draperygoddess wrote:So, what's your suggestion? Do I even try to get a second opinion?
Do you understand what the quote that you posted implies? What it says is that if inflammation is present, then IBS is ruled out, (by definition, since IBS does not actually exist - IBS is what a doctor claims a patient has, when he or she can't figure out what's actually wrong).
Your pathology report clearly indicates the presence of an above normal number of inflammatory lymphocytes in the epithelia of your colon, and since the markers of Crohn's or UC are absent, that means that your diagnosis should be LC.
If you question your GI specialist's opinion, he's probably going to get upset, so there's little point in dealing with him, IMO. You can ask your PCP to refer you for a second opinion, if you want, because really, all you need is for someone who knows what he or she is doing, to review your pathology report, and officially acknowledge that your pathology report shows that you have LC. That's pretty simple, (at least it's simple for someone who understands how to diagnose MC). The downside is that a lot of medical practice groups look out for each other, and members are usually friends, so they won't overrule another doctor's opinion, so if you're dealing with such a group, you might have to go outside that group, to get a valid second opinion. The second downside is that many GI docs will insist on another colonoscopy, (to make it worth their while), and there's hardly any point in going through 2 colonoscopies so close together.
One solution would be for your PCP to simply ask another pathologist to interpret the existing pathology report, or to ask another pathologist to reexamine your biopsy sample slides, to offer a second opinion. With that official diagnosis in hand, your PCP can prescribe Entocort, if that's what you want, (assuming that your doctor is willing to do that - some are scared of Entocort, because they don't understand it).
I really can't tell you what you should do, but if I were in your shoes, I would order some tests from Enterolab, to verify which foods I needed to avoid, and once I determined which foods cause me to react, I would cut them out of my diet, and never look back. I can tell you from experience that the longer we have this disease, without controlling the symptoms, the longer it will take to get it under control. IOW, it's easier to prevent intestinal damage, than it is to heal the damage after it occurs, especially as we get older.
If you don't feel confident enough to do it without meds, then you will need an official diagnosis, in order to get a script for Entocort, for example, (unless you order it from an overseas pharmacy), but in your case, you should be able to get control of the situation by diet alone, IMO.
Tex
Visit the Microscopic Colitis Foundation Website
