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Calprotectin

Posted , 6 users are following.

Legend13
Legend13

Iv been suffering pains at the front below my ribs on both sides for around 6 months now. My GI originally thought it was related to my celiac disease, but I have been strictly gluten free in that time and it’s made little difference. I have been on PPI’s, had an ultrasound, and an endoscopy but nothing has shown anything up. My GI has now booked me in for an endoscopy but there is around a 6 month waiting list. When I seen him last, he asked me to do a stool test for Calprotectin, which I did, but he never elaborated as to what that is for. He has now written to me to say that my results were 116 which is slightly raised and I should await the colonoscopy. Can anybody shed any light on why this would be raised? My symptoms are- 

Pain started under right rib around 6 months ago. 

3 months ago it spread to the left side aswell. 

Very rarely get pain at both sides at the same time, tends to be one or the other. 

No weightloss 

No nausea 

No bowel change (that Iv noticed anyway) 

No blood or mucus in stool. 

If anyone could shine any light on what this could be or why my Calprotectin levels are raised then I would very much appreciate it. I’m not sure my anxiety can take 6 months of not knowing and waiting on the colonoscopy. 

One thing to add, the reason my GI booked the colonoscopy before the Calprotectin test was cause he thought my pain was IBS. 

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest Legend13

    Posted

    Just curious...have you been tested for any other food sensitivies?? 
    • Legend13
      Legend13 Guest

      Posted

      No, celiac is all Iv ever been diagnosed with. 
  • aya48093
    aya48093 Legend13

    Posted

    Hi,

    I just had very similar story and colocoscopy this thursday. Everything was fine.

    They assume that this is because of my mild esophagitis or possible endometriosis - they can elevate this results too.

    I also have the pain on the right side. They said it has to be connected with stress or small intestine problems.

    I am now 2 months on a gluten free diet and trying to get off ppi. I hoped that I will be able to quit ppi very soon after starting diet.

    Did you have reflux before celiac diagnosis and you still have it?

    • Legend13
      Legend13 aya48093

      Posted

      I have also thought mine could be related to stress. It seems to get slightly worse when I’m at work and almost goes away when I’m lying relaxed on the sofa. 

      No, Iv never suffered reflux I’m afraid. I was having a recurring sore throat when I first presented my symptoms so that’s why they put me on PPI but the PPI made no difference and the sore throat went away by itself. 

    • aya48093
      aya48093 Legend13

      Posted

      I have the same thoughts as you. I am quite sure that I know exact moment when my mild esophagitis started - one mayor stress event - a week later it was confirmed with gastroscopy. My result was 114, so we are close :-) and they didn’t find anything in my digestive sistem. I also went to gynecologist and she told me that this result can be also consequence of diarrhea or vomiting or very mild throath/esophagus inflammation or for women endometriosis or mioma or... but nothing serious. I’ve got result on the day when we went to vacation, so you can imagine. And the pain under ribbs is always when I am stressed or when I have bad posture while sitting and working on sofa - can be also muscle. 

      OMG, my doc gave me ppi for exact same reason, he told me I have reflux when I had sore throat and numb tongue. And I thought that I have to take bigger dose so I doubled and doubled it and now I can’t get off. Did you try to stop taking them?

    • Legend13
      Legend13 aya48093

      Posted

      Our symptoms definitely sound very similar. 

      I have also related my sore ribs Tobias posture. I sit on a computer all day at work and often feel it coming on there. Do u have pain in the left side too? 

      To be honest, I didn’t really feel like the PPI had much of an effect, I was only on it for around 6 weeks, so I just stopped taking it and didn’t suffer any side effects. 

    • aya48093
      aya48093 Legend13

      Posted

      No, I didn’t have pain on the left side, but my doctor told me that it doesn’t matter left or right side because both sides are connected with stress.
  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 Legend13

    Posted

    Your doctor will be looking for signs of inflammation in your colon which may be suggestive of IBD.  If your docto4 doesn’t explain everything to you, always ask for a clear explanation in plain English about what they are testing for.
    • Legend13
      Legend13 pippa58442

      Posted

      Many thanks for this. Would IBS cause slightly elevated levels or is it just IBD that does it? 
    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 Legend13

      Posted

      Some people with IBS have slightly raised calprotectin levels compared to those without IBS.  However, IBS does not cause  the inflammation that is seen with IBD.
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