Knew something was up

Had a long overdue colonoscopy yesterday which showed chronic rectal inflammation and a terminal ileum stricture. My bet is that its been there for awhile. A few years ago I had the worst pain imaginable in my lower left back. The dr thought I passed a kidney stone but there was never anything found to support this. I think it was a blockage that finally passed. That same pain has been consistent ever since sometimes its ok and other times its awful but its always there. I have complained but my dr thought it was just chronic constipation and my other dr thinks I have an anxiety problem. Its so frustrating that no one including my family ever believes me or seems to care probably because I am very high-functioning - mom of 3 and work a stressful full-time job. Anxiety comes into play when I feel bad and everyone always expects that I continue doing everything for everybody. I currently take Cimzia having already been through remicade and humira and cannot take Imuran. Now I will have follow up testing to see more about the stricture. Don't really know what's next after that. Has anyone treated a stricture successfully with meds or is surgery most likely in my future? Thanks for any responses.

Don't you just love it (not!) whenever a doctor can't pinpoint what's causing pain in a patient, it's blamed on anxiety? Even though you have a diagnosed gastrointestinal disease which would logically be the most likely source of the pain?

I really don't know the options with a TI stricture, but my stricture, which was low in the colon, was opened up by a dilatation (balloon procedure via a scope).

I know the frustration of people expecting you to be a "trouper" no matter how sick you are, but I've learned to say no and not feel guilty about it.

My son, dx in July 2015, initially had bloody diarrhea, anemia and significant weight loss. A colonoscopy showed an asymptomatic stricture in his TI. He was immediately put on azathiorpine, remicade, ferrous sulfate, pentasa and pro biotics. He resounded great to the medications (diarrhea stopped, gained weight, adequate hemoglobin levels) and his dad and I breathed a sigh of relief (he was busy trying to be a normal freshman at a major university). But in the winter he started to throw up and ended up in the hospital with a bowel obstruction. We were told that his stricture was "cold" and that no amount of medication (no matter how well he was resounding) would help. When I pointed out that he had NO abdominal symptoms before medications I was told that strictures can increase and worsen even when medications are successful?! He had a illeo cecal resection done in March and it was the best thing for him. He was back in school 5 days (girlfriend had to give him his daily anti coagulant shot) and could not life anything but he feels so much better. We just had his six month post surgery appointment with his GI and he is doing amazing. I am sorry that the doctors have not been more helpful and often default to mental health as the reason. I wish the best for you and if surgery is in your future I hope all goes well and you can put it behind you - along with the questionable support you have been receiving!