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Finally have my Colonoscopy results

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 1/9/2012 9:00 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed with UC back in september, however I began working closely with my GI doctor and my naturopathic doctor to create a regimen to help me... For whatever reason my doc took forever to get me the results by paper.

Diagnosis:

"Severe patchy inflammation seen throughout the colon. The terminal ileum appeared to be within normal limits. Ascending and Transverse colon appear within normal limits. The Rectum, Descending colon and Cecum appear to be severely involved. Stool studies were done."

Comment: "Although not specifically diagnostic, the pattern of inflammation suggests Chron's disease. No granulomatous inflammation or dysplasia is identified."

My GI doc is always saying that I have both (Chrons & Colitis).

What I dont understand is how both ends of the colon are severely inflamed, but yet in the middle of my colon (ascending and transverse) are completely normal. Anyone else have this?
Posted 1/9/2012 9:11 PM (GMT 0)
Crohn's colitis is not the same as Ulcerative Colitis. Crohn's colitis merely means that the Crohn's disease has caused inflammation in your colon. Crohn's can cause inflammation anywhere from the throat to the rectum, so calling your disease "Crohn's Colitis" just makes the diagnosis more specific to the particular affected part.

Just because your disease appears to be limited to the colon at this time does not mean it will stay there. Nor does this written report eliminate the possibility of inflammation higher in the digestive tract. I can't remember from your first posts, but did you have a barium study done of the small bowel? How about an upper endoscopy?

If you successfully get the inflammation to recede in your colon but you still find that you are having problems, it might be worthwhile to pursue a pillcam or enteroscopic exam of the small bowel to see what's going on there. The Asacol will not treat anything in the small bowel.

I'm glad you finally got the report. Shocking that it took this long!
Posted 1/9/2012 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
Trust me, i'm just as confused in some way. It's my doc's fault really, rushing me in the office and out in 10minutes I ask as many questions as I can, but when I asked specially what I had in the beginning he said "Severe Ulcerative Colitis, but I see Chrons, and i diagnose 5 patients out of thousands a year with this type of Chrons/Colitis". So he isn't really specific with me, which is why I began asking for the results a while back.

I've never had a barium study or endoscopy, just a colonoscopy. But so, what you're saying about how Chrons is different from UC, in the same severity right?
Posted 1/9/2012 9:52 PM (GMT 0)
Either your doc is confused (very possible) or he's confused you....crohn's colitis is CD affecting the colon, it's not having both UC and CD especially if the inflammation is patchy, then you always had Crohn's (specifically crohn's colitis) and never had UC....the term "colitis" simply means inflammation of the colon, be in from UC or CD.

As far as severity goes, it's individual with each IBDer (including UC and CDers) what makes CD worse than UC is that with CD it can affect the many layers of the intestinal lining, it can also affect any part of the entire GI tract which is from the MOUTH to the ANUS, UC is limited to the colon/rectom, UC is surfacable inflammation only and those are the major differences between UC and CD....as far as extraintestinal manifestations and symptoms of D and excessive mucous, those are faily similar between both CD and UC.

There are 5 subtypes of crohn's disease (you can google it for detailed info which will help you understand CD better in comparison to UC)
Posted 1/9/2012 9:54 PM (GMT 0)
With a diagnosis of Crohn's, you really should get a small bowel follow through done. This is an x-ray exam of the small bowel; you drink a barium solution and then a series of images are made as the barium works its way through your gut. This will show if there are any areas of inflammation or stricturing in the small bowel.
Posted 1/9/2012 10:16 PM (GMT 0)
Here is a link for 5 subtypes of crohn's disease....

http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/crohns-disease/5-types-crohns-disease

also note that CD can affect more than one area at a time as well it can also affect only one area so if you do get any small bowel testing and there are no signs of CD in your small intestine, that does  not mean that you don't have CD.

When your inflammation is patchy, that indicates CD, same if the inflammation goes through any of the layers of the intestinal lining, even if it is only showing in your colon.

Posted 1/9/2012 10:36 PM (GMT 0)
A lot of doctors get confused between CD and UC. When I was off sick for 4 1/2 months late 2010/early 2011 initailly my sick notes were for 2 weeks and then up to a month at a time and I think there was an even split between the reason being written on them Crohn's Disease (with many variations of the spelling of Crohn's) Ulcerative Colitis and Colitis. It sure confused the hell out of my boss and I tried my best to explain to her that I have CD but many doctors especially GPs lump CD and UC into same bracket and so use the names as the same illness.

Just for info I most def have CD as it has knackered my colon, rectum, anus and small bowel although had colon, rectum, anus and lots of small bowel removed.
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