Hi!
Well, it seems that no one else has had significant erythema nodosum experiences. So, moving right along. I'd like to share my little story and ask for advice from the forum members regarding an upcoming appt with a new GI I really don't know what I am looking for from him; my husband and I just have a feeling that my dr is a little overworked and has not given us the time or attn we really need to try to deal with this health problem.
I first heard the words "ulcerative colitis"'from my family care doc this summer (she was a new doc for me because I just got married and joined my husbands insurance). When she said those words., I asked her to repeAt herself... Now I can't go a day without seeing "ulcerative colitis". :)
For the past two to three years I noticed an increasing general constipation. I really seemed abnormal when it came to digesting my food. I always attributed my problems to the 3 yrs prior when I had gone through a very serious eAting disorder. One of my vices had been to abuse laxatives. I gave myself an almost nightly colon cleanse for at least a year ( not knowing that was what I was doing). When I gained the grace to move on from the ED, I focused very hard on eating healthilh and consumed tremendous amounts of fiber to have a BM. eventually I ate Ina more balanced fashion. Throughout this recovery process, I had my blood monitored because I had a potassium deficiency. I also had a high white blood cell count, but as the dr could never figure out why, we ne er got to the bottom of it.
Once I was healthy again, I went away to school and mo ed into a dormitory. From this point forward, I never seemed to get back to the robust health I'd had before the ED. I was now prone to fevers and begin to see bright blood in the toilet when I could and couldn't have a bm. I never thought to see a doc about
it thinking it was a leftover effect of the ED.
Two years later, my fiancé and I were spending massive amounts of time in cafes together planning our wedding when he began to express concern over the constAnt stomach aches I had, and the "more than normals" trips to the bathroom. That wAs the first time I thought something might be wrong. I thought I might have a ulcer.
This past summer we were married. On our honeymoon to Paris my constipation was horrible. Though my legs were toned and in good shape from our hikng, my stomach seemed SO poofed out! It was so uncomfortable . At this point the only way I was able to go to the bathroom was with coffee and mrs of toilet time. Not exActly what u want to do on your honeymoon!
Two weeks after our return to the states I became sick with diahrea tha increased in frequency as the days went b until I couldn't sleep at night and was going to the bathroom several times per 30 minute time span. Then a high fever came and loss of appetite and I was in bed with chills. We didn't know what to do but see the family doc who ordered blood tests.
These tests showed those same old high white blood cells and something thAt Made them suspect a parasite!
They took stool samples and that was negative. This was around th time when the salmonella outbreak occurred and the doc was convinced in her own mind ( she is great ) that I had gotten salmonella, but I had tested negative for that and I couldn't think of what I could have eaten to cAuse that, so I was unconvinced.
She was absolutely concerned when I told her about
the bleeding And mucus I'd been experiencing for over a year and sent me to a GI.
They ordered a ct and colonoscopy rigt away and more bloodwork. Meanwhile i was supersick.
The ct was a Horrible experience... In my sickness i couldn't bear being poked by another needle and passed out but finally made is thriugh the scan. The radiologist was concerned after and asked me how long I had been bleeding. She wrote on my scan that there appeared to be a thickening of the colon wall concentrated on the left side.
The doc later peformex the colonoscopy saying there was inflammation on the left sides. He removed one polyp. The biopsy was benign. He prescribed Lialda which began to really help
For some time I had had pencil thin stools and they became thicker and more frequent. I felt great but there as still blood so at my follow up he switched to Asacol.
I hated that... Became constipAted again. Stopped taking anything all together for two weeks thinking mAybe thus was all baloney but started having diarhea and fevers and almost couldn't make it to my classes because of all the BM and then had to bite my cheeks to try not to have an accident once in the class.
The erythema nodosum was a mystery until the GI identified it. However he did not do anything about
it. It is very significant for someone like me who grew ip taking ballet gymnastics and tap lessons to suddenly find it painful to bend my knees or walk up stairs
My GI has been nice he just has not spent much time with me. He said there is a blood test ncan have to confirm my condition but i hate needles. Should I go through with this? What should I be looking for froma doc?
I'm most concerned about
the blood and mucus and distention I Experience. I am back on lialda but do not want to take basket ful f drugs if at all possible. The doc did mention steroids but I am not going to go down that path. I am more interested in how I canhelps my colon by whAt I eat.
I have always thought my bowel probe came from my ED but the Doctors have all otold me that's not possible.
Have come t believe my colon really is inflamed and think i may even have crohns and not UC but what I don't know is what kind f cAre I should be getting or seeking
I look forward to your responses. Sorry for the errors I am typing on my smart phone.
Post Edited (Tillie) : 10/29/2010 4:00:29 PM (GMT-6)