Saw my new doc today; mixed news but I'm happy

So I took my husband to see my new GI today. He said (I know y'all will be shocked) that my old GI's notes were vague and contradictory, and he needs to get a look in there himself to see what's going on.

He's not at all sure I have ulcerative colitis, although my symptoms seem to indicate it. He thought it was weird that she found esophagitis in there and didn't recommend an antacid or something. He also said my old doc hadn't checked the ilium for Crohn's, so I might still have that.

He did find microscopic blood in my stool. I told him that I've been taking iron supplements since I was a teen, and if I go for a week without them, I get fatigued. He is the first doctor to ever tell me that that is an indication that there is probably bleeding somewhere. I already feel confident in him.

Anyway, I wasn't able to ask him too many questions about UC or anything since we don't know if I actually have it. He told me to just stick with the meds I'm on and food I can tolerate until he scopes me. I'm feeling hopeful for the first time in weeks because I finally feel like someone is listening to me! (And I'm also hoping he might be able to resolve this quickly.)

Fruitgirl, sorry to hijack...but you had an ulcer in your ileum and do NOT have CHron's?

This has been my question since my last c-scope. Showed one ulcer in the ileum...

Had my first c-scope in 2006 with different doc, who saw i believe 2 small ones. At that point he did a test for Chron's, i think it was some Promethium thing that came back " indeterminate colitis"..either way because only the rectum was involved and my symptoms were pretty mild, he didn't think anything of it.

Suggested Asacol, but said if Cansasa worked, use that only. Which I did and things stayed calm until 2 years later when I was eating Alleve like M& M's while training for marathon, had C- scope then,but nothing in the ileum.

Again, had one in June saw 1 ulcer. Been trying to get my GI to tell me with some certainty if he thinks it;'s Chron's or whatever. But he is just not very sure. ( Have an appt with another GI in Nov)

Anyway...aside from the 1 ulcer in my ileum, everything was clear, excpet mild-mod proctitis about 15-18 cm.

I'm interested in your thoughts on this...I have been researching like a lunatic but nothing is definitive??

NewtoUC, if you don't mind it, I suppose it's ok. And yes, it's always best to get a good diagnosis. Do you have a date for the scope set?

jfem4, I think I only had inflammation, no ulceration, in my ileum. I don't remember exactly what the report said, however, other than "backwash ileitis." From what you describe, the one ulcer in your ileum isn't the same as backwash ileitis.

Ahhh, the dream of actually not having this crappy disease.  Good luck and let us know how it all goes.

B

Thanks, everyone! Quincy, you are so right. I was in so much mental distress, and I realize now that it was because I was begging my last doctor for help and she wasn't helping me, even though she acted nice. Argh.

Fruitgirl, yes, I got a date. A week from today, so next Saturday at 8:30. Prep is 2-stage, so I'll be doing the 2nd stage at 2:30am. My only other choice was to wait until the first week of September. :P The one good thing is that I think the prep solution won't be so bad. It's only 16oz of solution followed by two more cups of water, and the doc said I could supplement with magnesium citrate.

Today we went out for Greek food with my mother, and I ate more food at one sitting than I have in over a month. Chicken souvlaki, full-fat yogurt and lemon potatoes, all went down easy and with no apparent consequences. Yay for small victories...Of course my insides are still all crampy, but at least that's not suppressing my appetite at the moment.