I'm soooo confused!

Hi everyone,

I am not sure about what is going on here. My son who was dx with Crohn's after a colonoscopy this month. The colonoscopy showed aphteous ulcers and inflammation of the colon. The doctor gave him Pentasa and he just finished 2 weeks of Flagyl. The symptoms he has been showing from the beginning was diarrhea 5-6 times a day, cramping and pain around the navel area, and blood every now and then. His bloodwork showed elevated white cells and low hemoglobine. However, since he has been on Pentasa, his b/m are now 1 or 2 times a day and of soft consistency but not watery. Last night he had a b/m and red blood quite a lot was in the toilet, coating on the outside of the stools. He says that he bleeds when he puts a little force in order to evacuate during a b/m. The G.I. we saw early this month said that he had a skin tag and that it should be left alone. The doctor did not mentionned anything like fissure, fistulas, or hemmoroids as a matter of fact, my son had to tell him about the skin tag (so the doctor says). The results from the biopsies of the colonoscopy (which we had to ask for) showed nothing. The doctor wants to put him on 6mp (i guess because of the bleeding), but we don't know where the bleeding is. The G.I. who we have been referred to is a Crohn's specialist. I am sure he is good at what he is doing (at least I hope so!) but I feel that there is no explanation from his part. How do we know for sure it's Crohn's. I don't know what to do. Should I asked for a second opinion? Please help me make sense of all this. I am going insane!!!

When the blood is bright red it is usually from Hemmoroids or a Fissure. If its dark blood that means its coming from deeper in the intestinal tract. I think you should let him take the 6mp. Many folks have had great success with the 6mp. A little tip, have him take it at bedtime, if there are going to be any side effects he will sleep right thru them. Side effects would be nausea and fatigue. I took it at night and had no problems with it. Good Luck!

P.S. You can have internal hemmoroids.

He had a barium small bowel but we are waiting for the results on sept. 5, next G.I. apt. The stool tests were clear of bacterias and parasites. Is there a blood test or something that confirms Crohn's? Thank you for your help, it's nice to get answer when we are worried sick and waiting for the next doctor apt. PB4, What do you mean when you say the blood is coming from somewhere inside, could you please be a little more specific. How do we know for sure about anal skin tag?

Hi Sad Mom The scope showing inflamation and uclers definitely tells you that he has IBD .Many of us with IBD are on 6mp it helps the body from attaching itself. I can understand your concern but sometimes it is a matter of waiting for test and getting the meds that control the symnptoms. I think that you need to put some trust in your Dr. now because he knows a lot about the disease. Have they suggested B12 for him? When they talk about blood coming from inside they mean it would not be hemmies. Try to hang in there and give things a little time I am sure that getting the dX was very worrying to you but you are getting the necessary test done and like I said leave some of the worry on your GI shoulders they are the specialist and I am sure are very keen on seeing your son gets the proper treatment.lol gail

When there is ulceration in the GI it can't be anything other than crohn's or uc (IBD) can it? Maybe I am wrong, but that's what I had thought.

There is a blood test, the Prometheus Test, that can differentiate between Crohn's and UC.  It should really just be used as a part of the whole picture, as some people have inaccurate results.  The true definitive test is the biopsy.  However, Crohn's will not always show up in the biopsy, even if you have it.  It took until my third colonoscopy before it showed up for me. 

I believe that what PB4 was trying to say by bleeding coming from the inside is that it is probably not coming from his skin tag, but from the ulcers inside themselves. 

Sad Mom!  :)

here's a link that first shows pictures of hemherroids and below that shows pictures of perianal crohns skin tags (aka: elephant ears)...you can clearly see the difference between the anal skin tags and hemmies.

http://www.emedmag.com/html/pre/fea/features/011504.asp

And yes, as kitkat clarified, bleeding can come from inside the tissues of the intestinal lining, often due to severe enough inflammation and polyps.

And as Mathew also clarified, anal skin tags equals crohns and not UC or any other bowel disease.

:)