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2019 was certainly a year

Hello all!

I had no idea there was a forum where people with similar troubles like me could just talk and share experiences!

My story goes like this:

So It's 2018, and I'm 15, and in late August, I got blasted with (started experiencing) symptoms that would be what my doctors would call Chron's. I was having the bloody stools, the abdominal pain, lack of energy, focus, and strength; and it was getting quite bad. I didn't tell anybody because I was assuming it would go away if I stopped eating spicy foods, but the symptoms remained. My biggest regret is not telling my family or anybody I was suffering.

So eventually, the new year (2019) rolls over and I'm miserable, because of the symptoms. It's the first week of January, and I'm helping my family prepare for a visit, so we have to get a lot of groceries. I was pushing the cart, but started to feel like I was blacking out from the effort of pushing the cart, so I thought "Alright! I would rather not die in a Walmart", and asked my mom to call 911 because I felt like I was fainting. The paramedics told me I looked green when they arrived, and that was actually the first time I was in an ambulance! First responders are very kind.

I had no idea what was wrong with me, but through testing done by the hospital I ended up staying at for a week (I missed the first week of that school year and had to do a lot of catch-up), they found that my scans, blood work, were consistent with Chron's. My family thinks I got it from my Grandpa, since he had it too. The first year of recovery and medicine to treat it was very rough, but I actually met some of my best friends that year, too. I had a flare-up that was caused by the first medicine I tried (Remicaid), not working, and ever since then, I've been on Entivio and it's been working great ever since.

I'm 19 now, and I'm doing quite a bit better. I'd say the biggest issue aside from the flare-ups that happen whenever I'm under huge amounts of stress is having difficulty gaining and keeping weight. I'm barely 104 pounds and can't lift over 50. I'm getting myself protein shakes to help this, though. I tried Boost at first, but they tasted like snail slime to me, so I'm trying Orgain and they taste significantly better.

Hope you guys are doing okay too!
 
Hi there. My son is 23 and has Crohn's and was diagnosed 4 years ago. He too was very underweight. He was 108 lbs but now weighs about 150 lbs. Have you tried higher fat foods like peanut butters or nut butters, avocado, etc.? The protein shakes is a good idea - there are other brands out there that you might enjoy, or perhaps different flavours. You can also add one of those shakes into a smoothie - add some banana - fruit - and make it into a super smoothie.

I'm glad the Entyvio is working for you.
 
Put that orgain in a blender w Peanut Butter and a Banana! And try just basic daily pushups & squats to help build your strength back up.

YES! What @Jo-mom said!
 

my little penguin

Moderator
Staff member
My kiddo is 18 dx at age 7
Definitely add shakes to your normal food
He drinks 2-3 shakes a day plus 3meals /3 snacks to keep weight on at 168 lbs now
He has since he was 7
If orgain doesn’t help weight gain
Ask your Gi for peptamen (semi elemental) in the US
Mix with choc syrup
Modulen similar product in the UK

Basically some sorta food or shake every 2-4 hours
 
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