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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 4/27/2012 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
I have IBD *cries*
Posted 4/27/2012 1:37 AM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry you have been given the diagnosis, but at least now, you can proceed along the path of finding the right treatment and getting back to feeling better. I have lived with the Crohn's diagnosis for almost 24 years and I have to say that I have had a pretty good life. Yes there have been times that totally sucked, but a lot of the time I have been able to just live my life. I hope that you and your doctor can find some treatment options that can help you and that now you can find some relief.
Posted 4/27/2012 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the club, but sorry you had to join us.

It's a tough diagnosis to hear, no question about it. But I do agree with Zanne that there is a bright side: Now you can get treated properly. And now doctors will take you seriously. I went for years with doctors not taking me seriously. After my diagnosis, I tell them I have Crohn's disease, and I get an entirely different response.
Posted 4/27/2012 2:31 AM (GMT 0)
That's tough news to receive, but you are not alone. (((((Leebie)))))
Posted 4/27/2012 4:20 AM (GMT 0)
There is one comforting thing for you to ponder and that is that we are all here to offer you advice and to support you in every way we can.

Hope that makes you feel a little better.

Posted 4/27/2012 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
thanks guys :-) It's weird to be feeling happy and sad at the same time lol.. the doctor is happy.. he said that this proves to the hospital that he and I were both right after all the ****they gave us :-D

Can anyone decipher?? report says...

CT Enteroclysis

CLINICAL INFORMATION: Severe lower abdominal pain. no obvious cause found. continues to have pain. possible small intestinal bleed. weight loss. worse with eating. laparoscopy normal. Apthous ulcers ?crohn's disease affecting small bowel.

TECHNIQUE: Post IV contrast axial scans were obtained through the abdomen and pelvis during the arterial phase of IV contrast and following ingestion of enteric fluid.

FINDINGS: There is some fluid distention of the small bowel. There is no evidence of obstruction/stenosis. There is however some prominent enhancement of small bowel wall in the pelvis as well as the terminal ileum. The bowel wall in this region does not appear particularly thickened and there is no stranding of the adjacent fat. There are some prominent lymph nodes in the region of the iliac chain, the largest is measuring 0.8cm in the short axis. These nodes are best demonstrated on the coronal plane. The enhancing wall is also best demonstrated on the recontructed coronal planes.

Allowing for the contrast phase, no gross focal abnormality identified in the liver, spleen or pancreas. Kidneys are contrasting normally. No paraaortic lymphadenopathy. No free fluid in the abdomen or pelvis. Prominent pelvic varicose vessels noted.

COMMENT:
There does appear to be some enhancement of the distal small bowel wall extending to the terminal ileum consistent with some inflammation. However, no definite bowel wall thickening is demonstrated. Prominent lymph nodes in the region of the terminal ileum are probably reactive.

Thank you for referring this patient
Posted 4/27/2012 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
That report actually implies fairly mild disease, Leebie3. That's good news as far as a Crohn's patient goes. No fistulas, no strictures, not even thickening of the intestinal wall. No fat wrapping (in Crohn's, people can often get excess fatty tissue that "wraps" around the intestine).

You have some mild "enhancement" in the small bowel, mostly the terminal ileum. This means the tissue there is a little unusual, probably because it has been infiltrated with abnormal cells. That's generally what happens at early stages of Crohn's, before the tissue starts to thicken and/or scar. The lymph nodes being enlarged can go along with this. They tend to enlarge with an infection, or with cancer, but in the case of somebody with Crohn's, they tend to enlarge as well - and it's nothing to worry about, it's just something that happens when the immune system is turned on like it is with IBD.

I think in your case you should try imuran or 6-mp and see if you tolerate one well. Pentasa and other 5-ASAs won't help. And your condition is too mild for things like Remicade or Humira.
Posted 4/27/2012 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
thanks Beave :-) I reckon my IBS makes the pain worse.. :-)
Posted 4/27/2012 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
^That is possible. It's also possible that the pain *is* from the Crohn's. Pain doesn't correlate all that well with radiologic findings. There are tons of examples of people with lots of pain but minimal findings; there are also tons of examples of people who say "I feel fine," while the radiology looks awful!
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