Undiagnosed

Hi All,

My name is Stuart.

I thought I'd introduce myself and try and get some understanding with what is going on with me at the moment. Everything is very unclear, up in the air and confusing for me, so maybe someone can help and ease my mind.

I have a few symptoms that may or not be related.

I guess, this whole thing started at the beginning of this year.

I started feeling itchy. If you rub my skin it will turn red (no raised) but my whole body feels wrong with it hits hard.
Eczema developed on my anus.
My face gained red patches on the cheeks and forehead (mild and controlled with cream)
And occasionally my knees will ache (stopped when I began getting the train to work)
The above has continued, although anti-histamines have helped with the skin.

Then, probably about 5 months ago I started getting a bit of blood on my toilet paper. I originally thought it was an internal pile. It continued so I went for medical attention.

Nearly 2 months ago I got an inflamed eye. This is being controlled by steroids at present.

1 month ago I had a sigmoidoscopy, which was inconclusive but showed bleeding and some inflammation.

The doctor then called me up and said it could be crohns or UC.. but I will need a colonoscopy to determine what it is.

So that is where I am now. Stuck on no medication, completely unsure of what I have, with a bunch of symptoms that may or may not be related. Feeling lie crap.

I will say however, I have not felt any pain from my gut and although my stool is bloody and has some mucus, it is not very 'diarrhea' ridden. Everything is under control and I go to to the toilet 1 or 2 times a day.


I feel really frustrated at the moment; my skin is really uncomfortable and nothing seems to be working to make it better.Plus there is an underlying anxiety of what is wrong and what I should do.

If anyone has experience anything similar to this, I would really like to hear your thoughts.

Thanks a lot,

Stuart

Hi Stuart and glad you found us. Sorry to hear you are having these annoying and worrying symptoms. Loads of us have been where you are and can empathise with the awful waiting for appointments, tests, results etc.
Do you have a date for the colonoscopy? Hopefully that will get you some answers and a treatment plan.
Some of your symptoms could be Crohns related and many of us were diagnosed without classic symptoms. The colonoscopy is one of the best means of confirming if it's IBD or not.
Have you had a look in the Undiagnosed subforum? There are many members over there in the same boat and they're a very friendly bunch

Hi Stuart and welcome. I'm so sorry you're having to go through all of this, I know it's tough

You don't have to have diarrhea to have IBD, plenty here are more constipated than anything. IF it is IBD, your extraintestinal manifestations (the not gut symptoms) are possibly due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. That an antihistamine helped with your skin is interesting though. When they do the colonoscopy, request that the doctor have your biopsies stained for mast cells to test for mastocytic enterocolitis (you may want to look that up). Few GIs stain for it but I think it could be useful to rule out in your case since the antihistamines help. You may even need to take in a printout about it as many GIs haven't even heart of it.

I wish you all the best. Please keep us updated!