Most IBD patients are told their labs are “normal.” CRP looks fine. CBC looks okay. Colonoscopy is scheduled. But here’s the problem: Those tests don’t show how your gut is functioning — or why inflammation keeps coming back. In my clinical practice, these are the gut labs that are often missed — and matter far more than people realize: • Fecal calprotectin Not just for diagnosis — but for tracking real-time intestinal inflammation, even when symptoms feel “manageable.” • Comprehensive stool ana