# IBS vs. Crohn's



## Ohiomom (Sep 3, 2011)

I will try to make this as short as I can though I am not usually good at that.Here is my story. . . .I am a Mom to a 16 yr. old boy named Ben. When Ben was only 10, he started having terrible abdominal pain and diarrhea. We took him over and over to the dr. and they had ruled out Crohn's and all that. Took him to a specialist and he diagnosed him with IBS/spastic colon. He never really got better and in fact, got worse over the years. . . . Then, at the end of his last school year, he had missed so much school that we finally went ahead with more tests at a children's hospital here. The did a colonoscopy and endoscopy. They diagnosed him as having Crohn's in his ilium (April 2011) which of course is the most common area. We were relieved that we fianlly had found our answer UNTIL this past Monday. . . . We put him immeidately on meds and he seemed like a different boy until Aug. He had begun soccer training and school was about to start. He went into a flare. Meanwhile, we had not been happy with the original dr. and saw another one on Monday the 29th. He is actually the dr. whom had diagnosed Ben with IBS when he was 10. Much to my surprise, he said he is not 100% convinced that Ben has Crohn's. He said he doesn't see enough evidence for the diganosis. So, now it is a wait and see game.Ben has ALL the symptoms of IBS and viturally none of the Crohn's with the exception of diarrhea.So, my question to you all is have you ever been misdiagnosed with Crohn's??Thanks for reading my LONG ramble.Chris


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## bt2011bt (Sep 4, 2011)

My sister had severe diarrhea problems - not so much intestinal pain - and was diagnosed with Chrohn's disease. She took medication for it for about a year. At the end of this time, I had a severe gastrointestinal infection and subsequently the beginning of IBS for me. The GI doctor was suspicious of the possibility of Chrohn's with me due to her history - but I tested negative.At some point after this, she was suspicious about the Chrohn's diagnosis and has quit taken the medicine going on two years now - her diarrhea has cleared up. Since then, she started having other problems and has been diagnosed with a specific auto-immune disease - I can't remember the name of it off-hand.This isn't exactly like your son's situation, but maybe it is of some help.


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## emma8192 (Oct 3, 2011)

hey,i had the exact problems as your son. At 14 i was diagnosed with IBS then at 18 wen having a flare up i was hospitalised n told i had chrons disease in the illium (may 2010) i was put on asacol, lepormide, mebevervine and nothing was really working, i was then put on 70mg steroids for 6 months and it helps at high doses sooo then as my condition didnt really improve i was put on IV steroids in hospital and still didnt help n then spoke about surgery..... I then saw another consultant as my other one had gon on holiday... The new one said he didnt think i had chrons and there wasnt enought evidence! Sooo 2 colonoscopys, 1 berium meal, 2 xrays, 1 mri, food exclusion etc and another 7 day stay in hospital later they said i had been misdiagnosed (aug 2011) sooo now they say i have severe IBS and undergoing treatment for this atmi met other patients in hospital who had the exact problems as me n had been diagnosed n misdiagnosed n then turned out 5 years later they did actually have chrons... Sooo see what happens!! If u need any helf or advice message me as i have been through it all literally with it got alot of advice and information... Hope this helps xxxxx


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## Brianda (Aug 26, 2011)

Hi Ohiomom! I have never been misdiagnosed with Crohn's, but my father has Crohn's. I have IBS. I am only 17 and have been to at least five different doctors, three being GI doctors, and have already gone through three endoscopies and colonoscopies. My point is, that you should never settle for a decision. If you are still uneasy about his diagnosis, take him to more doctors. Try to find out what really is going on. It can be tough though, because the symptoms can be very similar. However, if he has blood in his stool, he probably does have Crohn's, because that is not a symptom of IBS. I hope you find an answer! Good luck!


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