Finally something is being done!

Thanks to everyone's help on here, and also the fact that I was up 3 times in the night desperate for the toilet, I made my mind up to go back to the doctor this morning.

The guy I saw was really nice, and he took a whole load of syptoms and asked loads of questions, I had to have a rectal exam (yuck!) and then I have been referred for blood tests and have to give stool samples.  However, he also explained that it sounds as though I could possibly have Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's Disease.  I know about the colitis but I'm not sure about the other one (need to look this up properly).

He also explain that the hole I had in my buttock was called a fistular (I dont know the spelling) and this could be linked to the problem I'm having.  SO all in all today I feel realy crappy.  I'm glad that maybe we can get somewhere and i can get some help, but I don't like the thought of what it could be.  I feel absolutely drained, really tired (got through most of my magazine last night!), and I'm hoping that when my boss has finished her meeting she will let me go home, because I can;t really get myself in the mood for work today.

Thank you dbab - you've been a great help.  I'm having a really crappy day today and your support is great to have.

Feeling a bit sick today as well, although it is lunchtime here now and I'm absoltuely starving! I could each just about anything, but I actually don;t want anything at all!  Only 4 hours to go and then I can get home and catch up on my sleep from last night! 

i am so glad there is some sort of path now!!
i am sorry about it being an IBD though, do take care of yourself!!
you are in my thoughts...
--bunny

Hi Evie:)

I have crohns disease and my GI suspects I now have IBS as well...I've had crohns for 14 yrs now and although fistulas are mainly linked to crohns, I'm one of the lucky (yeah right) crohnies who thankfuly have not had to deal with a fistula yet (hopefully never will).

He should be sending you in for a colonoscopy, you'll have to prep the day before for this test, cleaning your GI tract completely out.

Biggest difference between IBS and IBD is there is no inflammation what so ever with IBS but there is with IBD usually along with polyps when you have crohns and with Ulcertive colitis there is inflammation usually with ulcers...Main difference between UC and CD is that with CD the inflammation typicaly goes deeper into the intestinal walls of the affected areas which happen to be anywhere in the GI tract from the mouth to the anus...with UC inflammation and ulcers are mainly restricted to the large colon and sometimes into the anus (proctitis). Commonly CD is detected in the small bowel, usually just where it connects to the large but the inflammation or disease itself with UC is more on the surface of the lining rather then going into the lining which inturn can cause fistulas to occur as it does with CD.

I have what's called crohns/colitis which basically means my CD has set up camp where UC typically hangs out, in the large bowel (aka, the large intestine or bowel) but I also have CD in the rectom (proctitis) and in the anus known as perianal crohns skin tags....When I first became sick I had CD in the small bowel, large bowel, rectom and anus, but for the last 7 yrs it hasn't been in the small, just the other mentioned areas.

"Itis" means inflammation, hence proctITIS, colITIS, the col is abrheviated for colon.

There is an array of meds used to treat both CD and UC and often depending on the location of your disease (if in fact you have IBD) will depend on which drugs they will try on you, as some drugs reach certain parts of the intestinal tract to treat the inflammation and such.

Symptoms of both IBS and IBD (both CD and UC) are similar in regards to bathroom habits, frequency, pain, cramping, diarhea or even constipation (more so with CD constipation can occur then with UC). Blood is also a sign of either UC or CD not with IBS though. Then there's a list of extraintestinal manifestations that occur with IBD that do not typically occur with IBS, like getting osteo, arthritis, skin problems, eye inflammtion...best thing to do is google IBS and IBD and you'll be able to note all the things I havn't covered.

Good luck and take care!

Thanks dbab!!!

I forgot add that mucous and urgency is also common for both IBS and IBD.

I'm doing so-so, hope you are keeping well! Take care!

Hi Evie:)

Sorry about your dad, there are risks involved in all procedures, he was one of the very unfortunate ones to be on the flip side of the risk that day...but colonsocopies are the best way for docs to confirm a DX for the most part.

I hope you don't have IBD or IBS but rather a nasty little parasite or something they can give you some RX for and clear it all up. However should you find that you're in the same boat as us then if nothing eles there is alot of wonderful support and don't worry you'll find the strength to get you through each day, sounds like you're already managing well with that.

Plain mashed potatoes apparently are soothing for those with gut problems, rice and bananas, bland unsweetened applesauce, maybe even try some pure tea like chamomile (has anti-inflammatory properties and worked great on my severe eczema as a kid I had to bath in the tea, was the only thing that cleared my skin).

Take care!