Waiting for urgent colonoscopy..

newbie18892

Hi, i'm a woman in my late twenties. I've been having some gastro issues for the past year or so that have escalated in the past few months. I get awful stomach pain (worse after eating anything), my bowel movements have become more frequent (gone from 1 every other day to 2-3 times per day or more sometimes) and nearly every time i poop there is blood or mucus on the toilet paper. Bowel movements are agonisingly painful for me too.

I've had a normal ultrasound, normal CT scan, and normal bloods done.

I was referred by my GP for a colonoscopy and that is due to happen in April. However, earlier this week I had quite a bad bleed after a bowel movement (more akin to an amount of blood you would get during a period and with blood clots on the tissue too) so I went to see my doctor and she has sent a referral for an urgent colonoscopy instead. The GP suggested that she thinks its UC or Crohn's but she can't be sure until the colonoscopy is done. She put me on antibiotics and steroids for the meantime.

I have family history of both UC and Crohn's (my dad, his brother, and his mother). I'm worried sick that that is what this is. Did anyone here have a similiar experience to mine? I'm worried sick.

Supercell

OP, I had similar symptoms to you before i had my (first) colonoscopy. I was diagnosed wit UC, its not the end of the world. For me at least it comes and goes, at least now I know what it is when an episode is coming i immedialy get super strict with my diet (basically no sugar, nothing with any strong flavours, no alcohol, and low fibre). There are also medications that will help greatly too.

My recommendation for the proceedure - take any sedation they are offering, its not pleasant to be awake during it and dont over think it.

GoogleBot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058234798/waiting-for-urgent-colonoscopy

You have to seriously evaluate your diet as well.

My mother, friend use to have a similar issue. Eventually she reversed disease by completely eliminating processed and high inflammatory foods. Cooking oil, bread, milk, yogurts, sausages, refine sugar, sucrose, etc.

She only buys low/medium GI (glycemic index) food

OP, I absolutely feel your pain & distress. I am now 60, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in my early thirties, a fair few symptoms for years before. Went through years of discomfort and uncertainty, even impossibly painful sex which turned out to be from internal adhesions. Six years ago I underwent a full colectomy, with ileostomy, restored my health. Of course a stoma comes with some occasional practical issues (invariably if I rush a bag application!) , but overall nothing compared to the more than occasional issues that are served up by Ulcerative Colitis. The surgery revolutionised my life in every single way and I was able to reset every nice life experience back decades as far as I’m concerned 😉 I hope you get your health back & personally speaking I would never hesitate to consider surgery in the case of UC.

newbie18892

Thanks for the replies. I've been given an appointment for the colonoscopy in two weeks time. I'm nervous (never had a scope before) but hoping I get some answers. it has put my mind at ease a bit hearing how others have handled being diagnosed with UC and living with it.

I was diagnosed with UC last year. I was in a bad way at the time but a course of steroids cleared things up. It kicked off again late last year and I needed more steroids.

Now I'm injecting myself with Amgevita once every two weeks. No symptoms since last October. Hopefully stays that way

woodchuck

I was diagnosed with Crohn's last year. My experience was a little different to yours. I wasn't experiencing diarrhoea at the time (I have in the past though, including one bloody bout). I was experiencing perianal issues - what I thought was a bad case of hemorrhoids that wouldn't clear up and had a lot of discharge. The medication they gave me didn't help, so they put in a referral through the public system. In the meantime, my symptoms got worst. I went back to my GP practice, seeing a different doctor this time. She had a closer look and suspected I had a fistula and encouraged me to go the private route with my insurance to get it seen to more quickly.

The colorectal surgeon confirmed it was a fistula. They did a colonoscopy and pelvic MRI, and I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease too. My treatment has been focused on the fistula and the medication has been brilliant to clear up the symptoms. I'm coming off the medication shortly and I'm nervous about the possibility of the symptoms coming back. I guess if that happens, I'll just need to go back back on the meds.

I saw a dietitian too. But because I'm not having any gastro issues at the moment, I just need to stick to a healthy balanced diet for now (and avoid foods that I know I'm intolerant to - egg, avocado, bananas, mushroom). She gave me information about what kind of diet I should try if I have a flare with diarrhoea though.

I also have abdominal pains from time to time, so I've asked my GP to refer me to a gastroenterologist. I'm on a public waiting list for that, but if things get worst, I might need to go the private route again to speed things up.

I'm still coming to terms with the diagnosis to be honest. I feel in reasonably good health at the moment, but I'm aware that that might not always be the case and it's kind of terrifying. I've been doing a lot of reading about Crohn's, but I'm trying to find a balance between arming myself with knowledge and freaking myself out!

I hope everything goes ok for you!

newbie18892

Hi folks. Thanks for all the responses. I wanted to give an update. So, I finally had my colonoscopy a couple of days ago. I was told after that the results were normal and that they took 2 biopsies. Obviously I'm relieved but I'm also frustrated. I'm still having the same symptoms I mentioned before and now the cause seems to be even more of a mystery.

Has anyone else here has similar symptoms but had a normal scope result?

Timing belt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118832246#Comment_118832246

I was admitted to hospital at the start of 2021 for 10 days with bowel issues and they ran a load of tests including a colonoscopy which didn't identify any issues or the cause of the bowel issues.

Had another follow up colonoscopy in October and that also came back normal so no definitive answer to bowel issues all they could say was that stress could be the cause.

woodchuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118832246#Comment_118832246

I'd wait until you get your biospy results. Everything looked fine on the day of my colonoscopy, but I was diagnosed with Crohn's when the biopsy results came back.

I hope it all turns out ok for you. Even if they can't give you a firm diagnosis, they should still have a plan to treat your symptoms.

newbie18892

Thank you.

The hospital recommended my GP refer me to the community dietician. I'm not sure how much help that will be because I seem to get flare ups no matter what I eat but I'm trying to keep an open mind.

Hopefully I will get sorted soon. It is interesting to hear that your colonoscopy was clear. I assumed that because it was normal that ruled out any condition like that.

I hope Crohns has not been too difficult for you.