[Gritty]

You are my age and one thing most old timers have learned is to always "have a plan" plus an escape hatch in mind (if possible) in case things turn south. It sounds like you have one.

As far as Crohn's is concerned, you might find these links helpful as far as allopathic pharmaceuticals go and you decide on that route...

https://www.drugs.com/condition/crohn-s-disease.html

https://www.drugs.com/condition/crohn-s-disease-acute.html

https://www.drugs.com/condition/crohn-s-disease-maintenance.html

[Bob Ireland]

Thanks for the leads; I will look at them as time allows. I want to say again that a diagnosis of Crohns is not certain. We are still exploring other paths. I took a capsule endoscopy a few weeks ago but the capsule lodged at least twice, the battery ran out and the data is sporadic; the pictures are excellent but there is insufficient data to determine if there is a tumor or some sort of bowel narrowing or partial obstruction.

In two weeks we are doing a 'double balloon enteroscopy' - put a scope through the entire small intestine. Hopefully that will prove more definitive. There are other tests before that - very involved and various preparation procedures. It is a bit tiring and requires all of us to work together to not miss or confuse anything.

Another possibility is a gastro neuroendocrine tumor although there are only markers so far, nothing definite. The balloon procedure should clarify that possibility. My time is almost fully involved with details but I have been trying to get this done for years and with my last two emergency hospital visits I changed GI Drs. So finally I have a team to face a challenge that has pressed me harder and harder for at least 25 years.