• Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.

Transient intussusception?

Today I got the call that My CT scan came back with images of a transient intussusception, My GI dr has decided to do a mr enterography. Since the CT showed no signs of a lead point mass, and I have all of the other Crohn's symptoms except Fever, she is leaning towards crohn's, and the mr e should lead to that and Decide if surgery is needed to fix the Intussusception or if it will continue to resolve itself. It seems to be in a cycle of intussusception for days, accompanies by debilitating pain, to the point that I can't stand, sit, or lay down to get comfortable, Then it resolves itself after a day or 2 of not being able to eat it will resolve itself. So I feel better and eat a small meal (normally less then my 9 and 6 year old daughters) and with in minutes I'm back in pain and it lasts a day or two again. I lost 60lbs last year, and thanks to protein drinks, and breakfast essentials I have been able to stop the weight loss the last 3 months, but If I slack for a week, i will instantly loose 5 to 10 lbs and it will take me 3 or 4 weeks to gain it back. I can not get myself over 115 lbs. There is just no way I can take in enough calories to gain more weight, just barely maintain it. I originally made my appointment with the GI dr after what I thought was my final straw gallbladder attack. I thought the pain I had been feeling all year was just gallstones and I was waiting until Insurance kicked in to get it taken care of, then with in a few weeks of insurance day I went down at work. It felt like labor contractions in my right upper quadrant The ct scan showed a normal gallbladder. But a transient intussusception, that seemed to start to resolve itself in the delayed imaging. (right where my pain has been radiating from)
I am wondering if anyone else here has had intussusception and did it resolve itself, did your dr end up opting for surgery even if the intussusception was intermittent?
I'm not looking forward to changing my diet if I do get this new diagnosis of crohn's but if it helps at all with this daily pain I will try anything.
 

Trysha

Moderator
Staff member
Sorry to hear of your pain and worry with this diagnosis.
It may be necessary for surgery to find out why the intussusception is occurring and to stop it from happening.
Let’s hope the mr enterography will further your diagnosis and treatment.
Feel better soon
Trysha
 
Thanks Trysha, Its going to be a rough week waiting for more tests and then results after that. As I'm sure everyone here knows, this intestinal pain is unbearable. I have been working through the pain as much as I can (at about 50% productivity during flare up days). But was lucky to have the last week off due to health issues my daughter was having. But I have to go back to work tomorrow because it will be at least 3 weeks before I could get into surgery in good circunstances. And I have to make sure I'm making enough to pay my insurance premiums.
My GI didn't offer any pain management, I'm to the point of asking for it. But it really makes me feel like I'll look like a Junkie ( I'm about 1/3rd covered in tattoos) does anyone have any suggestions other then the 600 mg ibuprophen and 625 mg tylenol i've been using over the last 5 weeks of almost constant pain. It Barely touches it if I rotate 4 hour doses of them while awake.
 

Trysha

Moderator
Staff member
The wait times are very hard to take even harder when you have children to love and care for.
I don’t think ibuprofen is a good drug for people with GI issues you might want to check that out with the docs.
I think GI s are slow to treat pain issues and that can be very hard on us.
Your health insurance systems are not very patient friendly either in comparison to other countries.
Wish I could help you more
Feel better soon
 
The wait times are very hard to take even harder when you have children to love and care for.
I don’t think ibuprofen is a good drug for people with GI issues you might want to check that out with the docs.
I think GI s are slow to treat pain issues and that can be very hard on us.
Your health insurance systems are not very patient friendly either in comparison to other countries.
Wish I could help you more
Feel better soon
My GI asked what I was taking for the pain and I told her that I was using What I had left of a Prescription of 600 mg Ibuprofen, and she did't bat an eye, she suggested adding tylenol between doses if it wasn't cutting it by itself! I felt like that was an odd long term pain management, but she must have felt that it was better until she knew exactly what was going on.

eta: I have a friend with GI issues and she has told me that her docs waited almost 3 years after diagnosis to prescribe pain management, due to the fact that she will most likely be on it for the rest of her life. She switched drs once but realized it just slowed down the process.
 
I hope you get a diagnosis soon and can get on the road to recovery.
Thank You, Thats what I hate about the diagnosis of the intussusception, it only seems to lead to further possible causes. I want to side with my GI on it being Crohn's but I remember a month ago it was a Gallbladder attack.
 
Top