OK so been a little while since I updated my situation....my arthritis has settled down loads, still not 100% now just a bit of pain but no swelling.
Since that flared up I have been struggling a bit with my stomach, with cramps and diarhea especially after eating, when my stools are actually solid they're about the width of a biro. I've lost over a stone in weight in the last couple of months as well. I saw my gastroentirologist and bloodtests showed barely any inflammation (CRP less than 5, when I've had Crohn's flares in the past its been 80+) he also said he could feel swelling in my lower right abdomen. He was keen to either give me another infliximab (even though commented not a good idea as its been 3 years and I may have lots of antibodies by now) or start me on Humira as well as methotrexate but I'm not willing to do this yet as I'm not convinced that I'm in a flare up. I feel OK in myself generally the only problems I've got are the cramps and diarrhea which I can control a bit with codeine, whereas in past flares I felt horrifically ill inside and out and I do not feel ill I just have those two symptoms. I just don't want to be putting more strong powerful drugs in my body if it is unnecessary, I asked him if it was possible that the swelling and symptoms could be caused by scar tissue and not inflammation and he said it is possible but he said he thinks its unlikely even though my bloodwork came back OK. He gave me a course of Flagyl to make sure its not a stomach bug either but it just seemed to me like he was keen to push drugs on me but I'm not happy to add another drug without some evidence this is the right thing to do.
So basically I was just wondering if theres anyway to find out if its scarring and not inflammation? If anyones had a similar experience and what sort of things should I be doing to try and reduce these symptoms? And what should I say to or is there anything I should suggest to my GI when I go back in a few weeks? What could it be if its not a Crohn's flare up? At the moment I'm trying a liquid/low residue diet to give my bowel some rest but at the same time I'm concerned that lack of fibre may make diarrhea worse. Any input would be much appreciated thanks!