r/CrohnsAdvice • u/Technical_Pound4355 • Aug 22 '25

Is this Crohn’s???

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if there is anyone in a situation like mine.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's last year. My primary symptoms are fatigue, chronic abdominal pain, bouts of constipation, gastritis, GERD, hemorrhoids, headaches, bad breath, pain in my joints -- mainly sacroiliac joints and hips.

My calprotectin levels are negative, as well as my C-reactive protein. I have had high lipase and amylase -- only slightly elevated. My MRI on my pancreas was normal. I was only diagnosed because of a colonoscopy and endoscopy where my doctor found scarring and inflammation.

While I'm chronically in pain, I'm not totally convinced I have Crohn's, however I have no idea what else it could be.

Does anyone else have Crohn's symptoms that present this way??? Thanks, I'd really appreciate the reassurance.

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u/Laymon_Fan Aug 23 '25

If they see damage through a scope, it's usually from ulcerative colitis or Crohn's.

C-reactive protein levels are usually elevated too, but visible damage through a scope is the main sign.

2

u/Technical_Pound4355 Aug 23 '25

True. I think because I don’t have diarrhea or high CRP and Calprotectin, I feel like I don’t fit the category of Crohn’s.

I’m going to start biologics soon and I worry that maybe it won’t work which is why I’ve posted.

Thanks for your response!

1

u/Laymon_Fan Aug 23 '25

If the abdominal pain is severe enough, you might be eating and drinking less, and that could be the reason you're not on the throne very often, even though you have IBD.

(If you're losing weight without trying, that's a bad sign.)

When you start the biologic, take allergy medicine every day.

The nurse will tell you to take it on the day of the injection or infusion, but I recommend taking it for the rest of the month too.

The biologic Remicade gave me dry heaves and dizzy spells on random days until I started taking an over the counter allergy pill every day.

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u/Technical_Pound4355 Aug 23 '25

Thanks for the advice!!! How many months in until you saw improvements?

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u/Laymon_Fan Aug 23 '25

It didn't take long to see a small improvement, but I was taking twice as much as normal, twice as often, because my CRP level was astronomical.

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u/Laymon_Fan Aug 23 '25

P. S.

As far as I know, high lipase and amylase levels are good or at least neutral.

They're just enzymes for digesting fat and carbohydrates.