Hi all. I am new to this site, definitely not new to Crohn's.
I was diagnosed in 1997 after about 6 months of hell - pain, vomiting, d's, no appetite, losing weight all the usual symptoms. My doctors were certain I had IBS, and it wasn't until I mentioned that I had a cousin with some disease called Crohn's (I had no idea what it was back then) that they realised how sick I was. I was rushed to hospital, ended up on very high doses of steroids & mesalazine which didn't work and had my first resection.
After that first surgery I felt great, continued on mesalazine, however I still had regular pain and d's, urgency, occassional blood etc. I had a few major flare up's, was taken off the mesalazine and put onto Imuran. I also ended up with gall stones and had my gall bladder out which led to even worse d's.
Last year my GI found a mass in my abdomen, she put me into hospital immediately and put me on steroids and antibiotics - this was all very surprising as I felt pretty great. I had recently gone on a bit of a health kick, was eating great, had lost heaps of weight (on purpose this time!) so I was just devastated to find out that I had a huge mass of inflammation.
Well, a colonoscopy, MRI, x-rays, blood test etc later, my GI decided that the mass had to come out which I had done early last year. I had a hard time with the recovery, but now am feeling good. Still take Imuran, am now also on Humira. I take questran for the d's which works 90% of the time. Also have asthma, which has gotten a little bit worse since starting on the Humira. I also have the beginnings of arthritis in my hands, elbows and knees which - not too bad at the moment so I am trying aloe vera tablets and fish oil liquid. I also take a few other vitamins - one for my hair and skin as I have hair loss due to the Crohn's and my skin is just awful. Also on three-monthly injections of B12.
Well I think that is about it - have my good and bad days like all of us, but overall I am good. :ysmile:
Paula
I was diagnosed in 1997 after about 6 months of hell - pain, vomiting, d's, no appetite, losing weight all the usual symptoms. My doctors were certain I had IBS, and it wasn't until I mentioned that I had a cousin with some disease called Crohn's (I had no idea what it was back then) that they realised how sick I was. I was rushed to hospital, ended up on very high doses of steroids & mesalazine which didn't work and had my first resection.
After that first surgery I felt great, continued on mesalazine, however I still had regular pain and d's, urgency, occassional blood etc. I had a few major flare up's, was taken off the mesalazine and put onto Imuran. I also ended up with gall stones and had my gall bladder out which led to even worse d's.
Last year my GI found a mass in my abdomen, she put me into hospital immediately and put me on steroids and antibiotics - this was all very surprising as I felt pretty great. I had recently gone on a bit of a health kick, was eating great, had lost heaps of weight (on purpose this time!) so I was just devastated to find out that I had a huge mass of inflammation.
Well, a colonoscopy, MRI, x-rays, blood test etc later, my GI decided that the mass had to come out which I had done early last year. I had a hard time with the recovery, but now am feeling good. Still take Imuran, am now also on Humira. I take questran for the d's which works 90% of the time. Also have asthma, which has gotten a little bit worse since starting on the Humira. I also have the beginnings of arthritis in my hands, elbows and knees which - not too bad at the moment so I am trying aloe vera tablets and fish oil liquid. I also take a few other vitamins - one for my hair and skin as I have hair loss due to the Crohn's and my skin is just awful. Also on three-monthly injections of B12.
Well I think that is about it - have my good and bad days like all of us, but overall I am good. :ysmile:
Paula