Getting a Diverticulitis diagnosis…?
I have had on-going gastric issues for over eight years now (and I’m only 27!). I have been to countless specialists, doctors, clinics, hospitals, etc, and NO ONE has been able to figure out what is wrong. I have been told I have gastritis and eosinophilia, but they can’t really tell me why. The only thing that has ever come back on tests (consistently) is a high eosinophil count (both in the blood and in my stomach tissue). I have bouts where I can’t eat for days to weeks at a time and typically end up in the hospital about once a year. I was just in the hospital for three days last week because I couldn’t keep food down for 10 days!
I’ve been trying to figure this out for myself and stumbled across Diverticulitis. It is the FIRST thing ever that has seemed to fit 100%! Everything from the nausea & pain in the lower gut to the elevated white blood count to the fact that it gets worse at night and even the "feeling hot while having no fever" and the exchange between diarrhea and constipation! I swear, it HAS to be this!
HOWEVER, I have had two or three CT scans in the past few years and no one has ever brought this up. Is it possible that it can be missed?? Is there any other way to diagnose?? I’m DESPERATE for answers……….
I WANT to tell myself they could miss it –especially since they weren’t really looking for it– but I just don’t know if it’s possible. I’m supposed to have a colonoscopy in three weeks, but I’m still having acute symptoms and REALLY don’t want to / CAN’T wait that long. :/
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How Does The Doctor Diagnose Diverticular Disease?
To diagnose diverticular disease, the doctor asks about medical history, does a physical exam, and may perform one or more diagnostic tests. Because most people do not have symptoms, diverticulosis is often found through tests ordered for another ailment.
http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/diverticulitis/a/diagdiveritisos.htm
How can my doctor tell if I have diverticular disease?
I know from personal experiece that sometimes a CT can miss it. However, here are some additional tests from the link below.
Your doctor may check your abdomen for tenderness and ask you about your bowel habits, diet and medications. Your doctor may also want to do some tests to screen for diverticular disease:
Barium Enema. For this test, you are given an enema (injection of fluid into the rectum) with a liquid that makes your colon show up on an x-ray.
Flexible sigmoidoscopy. In this test, your doctor puts a thin, flexible, hollow tube with a light on the end into your rectum. The tube is connected to a tiny video camera, which allows your doctor to see the rectum and the last part of your colon.
Colonoscopy. Before you have this test, you are given a medicine to make you relaxed and sleepy. A thin, flexible tube connected to a video camera is put into your rectum, which allows your doctor to see your whole colon. A colonoscopy may be uncomfortable, but it is usually not painful.
CT Scan. This test is a type of X-ray that allows your doctor to see the pouches in your digestive tract that are inflamed or infected.
Sometimes, diverticular disease is found when tests are ordered for a different reason, such as routine screening that checks for colorectal cancer or other digestive problems.
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