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25 Years With Crohn's And Other Autoimmune Diseases

This is my first posting on any website with regard to my medical conditions so I'll try not to ramble.
25 years ago I suddenly got ill with severe sickness/diarrhoea. Initially I thought I had a bug and just stayed at home but rather than get better I got worse to the extent of losing 3 stone in weight, getting hypothermia and being unable to eat or drink. I was admitted to hospital and put on fluids and steroids and after 2 weeks when I first got out of bed my legs wouldn't move. After more tests & scans it was found that I had polyarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. These were a direct result of the Crohn's disease. After being perfectly healthy 4 weeks earlier this came as a shock to the system.
On the day I left hospital I had a seizure and ended up back in hospital to find that I now had epilepsy due to a clash of medications.
Over the years I've often said that if I were a horse they would shoot me which I'm sure I'm not the only one who has thought or said something similar.
I think the problems I contracted due to Crohn's are not the norm for most as I've never come across anybody with similar conditions.
Sorry I think I did ramble a bit!
 
Welcome to the forum:) I am actually rather new to the forum as well, but certainly not new to Crohn's as yourself. I am coming up on 31 years since diagnosis and no doubt had Crohn's at least a couple of years before that.

By the way, I can relate to your comment about "if I was a horse." I think you will find many on the board that have had very similar experiences to you. Hopefully, it will provide some level of comfort to you.

I suggest if you are comfortable with it, to take the time to nearly write a book on what you have been dealing with all these years and post it here. I left a very long post about my symptoms, diagnosis, dealing with docs, dealing families and feelings thinking not a single person would take the time to read it. To my surprise, I got tons of responses from obviously caring concerned people. I think you will have the same experience. :)
 
This is my first posting on any website with regard to my medical conditions so I'll try not to ramble.
25 years ago I suddenly got ill with severe sickness/diarrhoea. Initially I thought I had a bug and just stayed at home but rather than get better I got worse to the extent of losing 3 stone in weight, getting hypothermia and being unable to eat or drink. I was admitted to hospital and put on fluids and steroids and after 2 weeks when I first got out of bed my legs wouldn't move. After more tests & scans it was found that I had polyarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. These were a direct result of the Crohn's disease. After being perfectly healthy 4 weeks earlier this came as a shock to the system.
On the day I left hospital I had a seizure and ended up back in hospital to find that I now had epilepsy due to a clash of medications.
Over the years I've often said that if I were a horse they would shoot me which I'm sure I'm not the only one who has thought or said something similar.
I think the problems I contracted due to Crohn's are not the norm for most as I've never come across anybody with similar conditions.
Sorry I think I did ramble a bit!
I just looked on the net to see what a stone means in terms of weight. A number of us that might respond to you are silly Americans unfamiliar with the term, me included. I was shocked to find out that a stone is 14 pounds. That means you dropped 42 pounds awful fast. I am guessing you did not weight 300 lbs to begin with ;) so that is an amazing amount of weight to drop so suddenly.(I am really sorry)

I actually am on the chubby side, especially for Crohn's patients. In the past, I have had Drs. tell they did not think I could have Crohn's because of my weight. I wish they were right. I am trying to drop some pounds. In the U.S., we always say we have dropped a pound or two. I think the next time someone asks me how I am doing with my weight, I will tell them I have dropped a stone or two. It should be fun to see their response.:ylol2:
 
Hi,
Thanks for your response. I forgot this is international and I'm old school as far as measurements & weights. When this struck I weighed probably 10 stone (approx 140 lbs) prior to losing 3 stone in a few weeks when the Crohn's first showed up. I was never lightweight so I am surprised by your Drs. reaction. I have a half sister with Crohn's who is very thin but I also know others who are not. As they don't know enough about it I can't see how they they can assume that it only affects a certain weight group.
 
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