My Crohn's journey started five months ago. I had diarrhea for about a week, not uncommon since I've had IBS most of my adult life. Then I noticed a lot of blood and mucus and increased pain and frequency. I called my GP and she ordered a stool test. I had Clostridium Difficile Colitis (c.Diff). She put me on Flagyl and Cipro. I didn't get better so I went to the GI who put me on Vancyomicin. I didn't get better so after waiting close to a week for approval from the insurance company I was put on Dificid. I still didn't improve. Shortly thereafter I was admitted to the hospital for a five day stay with dehydration. The GI said that based on my labs and symptoms she thought I had Crohn's disease along with the c.Diff (she said c.Diff loves an unhealthy gut).
She did a flex sigmoidoscopy which further indicated to her it was Crohn's. Later in the week they did a colonoscopy but could not complete it due to the inflammation.
Several weeks later I developed a peri-anal abscess.
Today I found out the results of my MRE on my upper abdomen. She said "it looks good but not great". There is inflammation but no abscesses or obstruction.
For the past two years my GP has been investigating why my hair was falling out in clumps and why I was getting eye infections regularly. She felt it was an autoimmune disorder but I didn't have enough symptoms to diagnose what it was. She was right and I now have enough symptoms to be diagnosed. It may sound strange but it's a bit of a relief to know what's wrong and what I'm battling. My old GP dismissed my hair, fatigue and eye problems with a patronizing "it's stress" diagnosis.
After an appeal to the insurance company I have been approved to start Remicade infusions next week. I have been off work since the beginning of March and I'm anxious to get this into remission so I can return. If it doesn't go into remission....well, that will be another journey into an unplanned early retirement.
I've been lurking on your site for a couple months. I like that I can find threads on just about everything I'm wondering about. Thank you!
She did a flex sigmoidoscopy which further indicated to her it was Crohn's. Later in the week they did a colonoscopy but could not complete it due to the inflammation.
Several weeks later I developed a peri-anal abscess.
Today I found out the results of my MRE on my upper abdomen. She said "it looks good but not great". There is inflammation but no abscesses or obstruction.
For the past two years my GP has been investigating why my hair was falling out in clumps and why I was getting eye infections regularly. She felt it was an autoimmune disorder but I didn't have enough symptoms to diagnose what it was. She was right and I now have enough symptoms to be diagnosed. It may sound strange but it's a bit of a relief to know what's wrong and what I'm battling. My old GP dismissed my hair, fatigue and eye problems with a patronizing "it's stress" diagnosis.
After an appeal to the insurance company I have been approved to start Remicade infusions next week. I have been off work since the beginning of March and I'm anxious to get this into remission so I can return. If it doesn't go into remission....well, that will be another journey into an unplanned early retirement.
I've been lurking on your site for a couple months. I like that I can find threads on just about everything I'm wondering about. Thank you!
