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Does this sound like IBS to you?

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 3/16/2006 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum, but any advice/insight would be great.  I am a 25-year old female.  I had my first colonoscopy last November because of blood in stool, mucus, and abdominal pain/cramping. In addition, I was chronically tired and had been battling with severe pain in my right hip.  I joked that I had arthritis, but it began to hurt so much it was no longer a joke. This had been going on for ~2 months before I actually went to the doctor.  The results of the first colonoscopy revealed erythematous, friable, ulcerated mucosa in the rectum and desending colon. I started on Asacol (taking the highest max dosage, 4 tablets, TID) and prednisone, and later switched to Entocort.

My hip remains painful, almost debilitating and I am still perpetually tired.  I went in for another colonoscopy today because of frequency of bowel movements and related symptoms.  I spoke with the doctor after the procedure and he said that my colon looked completely normal this time, and that he still took biopsies.  He told me that he thinks that it is IBS as opposed to CD.  Can Asacol and Entocort fully heal aphthoid erosions?  Is a clean colon considered remission?

I am sort of skeptical about the IBS diagnosis.  I have done some research, and chronic joint pain and fatigue seem indicative of IBD, not IBS.  I feel as though my doctor does not believe me.  I am considering a second opinion.  This whole intestinal thing has got me down.  I missed so many MCAT classes that I have made the horrible decision to put my med school applications on hold until I can get this figured out.  I cannot imagine being in med school and being this tired with a bum hip, hobbling to the toilet every two minutes.  Enough of my rambling.  Is there anyone out there with a similar experience or can offer advice???  Thanks so much in advance.

Posted 3/16/2006 4:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, and welcome! :-)
It is my understanding that once the docs find inflamation, ulcers and/or erosions, they cannot be healed. You can go into remission but you don't go from having IBD to IBS (but you can have both). Those meds you were on are hardcore, especially the steroid - no doc should have prescibed those if they had any doubts you had IBD.
You have an initial IBD diagnosis, and now you have an IBS diagnois... I would ABSOLUTELY get a 2nd opinion.
I wish I had some tips or good advice for you...
If you haven't already, you may want to bring this up in the Crohn's and UC forums.
Take care.
Posted 3/16/2006 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi fruitypepples,
Lil pretty much covered everything. I would also like to welcome you to the forum. IBD is very difficult to diagnose and many people go years and years of testing until they finally get a dx. I agree that you should bring this up in the other forums, I think you will see a lot of people can relate to your story.
Take Care and keep posting :)
Posted 3/16/2006 2:01 PM (GMT 0)
thanks for the info. I have already posted in the Crohn's forum. I am going to get a second opinion. Will let you know!
Posted 3/17/2006 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Fruitypebbles,

Your case sounds similar to mine in some ways. I'm not sure whether you gave a full list of your symptoms, so you can decide for yourself how much of it matches up:

I'm a 24 year old female and I've had bowel problems (alternate diarrhoea and constipation) for as long as I can remember, though I grew up thinking it was normal. A couple of years ago, I started getting really bad pelvic pain (more on my right side than left) and then it spread to my lower back. It actually became so bad that I ended up in hospital, but they couldn't find any problem except a ruptured ovarian cyst at that time. Since then I have become fatigued, I have aches and pains all over, joint pains, headaches and numbness all over my body that seems to be only skin deep. When I'm up and about, I quickly get a headache, sore throat and a fever. I have recently been getting tinnitus (ringing in the ears) on and off. I have also been getting recurrent bladder infections, thrush and mouth ulcers for a number of years.

I am now unable to work, and I'm tired of all the doctors, and tests and medical expenses. I haven't had a diagnosis yet, but I'd just like to be better. I've been doing a lot of research, and I'm working on the theory that it may be a chronic yeast infection in my case. Apparently it can manifest itself in a lot of ways, bowel problems and joint pains included. I'm going on a yeast-free, sugar-free diet. I figure that even if I'm not on the right track, a junk food free diet with plenty of health veggies couldn't do me any harm. I've heard a lot about people being able to improve health problems through diet changes. Maybe if you can't find anything else that helps, you could consider a diet change.

Good luck, hope you can get back to med school soon.
Posted 3/17/2006 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Annya,
Are you on probiotics? They regulate your digestive flora and help keep a yeast balance. If taken for 3 months regularly your yeast problems (thrush, etc.) should clear up.
Take care.
Posted 3/17/2006 2:22 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Annya,

I have had no constipation, and I cannot say that I have had watery diarrhea often.  The hip pain never goes away for more than one day.  I have also experienced bilateral flank pain.  I am going to get the biopsy results early next week from my colonoscopy yesterday.  I just feel as though I am not being taken seriously---my GI doc is very sweet and nice, but unfortnately I need more than that.  I live in a very large city in Texas, and you would think that in such a big city that I could find another GI.  Unfortunately fatigue and arthritis are not symptoms that can be readily seen, like a rash or festering wound, so I think that docs tend to overlook the fact that they are real and they exist.

I am having a hard time buying the IBS dx because I feel as though there is more to it....Argh.  Also, my ears are always ringing, but they have been like that for as long as I can remember.  Thanks for the response.

Posted 3/17/2006 4:59 AM (GMT 0)
Hi fruitpebbles, I understand your frustration with the GI and finding one, etc. I also live in a very large city in Texas and I actually live in the suburbs so I don't have a very big selection (insurance also dictates that also). However I even feel like having too much of a selection is even worse because I wouldn't begin to know where to go. Luckily, I have found a very good GI that I have built a wonderful rapport with.

Have you maybe thought about seeing a rheumatologist also to make sure that your symptoms are not a form of arthritis completely seperate from your GI symptoms? I have spinal arthritis (and also currently being tested for others) and it seems like when my IBS flares, everything else flares like a domino effect.
Posted 3/17/2006 6:55 AM (GMT 0)
fruitypebbles...your symptoms sound like CD to me rather then just IBS (as mentioned you can have both)...just because your colon looks clear doesn't mean there isn't CD lurking somewhere eles, typically the small intestines...but as far as your other symptoms, for your age, unless it's a severe coincidence the hip pain and such...well, I'd run to another GI and fast...BTW, I have CD myself with suspected IBS as well...I'm also lactose intolerant, as I always say, same crap different pile :)

take care
Posted 3/17/2006 8:32 PM (GMT 0)
I never noticed the hip pain before the beginning of september when everything else had started to go downhill.  I thought it was the way I slept, and I tried just about everything to make it better.  Sadly, the only thing that makes my right hip feel better is prednisone---way better than vicodin, darvocet, ultram, and whatever else they have thrown my way.  I hate prednisone, but I hate the way my hip feels.

Another weird thing that I thought of---I was hospitalized in January and february, and after I was released, I had these weird canker sores on the inside of my bottom lip, rubbing against my teeth.  I usually only get canker sores when I eat something too acidic like tomatoes (whick i avoid now).  I just read somewhere on the internet that CD can appear in the mouth..  Maybe it was a weird coincidence.  I showed my boyfriend and he thought it was strange.  I never really put two and two together until now......Hindsight is 20-20, eh?

Posted 3/18/2006 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry fruitypebbles, sounds like you could have CD. Crohn's surfaces anywhere in the digestive tract, from your mouth all the way to your rectum. It is all too common for CDers to have mouth sores / canker sores.
Although, I'm like you. I get them if I eat pineapple or anything too acidic. My doc said probiotics and B12 can help with that... I've been on both for quite some time and now I hardly ever get canker sores.

Good luck! I hope you can get to the bottom of your problems.
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