Question: Hi there, my main question is: Can NSAID induced enteropathy be easily differentiated from IBD Crohns with Abdo CT with contrast / VCE etc?

History: 36 YOF 4 weeks history of GI Sx's initially diarrhea x 4 days, then passing mucous, blood tinged mucous. No more diarrhea as of day 4, but continued to pass mucous and developed RLQ pain sharp, 8/10, radiating across suprapubic area. Was to the ER 3 times in the last month. In between ER visits, the pain subsided, but I still continued to pass mucous. Initially they thought it was colitis (infectious), but on the 3rd ER visit (26 Dec) they did abdo CT with contrast which showed inflammation in the distal ileum. I was also told to stop taking the Aleve which I had been taking for ~ 5 months for headaches / neck pain from sitting in front of a computer for 12 hours shifts at work, since the idea of Crohns was tossed out because of the symptoms and the location of the inflammation, and that Aleve could make it worse. But I was also told that it could have been the Aleve that caused it (NSAID induced enteropathy). I have not taken any more Aleve since the 26th Dec.

The next week, I had initial consult with the gastroenterologist and had flex sigmoidoscopy which was normal. In the last few weeks since stopping Aleve, the symptoms have all but dissappeared!!

I am in the Canadian military (Navy), and a diagnosis of IBD would mean an almost certain end to my career, while NSAID enteropathy would not... so my question is... how easy is it to distinguish one from the other? Would they present differently on abdo CT with contrast? How about if they suggest a VCE next? Does the damage from one look different from the other? My worry is that they will just automatically jump to a crohns diagnosis (since NSAID enteropathy involving the small intestine seems to not be as well known), and that my career will be over! I feel 100% fine now! If it was crohns would this happen spontaneously or would I have certainly needed meds to cause 'remission'?

Actually I do have more questions... in these linked articles: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC0000/ http://www.ualberta.ca/~csps/JPPS3(1)/N.Davies/NSAIDs.htm
it describes clearly that NSAIDs can cause damage in the small intestine. From reading these I noted how it was described that the damage can be seen in the ileo-cecal region and both articles clearly stated that inflammation mimicking IBD is seen with this type of damage.

As for infectious causes, my bloodwork which was done at all 3 ER visits (full panel for abdo pain) was completely normal, my temp was always normal as well. At first they thought possibly something viral, but would that last a full month? And would something infectious cause it to show up as inflammation in that specific area only (distal ileum)?

And going back to my original question... if it were IBD (crohns) then would it have disappeared so easily on its own, shortly after I stopped taking Aleve (which I had been taking continuously pretty much for the last 5-6 months). I am just having a hard time believing its IBD... not only because my career is at stake, but looking for other options at what it could be especially since when I look up crohns disease, I do not have 90% of the symptoms that are listed! My only symptoms were RLQ pain, passing some mucous (and diarrhea for the first 4 days only). Everything is now resolved on its own.