Hi, new here
. Just about 2 weeks ago I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease after a year filled with misery, frustration and questions that always seemed to go unanswered. A little over a year ago I had gone to the doctor and they noticed my iron level was low and my weight had taken a nose dive of 14 pounds. After no explanation for the weight loss, I was put on an iron supplement and sent home. A few months later I noticed that I was getting mouth sores. They covered every inch of my mouth it seemed and it made eating anything a chore. I brushed it off as a symptom of low iron. The next month is when I started experiencing extreme discomfort in my lower abdomen and nausea. Also loose stools, random fevers and urgency like I have never experienced before. These things would happen on a daily basis, more than 5 times a day. Of course I brushed things off as maybe a virus or something, hoping it would go away at the end of the week. 3 months later filled of denial and complete suffering, I finally decided it was time to go to the doctor. After a few blood tests, I was taken to the emergency room due to an iron level of 8.4 and a heart rate of 148 beats per minute and ongoing weightloss. I can't tell you how frustrating it was being in a hospital when everyone was concerned more about my heart and not what was crippling me digestively for months. I was not responding to the IV full of iron they pumped into me that first night, but nevertheless, I was sent home 3 days later, prescribed with an iron supplement, Lopressor for my heart, and deep annoyance that I felt no better leaving than I did entering. Still pale, still feeling miserable, and weighing only 104 pounds compared to the 132 pounds I was less than a year ago. After 5 grueling months, symptoms got worse, and I kind of felt helpless to be honest. I didn't know what was wrong with me, the specialists had no answers, and I was running to the bathroom more times than a person should ever have to at the age of 19. Almost 2 weeks ago I finally underwent my first colonoscopy 2 days before my 20th birthday, and I was diagnosed with Crohn's. I am now on Asacol HD, 800mg, 3 times a day. Let me first start off by saying I am in every way blessed and grateful that my diagnosis was not something worse, because it could have been. But I am having a very hard time accepting it. I feel like I am dealing with a 70yr olds problems, in a 20yr olds body and I am sad that this is a problem I will have to deal with the rest of my life. I'm still pale due to Anemia caused by this, still at a low weight of 108lbs. And I feel like my body has betrayed me. I have never been a confident person to begin with, and this experience has brought me to an all time low and I have yet to have had any relief of my symptoms. I'm afraid things won't get better as it has been such a rollercoaster ride this past year. But any encouraging advice or anything would be SO appreciated!
. Just about 2 weeks ago I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease after a year filled with misery, frustration and questions that always seemed to go unanswered. A little over a year ago I had gone to the doctor and they noticed my iron level was low and my weight had taken a nose dive of 14 pounds. After no explanation for the weight loss, I was put on an iron supplement and sent home. A few months later I noticed that I was getting mouth sores. They covered every inch of my mouth it seemed and it made eating anything a chore. I brushed it off as a symptom of low iron. The next month is when I started experiencing extreme discomfort in my lower abdomen and nausea. Also loose stools, random fevers and urgency like I have never experienced before. These things would happen on a daily basis, more than 5 times a day. Of course I brushed things off as maybe a virus or something, hoping it would go away at the end of the week. 3 months later filled of denial and complete suffering, I finally decided it was time to go to the doctor. After a few blood tests, I was taken to the emergency room due to an iron level of 8.4 and a heart rate of 148 beats per minute and ongoing weightloss. I can't tell you how frustrating it was being in a hospital when everyone was concerned more about my heart and not what was crippling me digestively for months. I was not responding to the IV full of iron they pumped into me that first night, but nevertheless, I was sent home 3 days later, prescribed with an iron supplement, Lopressor for my heart, and deep annoyance that I felt no better leaving than I did entering. Still pale, still feeling miserable, and weighing only 104 pounds compared to the 132 pounds I was less than a year ago. After 5 grueling months, symptoms got worse, and I kind of felt helpless to be honest. I didn't know what was wrong with me, the specialists had no answers, and I was running to the bathroom more times than a person should ever have to at the age of 19. Almost 2 weeks ago I finally underwent my first colonoscopy 2 days before my 20th birthday, and I was diagnosed with Crohn's. I am now on Asacol HD, 800mg, 3 times a day. Let me first start off by saying I am in every way blessed and grateful that my diagnosis was not something worse, because it could have been. But I am having a very hard time accepting it. I feel like I am dealing with a 70yr olds problems, in a 20yr olds body and I am sad that this is a problem I will have to deal with the rest of my life. I'm still pale due to Anemia caused by this, still at a low weight of 108lbs. And I feel like my body has betrayed me. I have never been a confident person to begin with, and this experience has brought me to an all time low and I have yet to have had any relief of my symptoms. I'm afraid things won't get better as it has been such a rollercoaster ride this past year. But any encouraging advice or anything would be SO appreciated!
