From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2002-09-12 15:45:26 UTC
Subject: RE: IBD, Imuran, and Pred
To: katharine@nettally.com, ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-Id: <p05111709b9a663307713@[192.168.1.102]>
Sometimes a diagnosis is elusive.
IBD is sort of a catch-all for confusing cases.
As you know, Scooter has just been through his third stomach surgery
in a year and a half. Previous biopsies came back as IBD with a
malformed stomach for unknown reasons, and he has also had
neighboring organs like the liver inflamed as a result and simply
can't pass even normal amounts of ingested fur.
Anyway, this last time it is looking like perhaps he has had
Eosinophyllic Gastroenteritis which had eluded diagnosis. More
testing of the samples is being done now a two locations including a
form of silver staining, I think, and the first pathologist's
spotting something different combined with Dr. Bruce William's kind
help may allow this to be narrowed down finally. Previous biopsies
had not indicated that for reasons unknown and very possibly
unavoidable, and he wasn't responsive to Pred unlike most with EGE,
but it may turn out that he is just an individual who doesn't respond
well to that med.
Meanwhile, he's going on Amoxi and Biaxin and Prednisolone which is
processed a bit differently form Prednisone, if memory serves, will
be tried to see if he responds to that variant. It would be something
if after around 2 years ill we can finally find better help for him
which is less dangerous than the heavier chemo aspects of Imuran, and
that is the hope everyone has. He'd been on Imuran for around a half
year before his last surgery and Biosol for maybe half that time, but
that combo stopped working for him, too.
Sometimes diagnoses just aren't cut and dry no matter how much any of
us would like them to be, as has been happening with Scooter.
Katherine wrote:
>...I guess I'm not understanding what you are suggesting. I have
>been told that a biopsy is the only way to diagnose IBD and that has
>been done. Are you suggesting that the pathologist may be
>mis-diagnosing the condition? What are you suggesting be done
>differently?
>
>It seems that there are many suggestions of mis-diagnosis on this
>list. What can be done to prevent this?