First off, I'd just like to say how incredibly relieving it is to find a site such as this to connect with other people who are in the same boat as me. It's nice to know I'm not alone in this 
I wasn't diagnosed until Halloween weekend of 2011 but I've always had symptoms pointing to Crohn's since I was a kid. I'd feel nauseous for no reason, diarrhea, passing blood and just generally feeling ill. My doctor could never figure out what was wrong with me even after a colonoscopy when I was 15. The symptoms were mild so it was manageable. I moved away for school and everything seemed to be okay and I felt fine. As the semester went on, I began passing blood every time I went to the bathroom for months at a time. I chalked it up to eating too much protein until one day I fainted at the mall. I went to the hospital and received a rectal exam but nothing was evident and they let me go.
A year goes by and everything seems to be back to normal. I don't think about it again until around finals when I started needing to go to the bathroom a lot. I thought it was IBS from being stressed and nervous about school so I loaded up on Imodium for a couple weeks. Eventually they stopped helping at all. I go to the clinic where the Doctor tells me that it probably is all in my head and I should stop over thinking about things and sent me home with information about adding more fiber into my diet. I knew something was off so I go to the ER where they gave me another rectal exam which showed that blood was evident. They referred me to a gastro to get a colonoscopy done where they saw that my bowels were inflamed and covered in ulcers. Finally there was an answer.
After being diagnosed, my gastro put me on Prednisone and Imuran as well as calcium, iron and multivitamin supplements. I've never have had my abdomen feel tender to the touch as it did during that time. I was only on Imuran up until this February and nothing else. Although it worked, it wasn't fully effective as we wanted seeing as I was still passing blood regularly as well as my stools being loose still.
I experienced the worst flare up I've ever had over the winter break that made my doctor and I decide that we need to take another direction in medication. I couldn't leave the apt because I basically lived in the bathroom for the duration. I was put on Prednisone again and have been LOVING the weight gain. I couldn't sleep, missed 2 months of class as well as feeling depressed about my outlook, overwhelming anxiety about falling behind in school and even going back to school after missing so much. I'm still feeling overwhelmed now as I'm trying to catch up.
On the 1st of March, I made the leap into the world of Humira after months of hesitation. I struggled with deciding on whether to go on Remicade or Humira (the options my gastro recommended) because I have a huge fear of needles (doesn't everybody?). I could never imagine myself ever injecting my own needles and I instantly cry at the thought of needles going near veins. I discussed my options with my parents over the winter break looking for guidance but each parent picked opposite options. My gastro urged me to do Humira and I trusted her judgement. It was the best decision of my life. Since starting the treatment, it's like I'm a normal human being again. I hardly have any symptoms - I no longer pass blood, I have fully formed bowel movements. I'm so thrilled that my health is on the mend and I can get back to some sort of routine. I need to stay on Imuran for another year though which I am not too fond of.
One of my major concerns is being able to afford the Humira treatment once I'm taken off my Father's benefits (next month). I don't know what's going to happen then. I definitely can't afford the $800 per shot cost :S I guess I just need to take it a day at a time.
I wasn't diagnosed until Halloween weekend of 2011 but I've always had symptoms pointing to Crohn's since I was a kid. I'd feel nauseous for no reason, diarrhea, passing blood and just generally feeling ill. My doctor could never figure out what was wrong with me even after a colonoscopy when I was 15. The symptoms were mild so it was manageable. I moved away for school and everything seemed to be okay and I felt fine. As the semester went on, I began passing blood every time I went to the bathroom for months at a time. I chalked it up to eating too much protein until one day I fainted at the mall. I went to the hospital and received a rectal exam but nothing was evident and they let me go.
A year goes by and everything seems to be back to normal. I don't think about it again until around finals when I started needing to go to the bathroom a lot. I thought it was IBS from being stressed and nervous about school so I loaded up on Imodium for a couple weeks. Eventually they stopped helping at all. I go to the clinic where the Doctor tells me that it probably is all in my head and I should stop over thinking about things and sent me home with information about adding more fiber into my diet. I knew something was off so I go to the ER where they gave me another rectal exam which showed that blood was evident. They referred me to a gastro to get a colonoscopy done where they saw that my bowels were inflamed and covered in ulcers. Finally there was an answer.
After being diagnosed, my gastro put me on Prednisone and Imuran as well as calcium, iron and multivitamin supplements. I've never have had my abdomen feel tender to the touch as it did during that time. I was only on Imuran up until this February and nothing else. Although it worked, it wasn't fully effective as we wanted seeing as I was still passing blood regularly as well as my stools being loose still.
I experienced the worst flare up I've ever had over the winter break that made my doctor and I decide that we need to take another direction in medication. I couldn't leave the apt because I basically lived in the bathroom for the duration. I was put on Prednisone again and have been LOVING the weight gain. I couldn't sleep, missed 2 months of class as well as feeling depressed about my outlook, overwhelming anxiety about falling behind in school and even going back to school after missing so much. I'm still feeling overwhelmed now as I'm trying to catch up.
On the 1st of March, I made the leap into the world of Humira after months of hesitation. I struggled with deciding on whether to go on Remicade or Humira (the options my gastro recommended) because I have a huge fear of needles (doesn't everybody?). I could never imagine myself ever injecting my own needles and I instantly cry at the thought of needles going near veins. I discussed my options with my parents over the winter break looking for guidance but each parent picked opposite options. My gastro urged me to do Humira and I trusted her judgement. It was the best decision of my life. Since starting the treatment, it's like I'm a normal human being again. I hardly have any symptoms - I no longer pass blood, I have fully formed bowel movements. I'm so thrilled that my health is on the mend and I can get back to some sort of routine. I need to stay on Imuran for another year though which I am not too fond of.
One of my major concerns is being able to afford the Humira treatment once I'm taken off my Father's benefits (next month). I don't know what's going to happen then. I definitely can't afford the $800 per shot cost :S I guess I just need to take it a day at a time.
