Do I really have Crohn's?

I am male in my early 30s. I was diagnosed with CD back in March 2007 and subsequently had a hemi-resection of the colon. Per my GI doctor, the surgery was necessary due to numerous strictures and fistulas. Since then I have been on 6MP, one a day in the evening.

I see all these postings and reports that those with CD have constant diarrhea and joint aches. But, I don't have these symptoms.

What I do have is cramps (more like pain) in my intestinal area where it feels like something is stuck or not digesting. When it gets really bad, I end up vomiting then after about an hour the cramps go away. These events happen once in a while, but definitely not as frequent before having the surgery.

I have been careful of what I eat, mainly just trying to eat healthy.

Just venting, because sometimes I feel I have been mis-diagnosed.

Thanks!

I can understand you wondering about your DX but it's important to know that there really are no 2 exactly alike when it comes to this DD, the fistulas sorta ring a bell for CD though, you can get them from diverticulosis and from injury too but your vomitting and ab cramps along with having fistula issues can still make you a candidate for CD, ad since your were DX, I'm assuming via colonoscopy and other test, that would help confrim it as well.

You could always get a second opinion if you feel you were misDX.

:)

Hi sejiinro, I do not have diarrhea or joint pain, nor do I have any cramping. I do have a stricture in my colon and have had enough tests that I do not question the diagnosis of Crohn's. I did occassionally vomit with bowel movements before being diagnosed.

From my limited experience it sounds like you could have some narrowing. I would have thought they would have done a positive diagnosis from your first surgery? I know two people who had surgery 20 years ago and no problems since, others can go for quite some time and others have symptoms return quickly.

Hi agree with Bammer, it sounds like you might have some narrowing going on again. It sounds like you are having partial obstructions. I would definetly talk to your GI about this as you don't want to let it go on too long or it could make matters worse. Good luck!

Fistulas and strictures aree definite indicators of Crohns. And if the biopsies showed Crohns that is pretty much the clincher, as depth of inflammation in the bowel wall (which can really only be determined bia biopsy) is quite different between Crohns and ulcerative colitis. Finally, trying to track a diagnosis via symptoms alone is not useful, as other posters have noted Crohns presents in so many varying ways in different patients and even in the same patient from time to time. I would say you are beyond 99% probability that your Crohns diagnosis is accurate.

I'm like you. No D, rarely C. But I have strictures and get blockages. No doubt I have CD. I get the cramp pain and vomiting like you when I have problems with my stricture. There are different types of CD, plus I think it can present differently over the years.

Also, if we can correlate the type of food to a flare up...how long does it take? Meaning, if I ate a hamburger for lunch (and a hamburger causes a flare up), how long do I have until I get pain. Or this is very individual based? For me and maybe others, this time lapse (or average thereof), will help in deciphering which foods cause flare ups.

When I was flaring, I got the "stuck" feeling too a lot, and I vomited a lot too, except I did get the diarrhea (the constipation came after the diarrhea finally went away..I can't seem to ever just be normal!) This disease is quite complex though, seems like no 2 cases are alike.. But your diagnosis does seem pretty certain to me :) Hang in there!

Snohare has just started this interesting thread about what kind of food that helps for him/her. Here's the link and a great deal of exciting theories about it, hope it's ok sno!
https://www.healingwell.com/community/pr.aspx?f=17&m=1441117

I have almost the same kind of Crohns as you, except mine is in the distal jejunum, a 1/3 part before we reach the terminal ileum. Those who have Crohns in the terminal ileum and in the colon often have the biggest D's. Those of us having it in the distal jejunum (some few procents of all), often get's serious complications as partial obstructions, obstructions or full blockades, which could lead to other serious complications like perforations of the small intestines / mega colon and sepsis. I don't mention this to scare you, but all of us having obstructions should educate ourselves to find out what this could lead to if we prefer to stay home when we should go to the ER. I know that obstructions also can be the case if you have an imflamed spot / area in other parts of the guts, and the risks are the same even then. I don't have so much diarrhea, but boy, I am able to vomit and cramp! It can go on for 12 hours or more and when the blocade gets away, I often have nothing left to vomit. Not even bile. But you're right, the vomiting stops as soon as the obstruction is gone.

What triggers obstructions? If the intestine is narrowed, due to an inflammation, some of the food we eat are dangerous triggers. I can't have vegetables, some fruits, bananas (even ripe ones are possible triggers), I can't eat meat when the inflammation is at a higher level, just poultry. I have to avoid berries like strawberries. I have to chew my food a lot, peel my fruits, eat slowly and relax while eating. All of us have different triggers, brocolli is one of my worst enemies. You have to find your triggers, and then learn to avoid them. Write a food diary?

 

Post Edited (BeeSting) : 4/9/2009 1:55:28 PM (GMT-6)