Hi, how can I get diagnosed? Been sick for awhile now...

I am 30 years old as of 8 days ago! Yay me. I have been having these "spells" every six months or so for two years. The first one, my wife and I just naturally thought it was food poisoning. Vomitting, diarrhea, and all that. Then it happened again, then the third time I had diarrhea that looked like nothing but blood. I was in the emergency room this time and stayed in the hospital for 3 days. I had never been hospitalised before in my life. They wanted to test for c-dif (Clostridium difficile ) but I was negative. At this point I met a Gastro Interologist and he told me if this happens again to come see him and he would give me a Colonoscopy. Well on Feb 8, 2009 it happened again. I went in to the ER because I could not stop the diarrhea. As soon as I got there I vomitted. They got me on an IV and some Zofran for the nausea. They prescribed me some Flagyl and Cipro, both anti-biotics and sent me home. I have not felt right since. I just had an Endoscopy done and was prescribed Prilosec for acid reflux. I never ger heartburn and am now curious if my Dr. really cares or sees this as a big deal. I feel like I want to run into the hospital or Dr's office and scream until somebody agrees to help figure out what is wrong with me. Has anyone out there had a hard time getting diagnosed/ helped/ treated??? I am almost certain, based on the symptoms, that I have CD. It is not like I want it, but I want to know what I have so I can start working towards being healthy. I have been sick the entire month of February and it is the 26 now. I am very tired and at my wits end....

Thank you :)

Hi Richard, Your story sounds somewhat like mine. I chalked mine up for so many years to my nerves and then to IBS. I got the "flu" so badly a few years back that I missed three weeks of work, was in the ER (I was sent home with the flu after getting an IV for hydration) and my family doc finally still said he thought I had a bad bug and the IBS was making it worse. It was several mo's later after that I had blood in my stool, which was very noticable and I went back to the doc. He checked me in office and said it wasn't hemmroids and FINALLY sent me to the GI. The process of actually getting DXed from that point was about three mo's. However, from the time I had what I now know was a horrid flare was a year and three mo's. Do you have insurance? If so I would see if you have to have a referal to go to a different GI doc. If so ask your family doc. I can't believe they didn't do an colonosopy after the mass blood loss you seem to have had.

My GI says that an endoscopy can help him look at the beginning of the small bowel as well as the stomach and everything else down the throat area. I started with a CAT scan/barium enema (I will never have a baruim enema again...EVER!)....then a small bowel xray....then the colonosopy. Just a suggestion....I would ask to be placed on a waiting list for appt. cancellations. It may get you in a bit sooner. In the meantime, what is he telling you to do with all your symptoms?

The barium enema made me feel very sick and was extremely uncomfortable. When the radiology tech was finished he told me to go ahead to the dressing room, use the bathroom and dress--I didn't make it that far. I ended up rushing to the bathroom in the CAT scan room and sitting with the trash can at my mouth. I have never had problems with IV's or drinking barium before, so I think it was just the combo and the stress of it all. Do you use Imodium or probiotics?

I would definetly ask for either a colonoscopy or a pill cam. These are the best tests to get a diagnosis. Be sure to ask them to take biopsies in the colonoscopy too. I was one of the lucky ones, I got diagnosed in 3 weeks.

Good luck,
Gail *Nanners*

PS: I agree with HM, refuse the Barium Enema, it is a horrid test and you can see everything they are looking for on the colonoscopy and at least with a colonoscopy you are sedated.

I'm amazed they didn't do a colonoscopy right off the bat, too. I think so many intestinal issues could be solved immediately if docs would do colonoscopies without assuming it's something LESS major first. I never in a MILLION years would have thought my large intestine was riddled with bloody ulcers...I never have blood in my stool - not even occult blood.

I repsonded to your other thread, too. I was diagnosed with 5 tests:

#1) Upper GI with Small Bowel Follow Thru. This test showed my Upper GI to be normal & my Small Bowel to be NARROW.

#2) Abdominal CT Scan. This test showed all of my organs to be doing fine with the exception of some inflammation in my large intestine.

#3) Blood work. I can't remember the name of this blood test but it is specific for Crohn's Disease markers. These markers came back as a 98.6% chance I had Crohn's.

#4) Upper Endoscopy. This test showed the top of my small intestine was fine as was my stomach & throat.

#5) Colonoscopy. This test showed what I said above...bloody ulcers scattered throughout the length of my large intestine with healthy colon inbetween.

With those 5 tests, along with all the other "extra" intestinal symptoms I was having (mouth sores, skin lesions, rapid weight loss, swollen ankles, back pain, etc.) I was easily diagnosed with Crohn's.

I had symptoms 2 years prior to the diagnosis, though, because I was misdiagnosed with IBS, which is quite typical.  And it's hard when you have "spells" of this stuff; because it's easy when you start to feel better/normal again to kind of forget you were sick and go without asking your doctors more questions.

And I often wonder if I'd had all those tests 2 years prior to when I did, if my disease would have been as progressed as it was.  If I'd had the colonoscopy in 2002 instead of 2004, would the ulcers have been there or not?

Sorry, but I just have to vent on this one thing: about whoever it was that told you to "watch what you eat".  I mean, come on Crohnies?!?!  Isn't that just typical???  It's true, some of us can't handle some types of food, but when my Crohn's isn't flaring and everything else is going ok, I can usually eat anything I want...not that I SHOULD, but if I want nachos, am hungry for nachos and my intestines are at a point that they can handle the nachos, by GOD I'm going to eat the nachos!   I just get irritated with people who don't have intestinal problems who tell people who do to "watch what they eat"...as if FOOD is always the culprit.  IT'S NOT!

Ok...thanks for letting me vent.

Richard,
Welcome to Healing Well! If your screen name/display name is your legal name, I STRONGLY encourage you to edit it. First, you are discussing private health issues. Some chronic conditions can make it difficult for people to get insurance [both life and health]. Employers are known to "google" perspective employees names and your health issues are not to be factored into hiring matters.

To change you screen name:
Near the top of the page, on the left side, you will find a Navigation Bar containing CONTROL PANEL. Selesct that.
The next screen will give you options - select EDIT PROFILE.
On the profile screen, the third section is DISPLAY NAME. That is where you can change the name that we see here on the forum.

While it is not manadatory to make the change, it is something that we strongly encourage.
Ides

PS - It took me 25+ years to get diagnosed.

I'm sorry that you're having so much trouble with getting a diagnosis. I'd also suggest possibly switching doctor's if your current one still isn't doing a colonoscopy. It wasn't until I had one that I was finally diagnosed. I started having symptoms when I was at the end of high school and was not officially diagnosed until I graduated college. I started seeing GI doctor's out in LA during college and they brushed it off as IBS if anything and one even told me all I needed to do was to take Immodium to control my episodes. I ended up seeing another doctor there a year later when it hadn't gotten any better and he started taking me seriously. But I graduated and moved back home where I finally found a doctor who right away did blood work and scheduled a colonoscopy. I was his patient for less than 2 months (and I was out of the country for a month of this) before I finally got diagnosed - so pretty quick in my book.

So to reiterate, I think you should find a doctor that will do a colonoscopy for you. That would give you the best information to work with. Good luck and hope you start feeling better soon!