How will I know if my inflamation is down ? Another colonoscopy

  So how will I know if things are healingup other than not running to the bathroom ?

I assume they wont do another colonoscopy for along time right ?   Is there any way to judge how your insides are doing other than how many trips to the bathroom you make ?

My stool samples and blood work showed nothing.

Well, your symptoms should improve at least a bit, maybe greatly. And no, I wouldn't get scoped to find out if I am in remission..

Matthew

Your doctor will probably do blood tests to check for infamation.
Sj

If you are tired of putting up w/remission, go ahead and stop taking the Asacol. On the other hand, if you prefer to try to stay in remission, KEEP TAKING THE ASACOL!

There is the (Ceretec? Indium?) Nuclear White Blood Cell Scan that can detect inflammation and where it is in the small intestine.

There is the Genova Diagnostics Fecal Calprotectin test that can indicate detect inflammation in the intestines and over a series or 2-3 tests can indicate whether your level of inflammation is increasing or receding.

My gastro and I have utilized both when it seemed that my symptoms were increasing or we needed to know if I was responding to a change in medication or dosage.

My GI wanted to do another scope & i was totally against it. In my opinion if you are feeling good & your blood work doesnt show anything its a pretty safe bet you are in remission.

but that doesnt mean u should stop taking meds - consider yourself lucky that you are just taking asacol, there are much stronger, scarier drugs out there!!

Hi Mom and welcome to Healingwell.  I agree with all the others.  I once enjoyed a 20 year remission unmedicated.  Would I do that again?  NO WAY!!  My remission ended with a emergency surgery (resection) because I had obstructed completely.  It was a very painful experience   and I will do what I can to help anyone avoid the same mistake.  I am now maintained only on Asacol.  Just as Crohnie Too said, please remember that you have a chronic illness that has no cure.  You are lucky to be able to use such a mild medication as Asacol, which has little to no side effects.  I will continue to pray that you stay with a mild case of Crohns.  But mild or severe, this disease has no cure, but can easily be managed by taking maintainence meds and watching your diet closely.  Keep posting, you will find a wonderful and supportive bunch of people here who are living with the same yucky disease as you. 

God Bless,

Gail *Nanners*

I had a colonoscopy as a diagnosis of Crohn's, 5 months later another one because I was getting worse, 4 months after that a resection. I was on Imuran since the second colonoscopy but it didn't stop the inflammation from getting worse, hence the resection. 5 months after the surgery I had another colonoscopy to make sure inflammation wasn't coming back with my symptoms of D and fatigue. That scope was clear. But the d is back and some pain, so my doc has me getting another scope next week, 5 months later. 4 scopes in 19 months, they are getting to know me a little too well at the endoscopy center! After I went downhill so fast last year, my doc wants to make sure Imuran is doing its job. If its not, then I'll be on Humira or Remicade. Entocort worked before but that's too short term, and he doesn't believe in prednisone because of the side effects diminishing quality of life too much. Luckily he believes in painkillers when necessary. Anyway, my opinion is if you can find out what's going on and you want to make sure that what you are doing is working, than a scope is one of the safest ways. I've had 5 CTs of my abdomen (4 because of crohn's), 1 of my head, numerous x-rays for SBFTs, pneumonia and asthma, not to mention torn up knees, sprained ankles -- just way too much radiation. It adds up over time, and I have a lot more time left, god willing! I hope you keep feeling better. I know I don't take the good days for granted anymore, it was a lesson I've learned well, I'm sorry you've had to learn it too.

The thing is the diarreha quite as soon as I stopped eating for the prep for the colonoscopy. i started 2 days before and totally fastred one day to see if no food would change anythign and the bathroom trips stopped.
after the colonoscopy I thought it would return since I had been running to the bathroom 5-15 times a day but amazingly it never returned. I did start the asocol because he old me to but In only 2 weeks my hair is so thin on top I can see my scalp so I stopped taking it and I seem to be fine only going to the bathroom once or twice and its not loose so I think I must be fine.