Crohn's disease?

[Miti333]

Hi! Does giardiasis increase faecal calprotectin to 400?

[willow24 Administrator]

Hi, yes it will. faecal calprotectin detects the number of white cells that are shed in the bowel during inflammation. As gardiasis is an infection of small intestine it will cause inflammation and increse in white cells as a natural response to the infection.

hope this helps

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Thank you wiĺlow. In fact, my problem begun in april this year with a pain in my rect. I was at a surgeon for a check and she said i have haemoroids and she gave me a treatment for that. After a week my pain was still there. She checked me again and she said that i have an anal fissure this time. After 2 months i had cramps during the night ,nausea,4-5 stools per,lost 3-4 kilos and fatigue. Went to a gastro and she said i have ibs, she gave me a treatment with normix and another pills. During the treatment my stools were 1-2 per day but still had nausea and fatigue. She told me to do some tests like faecal calprotectin and another usual tests. All the tests were good except faecal calprotectin which were 197. In this time i had a low grade fever. After that i had a colonoscopy which was clear. I also repeat faecal calprotectin and i had 400. And although giardia. Doctor told me i might have high calprotectin because of giardiasis. All this time i had a low grade fever, about 2 months. I had endoscopic capsule and this was clear, too. Started acupuncture and since there my fever was finished. I want to tell you that i still have my rect pain, the fissure doesn't heal with all the treatment that i used even nitroglicerine. I have also anal skin tags. I'm afraid i have an incipient crohn's disease. What do you think? Want to tell you i have a surged thyroid since 2002 and biermer anaemia. Are you cooperate with a doctoctor,willow? Thank you.

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

They usually do biopsies with an colonascopy, and these show differences in the cells of bowel tissue.

Have you had bloods done to check inflammatory markers

Also are bowels diarrhoea still or is it constipation?

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Hi willow. They took me biopsy from my rect (one tissue ) and from my descendig colon (one tissue). From the colon they found focal acute colitis. What kind of inflamatory markers you mean?

My stools are soft but i had all the time problems with bowels. They kind of explosive. Maybe because of my atrophic gastritis.

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

inflammatory markers are the blood tests ESR and CRP, these show if there is acute and chronic inflammation in the body x

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Thank you willow. They're always good. But i read that faecal calprotectin is more specific marker than ESR and CRP for Crohn's disease. I'm afraid that i have crohn's at the begin to the anal area. I know this form it's more rare but it's not impossible. Can 't forget all of my symptomes this year :low grade fever and i have a pain to apendix area. Sorry that i insist but i'm so confused. What do you think?

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

I have crohns of rectum too so I understand where your coming from, mine started in the slenic flexure which is upper left corner of abdo, it developed from there down to rectum, then other way into small bowel.

Blood tests are useful to show flare ups and remission, and are a cheaper way of monitoring a patient. unfortunately things like a cold or illness will also raise the inflammatory markers whereas calprotectin is bowel specific.

I think you need to insist a full colonoscopy with biopsies xx

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Hi willow. I had a full colonoscopy but no biopsies because dr said everything is clear and it's no sign of crohn's. After I had an mri whith contrast substance and was clear, after that i had a sigmoidoscopy with 2 biopsies :one from rectum and one from sigmoid colon. The one from rectum was clear and the other from sigmoid colon said focal acute colitis (their opinion was it might be because of enema ). After that i had capsule for small intestine and was clear. Do you think it's enough? I'm afraid i have anal crohn's because there started my problem on April this year and i still have anal pain, burning after bowel movements, the anal fissure doesn't heal at all . Do you think if i had crohn's it had to reaveal at the rectum biopsy? But i read that in crohn's the rectum is not involved, more anal area. What do you think? I'm sorry i'm so insistent and i want to thank you very much for your replies.

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

When rectum and large bowel is affected iots called crohns colitis, it is very similar to ulcerative colitis but there are diferrences which biopsies show and how they are diagnosed. Biopsies will show altered cell structure etc even if crohns is not active, so if result normal it is not crohns.

Enemas etc can cause irritation as well as constipation/ infection, so fingers crossed thats what caused the inflammation.

If MRI, scope and biopsies have not suggested crohns then it is unlikely that is what it is.

It may be worth taking a stool softener so the anus is not being stretched on passing stools. This will hopefully give time for fissure to heal, and stop the rectal discomfort - haemorrhoids can be extremely painful.

you could also ask GP if you could try some steroid enemas, if there is any inflammation there then this will help

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Thank you very much willow. I will try to tell my GP about steroid enema . Also they say i have to repeat faecal calprotectin as it was 400 last time. Wish you all the best! I'm curious to know your story. Is it anywhere to read about it?

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

I think iv put a bit here and there in responses to posts but I started being ill when I was 15, episodes only lasted for few weeks and months apart so it was always put down as stomach bugs. At 17 I was really ill and GP started saying it was in my head after stool samples showed no bugs like salmonella. By chance I had to mae an emergency appointment and saw my brothers GP (he had been diagnosed with crohns the year before) He had me urgently referred to Gastro where a colonoscopy showed crohns colitis. Symptoms were extreme diarrhoea - going 20+ times day and night with blood and mucus, pain, and weight loss.

I was put on medication and steroids and went several years with remissions and flare ups. Each time treated with steriods that made me shit nuts! It wasnt til I changed consultants to a different NHS trust and he told me I suffer with steroid psychosis! so to avoid at all costs lol.

Over the years I have developed inflammatory arthritis due to the crohns, so I am also under care of reheumatology

Iv battled through flare ups but the biologics have been the best at keeping me in remission (except when I was pregnant - I felt amazing), however due to drug induced lupus and skin lesions I have had to stop.

Currently getting over a flare, had oral methotrexate changed to injection for better absorption, blood results improved but faecal calprotectin 600 - so still room for improvement

Fatigue is a major issue and you will find most people with IBD suffer with this.

Im 44 now so Id like to say Im an expert in IBD, but Im still learning things from other forum users and research (Research is always shedding new light) and with all this info as well as my nursing knowledge, I can share and offer advice with everyone.

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Thank you willow for sharing your story. Wish you all the best to you and your family .

P.S: I'm so afraid to repeat faecal calprotectin. It's hard to live with Damocles sword above your head. But guess i have to do it.

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

Its better to know than not know hun xx

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Yes you 're right. Hope we will have good news!

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

Il peep my finges crossed for you, and please keep me up to date with how things go x

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Thank you very much willow. You are so kind. Wish all the best for you. I'll keep you informed.

Do you still think giardiasis can increase so much faecal calprotectin( 400)?🤔

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

Yes as it causes inflammation in bowel, but do the 2nd test to be sure it is nothing else x

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Hi willow. Do you know how long does it take to the gut for healing after a giardiasis?

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

Im more than sure following treatment its about 2 - 6 weeks for things to settle down. It can occur longer, but this usually occurs in some people who haven't had any treatment

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Thank you willow . I'll let you know what wiil happening. ☺

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Hi willow. I've done faecal calprotectin and this time is 112. Inflamatory markers are good. What do you think?

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

Thats fab news, sounds like your almost over the giardiosis x

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Thank you very much willow. Do you think was not crohns?

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

it does seem as though all the problems were related to the giardiosis

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Thank you so much willow. Wished to be under 50. In crohns used to get higher or it can get lower, too?

[willow24 Administrator in reply to Miti333]

it lowers but only in remission and with medications specific to bowel disease. even in remission and on biologic medication mine has never been below 120

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Thank you willow. I'm just worried to be incipient crohns like a mild one.

[Miti333 in reply to willow24]

Hi willow.I just have a question for you:what do you think about healing program of Jini Patel Thompson? She has a book called "Listen to your gut"☺ Thank you.