HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

UC and IBS at the same time?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/22/2010 4:22 AM (GMT 0)
Just saw my GI doc for recheck since starting Lialda. He said that based on my symptoms that he is not even sure it's UC but could be Crohns and IBS. I am beginning to wonder whether he is as knowledgeable as I'd previously thought. If I was diagnosed years ago with UC, based on a sigmoidoscopy, where ulcerations, mucous and blood were all visualized and photographed, and the dr said DEFINITELY UC, then why would they change the dx now? My symptoms since then have been bleeding, urgency, frequency, abdominal pain, some mucous. My most recent colonoscopy 8 months ago showed areas of inflammation but no ulceration, yet still bleeding and frequency, pain, etc..

So.. my question is, what would appear different in the colonscopy that would differentiate between UC and Crohns? And this dr believes that my symptoms have always also indicated IBS. I am so confused.

He started me on amyltriptiline and says that if more symptoms resolve in the next few weeks, then he believes it definitely involves IBS. However, the majority of the symptoms have lessened on Lialda, so wouldn't that indicate UC?

Can you have both UC and IBS at the same time?
Posted 8/22/2010 4:39 AM (GMT 0)
I have UC and IBS....sometimes difficult to differentiate when flaring..ugh.

Regarding a c-scope and UC compared to CD....CD can mimic UC. CD goes deeper into the colon wall...UC affects only the mucosa and sub-mucosa.

UC doesn't always have separate ulcers, that usually depends on the severity of the inflammation.

IBS wouldn't cause inflammation and certainly not bleeding. IBS is mechanical (function) in its disorder, UC is organic, but can cause dysfunction when it's inflamed or has damage due to the inflammation.
The rectum pretty much rules and when it's inflamed, its hissy fits can cause the colon to react in kind.
But in saying that...IBS can affect the rectum's functioning and its hissy fits could cause the colon to react as well.

Confusing for sure. The amitriptyline will help with the anxiety and associated physiological responses as well. If it helps the IBS, that's great.

You should continue to get rechecked for the c.diff.

In your siggie, you state you were misdiagnosed with infectious colitis. C. Diff is infectious colitis.

q
Posted 8/22/2010 6:24 AM (GMT 0)
Yes. It is possible to have both IBS and UC.

And it is possible to be diagnosed with UC and then for the diagnosis to change later on to Chron's colitis or even Chron's.

Perhaps you should seek a second opinion.
Posted 8/22/2010 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
crohn's colitis is crohn's....you mean beyond the colon, subdued?

q
Posted 8/22/2010 9:45 PM (GMT 0)
Wait, I never mentioned c diff anywhere... what are the symptoms for that? Never mentioned infectious colitis. All pathology was negative for all sorts of colitis during c-scope, then they removed sigmoid but pathology showed chronic active colitis... am assuming this was the UC though no ulcers present.

Bleeding continued after sigmoid removal but very little.

So you're saying there is no bleeding with IBS? Only with the UC? The areas of inflammation they found were 20cm up, and then they removed sigmoid colon but symptoms are still in the same left side where the sigmoid used to be... so confusing.

Am still wondering if there's endometriosis on the colon somewhere that's been missed that could cause the bleeding and pain.
Posted 8/22/2010 9:55 PM (GMT 0)
OH....haha, I think someone above may have deleted a post and I was reading the sig on that?? or...I'm just losing it totally. sorry to cause confusion!

IBS...NO bleeding. Hemmies, yes, espcially if you have the rectum/anus in place, as well as polyps or UC of course.

If you have UC with rectum intact, it can spread upward beyond the sigmoid...why was just the sigmoid removed and not your entire colon?

It's possible one could have endo if not removed, but if on the outside of the colon, maybe that in itself could cause a flare..

Maybe you should consider a hysterectomy if no kids are wanted in your future?

quincy
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply