I is it Crohn's

Hi.

I understand your indecisiveness with regards to the calprotectin test, I'm going through much the same as you, although I don't experience bloody diarrhoea as you do, but my doctor suspects Crohn's Disease. I do get red blood dripping from my bottom now and again, but in the report of my last colonoscopy there was, in big bold letters, written a diagnosis of hemorrhoids. However my calprotectin results are always elevated, the very first one was in the thousands, however the following have pretty much been around a constant 200 mark. I've done some research on the calprotectin testing and I have discovered that the test is very non specific, meaning there are a number of reasons why calprotectin could be raised, certain medications, stomach viruses, food allergies, ulcers to name a few, but all of which can cause the gut to become inflamed. This then led me onto the medications I take and I found a report on the 'European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology' website stating that Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI's) are associated with elevation of feacal calprotectin and may affect specificity. I currently take a regular dose of the PPI Omeprazole and have done for a few years now, and I find it odd that my calprotectin results are pretty much the same throughout all my tests, considering my dose of Omeprazole has stayed constant as well. Is that a coincidence or not?? The other thing I've discovered is that calprotectin can pick up inflammation in any part of the gut, and our gut is defined as the complete passage food takes through our digestive system, so from our mouth to our anus, so people that experience acid reflux or GERD for example could show elevated calprotectin results. Another fact that I found interesting was that people who experience Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis usually have elevated white blood cell counts in their blood, it's actually the best way doctors monitor the state of inflammation during a flare up, and discover if the treatment they administer to a patient during a flare up is actually helping the patient to lower inflammation levels and help them into a state of remission. I've had masses of blood tests and not one has showed elevated white blood cell counts, no matter how ill I have felt at the time of the blood test.

So as you can see there are many variables to take into consideration when looking at calprotectin results caused by a possible inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The only way to get diagnosed properly is by means of colonoscopy with biopsies and small bowel MRI scans, however even the small bowel MRI isn't the perfect test as it will not pick up signs of microscopic inflammation. Colonoscopy with biopsies is easier and more thorough, and will confirm or refute a diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease can be harder and more complicated to diagnose. I had a colonoscopy with biopsies just over a year ago and everything came back clear, and after discussing these results along with my symptoms and other test results with 4 separate doctors, 3 said that no further testing was needed and would be confident with giving me a diagnosis of IBS (linked to my diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and CFS), and 1 said they would recommend a small bowel MRI, however were confident it probably wouldn't show anything.

Other than the bouts of bloody diarrhoea, do you have any other symptoms? Have you had any other testing done at all? I presume the bleeding is in the stool and not on it or after you pass stools? Do you take any medications? A bit more insight into your overall health would be helpful, although we are not doctors and only they can, after performing all tests and procedures they can, give you a proper diagnosis.

Also, I forgot to say that the fibrous material in stool is more than likely to be undigested food. When you experience your bouts of diarrhoea, it's usually your body's way of expelling something that is not agreeing with it, hence food will pass through your body much more quickly and undigested food will be passed through. Have you had any allergy testing done, or checked for celiac disease? Do you get bouts of diarrhoea, and sometimes stools are normal with no bleeding, or do you have pretty much diarrhoea constantly? The act of diarrhoea can cause your anus to bleed quite easily, with the frequent passage of waste and excessive wiping needed to have to clean up.

actually my nutritionist did mention celiac disease. i did do the test but i had already eliminated gluten so wouldnt of gotten an accurate result. im glad you mentioned the fibrous material as i thought i was just eating too much fiber as i do eat a lot of greens. ive had an allergy test in the form of a blood test but not sure how accurate it is. do you have any suggestions of an allergy test that's accurate? i know its very difficult pin pointing the culprit. ive eliminated gluten and dairy but i did do a elastase-1 which is to do with digestion and that was low and anti gliadin which was high and so celiac was suggested but not sure how accurate it is as it was the form of a stool test. thanks so much for your help 😀

and wen i used to eat gluten it didn't seem to have an effect on me

hi eagle . have you ever considered Histamine just could be a problem . have a look what that stuff does to you.

you tube histamines might help have a look

Hi, it sounds like symptoms have you lost weight?