30 Years and more to come i guess

[johnnywestervelt]

I've had Crohn's for thirty years (since I was 16). On Friday of last week I had a relapse/flare of my Crohn's. I was four years symptom free. I'm now Taking Lialda 1.2 two tabs and seeing my doc next tuesday. I bet a colonoscopy will follow. I had a colonoscopy just last year and the doc said he couldn't even tell I ever had any active disease. I was so stoked and relieved. I am ultra bummed out about this recent flare. I'm bleeding some and that always is upsetting. My life is sooooooo stressful with work, kids, and so many hours spent in traffic (I drive 50k miles a year).
I am pretty much a happy guy and I want to always look on the bright side but its really hard for me. So many people depend on me and I can't let them down. I am bummed out to say the least. I feel like I want to get away but have nowhere to go. I sense an urge to just say screw it and just be bad and self destructive. I can't do that either.
My insurance sucks and each colonoscopy costs me 2,000.00 and my med deductible is $105.00.

This really is not cool.

Any thoughts??

Johnny W.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Sorry to hear about your flare up. I know your concerned with others and feel that a lot of people depend on you but what's very important is that you take care of yourself so that you can be there for yourself and for others.

Have you looked into the federal or state exchange for health insurance also known as Obamacare?

 

[HARVinTX]

Hey Johnny,

I know that feeling well -the symptoms resurface and I wasn't ready- but the good thing is that "happy" people get back in the groove quickly (22 years with Crohns). I am one of those people. Does it suck? Yes, no matter what your typical disposition is... It sounds like you are concerned about multiple issues and that is shared by many of us. I agree 100% with NoGuts that your focus has to be on you so that you can be what you need to be to the ones you care for.

As far as the scopes, they are typically done routinely every 3 years for us Crohnies. Even when I had multiple obstructions, GI did not typically order a scope. Nor do I see a clinical advantage to a scope if you had one last year. Meds are typically given for symptoms (if you are severely strictured, then obstruction would be clinically obvious). Meds would be given for strictures as well to see how much is due to inflammation (as opposed to scarring).

You noted that you are on a mesalamine and my thought is that your GI may want to change your med. Not sure since your specific symptoms weren't noted with your current flare.

I hope you keep reaching out to the forum because there are a ton of us that can relate and support you.

Darin

 

[Terry]

Hi there, sorry to hear that you have had a relapse, that just sucks doesn't it! I also am a long time Crohns sufferer of 26 years awaiting my first surgery, a bowel resection. I can understand where you are coming from with the colonoscopy's, the actual procedure I can handle, just hate that horrid gunk that you have to drink. I also agree with the others you have to look after you first, and try not to let the stress get to you as this plays a major part with our disease and tends to make things worse for us. Your country has the worst medical insurance system I have heard of! Here we pay roughly 1.5% of our annual income, I can walk into a public hospital and just have to produce my Medicare card and I am treated with no out of pocket expenses this includes all tests. Of course being a public patient you may have to wait to be seen at times. Hope things improve for you soon. Theresa.

 

[wild_one353]

fecal microbiota transplants have cured IBD in small trials, with 8 new studies being done in the next 2 years. it restore healthy bacteria by taking them from a donors stoll and putting them into an ibd patients using an enema or making pills.

here is my thread about FMT- http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=52400