6 years for nothing

[Phantomhive]

Ok so hello all! My names Emma, currently 19 years old and have been diagnosed with Crohns since I was 9 years old.
Dont wanna put too much into it as its a very long story but, yes its not very nice as im sure most people on here are aware. Lots of hospital trips, pain, embarassing and unpleasant treatments and tests. I think the worst for me was the nasogastric tube. Argh, not the best way to start secondary school. I felt extremely alone and I now suffer with confidence problems which sucks.
However its not all doom and gloom. Skipping 6 years ahead, I had an operation which went well and now I only have minor relapses which is usually fixed by eating rice and chicken for a few days. Lucky me =D
I spose one other thing which was annoying was that a lot of people didnt believe me when I said I was in a lot of pain. Its hard to explain the pain exactly but it kinda stops u movin and breathin properly cos it hurts so much. So when people are like, arh stop exageratin, kinda gets annoying.

But anyway! Im currently working and doing ok. Stress is what brings my crohns back. Doesnt seem to be diet related. And yeah, not taking tablets (altho kinda should be =s)
All is hunky dorey at the moment
Ja na!

 

[donna martinez]

welcome to the forum emma. what kind of surgery did you have?

 

[Dexky]

Hey Emma, EJ is ten and just dxed last Dec. Welcome to the forum. Whadya mean 6 years for nothing?

 

[Crohn's 35]

:bigwave:Hi Emma, welcome to the forum. Nice to see someone young and positive. I had two resections first was a laproscopic and I got 7 years, which now I look back was bliss compared to post op on my second surgery.

Everyone is different with their Crohns and some more severe and with lots of complications.

As for people thinking you are exaggerating your pain, sometimes their ignorance gets to you but really they have no idea. If they haven't experienced appendicitis or natural child birth, they just think there is no greater pain, but take it from me I know , natural child birth was a piece of cake. You just have to ignore it and unfortunately deal with it without letting the ignorant ones know.

This disease is tough when you are young. The best part is it makes you stronger and compassionate. Perhaps there is a Crohn's group where you live?

:hang: glad you have joined the forum!:thumleft:

 

[Jennjenn]

Welcome

 

[Zalanicht]

Welcome!
And I see your location is "bath" which I kind of lol'd cause I'd take 3-4 baths a day when I was flaring, the only thing that would help.

 

[Rusty]

Welcome, Glad to here things are good for you now.

 

[MisB]

Welcome! Glad things are okay for you right now. Hopefully it will stay that way for a long time.

 

[Keona]

Welcome

ya, Im with Dexky, what do you mean re:6 years for nothing?
Glad you are here!
Wendy

 

[Phantomhive]

wow, lots of replies, I like it =D

Yeah, it sucked at the time and Im just happy that its not interfering with my life at the moment unlike some other people.

As for the bath comment, that many baths a day would be annoying lol
My usual way of dealin with the pain would be to hunch over and try to breathe best I could lol

By 6 years for nothing, I meant that the Doctors spent a lot of time messin me about. We tried to explain that we thought it was stress, but they kept me on this stupid diet which made it worse. So after six years, I finally got a Dr that said, right, eat what ya like and if u get any problems, just cut back to light meals - and it worked great! Was very happy =D

Anyone got any stories they wanna share? perhaps any funny ones?
I remember one time I was havin an infliximab transfusion, my dad tripped straight over the tubing and whipped it out. Good times lol

 

[Astra]

Hi Emma
and welcome fellow Brit

love your positivity and it'll keep you going for years to come!
I'm afraid my funny stories will have to stay in The Zone for now! too rude!
I was messed about for 15 years, so hear ya sista!
glad you found us, enjoy the forum!
lotsa luv
Joan xxx

 

[ameslouise]

Welcome Emma! Glad to hear you are finally feeling better - hope it stays that way for you!

I hear you about the pain. I call it "the knife" which is sharp, stabbling pains in my a**hole, which feels like it is going to fall out at the moment, and lasts for about 15 minutes after each of my trips to the toilet. It has brought me to my knees and had me in tears on several occassions.

Nice to have you here on the forum. I am sure your experiences can help a lot of folks on here that have young kids with CD.

- Amy

 

[Sophia]

Welcome Emma!

Great to read your story and comments, you seem like a very positive and funny girl!

It does really suck when people don't understand the pain you are going through, and the ignorance is really frustrating at times! I hear ya on that one...

Glad to hear you are feeling well at the moment! All the best to you!

xoxo

 

[Regular Joe]

Hello Emma,

I could really relate to what you said about confidence. Something I was just thinking about today. When I figure out how to do things with a certain level of "competance" which I consider nothing special, someone will come along and say "wow - you're good!"

That comes as a complete surprise. Sooner or later, another person will say the same thing. And before long, I realize - I think to myself like this "I really can do something right!"

That's pretty sad ennit? I'm 51, and instead of agreeing with others "Damn I'm good", I'm still thinking to myself "maybe I can do something right?" This disease does nothing for your confidence. Absolutely nothing. Nobody believes you. They think you're faking. "It can't be that bad!" I get the same stuff.

Amy, I'm really sorry to hear about your @sspain. I truly am sorry you're in such pain. I know how it feels to be on my knees and crying, too. Wish I could hug you.

Welcome again, Emma.
Joe

 

[petite-pois]

WELCOME TO THE FORUM! I also hate it when people think I'm just exaggerating when I'm in pain.

 

[Busy]

Hello Emma, welcome to the forum

 

[gibby]

Hi Emma and welcome to the Forum! good to hear your stories! I was diagnosed young too, when i was around 8years, and of course never really understood what was wrong with me and how serious it could be.

went through secondary school thinking i only needed my meds when i was unwell, so would take it for a bit, get me through any flares, and when i was better a few weeks later would stop taking them again. got secretive and flushed them down the loo as convinced myself i didnt need them. Was ace until my final year had a school trip to Italy and couldnt get out of my flare with just taking my meds. Was in bed the whole trip and had to stop the teachers from taking me to hospital. When i got back ended up in hopsital for a month, threatened with a stoma surgery several times, luckily they pumped me full of loads of meds to save my bowel, but wow what a fright, and always take my meds now, and stress if i miss a dose. i kinda ruined things for later on i reckon, wouldnt have scarred my bowel so bad if i was good.

But thats what school and growing up was all about, felt so alone like you, couldnt really explain to my friends what was wrong, with the pain and running to the loo, and the excuses kept running out. wish i had the forum when i was younger as it prob would have helped, cos noone really knows how you feel unless they have IBD themselves.

Looking forward to hearing all your stories and will try and think of some funny ones of my own in the meantime!

 

[rygon]

Yup I find stress a big factor in crohns, although foods like corn, anything with seeds in, and drinks like beer and whisky..my 2 fav drinks

Always forgetting to take my tablets, and once in bed cant be bothered to get out and find them anyway.

Welcome to the forum and hope you stay healthy

 

[Mountaingem]

:bigwave:Glad you found us Emma!

 

[Phantomhive]

Yeah, sucks big time. And most people dont understand that its different for everyone either. My boss "knows" someone who has it and basically implied that I was exaggerating my illness cos the person she knows is alright.

I guess we'll always come across people like that tho. But a quick fantasy of me slappin them in the face usually does the trick for me and move on lol

So I read the metro the other day, and there was a section about Crohns, colitis and bowel cancer. Theres a walk (UK mind) in Richmond Park on the 26.09.2010 and its to raise money for the Colorectal Research Fund.
I'm thinkin I may go, despite livin a fair way away.
Just to let you guys know in case its something you would like to do

Hope everyone is well and things. Keep posting, I'm lovin the amount of people on here ^_^