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If Not a Flare THEN WHAT?!

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Posted 3/21/2008 9:34 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Guys,

I've been flaring for the past month (pooing lots of blood, cramping, etc etc). I am on remicade and my doc put me on entocort when I started flaring. When the entocort didn't work my doc put me on 40mg of prednisone. When the 40mg of prednisone didn't work he put me on my usual full dosage, 60mg.

Needless to say, I'm still flaring. BUT my doc has had my labs drawn about three times this month (I had my latest lab draw today) and he said that he's not sure if I'm flaring b/c all my lab numbers are normal.

He's not sure why I'm pooing blood, but I have a colonoscopy scheduled for April 1st.

My main question is, If this ISN'T a flare then what is it?! And WHY isn't prednisone working? It has ALWAYS worked in the past!

Please Help! mad
Posted 3/21/2008 10:20 PM (GMT 0)
I've only known I've had CD since last summer so I don't have a ton of experience. But the one time I had a flare that didn't respond to prednisone, it was actually an obstruction and abcess. The pain was different than the flares I had felt in the past, more of a cramping pain, than a stabbing pain in my lower right abdomen.

My surgeon said the colonoscopy is the best bet in finding an obstruction. Hope you find out what the problem is soon. It's so frustrating to not have answers when you don't feel good. :(
Posted 3/21/2008 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
Strangely enough, often when I'm flaring, and this has been backed up with a scope, my blood work has showed nothing, and I've
heard others on here say the same. So I would wait for your scope before you decide that you're not flaring. It certainly sounds
like it to me. As for the pred, sometimes it takes a little while to work, especially as your body is so used to it....

Whatever your outcome, I wish you luck.
Posted 3/21/2008 11:15 PM (GMT 0)
For some people, blood tests will not show a flare.  In other words, your Crohn's can be very active but your blood tests will still be normal.  Unfortunately many doctors are not aware that this is possible, but it certainly is.

Blood tests are only one of many elements to consider, the others being symptoms and endoscopy results.  Looking at the whole picture is necessary.  Just relying on bloodwork is not sufficient.

Posted 3/21/2008 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
There are many degrees of flaring, blood tests are not the tell all that many assume...symptoms alone can be the deciding factor for flaring.

:)
Posted 3/22/2008 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you all so much for your comments! I will let you know how my scope goes on April 1st! Have a Happy Easter =-)~
Posted 3/22/2008 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
lilturbo -

I wish you the best. It is true that blood tests and even colonoscopy sometimes doesn't determine a flare up. None of mine have shown. I am full flare now. The next step for me is "exploratory" surgery... not going there yet. Hang in there.

-Leslie :-)
Posted 3/23/2008 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
I am currently having a bout that is being treated as a anal fissue. I have cramping pain with bowel movements. My flares are usually pain in the lower right abdomen. My blood work was fine. My doctor wants to do a colonoscopy too. But I can definiately tell the difference between these two pains. I'm thinking I have a partial obstruction. But have never felt that pain before, so I'm not sure.
Posted 3/23/2008 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Leslie and Crohn'snme,

Thanx for your replies! I hope you both feel better soon =(

Leslie, Why would your docs do exploratory surgery instead of a colonoscopy? Would a colonoscopy not show some stuff or? I'm just curious, this is all kinda new to me (even though I've had CD for almost three years)!

Crohn'snme...Why do you think you are having a partial obstruction? Does it just hurt when you poo or does it hurt after you eat? How do you know if you have an obstruction?

My colonoscopy is April 1st, so good times! My third one in the past three years! Keep me updated on how both of you are feeling, seems like we're going through the same thing! Eek! Take Care!

-Em
Posted 3/23/2008 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
This past winter I had terrible D and pain and thought it was a Crohn's flare. I took 40 mg of Pred and it got worse. It turned out that I actually had Salmonella. Get your stools tested.
Posted 3/24/2008 2:14 AM (GMT 0)
Well, I just got over C Diff with Flagyl, maybe though I didn't get over it. I was thinking a partial obstruciton because the pain is when I pass bowel and it's more cramping than the right lower abdomen pain. I might get my stool tested again, good suggestion. Have to do something, my next Remicade isn't for two weeks. But like lilturbo, this pain is different.
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