FAECAL CALPROTECTIN > 6000 - panicking !!

[stellexxx0]

Hi all

Just looking for someone to calm me down a bit if that is possible.

I currently have GERD and IBS but started to get a change in bowel habits a month ago. This involved not going for a few days, then going loads and some blood. I also have a pain on my right side and extreme tiredness.

Went to the docs who felt the stomach and it hurt when pressed on the right side. The doc then starts ordering scans, blood tests, calprotectin stool test and cancer test !!!

Trying to stay calm but just checked online and my faecal calprotectin has come back at 6000 !!! Panicking is not the word.

Can anyone please advise me.

[Valbaty54]

Hi, Your calprotectin is very high, as you may have realised! Mine's been 4000 even when on IBD meds. You had a good selection of tests and it suggests you have inflammation in the bowel. A colonoscopy may be next to actually see what's going on. In the meantime, try not to panic - they are on the case!

[stellexxx0 in reply to Valbaty54]

Thank you for replying. Trying not to panic but so hard not to. I keep reminding myself that others like yourself have been here and the docs will find out the problem.

[Lanadc88]

A level so high indicates inflammation rather than the big C I was told this when my results came back at 2228 and I freaked out with a history of bowel cancer in the family however my doctor told me if it was anything like that they’d expect the levels to be around the 200 mark not into the thousands so I hope that settles your mind a bit. Your bowels probably just playing silly buggers as they do and you caught it at a particularly bad time. Some Ibd meds and you’ll be on the mend don’t panic, stress makes things worse

[stellexxx0 in reply to Lanadc88]

Thank you. It really helps to hear this. I am starting to panic less

[32malewithcolitis in reply to Lanadc88]

Is that the case? Mine was 960 and after steroids it’s gone down to 108 and seems to be staying around that mark, I get mucus most days and lower right discomfort and was worried about cancer, but they’re not due to the calprotectin lowering even though I still have symptoms

[Lanadc88 in reply to 32malewithcolitis]

A calprotectin over 50 is considered high so your symptoms could be that or even ibs in relation to pain Iv never been symptom free for over 18 months now however medication has improved it no end

[32malewithcolitis in reply to Lanadc88]

I thought that. She said anything under 200 they wouldn’t street for colitis and said it’s just an ongoing mild bout of inflammation so just taking my usual colitis meds

It went down to 4 during treatment then went upto 123 after, then down to 108 a month later

They said also often that IBD patients have a raised calprotectin compared to someone without IBD

[Lanadc88]

Yeah it’s all great fun for us lol

[40femaleFC6000FIT65]

Hope you are all doing well. I am new on here as recently had change in BM (bright yellow loose and more urgency and frequency), cramps, acid... GP did FIT (65) and Calpro (6000) and referred to 2WW for lower GI clinic.

Being anxious and impatient as NHS currently has a huge Covid backlog, I went private and saw the consultant yesterday who did sigmoidoscopy and found nothing bar a small internal hemmeroid.

Did blood test awaiting results and awaiting gastroscopy, colonoscopy and CT. If no luck, then capsule camera to check small bowel.

Asked if worth repeating stool tests as samples were taken after having foreign food that I clearly had a reaction to but Doc didnt think that would change anything.

Feel like I am in good hands but still really worried with such high calpro level. Does calpro in thousands correlate with malignancy or severity of IBD? Constant stomach fullness and burning up to the throat. Can’t tell if underlying symptoms or anxiety.

Finding this forum really helpful to share experience!