Symptons, I need some help!

Hey Guys,

My name is Brittany. I haven't been diagnosed with Crohn's disease but everyone is thinking it's a high possibility.

It all started about 3 years ago just before my 21st, I was in severe amounts of pain in my lower abdomen on the right hand side, I was suffering from chronic diarrhea but no vomiting. I was taken to emergency and stayed over night, I had blood tests, I was doped up on pain killers and monitored overnight suspecting I had appendicitis. Tests came back normal, they sent me home with strong pain killers and told to me to rest for the week. Anyway I was out for my 21st and drinking seemed to ease the pain obviously because that's what alcohol does - the next day I was back in hospital because the pain was extreme at this stage, I had internal ultrasounds and so forth, nothing showed. They sent me home again with more pain killers and just told me to monitor the pain. Woo modern medicine.
Any way - the pain has been persistent for the past 3 years, there always seems to be a dull ache in my abdomen and my bowel movements have never been normal since I can remember, I'm usually suffering from diarrhea or I am constipated, when I was young I was diagnosed with IBS which was wrong because later in life they discovered my food intolerance's. I eat as healthy as I can avoiding what I can't eat.
Now over the last 3 weeks things seem to be getting worse, I ended up back in hospital 2 weekends ago due to extreme pain and vomiting again they thought it must be appendicitis, did more tests nothing showed and back home I went. At the moment I am struggling to eat anything without experiencing nausea or it causing extreme pain. So right now I'm currently avoiding food unless I desperately need it and my stomach feels like its blocked I guess that's the best way to describe in on the lower right hand side, but yet I still have diarrhea and very sharp pains. I am exhausted all the time and getting so over this.
I would love to know what everyone else has experienced symptom wise - as all the stuff I have researched on google is just so broad and I swear the doctors are slowly starting to think I am making this up. Not to mention I have/still am losing a fair amount of weight!

Thanks guys!

Love B

xo

PS: Sorry about the spelling mistake in the heading. Symptoms I meant! hehe

Welcome to the forum.

We are from Melbourne also my daughter was dx with crohn on 25 January.

Have you an appointment with a gi? We got answers very quickly after our gi appointment.

Hello Brittany and welcome to the forum. I would say you need to get onto your GP and ask them to sort a referral out to a GI doc. Further testing definetly needs to be done to find out why you are having these problems, a colonoscopy for example is not the most pleasant of things but this can be really good and getting a proper picture of what is going on inside the bowel and biospies can also be taken which can help towards a definitive diagnosis. Do you know what type of blood tests have been carried out so far for you?

Also do check out our undiagnosed forum, there is a great bunch here to also have a chat with about where to go from here: http://www.crohnsforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=75.

AB
xx

Hi Brittany, I was diagnosed with CD over 12 years ago and went thru the exact same thing as you are. I had a number of tests done and all came back normal even though I had a continuous temp and was in pain and also had pain in my rectum. They chalked that up to hemorrhoids. A friend of mine worked for a Dr and had me see him instead of the Dr's I was seeing. He immediately sent me to see a surgeon and I was admitted asap, of course they did a ton of tests (MRI's, catscans, etc.) FINALLY I had a colonoscopy done and sure enough I was diagnosed with CD! Seems like it took forever! Push your doctor to have that done!

Hope things work out for you!
Klutzytracy

DX: Crohn's 2000
Surgery: Temp -Illeostomy March 2012
Current Meds: Cimzia, Immuran, Nexium, Flagyl, Percocet
Previous meds: 6-MP, Prednsone, Remicade (didn't work for me) Asacol

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the info, I'm going to the hospital on Monday to be retested with my food allergies, which I think is a total waste of time, but anyway it's a start! I've then got another doc's appointment to get a referral to a GI! Fingers crossed I get in fast and figure out what the hell is going on! I'll keep you all posted!

xo

Good luck, Brittany! let us know how it goes. When I was finally diagnosed in February 2012 (yes I'm a newbie too at age 39), it was quite depressing, knowing it would be a lifelong struggle. But my diagnosis brought about a surprising relief, too... at least I had a name for my condition... rather than constantly wondering.

My family have been super supportive. As a result of my symptoms, I was forced to leave my job because I would go days - sometimes weeks - being bedridden, just steps from my trusty toilet. I now live with my parents, who have embraced me and my old friend Crohn's.

I monitor my diet carefully - no nuts, no whole grains, not too much roughage. I've cut out soda and cruciferous veggies like brussels sprouts and cabbage. No popcorn (boo hoo). I subsist on Yoplait Whips (which are FABULOUS frozen), jello, seafood, and fork-tender veggies. LOTS of vitamin supplements. Ensure drinks... the non-dairy kind.

I feel for you, Brittany, and I can tell you that this forum has been very informative.

Join a support group when your diagnosis comes in. Trust me, as relieved as you'll be to finally have it, there are some emotions which will flood you... late at night when you're alone which could potentially cause depression. Don't let it overtake you, which I realize is easier said than done when you are bedridden with only your thoughts to keep you company.

Good luck. I hope you find remission soon.

Deborah

Yeah need to have a meeting with a GI to get some tests done that a hospital will not do. I recommend controlling the portion size of your foods and going on the low residue diet if you feel like you have a blockage. Good luck and dont let them tell you whats wrong with you, you tell them whats wrong with you!

What general area of Melbourne are you in and what hospital are you using? Our gi recommends Monash or Dandenong and to stay away from the Angus which is where we went prior to dx. I know some of this is due to the network he works at and how easy he can obtain records of visits.

Hi, Brittany. I have lived with Crohn's for almoxt 40 years My first symptoms were severe pain in my lower abdomen which actually seem to move from side to side and back to back. I could not eat anything because the just the smell of cooked food would send me to the bathroom. I'm 6'2" and now weigh 137 pounds and when i had my surgeries i was down to 128 pounds and had several fistulas.