Dear Doctor/Consultant, I am a 23-year-old male and have been experiencing persistent stomach pain for the past year and a half. Approximately 9 months ago, I was diagnosed with ileocecal tuberculosis (TB) after undergoing several diagnostic tests, including colonoscopy, CT scan, biopsy, and endoscopy. Based on these results, my doctor prescribed the following medications: 1. Rifampicin 2. Becomin 3. Pyvita 4. Ifol Xt However, after completing 9 months of treatment, my doctor conducted another colonoscopy and informed me that the wound has not yet healed. He now believes my condition is not TB, but rather Crohn’s disease. To confirm this new diagnosis, he repeated several tests, including colonoscopy, CT scan, biopsy, and fecal calprotectin testing, and has now prescribed the following medications for Crohn’s disease: 1. Hyposan 2. Folvin 3. Azathioprine 4. Esomeprazole I am understandably confused by this shift in diagnosis, as I was initially treated for TB. My primary concern is whether the approach taken by my doctor is correct. Specifically, I wonder if further tests for TB should have been conducted to definitively rule it out before switching to Crohn’s disease treatment, considering the potential side effects of TB medications. Moreover, I am concerned that nine months ago, my doctor did not confirm with additional tests whether it was TB or not, and instead started treatment based on the initial diagnosis. Shouldn’t more comprehensive testing have been done at that time to confirm the presence of TB before beginning such intensive treatment? I would greatly appreciate your insight regarding the following: 1. Is it possible that my condition could still be TB, or is it more likely to be Crohn’s disease or another condition such as an ulcer? 2. Should additional diagnostic tests (such as a more detailed TB test) have been conducted to confirm whether the disease is truly TB before discontinuing TB treatment? 3. Are the medications prescribed for Crohn’s disease the correct treatment, or could they potentially be harmful if my diagnosis is incorrect? 4. If the likelihood of this condition is Crohn's disease, will short-term medication be effective, or should the medication be lifelong? Your guidance would be invaluable as I navigate this uncertainty, and I would be grateful for any further recommendations or advice regarding my condition. Thank you for your time and expertise.