new GI yesterday morning because my stomach has not been very happy, especially with all of the drugs I've been taking.  He said based on my past colonoscopies (I had copies of the reports), he does not believe I have IBD.  I had aphthous ulcers in my colon on my first colonoscopy, which is where the entire IBD idea came from.  GI told me that the fleet prep used for colonoscopies can cause those.  I used a fleet prep for the first colonoscopy--wa lah--ulcers.  Golytely prep for the second one--no ulcers.  Makes sense to me, but why do they still use the fleet prep if it can cause ulcers? 

Based on my symptoms (it often feels like someone is punching me in my stomach), he told me that since I've been on aciphex, it is impossible for me to have gastritis.  At the time I didn't question him because I know that PPIs eliminate acid production.  However, acid is not the only cause of gastritis, and at my second EGD, gastritis was a finding, and I was taking the same amount of aciphex that I'm taking now.  With respect to my lower right abdominal pain, he thinks it may be my gall bladder and he ordered an u/s to further investigate.  Or it may be IBS, which had occurred to me before but I've not been officially diagnosed with that because no GI doctor I've seen thus far was willing to exclude everything else so that an IBS diagnosis can be made.  Or it could possible be celiac disease, which is testing me for (antibody test).  I've been reading a bit about celiac disease, and did you know that joint pain and swelling is a symptom?  Who would have thunk it?  One article I read was a study write-up that found a significant  portion of RA patients dramatically decreasing their inflammation by going gluten-free.  Erin, I wonder if that's partially why the Maker's Diet worked for you?

In any case, I think this guy is wrong on a couple of counts, but at least he's willing to further investigate.  Despite the fact that I've had 2 colonscopies and 2 EGDs, none of the GIs I've seen have been interested enough to order an u/s or antibody tests.  I will point out the gastritis finding on last EGD despite PPI use when I see him in a couple of weeks.

Elcamino

Actually, the fleets can and does give ulcers to some people, due to the harshness of the prep. When I had my colonoscopy last year, I had ulcers at my TI that my doctor thought might have been caused by the fleets - he even stated that while I was in recovery. Said it is very common - that and ulcers from NSAIDS (in my case ibuprofen).

I do know that for me, when I cut out all starchy stuff (including bread, pasta, rice, etc), my bones quit hurting. Unfortunately, that's the stuff you're supposed to eat when you're flaring from IBD.

El - I wish you luck with your tests -- what a merry-go-round, don't you think?

~S.