Ishemic Colitis

What do I need to know about Ischemic Colitis?

I was just diagnosed with Ischemic Colitis, Doctor didn't tell me much, says
I will have good days and bad,there is nothing he can do, only surgery.

Does anyone have any knowledge or familiarity with this form of colitis?

> I was just diagnosed with Ischemic Colitis, Doctor didn't tell me much, says
> I will have good days and bad,there is nothing he can do, only surgery.

"Ischemic" means "caused by an inadequate flow of blood." As far as I
recall, this form of colitis is typically found only in older people. It's
not an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, so the
usual therapies for those illnesses won't be useful.

> I was just diagnosed with Ischemic Colitis, Doctor didn't tell me much,
says
> I will have good days and bad,there is nothing he can do, only surgery.

> Does anyone have any knowledge or familiarity with this form of colitis?

Did your doc offer any treatment or cause. I have colitis which might be ischemic in nature as well.

Ischemia is lack of normal circulation which can lead to parts of an organ dying off.
it also can lead to rupture. i would ask your doc lots more questions. I
am slated to have the pill endoscopy to see if this is the trouble. I also
have vasculitis, an autoimmune disease affecting circulation that's why they
think my colitis might be ischemic in nature. I had an angiogram done of all
my intestines, liver bowel and kidneys. This is where the vasculitis showed
up. I have been on chemotherap for a year, now have colitis. you must
be in a lot of pain. if so, make sure to get enough medicine for pain
relief. i am on MS contin everyday as the pain gets unbearable.

No, the doctor didn't tell me much, he is "the surgeon" and frankly I don't
think he knows much about it.
I woke up from a colonoscopy, still groggy, he told me Ischemic Colitis
I spent a week waiting to get back into see this "surgeon".

Went back to see this doctor with a pile of questions, he was there for
about 1.5 minutes, and walked out while I was still talking!

He said there is nothing that can be done, unless he takes out my entire
colon, eat a soft diet, I'll have good days and bad, gave me Bentyl, and
almost ran out the door. I think he doesn't really knows much about it, , he
initially told me-before the colonoscopy, that I likely had
diverticulosis, so I should eat a high fiber diet, this advice was
disastrous,I ate 1/2cup of Fiber One cereal and thought I was going to die

I am only 44, I read where this is usually a disease of older people.
Yes I am in lots of pain, can hardly function a lot of the time. Have bloody
diarrhea,constant cramps.

I am just in a horrible mood most of the time
I cant take any narcotic pain pills , I get very sick from them.
He gave me an antispasmodic, Bentyl, it seemed to make me feel very weird,
dizzy, light headed. It didn't seem to do much but make me feel like I was high on
something, disconnected, still had cramps, only took it once, maybe it
takes a while to work.

I have a regular doctor, and have an appointment with her next week, I'm
sure she will take the time to go over everything, and I am 40 miles from the
Mayo Clinic. They have GI specialty clinic.
I don't intend to just live with this. Its just taking so long to get
information, its very frustrating.

What is MS contin?

You speak of autoimmune disease as a possible cause, recently I had a rash
that resembles the butterfly rash of Lupus, Dr.surgeon mentioned lupus as a
possibility when I first saw him I also have a lot of joint pain, always
some kind of pain in my joints, always tired-maybe anemic- I'll bring that
up with my doctor.