Symptoms

[WallFlower0610]

I'm new here... what symptom's did you have that made you go to the doctors?

[Biggie_McDick]

For me it was originally gas. I was burping and farting all day long.

Over the course of a couple of years i was referred to gastroenterology and after a colonoscopy I was diagnosed with Crohn's. Thankfully mine is mild so far, however, i'm being monitored by the team. Well, I was until lockdown

[Ceres777 in reply to Biggie_McDick]

Are you on meds? Or did you have to go to surgery?

[Biggie_McDick in reply to Ceres777]

Like I said, my symptoms are mild so far.

I've tried a couple of different drugs and the side effects were worse than the symptoms so I stopped them.

My consultant wasn't sure and is monitoring me. I was meant to go to the clinic the day after lockdown began, here in the UK. I dare say that I'll get called back in once we get to a new normal.

I sometimes feel like a bit of a fraud in this forum because my symptoms are so mild, however, even the mild symptoms can be pretty bad laid on top of my other health issues. Asthma and CFS being the main ones.

[Ceres777 in reply to Biggie_McDick]

True, even mild symptoms implies something big, but i hope it is not in the case of you. Are those drugs anti inflammatory?

[Biggie_McDick in reply to Ceres777]

To be honest I’m not too sure. It’s been a while. Budesonide and mercaptopurine.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Biggie_McDick]

So you didn't get any or all of the common symptoms?

[Biggie_McDick in reply to WallFlower0610]

Pain, wide variety in my stools but nothing major. That’s why I feel a bit of a fraud. Colonoscopy showed inflammation of the top end of the bowel and biopsy confirmed, hence the Crohn’s diagnosis.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Biggie_McDick]

I've not been diagnosed with it but I'm wondering if I have it with the symptoms I have.

[Biggie_McDick in reply to WallFlower0610]

Have you spoken to a doctor about it?

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Biggie_McDick]

No, don't really want to go to the doctors in this current climate

[Biggie_McDick in reply to WallFlower0610]

That's understandable. If you can;t talk on the phone I suggest that you go see them when we get to the new normal.

[Ceres777 in reply to WallFlower0610]

The doctors do appointment on phones. Just tell them your symptoms and if possible they will send you requisitions and you can go to the laboratory for tests. What other symptoms do you have?

[Ceres777 in reply to Biggie_McDick]

Where’s the location of pain? Is it upper abdomen or lower abdomen?

[Biggie_McDick in reply to Ceres777]

With me it’s upper abdomen usually

Occasionally it’s right down at my anus but that’s usually due to the consistency of my stools.

[Ceres777 in reply to Biggie_McDick]

Center of you mr upper abdomen? Im trying to self diagnose my self while waiting for my test results

[McFel in reply to Biggie_McDick]

What are your meds?

[Viklou]

I'd speak to the doctors they'll speak to you over the phone. No need to go anywhere. Explain to them your symptoms and they'll arrange if they think you need further testing.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Viklou]

I just have a feeling they’d brush me off

[Viklou in reply to WallFlower0610]

I'm sure they wouldn't. Just give them a call. At least they could put your mind at ease. Not sure what your symptoms are but discussing them with a doctor is the best thing to do.

[DeeSending]

Hello there,

I have had problems for over 30 years with reoccurring polyps, very loose stools, pain in bowels, gut and general weakness. After 3 gastro medics and lots of I don't know, I have a brilliant specialist who diagnosed ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. I have, no doubt had this lot all along. Also discovered was a bad bacteria and a couple of virus that were tagging along for the ride. I had a faecal micribiome transplant with great success. During the undiagnosed years I have had many bouts of UTI and thrush. Misery. My current Gastroboy is a wonder. I am on 3 drugs which work together to manage my IBD diseases and I have been stable for 18 months. A few dietary things which help me are: no alcohol and no coffee or chocolate; keep roughage to a minimum; keep off any fruit that causes the trots (in my case stone fruit); eat smaller quantities. As a cook, I find this regime easy as there an enormous variety of food I can enjoy.

I have to add that I have other health problems including PF and organizing pneumonia which are coupled with IBD. I need to manage my whole body. Everything is connected.

Find the best gastro medic available and have a really good discussion about all your body issues. My specialist loves to communicate and says that the patient's input is 50% of the cure. A marvel. In my experience only a handful of medics find the time to relate to the patient openly and are willing to listen to the patient's story.

Cheers and stay safe

Dee

[Ceres777 in reply to DeeSending]

Thats painful , sad to know you’ve been tolerating it for 30 years. Anyways, glad you are better now

[Amethyst1986]

I had bloating, nausea, pain, constipation and diarrhoea. I’ve had a colonoscopy and a sigmoidoscopy. I’ve now been diagnosed with patchy pan ulcerative colitis. I’m on Asacol now and seem to be helping. If I have a flare up, I take steroids.

It did take a very long time to get the diagnosis, as one dr just told me to try a low Fod map diet and I kept being palmed off. I then went to another dr who finally asked me to do a faecal test, which showed up that I had inflammation. I now have a nurse who I can email about any questions or worries I might have. Is most definitely beneficial going to the drs.

[Skye22]

2015 I had a bad haemmorage from my colon diagnosis colitis hospital stay 10 days. Was referred to a specialist bladder/Bowel physio for urinary incontinence and initial Bowel investigations as was having difficulty having a Bowel motion.

Had every test you can think of, diagnosis, levator-ani syndrome, Dysfunctional Bowel, bladder and severe pelvic spasms. It was explained that all these symptoms are related to one another.

Have fantastic medical team who communicate with each other and myself in supporting me managing my Conditions.

Levator-ani syndrome causes my pubirectalis muscles to "lock" so cannot have independent Bowel motions. Treatments are daily trans-anal irrigation, anti-spasmodic,pain meds, botox injections into pelvic floor, bladder injections and trigger point vaginal treatment with my physio.

Despit all of this I try to live as normally as possible. Thare are days where I can hardly get out of bed but equally I celebrate the good days by going for a walk and before covid isolation retail therapy.!!!

Dont be afraid to phone your doctor who can refer you on to relative specialists. It's better to find out than worry what it could be. The body is a complex machine which can have many broken parts you just need to find out what.

Good luck and wish you good health!! Stay strong.

[Cherylvit]

What makes me go to the doctor was when symptoms gets to the point it interferes with my life and persist over a period of weeks or months that it isn’t showing any signs going away. Oh and the severity can I live a normal live and function in society? Burning in the pit of my stomach with nausea and severe pain and nothing OTC would ease the pain nor put out the fire in the pit of my stomach. Severe back pain too would go away on its own nor any OTC pain pills would even touch it. Long story short gallbladder stopped working and had to come out. Then Loratabs took the pain 💯% away. Later was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and CFS and over the years stomach issues from GERD, gall stones, esophageal spasms, Barrett’s esophagus, achalasia, to just name what I can recall right off hand oh ulcerative colitis which is in deep remission. So that is what brought me to the doctor was symptoms that wouldn’t go away and got bad enough to interfere with life. This was back in 94 so been seeing a doctor on a regular basis ever since.