So I've had the sigmoidoscopy today but there were some things that quizzed me and the nurses. They asked for my story before going in for the procedure and as I explained the A&E situation they were puzzled why I was referred for a sigmoidoscopy as it only sees part of the bowel. The guy who did the procedure said the same and couldn't explain the anaemia or the very low iron levels. He said potentially this could be my periods but there's been no significant change in them I have endometriosis so I think that was their fall to.
Anyways after the procedure they have given me a leaflet on IBS and sent me on my way. I have a couple of small haemorrhoids lower bowel is clear, pink and shiny. I know no news is good news but I can't get over the fact how confused they were when they heard my story.
Can anyone give any advice? Should I go back to my GP and request a full colonoscopy or give this diet sheet a try for possible IBS?
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Leenie0811
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Hi I was wondering how you got on!! Definitely ask for a colonoscopy. My small bowel was clear but my large bowel inflamed with active Crohn's around my stoma.its quite typical for them to do half a job!! Sorry sweetie but I think sometimes they're too busy and too tired to think properly. You take control and get it checked out.
Thank you for the information do you think I should try the IBS diet or just go back to my GP and say about the confusion with the sigmoidoscopy and the colonoscopy? I'm so confused right now I don't know what to do xxx
I would follow the diet any way if I was you and make an appointment with your doctor to talk about having a colonoscopy. You need to have it all checked out.
I'm sorry, I haven't read your other posts, but have you had UC/Crohns symptoms, or just the anaemia and low iron? As another poster said, you may have issues higher up, so follow the diet to see if it improves your symptoms (if you have any obvious ones).
Trick is, if you do have an issue, you may have trouble absorbing nutrients, so they need to establish why you're suddenly anaemic and have low iron. Have you had regular blood checks for comparison? Could you have been losing iron (presumably through blood loss) for some time? Because if you can't absorb because of a bowel issue, then even low level loss will have marked effect.
Everyone is different, but for example, I got bloods checked in Oct: Fe was low but in normal range. I started to feel odd recently, so went for a check. Fe was at 3.9. I had an iron infusion this week (I can't absorb because of the surgery I had to have). So 4 months, no obvious blood loss (so low level - I'm a bloke, so don't lose any through periods) and my iron levels plummeted.
However, if you haven't had regular blood checks (say, quarterly), they won't be able to see where you were and how quickly you dropped.
Yes I have other symptoms stomach ache any time of day it's not triggered when I eat or haven't eaten in a while. Constipation and diarrhoea but mainly loose stools, sometimes I need to go suddenly I get blood black spots and mucus in there too. Stomach pains can make me feel really sick too and I've lost a little bit of weight too I'm not sure exactly how much but my clothes are getting looser.
I had my bloods done at the hospital they said I was anaemic there and iron was low too I didn't get the figures but I was tested again in Feb and my GP prescribed me iron tablets. She wasn't happy the hospital didn't give me any when I was there because of the very low levels.
I don't know if this is relative to the problems but since it's all been happening my memory is terrible and I get a cloudy head I can't think properly a lot of the time and get really confused. I'm going to start a diary to record food and symptoms,
I have the same problem with my memory since being diagnosed. Brain fog they call it I believe!! At worst it's embarrassing sometimes 😬But you will find it happens to lots of people with IBD. That's why I always write things down in a book I have after each consultation. It's like you have cotton wool in your head!! I'm not sure if I mentioned it to you before but just go to your doctors and ask for print outs of your blood tests that way you can check your levels yourself. You are allowed to do this.
Yeah I am making an appointment to have my thyroid levels checked again that's another thing they have to keep checking as it's borderline underactive. When I go to make the appointment tomorrow I'm going to ask reception if they can get them for me I just want the results from any bloods/stool samples from December onwards. Be good to see them myself and see what's happening because at the moment it's all so confusing. I hear you with the embarrassment of memory loss my partner thinks I'm just not paying attention to anything he says. It's put quite a strain on the relationship at the moment.
Aww really I'm sorry to hear that!! My partner makes light of it because he's just as bad😬😬but he accepts I'm not always switched on because of my illness. I think he prefers it to be honest because if I'm feeling ok I nag him to get stuff done😂😂 he's my hero though and he makes me laugh sometimes when I don't think I can. You've probably seen Marz on the thyroid forum and she's brilliant at knowing what your levels should be and what to look out for. Try let us know what you think about your blood results when you get them.
I think it's just all so new to him so it's hard to take everything in when I don't know what's going on it's hard to explain to him whose got no control over anything all he wants is for me to be better. Things will start looking up soon I hope 🤞🏼
Yes I understand, it's a long hard slog just to get a diagnosis. I actually felt like a hypercondriac before I found out what was wrong with me. So fingers crossed and lots of prayers that you find out soon and can start getting some treatment.
Again, symptoms can differ person to person. My bowel symptoms have never hurt, they just happened. At worse, I would describe my cramps/noises etc as embarrassing and occasionally debilitating (because it feels like you don't want to move about).
I personally never got on with iron tablets. Because IBS/IBD can affect absorption, iron tablets can be tricky (and turn your pooh black). I ended up using Spatone sachets in fruit juice.
The memory clouding is something I've heard on another site I keep tabs on - the APS ("Sticky Blood" or Hughes Syndrome) site. APS is another linked condition, but surprisingly little is known by a lot of medical practitioners.
I'm not suggesting you have APS (I was diagnosed after recreated DVTs), but a fairly obvious couple of questions to answer/symptoms to fix:
How/why are you anaemic?
Where's the blood loss from?
Do the iron tablets work?
Are you able to maintain your Fe levels.
It's fine finding you are anaemic and prescribing iron, but it might not work if your having IBD/IBS issues and can't absorb the iron properly. And it doesn't fix the underlying blood loss.
Keeping a diary of everything, especially the discussions/outcomes from your GP and any hopsital/specialist appointments will helprovide you keep track and ensure nothing is missed or forgotten or taken for granted as having happened.
Thank you for all the information I really appreciate it I've started to write stuff down with a food and symptom diary because I just cant get all the info in my head these days. Those questions are so helpful too I'm defo going to ask my GP it seems everyone has a hard time getting answers for health conditions. I'm just going to go armed with everything I can because it's getting stupid now so many appointments and not enough answers 😕
My holistic grand view - your GP is not a specialist: General Practitioner. So they'll refer you to a specialist, based on your symptoms. They'll decide which specialist. But if there's other symptoms, that might mean another specialist. Getting to see each one can take time, then those guys referring notes to each other... meanwhile, brain melts with the info, wait a few months to the next appointment and you can't remember what you said to who!
Ino my experience, they will all work their hardest to fix you, but see hundreds of other patients, on 20 minutes appointment slots, so need some help fixing who you are, what's happened, what you've done so far...
Thanks for the reassurance I think I'm just having a bad day today haven't been able to get out of the house or any of my jobs done just gonna keep pushing on with everything and keep going 👍🏼
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Sigmoidoscopy?
Please help? Does this sound like IBD? 
Crohns colitis but then told it's not advice badly needed please!!!!
An update on colonoscopy 
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