Could it be IBD?
I have had symptoms for about 10 years and I have had two colonoscopies that both came back normal. I was told I was crazy. The symptoms I have are an urgent need to use the bathroom especially after I eat. I use to go to the bathroom up to 25 times a day but they say there was no blood in my stool but I have a lot of mucus and the color is either a yellowish or orange color to a dark black color. Now I have a lot of constipation I haven't had a normal healthy bowel movement in a long time.
Anytime I eat I get extremely bad pain and I bloat really bad to the point I look 8 months pregnant. It’s extremely painful. I also have joint pain and fatigue. I did have weight loss and I lost over 50 pounds but my family doctor put me on steroids so I had major weight gain. Pain in my lower abdomen, I get random low grade fevers, pain in my Rectum, nausea.
After I told my doctors about my joint pain he thought it could be lupus so he sent me to a rheumatologist and he ordered a complete blood panel and my crp, igA and IgG was elevated. So he is sending me to a new Gastrologist but I’m so scared they are going to tell me it is nothing and that I’m crazy again and I’m back in the same spot I was in. So is it possible to have IBD without blood in your stool?
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IBD is a very complex disease, and it presents in so many different ways in different people.
If you have an appointment with a gastro, they will hopefully do enough tests to have a clear view of what's going on. Simple tests such as stool samples and bloodwork can be useful, then colonoscopies and biopsies which can be looked at under a microscope should be able to give a clearer picture.
Good luck!
- Sahara (team member)
It is totally possible to have IBD without blood in stool. Like Sahara mentioned above, IBD is extremely complex and it shows in everyone differently.
Advocate for yourself and push for tests until you get answers. Here is a list of tests that are used to diagnosis that you can get familiar with and ask for from your doc: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/diagnostic-tests-and-procedures/
I hope this helps some. Don't hesitate to reach out.
Elizabeth (team member)
Thank you for asking,
. I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 2009 and to this day have not had blood in my stool. As it was mentioned above, Crohn's can present itself in many ways and everyone shows symptoms differently. I actually never have experienced the same type of flare, so it really can change constantly.
I recommend seeking a second opinion and not stopping until you have an answer you are comfortable with. No one should have to suffer, so please keep going until you get an answer. Keep us posted!
--Julie (Team Member)Thank you so much.
This sounds just like me. I had test after test and they were "normal". I change Drs and the new one had me swallow a camera capsule which showed severe crohns in my small intestine. Please don't give up.
