"Ibs" really IBD?

I've been dealing with urgent diarrhea for over ten years. When I finally gathered the courage to talk to my old doctor about it she asked me a few questions and diagnosed me with IBS right there, no testing at all. She gave me some ibs meds which did nothing. I stopped taking them and never asked about my "ibs" again. This was about 8 years ago. Things were getting worse, more diarrhea, more often, but I just thought I was doing something wrong and tried to work on diet/supplements etc, mostly ineffective. Imodium was my safety net. Id have some days of normal poo and some days of diarrhea. Then in October of this year things took a huge turn for the worse, where it was nothing but diarrhea, all day, everyday for two months. Long story short I finally forced them to scope me in December and there was inflammation and ulcers. So, question that's been on my mind, could UC/crohns go at a slow simmer like that and be thought of as ibs until it finally erupts? My biopsies were inconclusive so I'm yet to be fully diagnosed.

I posted a scientific article about a week-10 days ago that said that IBS has been recently discovered to have physical characteristics similar, on a much smaller scale, as do IBD (UC and Crohns). Most biopsies will not show these and many doctors are not aware.

Smaller scale does not mean less symptoms because many people with IBS can have horrible symptoms but doctors have fewer drugs to offer so they tend to be less helpful (doctors I mean).

I'm sorry you haven't found relief with diet modification. My IBS symptoms definitely got better when I removed the last problem foods such as fruit but it took a big change in food to get me to the point of having no symptoms at all.

You will have to continue investigating and finding out what the common link is for your IBS symptoms. It takes real detective work.

In answer: is IBS a precursor to UC? No one says so in the medical field but I think they are kissing cousins. However many people who have IBS never get UC or Crohn's.

Don't wait for any diagnosis. Try and figure out what makes your gut unhappy and don't do that.

Post Edited (imagardener2) : 2/1/2014 2:02:45 PM (GMT-7)

No, IBS is not really IBD. But IBD can cause a hypersensitive gut, which basically leads to IBS: co-existing, like quincy said.

But some idiot doctors diagnose IBS without doing any tests. In many cases, it really will be IBS, but in other cases it will be undiagnosed IBD or whatever. IBD can simmer along for many years, yes: I have heard of people going for decades without a diagnosis, while having IBS/IBD symptoms in the meantime. Waiting decades is rare, but waiting for a few years is not.

Inconclusive biopsies sound like you might have indeterminate colitis, where the docs can't tell if it's Crohn's or UC. From the point of view of meds, it makes no difference though.

Yes, my first GI who did the scope referred to UC but my new GI is saying crohns. Thanks for your thoughts/experience on ibs/ibd coexisting. I responded really well to my initial routine of oral/rectal meds, so I'm taking that as a good sign. I guess now I just wait and see what second scope/biopsy reveals on Monday.

Thanks for being here, guys.

Canada Mark said...
There's even tissue damage now found in IBS similar to what's found in IBD.

Not really...

The degree of destructive damage done with IBD is incomparable to whatever microscopic alterations have been found in IBS.

I also didn't have a day's worth of diarrhoea until my Crohn's started. I was lucky enough to get a quick diagnosis, so I knew it was Crohn's from the start and not IBS.

Edit: Sorry, slow reply as usual... >.>

Nobody mentioned crohns to me until I saw my new GI a couple of weeks ago. The GI who did the scope, prescribed my treatment told me possible UC. My GP, who read the full pathology report etc also always referred to UC. When I met with my new GI, who is to provide my ongoing care/treatment he kept saying Crohns....I think because there is no rectal involvement. Honestly, I don't care what the call it, I just want to know whats going on and then I can go about treating it.

Yes, Gary, I can't help but think the same...how could that doctor tell me I have ibs, a diagnosis of exclusion...when she never tested and excluded anything??!!? Oy, if I knew then what I know now....

Q, to be honest, I'm not totally sure, but my understanding was the rectum had no inflammation and started just higher than the rectum. I don't have copies of my report, just the pictures. I will see if maybe I can get the GI office to give me a copy after the fact. I think I'm more confused now than ever wait, how could I have no rectum involvement but have such urgency....and why would he have me use suppositories if no rectum involvement....good grief, I feel like I know nothing.

I do not believe they are the same. I believe drs tell you it's ibs without ruling out ibd. This is my issue, and what I'm wondering about my case. I've only ever had one scope and it showed inflammation, how can they say ibs.

@toomuchpoopin - Absolutely. No doctor should diagnose IBS without ruling out other causes first: it's meant to be a diagnosis of exclusion - that is, you exclude all other possibilities before diagnosing IBD. But too many doctors skip the tests and diagnose IBS straight away: for chronic GI symptoms of diarrhoea and abdominal pain, this is wrong.

I was lucky to get a good doctor who did the right tests from the start.

I didn't start asking for results until I joined here...that was 14 years after diagnosis.

It's a continuing learning....and even for the doctors, remember.

q

and...there is a higher sense of being proactive, empowerment, and comfort with them too, right?

I even got a cd copy of my MRCP (abdomen liver/pancreas/gallbladder mri). Cool as well...although I don't understand what it all means..lol.
But, I did print a copy of a few areas to bring to my GI, and he compared the report to the pics and said..."interesting".

q

Could be. UC is usually mainly based in the large intestine only.