Some much needed advise please.

Hi Guy's

newbe here wanting to introduce myself and seek some advise.

I am Conor, 28 years old and a father of 1. I am happly married.

I have some question prehaps some of you guys may be able to answer?

This time last year, I went to see a GI doc due to some bleeding from the anas.I had no pain then and was feeling totally fine, all accept the bleeding. He did a Digital inspection along with a flexiable Sigmond and he suggested that he could see an Anal Fisser and some inflammation, but nothing to worry about.

GREAT i thought! But, come 9 weeks ago, the flood gates opened up. I was getting maybe 10 boughts of Diarehha, along with constipation and my stomach pains where unreal at times. Went to the GP and he suggested IBS. Excellent, not to bad I thoyught1 But then, about six weeks ago, the bleeding started pretty heavily. Every bowl movement was mixed with blood. Sometime, blood was all that would come out of the bowel movement. I have been in A& E (ER) on two seperate occasion for this,

I went back to my GP and he has suggested because of the blood and the joint pain, and the blisters on my tounge and gums, stomach pain, Diarreha  and constipation, he is pretty sure that I have chrons.

I am going for a Colonoscopy and an X-ray on the 13/11/08 to see what they can find. I know the bleeding is nothing to do with an anal fisser as this has been confirmed by two a&e docs along with my own gp.

First of, does this sound like chrons to any of you guys? And secondly, should my docotr have picked it up last year when checking on the flex sigmond? After all, there was bleeding and he reported inflammation.

Also, what can I expect froma colonscopy? (sp)

Many Thanks for your kind advise in advance.

Hi Welcome to Healing Well . The colonscope should give you a better idea as to what is going on. Yes there are blood test that help as well. Wishing you luck with your test. lol gail

Thanks for the replies guys.

With regards to the blood tests, I have now had about 5 of these done. They have all come back pretty normal accept for my Liver Function test which was admornal once, then the next time it was done came back normal.

My thyroid came back adnormal but the second time around normal.

My Antibodies tests where spot on.

My ESR test showed inflammation, quite heavily accoring to my doctor.

I am not scared of the cs, just needing some advised on what to expect, it is better having an hour of blooding that a life time of this pain, thats my view.

Guy's, really thanks for the advise. As much of it that can come my way would be excellent.

Regards

Conor

Yeah, the scope doesn't sound to bad. It seems to be the prep that will go for ya. Can they find the chron's through the use of the cs alone? or is there more test needed other than that?

Hi Conorconan1, welcome to healingwell! You have found a wonderful place for advise, everyone on here is great and very knowledgeable.  It took me many tests to finally be dx. My ct scan was what finally gave them enough evidence of inflammation and narrowing.  The colonoscopy he could not get up far enough and thru the ileocecal valve to see and the endoscopy could not go down far enough. All of my problems were in my terminal ileum area (where the large bowel meets the small bowel). But the ct scan showed the existing diseast.

Again the same as you, had very painful bleeding fissures and that did not trigger them to think crohn's. That was a few years before being dx. But hopefully, they will be successful and find you some answers with the colonoscopy. The prep is the worst and spending so much time on the toilet afterwards. How can sooo much liquid come out of one's body!!!!!! But the actual scope is a snap because you will be sedated and usually don't remember a thing.

One of the lovely ladies on here has educated me immensely with the use of extra virgin olive oil. It can be used for so many ailments and she is so right.  Try applying a bit of this on your "bottom" to help with the soreness and how raw it can feel after the prep and going to the bathroom so many times. It really helps. Also you can try baby diaper cream (zinc oxide) works good too.

Try looking up some of the threads on here in the search site and you can read up on some of the diets and foods to avoid regarding your bloody D. Keep in mind everyone on here is different and what works for some might not for others. Good luck and keep us posted.

Shelley

Hi, Not everybody loses weight with crohns. Some are overweight, some are underweight and can't gain an ounce, some are average and just lose pounds during major flares. I have always been underweight and cannot gain weight until now since surgery I have put on about 15 pounds and keeping it on, yeah!! People lose extreme amounts of weight during bad flares and are usually hospitalized for dehydration, etc.

I have had symptoms of this disease for 20 years and back then they couldn't find anything wrong and labelled me with IBS. So I have suffered up and down all those years but not severely. I think back to when I worked outside the home and worrying about the nasty painful D all the time was so stressful. I just had my first surgery this year to take out the narrowed part of the bowel. The scar tissue must have built up after all those years of inflammation.

You are right, this disease is a nasty one. Hopefully you don't have it. But staying informed and being your own health advocate is important. Don't settle for any answers, opinions, or the lack of. that you are not happy with. I don't know what country you are in. I live in Canada and our health care is pretty good compared to most.

conorconan1> Sounds exactly what I went through.

Little recommendation: if you can get a copy, read "Breaking the Vicious Cycle." If you find it works for you, read "Life Without Bread." Between the two, I'm now 9 months into managing my disease strictly through diet- no meds.

Good luck!

Awh Jesus guy's, I am really sorry to hear how bad some of you guys have got it with this nasty thing. I know alot of people do not know a lot about Chrons' (I being one of them), but what I have found out makes me believe that you guys are amazingly brave to have lived with Chron's for so long.

I am in Northern Ireland and the heal care system is not to bad. My GP is fantastic (well two are and one should never have been given a licence to be a doctor), and Mr Main GP is very much aware of Chrons and how to treat it with results.

I know I am pushing at a brick wall hear, but when you have Chrons, is the inflammation always there? I am just a little bit paniced that when they go in to check for it, it could be cleared up, like Flare over type of thing?

Also, with chron's is the pain always in the one spot? The reason I ask is becuase my stomach pain moves around my whole colon, from large to small colons. It also plays games with my back, hips, knees, mouth and throat.

I am taking a pro-prebiotics and they are helping me very well. My doctor has put me on Tremadol 50mg (sp) for the pain, Omenzople (sp) 40mg for the wind and heatrburns which is helping. My anas feels like it is on fire 99% of the time. There is no sign their at all of an anal fisser, but it seems like it is growning inside it by the day. I am in and out of work like a yo-yo, which is sad becuse I need the money (lol).

I am unable to kick ball or play ice hockey with my son as I cannot go on the ice. This really does suck!

Hi Gachrons,

thanks for the advise. One more question, is the pain always there for you guys that have had it for a while before it was found? Or, was it at periods throughout the day that it occured?