Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Gastroenterology (Expert Forum)
anxious about chron's
Answered by
Kevin Pho, MD - Internal Medicine
Kevin, M.D.
Boston - MA
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
 |
anxious about chron's
by lg5, Sep 08, 2003 12:00AM
I am a 30 year old female. Within a few months of giving birth to my daughter last October, I noticed some slight rectal bleeding on the tissue when I was constipated. I did not think much of this and assumed it was due to childbirth or the fact that I had 3rd degree tearing during childbirth.
In late July, I was feeling a bit rundown but attributed it to the fact that I had a 10 month old and a new job. About a week later, I developed a case of erythema nodosum, diagnosed through biopsy by my dermatologist. Blood tests were all normal with the exception of elevated sed rate, which was within the normal range two weeks later. At the time that the erythema nodosum developed, I had restarted birth control pills. My dermatologist said that this could possibly be a cause.
This was about a month ago. After a particularly spicy meal last week I woke up with gas and diarrhea and an acidy stomach. I finally saw a physician last week about the rectal bleeding and found out I have a rectal fissure (it is in the perineal area). The first two days of the diarrhea, I had several bowel movements a day. Then, a couple days went by where I had none. Today, I had a bowel movement and it is still loose.
I have an appointment with a gastro next week. I have lost my appetite and have been a nervous wreck ever since the erythema nodosum. I know that that both erythema nodosum and rectal fissures are related to Crohn's disease and at this point, I have been tested for everything but Crohn's and colitis.
What can you tell me about these symptoms? Thanks!
In late July, I was feeling a bit rundown but attributed it to the fact that I had a 10 month old and a new job. About a week later, I developed a case of erythema nodosum, diagnosed through biopsy by my dermatologist. Blood tests were all normal with the exception of elevated sed rate, which was within the normal range two weeks later. At the time that the erythema nodosum developed, I had restarted birth control pills. My dermatologist said that this could possibly be a cause.
This was about a month ago. After a particularly spicy meal last week I woke up with gas and diarrhea and an acidy stomach. I finally saw a physician last week about the rectal bleeding and found out I have a rectal fissure (it is in the perineal area). The first two days of the diarrhea, I had several bowel movements a day. Then, a couple days went by where I had none. Today, I had a bowel movement and it is still loose.
I have an appointment with a gastro next week. I have lost my appetite and have been a nervous wreck ever since the erythema nodosum. I know that that both erythema nodosum and rectal fissures are related to Crohn's disease and at this point, I have been tested for everything but Crohn's and colitis.
What can you tell me about these symptoms? Thanks!
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Pho, MD, Sep 12, 2003 12:00AM
, Sep 12, 2003 12:00AM
There are many causes of E nodosum - with inflammatory bowel being one of them (affecting up to 16% of cases). Here is a list of other causes:
Sarcoidosis
Strep infection
TB
Infections other than strep
There can be no discerable cause in up to 30% of cases.
With the presence of E nodosum and these other symptoms, ruling out inflammatory bowel disease is certainly a reasonable approach. I would further evaluate with an endoscopy - either colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.
Sarcoidosis
Strep infection
TB
Infections other than strep
There can be no discerable cause in up to 30% of cases.
With the presence of E nodosum and these other symptoms, ruling out inflammatory bowel disease is certainly a reasonable approach. I would further evaluate with an endoscopy - either colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Followup with your personal physician is essential.
This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.
Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.
With luck it maybe bacteria [easer to cure] Erythema nodosum is linked with infection . search “Stool Test” from Great Smokies Lab
This article is interesting, good luck.
The bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map), which has long been known to cause gut infections in cattle and sheep, has been linked to bowel diseases in humans. Researchers at St George's Hospital Medical School in London have found that in patients with Crohn's disease, at least nine out of ten have the bacterium, and in patients without the disease, less than three out of ten have the bug. This suggests that the bacterium plays a role in the spread of the disease. Also, a small number of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were all found to have Map. Links between Map and human bowel disease have been examined for years, but this is by far the strongest association found. Crohn's disease affects about one in 600 people and one in ten suffer from IBS. (BBC News Online, Guardian
Yeast infections
http://drcranton.com/CFIDS.htm#CFIDS%20Paper
Good article on gut dysbiosis
http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/Article.asp?PageType=Article&Id=423
Erythema nodosum
http://www.umm.edu/dermatology-info/enodo.htm
www.ccfa.org
ibd.patientcommunity.com
if it does turn out to be IBD, check the ccfa site for a support group in your area. they are a big help.
take care
Thanks hope you feel better
lost413
I have had Erythema Nodosum for the past 35 years--idiopathic type where no trigger or associated disorder can be discovered.
I just found this group as I was searching for more info on EN. I don't know if it is permitted to post here, and I hope I will be advised if I should refrane from it in the future, but I would like to invite all sufferers of Erythema Nodosum (EN) to my 3 month old support group
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/erythema_nodosum_Group
and to view my EN webpages:
http://www.geocities.com/erythema_nodosum/Home_Page.html
We have members with Crohn's who also have EN and you may wish to discuss both these disorders with them.
Our group is very friendly and helpful. At last count we had 86 members world-wide. We have many resouces, Photos, Files, Links and Member case histories.
Hope to meet you on the EN Group site.
Best wishes,
Rebecca Strecker