NEED SOME ADVICE - Possible UC or Crohns

Have had lower left abdominal pain for approx 3 months. Saw my general practioner who ruled out a urinary tract infection and suggested I see a gastro physician. Saw him initially last week, i see him again next friday oct. 9 and he wants me to have a ct scan and a coloscopy to follow in a few weeks. I am concerned about the high radiation exposure that accompanies ct scans, as supported by a 2007 New England Journal of Medicine study. I had a ct scan three years ago to rule out kidney stones, and it was normal. The docotor suspects possible UC or Crohns based off a blood tests which showed elevated markers for the disease, but he also conceeded that although the markers are there we could still ultimately be looking at only irritable bowel syndrome. I need some advice, should I have the Ct scan? Please let me know how some of you are being diagnosed? Please I need some advice. I suggested an MRI which does not include radiation exposure but doctor says it is not as good of a diagnostic school as a CT. Please help!

Hi. I had a colonoscopy first and it came back idiopathic colitis which means I def had colitis but the path report couldn't determine what type. So I'd imagine in many situations that you could find out from the biopsies from the scope what you have. Make sure they do lots of them (biopsies, I mean). I then had to have an Upper GI with Small Bowel Follow Through to rule out Chron's. This is a series of x-rays so you might not want to do that. I hadn't had x-rays in years so I wasn't too concerned about the radiation. I did, however, have the Prometheus labs done and it came back 'consistent with UC.'

So, what I've learned from this is...colonoscopy first, then maybe the Prometheus labs. Between those two maybe they could nail down a dx w/o having to do x-rays.

And now a couple questions...what blood work did you have done to show the markers for IBD? Are your only symptoms abdominal pain? If you are a woman, have you been to the gyno about this pain? Could it be something with your ovary? Just throwing it out there.

Good luck!

General reply from Bajia 25 - i could not tell how to reply to your individual comments. No blood or mucous in stool this time. I have seen mucous occasionally in my stool over the last 10 years. The only time i have trouble with eating is when I eat a meal high in fat and after 5 hours or so I start getting major abdominal pain then accompanying diarrhea. After two or three trips to the bathroom whithin 2 hours or so, it is over.

I am a female, 37 years old. I have been to my GYN, this past February during the same type of pain, just milder. He did an ultrasound and said ovaries looked ok, suggested irritable bowel and referral back to my primary. The topic was also suggested by the gastro MD I am seeing now, he said the CT would cover that. I think I am just going to go with the CT for the purpose of ruling out anything not associated the GI system, or something that the colonscopy could not pick up like my ovaries.

I will need to confirm from my Gastro MD, exactly what test he is referring to when he said "some markers were elevated suggesting possible colits". I know he sent the test to an outside lab, as the general labs were done across the hall from his office. I am thinking no there are no specific tests for IBD but the markers he is referring to may just be markers for general inflammation. I see him next this friday oct 9th. Take care guys!

 

I've never had a CT scan, just colonoscopy for my UC diagnosis.

I'd go straight to the colonoscopy - a biospy will tell you what you have. I was diagnosed in December 2007 among all things - my first flu (never had one in my 32 years of life). I didn't know what was happening.

Symptoms I experienced

1. Severe weight loss (I dropped some 60 lbs in about 3 months time).

2. Fainting or dizziness (due to anemia / blood loss).

3. Lack of energy (really slow to getting up in the morning).

Things that cause me problems

1. High fiber foods

2. Corn

3. Spicy foods

4. High amounts of lactose products (milk, cheeses, etc...)

Good luck with whatever decision you take.

With the promtheus test not being completely accurate, it's good that you are getting a CT done and a colonoscopy, keep in mind the colonoscopy only goes into the colon and not the small intestines where CD typically hangs out (though there are 5 subtypes of crohn's, different names for the different areas they are in)...a colonoscopy is also still a good idea cuz either CD or UC will show up on the scope (if it's CD then it's referred to as crohn's colitis).

Good luck with all your upcomming tests and be sure to update how things are going.


:)