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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 4/1/2008 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all...it's been quite a long time since I've popped over here.

I have a friend who has diverticulitis. She had a very bad spell recently, but apparently that is under control. For quite a while now (since her recovery from the diverticulitis attack), she has been experiencing gas coming from her vagina. No stool, but there have been flecks of something and mucous not vaginally related. She finally got in to see a GI yesterday and they've scheduled a c-scope in the next couple of weeks. She has to urinate frequently and the gas is just as frequent (and quite embarrassing).

I'm thinking r/v fistula. Am I on the right track? What information can I arm her with to convince her GI to take her a bit more seriously (he didn't think she needed to "worry" about a fistula or fissure)? This is out of my area of information as I didn't have this to contend with. We all know what happens when we try to find out what's wrong with us via the internet and I'd like to help her get the facts. She has lost a considerable amount of weight. The only thing she can eat right now is an extremely high fiber diet (for the diverticulitis). If she eats anything different, she has diarrhea.

Does this sound like an R/V fistula to you? Crohn's? Can you point me in the right direction? Any help is appreciated. I'm really concerned about her.

Thanks....best wishes to all.

Sherree
Posted 4/1/2008 6:20 PM (GMT 0)

Sherree,  Sorry to hear about your friend.  I am not a doctor, but have had crohn's for a very long time.  Initially was diagnosed incorrectly.  Since I have had several rectal fistuals, I suspect that your friend probably does have crohn's, not diverticulitis and she probably does have a r/v fistula.  I have found out the hard way that taking your doctors word about your own body sometimes only gets you to a worse place.  If I were her, I would insist that my doctor check for this, or get an appt. with an OBGYN and have everything checked out. 

I am now with a very good GI doctor and my PCP is also wonderful, but, I still ask alot of questions.  One of the questions my GI always asks when I'm in for a checkup is have you peed (sp?) air and that question alone makes me suspicious about your firends problem.  I don't know wheter this helps at all, but I will hold your friend in my prayers.  Let me know how things go.

Ang

Posted 4/1/2008 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
The pouches of divert. show up on scans and scopes, so I wouldn't question that diagnosis. But it certainly does sound like she has a r/v fistula. Hopefully the c-scope will confirm some things for her. And then she can get on to a treatment plan.
Posted 4/1/2008 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
I had a fistula to the bladder. My doctor said that diverticulitis can cause fistulas. In fact, that is what he thought I had (90% diverticulitis, 5% Crohn's & 5% cancer) until they did surgery to repair. I was in the 5% category, Crohn's. So I guess you can have fistulas with diverticulitis also.
Posted 4/1/2008 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
An Update:

She apparently has a UTI and her GI prescribed a 3 day course of Cipro. Isn't Cipro prescribed for fistula's? I'm trying to remember if I read this eons ago, but... Also, she tried to get into see her ob/gyn, but the wait was longer than for her c-scope. I wish I could point her in some sort of direction regarding this. This just wasn't my territory, so to speak.

Thanks...
Posted 4/1/2008 11:09 PM (GMT 0)
ok gas thru the va jay jay is definitely a rv fistula, if the gas isnt making it to her bottom, its coming out of her vajay jay first. I can tell you now that most ob/gyn's do not know how to treat rv fistulas. Cipro can be used to treat, thats what im on now, but only b/c i had nerve issues w/the flagyl...which is what they prefer to treat it with. When my doc (gi) thought i had the rv fistula he recommended me to the surgeon, but i also have crohns of the rectum so i have recurring fistulas and absecces
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