Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Teen With Crohns

Question:
I have a 16 year old daughter. The doctor suspects Crohn's. A big reason seems to be that she has a very low albumin.  Also, she had a weight loss but has gained a number of the pounds back in the last few weeks since she decided to eat more.  She had originally lost the weight while in a period of high stress related to school work.  Also, she has a low hemoglobulin.  She has had rectal bleeding but not for a number of weeks and it seemed related to constipation. The doctor found a fissure in her rectum which she said may look more like Crohn's.  I would like to avoid needless endoscopic tests and am wondering if it would pay to rerun the blood tests, etc.  The doctor seems to disregard the recent weight gain.

Answer:
In the long run, it's better to get the tests done now. You have to understand that many people with cd get misdiagnosed with other things (like ibs) and suffer for it. Your daughter's doctor wouldn't suggest crohn's unless she thought it was a real possibility. It sounds almost like you're dismissing her doctor's concern. She’s, statistically speaking, around the right age for ibd to rear its ugly head. crohn's can present with constipation -or- diarrhea. bleeding isn't necessary. Assuming you guys have insurance that will cover it, a colonoscopy would be the way to go. Biopsies are much more useful than blood work. I developed Crohn's when I was about eight, so it isn't out of the question for that to be it.  Crohn's can also sometimes be characterized by constipation, but diarrhea is more common.  The low hemoglobin, and rectal bleeding are also common with Crohn's, but the fact that she has a rectal fissure is even more relevant.  I don't know if it would hurt to rerun the blood tests, but if the doc has strong suspicions that it is Crohn's, he will probably want her to have a colonoscopy.  I was always terrified to have a colonoscopy, but I found that my fears were far worse than the test. The prep is nasty, and it is definitely worse than the test.  As long as you make sure that the Doc sedates her, the test is relatively easy. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask everyone.  It would also probably be good to encourage your daughter to join our little group. I’m a teen with Crohn’s, so it's definitely not out of the question. Because of a family history I was diagnosed fairly quickly.  I would suggest having the tests done.  if your daughter has Crohn’s, you do not want to put off getting it diagnosed.  The sooner it is diagnosed, the better. Get the test done. I was dg when I was 13 (I'm 24 now). One with Crohn's CAN gain weight....I loose it in bad times and gain it in good times. Either way, it doesn't sound very serious. I live a somewhat normal life without CD getting in the way...sometimes it does but 'what can you do'. Basically, you sound like you're trying to find excuses that she doesn't have it...if she does, it’s not the end of the world by any means. My 15 year old daughter has had Crohn’s for the past 4 years. She had been off all medication for the past year. She had rectal bleeding since April & her doctor didn't want to scope her. By August the pain when she had a BM was excruciating. After seeing another MD, she was scoped yesterday to find Crohn’s related ulcers all the way up her rectal area. Blood tests aren't conclusive. Scope her! (Under anesthesia in the OR if necessary as my daughter was).