Skinny Dipping Crohn's Disease!!!

[GERDNERD]

Hello everyone!

For years I've suspected I've had either IBS or Crohn's Disease.

Recently I've had some crazy symptoms and was told to come here.  In addition, I have typed in most of my symptoms on a diagnosis site thingy, and Crohn's came up as number one.  My symptoms are: Nausea, Headache, Fatigue(bout 2 weeks), dark urine, joint pains, abdominal pains(all over but sometimes upper right side), macular rash on chest, low grade fever(99.1), easily bruising, long time for wounds to heal, itchy skin all over, lower back pain, loss of appetite, weight loss(15lbs), bone pain, chills, and night sweats.

Could this be Crohn's?  I've had suspicions of Proctitis due to a bad hemoroid I had years ago, and I've hard proctitis can lead to Crohn's.

[yankeerose1970]

Actually cancer doesn't necessarily start as a polyp but a polyp can result.  It can start as dysplasia (pre-cancerous changes).  These changes are normally seen under a microscope.  But if none were found, then so far so good! :)  For your sake I hope it's "just" colitis.  Colitis just means inflammation in the large intestine from a known or unknown cause - known being parasites, infection etc.  Colitis can be cured while an IBD can not.  It's good that you are having a full scope done; better safe then sorry.

Btw, I have had UC for 19 years and I have been a moderator for another online health support site  for the past 6 years (which I can not say on here per forum rules).  Oh and not to mention, I have a lot of time on my hands! lol

[GERDNERD]

Thanks for the reply, you sure know your stuff.

I noticed on the pictures of the Flex-Sig that it showed hemorrhoids, stool, and one picture said something like eurytheous-mucosa.  I looked it up and it means inflammation, though mines was really light and not too noticeable.

I got a call about my biopsy results and don't know what it means.  The irritation the doctor saw was unspecified according to the biopsy.  What I understand from it is that they can't figure it out.  

He wants me to have a full colonoscopy done next month.  I wish he would've done so from the begining.  Anyway, from what I understand cancer in colon starts as a polyp, and can be removed via colonoscopy so I shouldn't worry too much about that.  Crohn's maybe, but I don't know a person in my family that has it.  I do have hand eczema according to dermatologist, and that's a symptoms of UC, Crohn's, and supposedly IBS even.  

I will be keeping you posted, but in the mean time what do my results mean?  And what should I prepare for?  

[yankeerose1970]

It's good that your sig showed no sign of Uc.  When I was first diagnosed, I had bleeding and diarrhea.  I thought it was hemorrhoids and went to Proctologist.  He took one peek in there and said I had to see a GI pronto because it wasn't hemmies.  With Uc, a flare always starts at the rectum and moves upward in a continuous pattern of ulceration.  So if you had no ulceration then more then likely it is not UC.  However, it does not rule out Crohn's.  The biopsies may reveal if there is any changes in the lining of the large intestine.  It can show if there is any cancerous changes or Microscopic colitis.

[GERDNERD]

To: Utilaman

I appreciate the response but was that a "non-obvious" covert sales attempt?

I think it's horrible if you google "Cancer cure" or "AIDs cure" you get websites telling you that it's aloe vera or chinese pickle juice and that you should buy it from them.  I'm just saying.

To: Everyone else

I went to the GI today to have my Flex-Sig done.  Enemas were taken the night before, and 2 hours before exam.  When I went right after the 2nd Enema it seemed as if I pooped out some vein-like thing.  It was dark red, about the length of a pill.  Upon inspection it seemed very strong/resilient.  My mom said it looks like a kidney bean skin, and that's it.  Maybe she's right but why would it be open only at the ends, making it look like a piece of a vein.  There were like 3 of them.  

Anyway, back to the examination.  It was an experience to receive a Flex-Sig.  Watching the monitor as the doctor pioneered into my colon was something I can check off the list of things I did in my lifetime.  The part where I held on to the nurses hand for comfort when the exam became uncomfortable was also special, lol.  She had to yell at me when I got too excited and some of my vital signs got too crazy.  "RELAX, YOU HAVE TO RELAX!"  

The doctor said all looked normal to him.  He was happy with what he saw, except for the fact that the enema didn't really clean me out as well as he had hoped.

On his way out he had wanted to check for hemorrhoids.  He decided to take a biopsy and said to the nurse "I don't think it's Ulcertive Colitis but I just to make sure I didn't miss anything."  I felt some tapping a couple of times and looked at the monitor and saw what the tapping was.  It was a pinching mechanism that was taking pieces of my intestine, hence a biopsy.  Before he exited he told me to look at the screen and showed me a whole bunch or should I say "hole bunch" of biopsy spots he had taken.  He then said, "See, that's why you'll bleed some when you pass stool for a while."  

And that was the end of it.  He said I should get my results in 4 days.  If not Friday then Monday, and if not to then call them.  I don't know what to expect.  He did say all seemed normal.  And did say "I don't think it's UC..."  But the fact that he even mentioned it was disturbing.  He said he thought the bleeding and mucus might have been due to a hemorrhoid which was irrated by constipation.  So yeah, what do you guys think?  

What should I believe?  What are things I can expect from the biopsy?

[utilaman]

Itchy skin,,,,IS AN INDICATION THAT YOU ARE DEFICIENT IN B-vitamins!

Sweating at night is an INDICATION THAT YOU ARE DEFICIENT IN B12!!!!

Dark urine,,,,,,could be not drinking enough water or blood in it so see doctor

wounds not healing,,,,,,could be diabetes related but I AM sure it is due to the fact that you are deficient in these essential b-vitamins

DO NOT WASTE TIME SO GO TO WALMART OR ANY OTHER STORE to get B-vitamins, B12, Magnesium,....
AND DRINK  one B complex and a B12 with each meal and another before going to sleep.......To really get better from Chron's you should add 500mg of magnesium daily and Niacin along with walking 30 minutes a day.    

I am the ONLY person that I know who has gotten rid of Proctitis caused by the immune by using 1gram of Time Release Niacin from Puritan, Balance B100 from Swanson, and 500mg to 750mg of Magnesium daily.......The B100 fro Swanson are very potent containing more than 5,000% of your daily needs of some of the B vitamins-I take 2 of these daily along with my Magnesium and PROCTITIS has DISAPPEARED!


Google the night sweating and B12, google skin itching b-vitamins, magnesium proctitis, magnesium chrons, etc...........This will help your chrons!

[julieasc]

Dito to what yankeerose1970 said.  If not properly cared for, a severe case of ulcerative colitis can be fatal if nutrients aren't absorbed and if the person is severely dehydrated. It has happened but is not common. With either IBD disease, patients can be incapacitated, unable to work or function in day to day life.  

I googled IBS mayo clinic (a good source for medical info) and the first link gives some good information.  Stick with your doctor's appointment.  He or she will be able to refer you to a specialist and talk to you about what diseases are best associated with your symptoms.

[yankeerose1970]

Ulcerative colitis is not fatal but can have some serious complications including Toxic Megacolon which can be deadly if not caught right away - but it's very rare.  With Crohn's disease, especially if the disease is severe, can be fatal if perforations are not caught in time.  Both of these conditions can cause anemia from blood loss as well as nutritional deficiencies and dehydration. Along with these serious complications, there are other things to be concerned about such as extra-intestinal manifestations - eye, skin and joint diseases.

[GERDNERD]

Thank you, everyone for posting.

On Monday I went out with a friend, and had like 4 sips of beer.  I really am not a drinker, and only drank that much cause he bought me a beer without asking.  

Well, anyway, when I got home I used the bathroom and there was some blood in it and mucus.  I have a doctor's appointment at the end of the month, and am thinking about making it sooner.  

I'm kinda afraid to ask but... "know that IBD (inflammatory bowel disease which includes Crohn's and ulcerative colitis) is an autoimmune disorder and is a much, much bigger deal than IBS."... How is it a bigger deal?(I read it wasn't fatal)

[julieasc]

Crohn's symptoms includes bloody diarrhea, severe weight loss, a severe urgency to use the restroom, severe belly pain, and other GI specific problems.  Once the problem is really bad, then there is fever, joint pain, and other things the body does to react to an immune system that isn't working correctly.  You can find more information here: http://www.ccfa.org/info/about/crohns. (I love that site!) If your symptoms seem like those mentioned on the ccfa website, then I recommend seeing a doctor who can give you a diagnosis and get you on medicine that works. (I recommend seeing a doc anyway. You certainly want all those symptoms under control.)  Regarding IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), it is not anything like Crohn's except they have to do with the GI tract.  Putting them in the same sentence is a common mistake to people who don't know better, but please, please, please know that IBD (inflammatory bowel disease which includes Crohn's and ulcerative colitis) is an autoimmune disorder and is a much, much bigger deal than IBS.

[yankeerose1970]

Proctitis can not lead to Crohn's.  However, one with Crohn's can have proctitis.