Colonoscopies - how often for Crohn's?

[MollyHuaCha]

My last colonoscopy was nearly two and a half years ago and showed that Crohn's was responding well to treatment (compared to the colonoscopy I'd had a year before).

I'm currently having problems with suspected strictures. I'm in pain, I can barely eat, I'm not sleeping well and I feel lousy. But my consultant says it's too soon to do another colonoscopy as the last one was 'recent'. He says I probably need the strictures widening which can be done during colonoscopy. But he said it's also possible that my pain is not caused by strictures. But he has not offered a colonoscopy appointment on the grounds that I should firstly see 'how I get on'.

I'm trying hard to help myself - eating what I can (low residue, gluten free, dairy free, only bland food), exercising gently (walking, swimming).

Sorry, I've possibly grumbled about Crohn's too many times on MN! No flowers or 'poor you' needed (but thank you if you were planning to send any), instead I'd just be interested in any thoughts about the above.

When they are doing the colonoscopies on people with Crohn's to screen for bowel cancer, the frequency depends on which risk group you fall into. DH has one every 3 years.

NICE guidelines here: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg118/chapter/1-Guidance#people-with-inflammatory-bowel-disease

I don't know about the frequency when there are suspected strictures.

TheSecond, I had not known about this guidance and this explains the consultant's preference to wait. I am already an expensive patient due to biologics. Thanks so much for sending the info

And don't worry about having a rant about your Crohn's. It's a shit condition and that's what the autoimmune topic is for.

Apt description

I can't help Molly but just for solidarity I thought I'd let you know I'm sat here with a heat pad on my tummy feeling like I'm being eaten alive from the inside out! It's all fun fun fun!

Actually Buster, you do help. It's nice to know I'm not alone... though I wish you weren't suffering too of course.

Thanks Molly, I bought loads of heat pads in a pound shop last December. I love them, and I have a baby size hot water bottle. Nothing really helps but I find the heat pad and hot water bottle more effective then codeine which imo does sweet fa except gives you constipation! 😂 Buscopan is rubbish too! Oh I'm so moany!