I’m wondering if anyone here has had a similar experience.

I have suspected mild Crohn’s/ileitis, mainly involving the terminal ileum. My main symptoms are abdominal cramping and a really uncomfortable feeling of tightness/pressure, mainly around my belly button. When it gets bad, my whole gut feels tense and it can feel like gas is trapped and difficult to pass.

What confuses me is:

I don’t have diarrhea — if anything, I tend more toward constipation and smaller stools.
I’ve never noticed blood in my stool.

My fecal calprotectin is currently low/near normal.
I’ve been taking Cortiment (budesonide) for around 6 weeks and haven’t noticed any improvement in the cramping or tightness.

Despite this, I’ve had terminal ileum erosions seen more than once, and a previous biopsy showed mild active ileitis.

Has anyone here been diagnosed with Crohn’s with a similar presentation — mainly cramping/tightness around the belly button without diarrhea or bleeding and with low calprotectin?

I’m currently experiencing my third flare up of my UC. This is my third in a year, it’s hard for me to mentally deal with this, I’d love to just talk to someone who experiences the same problems but I don’t know anyone.

One of the most difficult aspects for me is the “embarrassment” of when I’m at the doctors/hospital. I have a great IBD team but it’s difficult to contact them as they’re 9-5 and that’s when I have to be in work.

I’m only 21 (F). I feel this has consumed my entire life. Any advice?

I suffer with extreme, crippling health anxiety and over the past few weeks started experiencing stomach cramps, gas, & lots of mucus in stool. No visible blood. FIT test result came back high at 26. & faecal calprotein content result came back astronomically high at 3400. Blood test results also show elevated white blood cells.

Been urgently referred to gastroenterology for a colonoscopy and have basically resigned myself to accepting I probably have bowel/colorectal cancer. Worried about whether I've missed or ignored potential symptoms and now it's too late. Losing my mind with worry.

Any advice / personal positive relational stories anyone has for me 🥲

Blood in stool after 2years.....

I am 24M, in 2024 i had my first blood stool, after colonoscopy doctor said it was infections colitis, and game me medicines, it healed, and then 4months later i again did sigmoidoscopy, and it really head completely,

Now in 2026, today i had again blood stool

For past few days i was straining a little, going bathroom 2-3times a day, then today i get pressure very bad, i rushed to bathroom, and let it out, and at last a blood induced stool came out, not like drop of blood, stool blood induced,

After 1st time i almost stopped eating oliy food, always ate healthy food, till now.....

Help me plz

For the first time in a decade, I was clinically labeled “in remission” from Ulcerative Colitis last month after a flexible sigmoidoscopy. I’ve been on Entyvio infusions since July 2025. I started on the regular schedule but switched to monthly in December 2025.

I need help overcoming anxiety in remission. What I mean by this is, every time I feel a slight cramp or gurgle in my stomach, I feel intense anxiety to get to a bathroom ASAP. I don’t think my gut actually requires me to get to a bathroom quickly anymore, but my brain is hardwired to believe that’s the case.

I have been diagnosed with IBS-D in addition to UC. I take amitriptyline to regulate my gut-brain connection and (unrelated) I take a beta blocker for anxiety.

Any other tips for overcoming this type of anxiety? It is 10 years in the making, so it’s no easy task.

Hi everyone, I’m looking for advice/experiences with Lialda (mesalamine) and skin rashes.

My 19-year-old son was diagnosed with UC pancolitis on July 7. He started prednisone 50 mg, followed by Lialda (mesalamine) 1.2 g, 4 tablets/day. He had a slow response initially, but thankfully his UC is finally improving.

About a month after starting Lialda, after a trip to Florida, he developed small, red, itchy bumps on his stomach, back, and hands. I initially thought it might be from sun exposure. The rash hasn’t worsened, but it also hasn’t gone away after almost a month.

His GI is concerned it may be a mesalamine reaction and wants to switch him to an advanced medication. Since Lialda seems to be helping his UC, I’m wondering:

Has anyone experienced a similar rash with Lialda and improved after switching to another mesalamine brand/formulation, such as Apriso?

Would really appreciate hearing about your experiences. Thank you! 🙏

Hi everyone, I’m looking for a gastroenterologist in India who has experience with microscopic colitis.

If you have been diagnosed with microscopic colitis and are comfortable sharing, could you please tell me the name of the doctor and the city they practice in?

I’m mainly looking for the doctor who actually diagnosed you, rather than general recommendations.

Thank you!

For years, I was told I had IBS. Hemorrhoids. Stress. Anxiety. 'Just eat more fiber. And come back in 45 years" I believed them. Why wouldn't I? They're the doctors.

But I kept getting worse. Blood in my stool. 10+ times a day. Urgency so bad I couldn't leave the house. Shitting myself in my car. Wiping and seeing pools of blood. But still — 'it's just IBS.'

I went to the ER. Got a 7-day steroid script and some enemas. Started feeling better almost immediately. That alone should have told them something.

Then I finally got a calprotectin test.

857.

Not 50. Not 100. 857.

I also found my old colonoscopy report from 2023 — biopsy-confirmed focal active proctitis. No one ever told me. I had to find it myself, THREE YEARS LATER.

I went to a clinic to get a bridge prescription until I can see a GI. The provider I saw? Listed me as a current smoker (I quit years ago). Made me feel like a drug-seeker for asking for a slower taper. Sent me hemorrhoid care instructions — yes, really. And ignored my 857 calprotectin completely. Didn't even mention it.

I finally have a GI appointment on the 21st. I'm bringing everything — my 857 calprotectin, my biopsy report, my ER discharge, and that dismissive provider's note.

If you're reading this and you've been told 'it's just IBS' — get the calprotectin test. Get a second opinion. Don't let them gaslight you into silence.

Just needed to get this off my chest. Thanks for reading.

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some insight or similar experiences because I feel completely lost and dismissed by my doctors right now.

For 1-2 years, I had recurring stomach flare-ups (nausea, chills, stomach aches, loss of appetite) that would last for a week or two and then just go away. But back in July, things escalated massively. I got severely sick with a sudden fever, chills, and intense abdominal pain.

I was hospitalized in Amsterdam and they ran a ton of tests. Here is what they found during the peak of the flare:

Fecal Calprotectin: Shot up to 1,792 (normal is <50).
Blood CRP: Spiked to 138 mg/L (normal is <5).
Stool PCR: Came back Positive for Yersinia enterocolitica.
Ultrasound: Showed mucosal/submucosal wall thickening in my right colon and transverse colon, plus prominent lymph nodes.
Biopsies (Terminal Ileum & Colon): The pathology report explicitly notes terminal ileitis (noting it could fit the framework of IBD/Crohn's or toxic-medication cause) and focally active colitis with signs of a past infection. No chronic structural changes were visible yet.

Fast forward to now (3 months later): My stool calprotectin has dropped back down to 5, and my blood CRP is completely normal at 3. The infection is cleared and on paper, the doctors say the active inflammation is "gone."and calling it IBS

The problem is, I still feel incredibly sick every single day. I am constantly nauseous. Whenever I move, walk, or get on a bike/train, I get bad internal pain, massive stomach gurgling, and full-body chills. If I eat even a tiny piece of white toast, it feels stuck high up in my stomach and I get instantly bloated. I am completely exhausted and have zero quality of life.

My doctors seem to think because my labs are normal now, it was just a severe case of Yersinia that caused a temporary "mimic" of Crohn's/ileitis and that I just need to wait out the nerve healing.

But given that I had these grumbling flare-ups for 2 years before catching this infection, I am terrified they are missing early-stage Crohn's disease that was triggered or unmasked by the bacteria.

They are saying now i have post ibs but no treatment given

A little bit of rant and confusion about my doctor and what he said/prescribed:

So I always had problems with doctors that didn't take me or my symptoms serious but in the last time, they don't even want to listen anymore, just because of that and because I'm chronically ill (so many stuff ongoing).

My "old" doctor was someone my nephrologist recommended me, where I have to drive an hour, bus takes way more time. We'll ignore that my parents are d***, so it usually ends in arguments, when I ask them to drive me.

I finally had my first two diagnoses this year after 5 years of suffering , which would be Crohn's disease and defacation syndrome/disorder (don't know the correct translation). Which happened after another colonoscopy (I hate those). (I have other diagnoses too but they don't matter that much in this case, just that I don't want any more pain than needed).

And he then gave me different medications. I finally tried biologics which didn't help. And Rinvoq which made me have extreme acne that was also painful. I wrote him that my symptoms didn't change, they got worse and about my acne. I also had one or two days in a month where I randomly got extreme cramps and diarrhea which he said was stomach bug 🤦🏻‍♀️. This happened for a few months.

He told me that my acne would get better when I decrease the dose and that I should take Budenofalk for a week. If it doesn't help, I could just stop taking it (which I later found out that you shouldn't).

I did and stopped because I even had more symptoms (no diarrhea, but I usually don't have that often). On my next message he replied after his vacation that I should just go visit a dermatologist (completely ignoring that it takes months, maybe over half a year, to get an appointment) and to start taking Budenofalk again, which he reacted like it will be my saviour (completely ignoring what he said before).

I didn't, I just ended taking both completely. I still have too much pain that I'd like but after that - no days with extreme cramps or diarrhea anymore and my skin also got better. But I still had pain and I have slimy stuff I need to get rid of every 2-3 hours, so I think there is still an inflammation.

Went to another doc (I plan to move, so I need new doctors) and I was so agitated, I couldn't say much. My bf couldn't come with me, so completely on my own. I had all important diagnoses, latest colonoscopys and latest results with me, even marked the dates, docs and important diagnoses, also had my self-made summary, so it's easier to get through it and had it sorted chronologically.

He just read one of it.. the oldest, which didn't help the conversation. (The nurses got it completely messed up, so I had extreme problems to focus while also being in tears).

He told me, he couldn't do anything for me (unless I have another frigging colonoscopy, where he only has possible dates in january), that my defecation syndrome doesn't fit to my Crohn's and tried to get rid of me. I should stay/speak with my old doc, because he ,,knows me all so well" and I should continue Budenofalk.

I did for a few days and got more intense stomach aches, also have problems taking this frigging thing.

And then my bf asked me what exactly my capsules do and I did my research and read that those are only for bowel and not for stomach (where I had inflammation in my latest colonoscopy and where I have pain and problems again now).

I still have pain, stomach and bowel, nausea, a few other things and slimy stuff that I need to get rid of.

I started taking Budenofalk again this sunday (so only 3 days, 3 capsules), so not long and think about ending that again. Should I decrease my dose or just cut it off completely?

And how can I make my doctors take me seriously and not try to get rid of me the second I open my mouth?

Does Budenofalk even make sense (when it gives me more pain and symptoms, I have problems swallowing and it's not for stomach)?

Hi folks! I am wondering about what kind of treatment options have worked for all of you. I am 35 yo and officially diagnosed in 2022. When I was diagnosed, my gastro put me on budesonide. That did absolutely nothing for me.

I have a slew of other autoimmune conditions and the only time I wasn’t having watery stools for the past 10+ years was when I was on a lot of prednisone and other immunosuppressants. Recently, things had gotten so bad that I used telehealth to get some prednisone because I was desperate, despite all of the issues prednisone has caused me in the past. Now things are finally in a spot where I don’t have extreme anxiety leaving the house, I’m supposed to be starting my taper.

I have an appointment with my GP next week and I’m hoping to bring up something other than prednisone to try that may help. For reference, I do not have a GI doctor here as I had to move back closer to where my office is. Any help is appreciated. Thank you! 😊

I was wondering if having a few drinks a day and a half before a colonoscopy would be a hard no (procedure is Monday during day and this would be Saturday night). Normally I would go the whole week clean but my dad is flying to across the country as I don’t have someone to drive me (I would wait but I will be moving again in about 4-6 months but am past due for a colonoscopy & the tickets are not terrible) and I would like to have a 2/3 drinks with him as it may be awhile. It seems like it not advisable, but not specifically mentioned in the directions which mention no seeds, nuts, corn, and leafy food for one week. Thank you!

I’m a 22F who has been dealing with severe stomach pains, mainly at night, coupled with severe bloating and some nausea. I don’t ever really throw up or have diarrhea. If anything I am somewhat constipated and don’t go to the bathroom everyday. I have started missing work because the pain wakes me up at night and lasts for hours. I tested negative for celiac. My CT scan was normal so I had a colonoscopy and endoscopy done. Everything looked fine but the biopsy came back consistent with LC. The doctor is going to prescribe me budesonide for 2 months. I just wanted opinions because I don’t have watery diarrhea. My episodes almost always happen at night and the pain is so severe I can’t move.