Crohn's Question

Long time reader, first time poster. With that said I was diagnosed with "suspected" Crohn's disease about a year and a half ago. I was prescribed numerous medications before finding one that controlled my symptoms. I have been on this medication for about a year near and after talking with my case manager he suggested that I get a for sure diagnosis. I took a blood test at my GI and the results came back negative. My GI told me that I could get a false negative because I have been on the meds for so long and the only for sure way to say 100% it's Crohn's, is having surgery to remove a part of my small intestine for testing. I've had numerous blood samples taken and rulled all other possible diseases out. I recently had a L5-S1 fusion and I have two other discs that are bad along with Dergenative Disc Disease and tears. I am suppose to start the MEB/PEB process in Dec and was wondering if I should take the intestine surgery since it's pretty obvious to me that it's Crohn's because my Humira is working and keeping it under control. I don't want to sell my self short when it comes to a rating and was wondering if not having this surgery would affect my findings when it came to the Crohn's rating?

Thanks,
Tony

 

[TxMark]

Hell no! Don't go thru an exploratory surgery for a possible diagnosis. I'm going thru the same thing right now, I was diagnosed with Small Bowel Colitis and Ileitis (Crohn's) in Feb 09 by colonoscopy and biopsy.......second and third opinion can't find signs of active disease but say I do have chronic IBS. My blood test have always been normal and I don't test for the IBD markers. Side note, I also have back issues, herniated disk and chronic pain.

So there is still some doubt weather I ever had crohn's or just a bad infection that mirrored crohn's.....either way I think it has to be accounted for at the PEB. Only time will tell if I do in fact have crohn's.

How where you diagnosed? If you have signs of crohn's and a GI is treating you for it, I think they have to rate it. If anything the cloudy diagnoses should improve your chances of being placed on TDRL. Do you still have symptoms? Are you completely stable? This will likely be the more important questions for your rating? I have seen two others that had true CD under control with medication and they were separated with 10%.

In the past did you take or have you been taking NSAIDs (ex: naproxen, Ibuprofen) for the back pain? One of my GI, thinks the NSAIDs I took for back pain caused my problems.

 

[silverado113]

I had a colonoscopy with a biopsy back in August of 08. My GI diagnosed me with Crohn's and after a couple different medications that didn't work, he put me on Humira which does work. Although I still have symptoms they are not as bad or often as before the meds. I have taken NSAIDs in the past but mainly for other injuries.