Crohn's Disease Plus Endo??

I've been very sick lately. I just had my third exploratory laparoscopy. The good news is that my second lap was successful in removing all of the endometriosis. The bad news is something is seriously wrong with my intestines, and it's an internal problem.

Let's start with why I think it's Crohn's Disease.

1) it's been going on since I was 16. It's an on and off problem, but this is the second abdominal surgery I've had in two years to fix intestinal problems.

2) I have all of these symptoms: What is Crohn's Disease?

Symptoms related to inflammation of the GI tract:

• Persistent Diarrhea
• Rectal bleeding
• Urgent need to move bowels
• Abdominal cramps and pain
• Sensation of incomplete evacuation
• Constipation (can lead to bowel obstruction)

General symptoms that may also be associated with IBD:

• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weight Loss
• Fatigue
• Night sweats
• Loss of normal menstrual cycle

3) The doctors have ruled out everything except Crohn's Disease, Colon Cancer and Ulcerative Colitis. The symptoms fit Crohn's Disease the best.

Here's the nitty gritty:

I've slowly lost my ability to digest food over time. I have a true salicylate/sulfite/egg allergy. I have no other food allergies, but I have severe abdominal pain, constipation and migraine in response to gluten, and nausea/vomiting/diarrhea/migraine in response to milk products, shellfish and eggs. Essentially, I cannot eat processed foods. Solid milk products and wheat gluten are used in everything from baked goods to soup to seasoned meat. I just tell people I'm allergic to everything. It's very rude in the south to refuse to eat, but I have no choice. Luckily, I have a great support system through my family, friends and mentors at grad school, and my church family.

I've been slowly cutting out all foods containing shellfish, milk, eggs or gluten, even if it's "less than 2%" or made in a factory with other products. It's taken years to get my diet under control, and it's still not enough. The problems just keep escalating. I have bloody diarrhea, blood in regular bowel movements, severe constipation, abdominal pain, dizziness, light headedness, fainting, severe fatigue and difficulty eating or drinking due to feeling full or nauseous.

I've mentioned in previous blogs I'm allergic to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS/Aspirin). This means I have no way to treat the inflammation until I have a concrete diagnosis and can be put on steroids. The inflammation is what is causing the escalation of my symptoms and it is eating through my intestines. Yes, that's as painful as it sounds. It's been one month since my abdominal surgery, and I'm still waiting for the colonoscopy to be scheduled to get my final diagnosis.

Until then, I'm just praying it's not what it must be. Crohn's disease is a lifetime sentence to pain, disregulation and abdominal surgeries. I just got clear of endo, only to fall into Crohn's.

~Alison