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Newbie question about "attacks"

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/1/2013 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hello, I knew this forum and also been recently diagnosed with Crohn's. Well when I say diagnosed I mean that all the symptoms are there, i Have responded well to Crohn's medication, and already started treatment which has helped. I am now getting confirmation that it is in my small intestine next week with video capsule endoscopy. The question that I have involves what I call my "attacks". Basically after eating a bit too large of a meal which these days is not large at all, hours after eating I get very intense cramping that comes in waves. I described it as feeling as a large clump of stool trying to push its way through my intestines. The pain is agonizing and I have passed out several times during these attacks. Eventually I will pass the large stool and then have liquid diarrhea for hours. It is not hard stool since it happens after a larger or fatty meal that I usually ate that day or the previous day. I had a horrible attack last night after eating a few slices and gluten-free pizza. Hours later I felt the attack come on and I suffered for hours trying to get it to pass through my intestines. Last night was the first time stool actually never passed, I took two morphine tablets that the hospital had given me since I'm currently coming out of a flare and it stopped the pain and eventually the stool moving. I am sure worried about eating today as I know as soon as I do it will happen again. I am hoping that someone on here Can help me in any tips to get through this or let me know if they suffer the same thing what is actually going on with my body during that time. I have asked my stupid G.I. specialist and he just waves it off.Thanks!!!!!
Posted 9/1/2013 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Nicole and welcome to the forum. It sounds like you are having partial obstructions based on your cramping that comes in waves. What Crohn's medication are you on, and what testing have you had done? A CT scan or MRI, or Small Bowel Follow Through test would show if you have narrowing in your intestines and where it is coming from. Once you know the source, then your GI can try to control it with medication, and if that doesn't work, then possibly surgery. It isn't normal to have your symptoms and when you say you have "responded well" to Crohn's medications, I'm not sure what you mean exactly. It sounds like you need more testing and help from your GI, and if he is not taking you seriously, then you need another doctor. In the meantime, you may want to go on a low residue or liquid diet. The morphine will slow your bowels down and make things even harder to pass. If the pain gets really severe again, I think you may need to go to the ER.
Posted 9/1/2013 6:49 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for your response. I am having a ct scan on Tuesday so hopefully that will show something. I was prescribed entocort and it worked really well in reducing the diarrhea, cramping and symptoms. I have an appointment with another specialist in a few weeks. My husband wanted me to go to the ER yesterday but I didn't want to go because I know that eventually once I am able to pass the stool the symptoms will go away. Thanks again for your suggestions!
Posted 9/1/2013 7:58 PM (GMT 0)
Was gonna ask what Crohn's meds you were described, but you answered that in your second post. One thing which puzzles me is your diagnosis. No doctor will diagnose Crohn's on the basis of symptoms alone, no matter how much like Crohn's they may sound: there's too many other things it could be. What tests have you had up until now?

Anyway, yeah, you could be having partial obstructions. If you do have narrowing of the small bowel, a pill cam is a slightly risky test, in that the pill cam itself could get stuck. I believe there is a dummy dissolvable pill you can take beforehand to test if it's safe or not. Otherwise, the tests that gumby mentioned would also show up strictures of the small bowel.
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