OK, took the first step to scheduling my next scope

by setting up an appt for next week with my GI. I've had a hard week. I have no idea why, but I'm having more difficulty these past few days than I've had in a year. That's a motivator.

Have a good wknd everyone!

Hey gumby, Wednesday I think I had 7 bms during the day, all solid. Yesterday I must have had 15. My right side is sore (my upper right quadrant again), but now it includes my right SI and my right knee. I don't know what's going on, but it's time for a scope.

I had my semiyearly check-up with the rheumatologist, which was timely because not only is my right knee and right SI hurting now, but yesterday my right pointer finger started hurting. The weird and unpredictable joint pain in my fingers is back, and I am not happy about that.

My rheumatologist is great, though. He kind of perked up when I told him my finger hurt, but he didn't want to do anything other than bloodwork because he knows I'm going to see the GI tomorrow. He thinks I'm still not ready for biologics and is a fan of entocort. That might be a good plan, since it is only my right side that is bothering me and entocort is a right-side medicine; well, for the TI anyway. Not sure it would do much if it's my transverse colon that's inflamed.

He said something interesting to me. He noted that there are two reasons a chronic illness will resume bothering someone who's been controlled by meds: one, the baseline disease activity has increased, or two, a random viral illness has spiked immune system function and triggered a transient flare. Huh, I said. I don't recall having any viruses....except a minor cold a few weeks ago. Maybe that's the cause of all this and it will pass?

Anyway, he took blood and I should be able to get the results tomorrow at the GI visit. I really like this rheumatologist - he is always ready to be a team player and he initiates a lot of testing that my GI would not get around to without a push.

Thanks 14chix! The worst day was Friday - Saturday I stayed really safe with foods - I had a smoothie for breakfast, tuna salad for lunch, roasted chicken and rice for dinner. Finished the day with a soy hot cocoa. What stinks is being hungry and also realizing that eating is going to hurt. Today I'm doing alright gut-wise, but I'm stuck in this pattern of having a day with no bms followed by a day with multiple bms. And my right side hurts. It will be interesting to see what the bloodwork shows.

I think the problem is that I am flaring for some unknown reason. I pretty much eat what I want with the exception of avoiding gluten. But for a long time now I've been having bowel motility issues, so on Saturday I tried to keep my meals light and low residue. That helped some.

sigh. My GI was not at his best today, and the bloodwork from the rheumy had not yet come in. The GI asked me the same old questions, again suggested that my right sided pain could be gallbladder (we chased that one down to it's predictable dead end two years ago), and then asked me if I was stressed about something when I told him I hadn't had a bowel movement today or yesterday. )*@#$)*()*$#@*$*

You know, when my GI asks me how many bowel movements I'm having per day, in past visits I have given him the average. Like if I have two bowel movement in one day, and skip every other day, it averages to one bm/day. So this time I told him this: I had 7 bms on Wednesday, 15 on Friday and 4 on Sunday. I had no other bowel movements in the last 7 days. (the math works out that this week I've averaged just less than 4/day). This goes along with my constant remarks for the last three years or so about having motility problems and slow bowels.

This GI did better in our meetings when I was coming in every quarter or so. I've not been to see him in 10 months and I guess he forgot all about me and didn't look at my chart before walking into the exam room today.

Anyway, I told him I was in to schedule a scope, and I didn't need an abdominal u/s to look at my GB, and I didn't need an upper GI. So he agreed and we got that scheduled.....for August 16. I guess I can wait. I'm going to do the moviprep this time. We'll see if I can get through it without passing out from dehydration.

The wait until 8/16 had as much to do with my schedule as his. I've got kids to bring/pick up from camp and a little vacation planned. 8/16 was the first date I felt I could make. It still isn't ideal, but whatever. There's no good day for a scope IMO.

Thanks Huckleberry!

Hey, big betty, I have flared after scopes in the past, too. That is not a welcome addition to our lives! I hope you feel better soon, and that you can get rid of the ulcers in the TI with treatment. Thanks for YOUR support.