Arriving at a diagnosis of Crohn's can be a daunting journey. My first attack was when I was a teenager and I continued to have attacks that came once and maybe twice each year.
These attacks felt like getting hit with the stomach flu except the pain that came with it was so overwhelming I ended up in the hospital. The docs would give me pain meds, meds to stop the contractions in my intestines, and meds to stop the vomiting.
As long as I stayed off food a few days (or weeks), I generally would be well enough to return to normalcy in short order. When I was 32 an attack hit with such ferocity that I lost 40 pounds in 2 months. I lost more than weight that year. I lost my confidence. The attacks were getting worse and they were getting closer together. I lived on Pepto-Bismol and told everyone I had panic attacks, which I did but it was more from the lack of B vitamins that anything else.
The docs put me on prednisone which kicked in almost immediately and instead of losing weight I gained back all I'd lost and then some. Eventually, the attack faded and I returned to my occasional episodes and my normal weight. The docs were sure I had Crohn's disease, but I thought it was a joke. How can you have Crohn's if you don't have bleeding ulcers?
I was mortified at having to keep dealing with issues no one, including myself wanted to talk about. I gave up going to the doctors. I didn't want the damn prednisone and I didn't want to be labeled with some disease no one understood.
Then the attacks got worse. We'd moved and I was no longer with Kaiser. No one bothered to get my health records, including me, so I thought I would start over again and maybe with new doctors things would get better.
Nothing changed until I realized it was me that needed to change. I didn't want to talk or discuss my issues with chronic diarrhea, stomach pain, and yes, the bleeding that had started. I didn't want to have Crohn's so I told myself it was hemorrhoids and conveniently forgot to mention the blood part. To make a long story short, the bleeding got so bad I had no choice but to report it.
Of course, the diagnosis was Crohn's and the rest is history. I had let it go so long my colon was riddled with ulcers. Since that time I've had ulcers in my mouth, my throat, my belly, and elsewhere. I've often wondered if I hadn't waited so long maybe I would have been on medication sooner and maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't have deteriorated as far as it had.
One more thing before we get to the symptoms. TALK TO YOUR FAMILY. Mine is riddled with bowel issues but I'd never talked to anyone about my problems. Now my daughter has ulcerative colitis and my son pre-Crohns. It is genetic.
Next up is the symptoms you NEED to pay attention to. If you don't want to, I get it, I know how the mind words, how it can lie so well we can't help but believe it. However, if there is anyone out there that is helped by my decades long journey, it is worth it. I vowed to step out of the closet and into the light once I was hospitalized for sepsis. Yeah, Crohn's sucks. However it is better than dying.
Some symptoms are:
1. Frequent diarrhea
2. Bloody diarrhea
3. Abdominal pain
4. Loss of appetite
5. Frequent abdominal pain
6. Frequent ulcers in the mouth and/or throat. Remember, Crohn's can come and go. It used to for me until it decided to take up residence permanently. I am still waiting on complete remission.
If you decided to do it my way, some of the complications that can occur are:
1. Bowel obstruction and/or narrowing.
2. Removal of the colon and/or removal of obstructing lesions or scar tissue.
3. Infections and sepsis.
4. Fissures
5. Abscesses or fistulas.
Or you may experience other symptoms, including:
1. Eye issues
2. Skin lesions
3. Joint issues
4. And pain, and pain, and pain.
I know I've said all this before, but truly, this is from my heart. If you are having symptoms, get checked. Tell your doctor EVERYTHING. I know it is embarrassing, but it is so important.
(((hugs)))
Louann
These attacks felt like getting hit with the stomach flu except the pain that came with it was so overwhelming I ended up in the hospital. The docs would give me pain meds, meds to stop the contractions in my intestines, and meds to stop the vomiting.
As long as I stayed off food a few days (or weeks), I generally would be well enough to return to normalcy in short order. When I was 32 an attack hit with such ferocity that I lost 40 pounds in 2 months. I lost more than weight that year. I lost my confidence. The attacks were getting worse and they were getting closer together. I lived on Pepto-Bismol and told everyone I had panic attacks, which I did but it was more from the lack of B vitamins that anything else.
The docs put me on prednisone which kicked in almost immediately and instead of losing weight I gained back all I'd lost and then some. Eventually, the attack faded and I returned to my occasional episodes and my normal weight. The docs were sure I had Crohn's disease, but I thought it was a joke. How can you have Crohn's if you don't have bleeding ulcers?
I was mortified at having to keep dealing with issues no one, including myself wanted to talk about. I gave up going to the doctors. I didn't want the damn prednisone and I didn't want to be labeled with some disease no one understood.
Then the attacks got worse. We'd moved and I was no longer with Kaiser. No one bothered to get my health records, including me, so I thought I would start over again and maybe with new doctors things would get better.
Nothing changed until I realized it was me that needed to change. I didn't want to talk or discuss my issues with chronic diarrhea, stomach pain, and yes, the bleeding that had started. I didn't want to have Crohn's so I told myself it was hemorrhoids and conveniently forgot to mention the blood part. To make a long story short, the bleeding got so bad I had no choice but to report it.
Of course, the diagnosis was Crohn's and the rest is history. I had let it go so long my colon was riddled with ulcers. Since that time I've had ulcers in my mouth, my throat, my belly, and elsewhere. I've often wondered if I hadn't waited so long maybe I would have been on medication sooner and maybe, just maybe, it wouldn't have deteriorated as far as it had.
One more thing before we get to the symptoms. TALK TO YOUR FAMILY. Mine is riddled with bowel issues but I'd never talked to anyone about my problems. Now my daughter has ulcerative colitis and my son pre-Crohns. It is genetic.
Next up is the symptoms you NEED to pay attention to. If you don't want to, I get it, I know how the mind words, how it can lie so well we can't help but believe it. However, if there is anyone out there that is helped by my decades long journey, it is worth it. I vowed to step out of the closet and into the light once I was hospitalized for sepsis. Yeah, Crohn's sucks. However it is better than dying.
Some symptoms are:
1. Frequent diarrhea
2. Bloody diarrhea
3. Abdominal pain
4. Loss of appetite
5. Frequent abdominal pain
6. Frequent ulcers in the mouth and/or throat. Remember, Crohn's can come and go. It used to for me until it decided to take up residence permanently. I am still waiting on complete remission.
If you decided to do it my way, some of the complications that can occur are:
1. Bowel obstruction and/or narrowing.
2. Removal of the colon and/or removal of obstructing lesions or scar tissue.
3. Infections and sepsis.
4. Fissures
5. Abscesses or fistulas.
Or you may experience other symptoms, including:
1. Eye issues
2. Skin lesions
3. Joint issues
4. And pain, and pain, and pain.
I know I've said all this before, but truly, this is from my heart. If you are having symptoms, get checked. Tell your doctor EVERYTHING. I know it is embarrassing, but it is so important.
(((hugs)))
Louann
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