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IBD and Mild Distal Proctitis

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Posted 4/9/2017 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone,

I am not sure if anyone here can help but I thought I give it a try

I recently had a sigmoidoscopy and virtual colonoscopy I am still waiting for the colonoscopy results.

During the sigmoidoscopy the gastroenterologist took two samples for biopsy.

Once the sigmoidoscopy was completed the nurse handed me a very slim report which read:

Indications
Blood loss rectal bleeding

Diagnoses
inflammatory bowel disease and very mild distal proctitis.

I have an appointment with the gastroenterologist on Thursday to discuss the results of the colonoscopy and of the biopsy.

However as I haven't had a chance to speak to the gastroenterolgist regarding the sigmoidoscopy report, I have few doubts which are driving me crazy.

As the doctor wrote "inflammatory bowel disease and distal proctitis" does that mean he is certain I have an IBD and the biopsy was done to confirm which one and to what extension? Or the proctitis in itself is an IBD..? .. I know I should just wait for the biopsy results and to speak to the doctor but I wonder why he wrote generically "inflammatory bowel disease and".

I wonder if anyone here in this forum have had a similar diagnoses and if anyone who is effected with distal proctitis could enlighten me a little.

I would also like to add that I had a colonoscopy about 9 years ago in Italy (where I am from) and was diagnosed with proctitis then as well, I don't remember having been given any medicine to treat it.. at that time I didn't worry as the colonoscopy was done to exclude serious pathologies like cancer etc.. nobody explained what proctitis is and being 23 at the time I didn't worry much.

Lately my problems which have always been attributed to ibs (spastic colon) have worsen and changed pattern hence the reason I was advise to have these tests done. My brother also died at 42 for cancer in the colon so I guess doctors take that into consideration as well.

Thank you in advance for anyone who can help.

Bella
Posted 4/9/2017 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the forum but sorry to hear you have to deal with bowel problems like we do.

Proctitis means inflammation of the rectum and it can occur due to a one time infection or it can be caused by IBD.

Distal means starting at a point and having continual inflammation up to a point and stopping, usually at the sphincter and progressing up the intestine. That is characteristic of ulcerative colitis.

Based on your sigmoidoscopy it looks like you have a form of IBD known as Ulcerative Colitis limited to your rectum, which is known as Ulcerative Proctitis. The biopsies will either confirm or change that diagnosis. IBD requires your biopsies to show permant, architectual changes to the cells lining your large intestine (that is a chronic illness). A one time infection does not leave permanent changes to cell architecture.

Did they prescribe you any medications or are you awaiting a doctor followup 1st?
Posted 4/9/2017 10:20 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you iPoop for your informative reply. Few things regarding the biopsy are now clearer to me.

So does that mean that I already have a form of IBD (proctitis) but could also have ulcerative colitis extended somewhere else? What I don't understand is the fact that he wrote IBD "and" very mild distal proctitis

Sorry If I am not clear and I also understand you cannot have all the answers.

I haven't been prescribed any medicines yet, I am just waiting to see the gastroenterologist on Thursday, by then we will have the results of both the virtual colonoscopy and the biopsies.

I am baffled that the gastroenterologist wrote the report who was given to me by the nurse and left without explaining his diagnoses.. naturally reading IBD I kind of panicked... although I have been reading about proctitis since and it covers 99% of my symptoms.. makes more sense than it just being IBS especially since it started to bother my everyday life regardless of what I eat or don't eat.

Thank you again
Posted 4/9/2017 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
What your doctor saw was proctitis, inflammation of the rectum and as i said that can have multiple causes. Inflammation can be caused by an infection. Inflammation can be caused by Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) which is likely an auto-immune disease or at least an immjne deficiency. Within the family of IBD diseases there is predominantly Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease (and a number of other definitions that don't apply to you given the description you gave). Ulcerative colitis is continuous (distal) inflammation and always has rectum involvement. Crohn's is patchy inflammation and often has small intestine involvement. Ulcerative colitis has several different forms, proctitis is only rectum involvement, proctosigmoditis has rectum and sigmoid colon involvement, and pancolitis has whole large intestine involvement. Inflammation is characterized as being mild, moderate, or severe. So you describe Ulcerative Colitis with Proctitis (or Ulcerative Proctitis for short) with mild severity which is a form of IBD.

Infectious-colitis is a one time infection.

Wait on the biopsies. I'm sure your doctor will explain when you see him.
Posted 4/10/2017 6:11 AM (GMT 0)
Í got it, i understand now . Thank you very much for the exhaustive explanation! Now I just have to wait...

eyes

Bella
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