I just had my 3rd or 4th perirectal fistulotomy yesterday, and I've had about
a dozen perirectal abscesses drained. This was the first time seeing this particular surgeon and he suggested working me up for "asymptomatic Crohns". I'm actually a little overweight so whenever the possibility of Crohns came up in the past I thought "there's no way I have it - I'm not skinny." I had a hemorrhoidectomy when I was in my 20s, after I got hemorrhoids from pregnancy. The abscesses started after that so I thought the surgeon messed something up and that was why I was getting them.
Now that I've been reading about it, I do have a lot of the symptoms of Crohns. I've had sudden excruciating rectal pain for many years. It lasts a minute and then goes away. I had a colonoscopy for it about 20 years ago and it came back negative so I have just tolerated the pain without seeing a doctor about it since then.
I have frequent cramping abdominal pain - but I had endometriosis, so I thought that was the cause and didn't worry about it. After my hysterectomy the pain continued and I asked my Dr. about it. He said that it's not unusual to have that kind of pain even after the hysterectomy.
Extreme lactose intolerance - went from diarrhea and gas to bleeding with bowel movements.
Lately - just for the last several weeks, I've been feeling pretty sick. Terrible gas - I have never had gas like this before. I have a garden and I've been eating a lot of raw vegetables, but they never gave me problems like this before. I had soup with just a small amount of broccoli in it and it was unbelievable. My abdomen feels bloated.
Terrible, terrible hot flashes - I read somewhere that Crohns patients have night sweats. Do any of you have night sweats?
Do my symptoms sound similar to the symptoms you all have? I should just wait and find out what the tests show but I'm worried and impatient.