Inflamation in intestine
I have been having pain, mild constipation, in stomach. My calcoprotectin readings show hike, so doctor prescribed mesacol and boodey's, steroids. But the effect of these drugs is only for a month around. Once I stop taking these drugs calcoprotectin again goes up. This is so around two years now. Endoscopy and colonoscopy shows no inflamation. But still pain persist. What could be the reason. Doctors say that you should stop taking steroids and let inflamation increase and actual disease show up in colonoscopy. But I am afraid that stoping steroids will agravate symptoms. Please suggest what to do as reports show no symptoms of IBS, IBD, Crohons etc. But pain in stomach persist and calcoprotectin level is never stable and within boundary
Hi
, I'm so glad you reached out here. First of all, I want to say how much I can hear the frustration and concern you're having with the pain, inflammation levels, and lack of answers. Am I correct in understanding that you currently do not have a diagnosis to explain the symptoms you're experiencing?
While many people are able to get a diagnosis via colonoscopy or endoscopy, these procedures won't necessarily work for everyone. In fact, one of our health leaders wrote about her experience with symptoms and clear colonoscopies and what eventually ended up helping her get a diagnosis, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/crohns-clean-colonoscopy. Her diagnosis came after finally getting a capsule endoscopy (this article has more information), https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/capsule-endoscopy-ibd. I am also including some information on other diagnostic tests as there are multiple ways to get a diagnosis that does not have to only be endoscopy or colonoscopy, https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/diagnosis/imaging-scanning.
Please do not give up advocating for yourself and pushing your doctors for answers! You deserve to know what is causing your symptoms and abnormal levels without having to put your body through so much pain and suffering. I hope this information can give you a starting point, and some other community members can share helpful information with you as well. Please don't hesitate to reach out here anytime whether you have questions, need to vent, or could use some support.
Sending you gentle hugs. -- Warmly, Christine (Team Member)Hi
. First, I want echo Christine in noting that many here understand the frustration of struggling to get a diagnosis. You certainly wouldn't be alone in not showing the inflammation, but having symptoms. Do you know if a biopsy was done when you had the colonoscopy and endoscopy? This article discusses how IBD can be missed without one: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/diagnosis-missed-colonoscopy.
Also, you mentioned IBS, so I want to note that it is often diagnosed by ruling out other conditions. We have a sister-site for IBS at https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/ and you may want to to look at this page on the diagnostic process: https://irritablebowelsyndrome.net/testing-and-diagnosis. There are also other conditions that can mimic of have similar symptoms such as celiac disease. Hope this information provides useful information for further discussions with doctors and that you get answers and relief soon. Best, Richard (Team Member)
