Question on Crohn's disease

Avatar for luvwink
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Question on Crohn's disease
4
Tue, 02-08-2005 - 9:23am

I'm fairly new to the board and would appreciate some input. I know a couple of you on this board have Crohn's disease. So I thought I'd ask the experts.

I had my gallbladder removed a couple of weeks ago. I had been having terrible pain for a couple of months and they found stones. During the surgery, they discovered that my ileum (last part of small intestine) was inflamed. Therefore, they went ahead and removed the gallbladder and referred me to a GI for further review.

I just went to the GI yesterday. Symptoms are still abdominal pain (burning and cramping which comes and goes), some nausea during the pain, and back pain. No diarrhea, no severe constipation, minimal bloating. I lost 5 pounds after the surgery because I've cut my food intake in half to be careful. Before even completing any tests, he says he thinks it is Crohn's disease. I asked if he thought it could be some sort of bowel obstruction and he replied, "It could be cause people with Crohn's get those." Can you tell I didn't really like his bedside manner.

My question is, I don't seem to have too many of the actual symptoms of Crohn's. How can he just diagnose me with Crohn's and be so sure. Of course, I'm having some further testing done but in the meantime, he's put me on Entocort. If they do find that it is Crohn's, I will for sure find another GI for the long term. But in the meantime, I will stay with him since it takes forever to get appointments and I am still in pain.

How was your diagnosis made? What symptoms did you initially have? Any input would be appreaciated as you can tell I'm stressed about this. Thanks for your help!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Tue, 02-08-2005 - 2:19pm

Hi luvwink!


Welcome to the board!

 
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Tue, 02-08-2005 - 3:14pm

Hi and Welcome to iVillage and to this Board, luvwink


Well it looks like Lynn has offered you some great information and plenty of questions to ask your doctors.
She is more on this one of Crohns.

thflowers-hahd23222.gif picture by Wren53B

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Tue, 02-08-2005 - 3:16pm

Lynn,

thflowers-hahd23222.gif picture by Wren53B

Avatar for luvwink
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 02-08-2005 - 3:39pm

You guys have great advice. I am going to stick with this doctor thru the first couple of tests (only because it could be another month before I could get in to another GI). One of my friends saw a GI she liked, so I would probably go to him if I need a GI long-term. I will be sure to ask him a lot of the questions mentioned.

Lynn, what kind of abdominal pains do you have? Mine mostly feeling like a burning/cramping in my stomach. Sometimes the pain spreads to the sides and around to the back. They come on (pretty colicky) then subside, sometimes for an hour or two. They only last 2-5 minutes normally. This is what my initial doctor termed waistline pain which she attributed to my terrible gallbladder. Of course, now that is gone. :) These pains started in December. They seem to be slightly better since my gallbladder has been gone, but not a lot. I am not having any diarrhea, more the other extreme.

Hope you are handling your flare up well. It doesn't sound fun and if it's worse than what I have right now, I can't even imagine.
Jo