Ahoy mates!!

[silverswimfish]

Good evening everybody!! I'm new to these forums, but unfortunately not to Crohn's, having just 'celebrated' my 10 years since diagnosis. My early story mirrors quite a few people's: I was diagnosed as a teenager and promptly ignored it and hoped it would go away on it's own. I had a very hard time accepting it, or I suppose I should say I didn't accept it , until years of poorly followed treatment plans finally caught up to me and in 2007 I was hospitalized for 6 weeks. My weight upon admission was charted at 56kgs, which for someone over 6 feet is kinda of terrifying. I got the full joys of TPN and prednisone, but most importantly, a real respect for what the disease can do if left to it's own devices.

Since then, I've been very regimented about my treatment plan and have been rewarded with nothing but minor flare-ups now and again and am maintaining a healthy body weight of 85 kgs. I'm currently working as a paramedic in Ontario and as a personal trainer, so needless to say, I need my body to be very functional on a daily basis

I wanted to join this forum partly because even though I have been so fortunate thus far, I still have my bad days, as we all do. I still get so frustrated sometimes when, despite my best efforts, my guts decide they want to spend the day cramping for no very good reason. It is wonderful to have a support system of people who know and have been through what you have. And on the reverse side, I hope I can help others through the good and bad times

Cheers,

---> I.

 

[Jessi]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

10 year battle so far, eh? I'm happy you decided to join us here. You probably have a lot to offer others who are new to this world.

I think a lot of people have a hard time sticking to or following treatment plans as you did. We must be a pretty stubborn bunch. I, for one, have always hated medicine, but dare not neglect my guts. Not anymore. I guess we have a bit in common.

I respect you for taking on such a heroic job as being a paramedic. :hug: You certainly need your health to be in order if you are to have the strength to care for others.

Are you on any current medications?

Welcome, once again, and I hope to see you around the forum.

 

[Angrybird]

Hello and :welcome: I am really pleased that you have decided to join us. What is your current treatment plan? I think your early experience with the disease will be helpful to many especially other new members who have only just been diagnosed, it can be so daunting and it's hard to take it all in and that is when you try and bury your head in the sand. With regards to the minor flare ups you have how long do they tend to last and do you get the 'usual' symptoms?

 

[silverswimfish]

Yeah, I think being diagnosed with something as big as Crohn's or UC as a teenager virtually garauntees a few years of non-compliance followed by a big wake-up call of some kind.

As for me, I'm currently on Azathioprine, metronidazole, and a lot of ferrous gluconate. My biggest ongoing issues are some solid perianal disease, and a couple fistulas. And tons of fatigue - I go in for iron infusions a couple times a year. I haven't needed any resections *knocks on wood*, but have had several surgeries for fistuals and abscesses

I find that with my current meds and diet plan I get only minor flare-ups fairly infrequently: a few days each month I'll get some minor cramping and loss of appetite - hardly enough to even compete with my girlfriend's monthly cramping I haven't had anything big in probably 2 years now

I feel so lucky that everything is going so well for me right now, but I haven't forgotten the past, when it wasn't uncommon for me to spend a week or more unable to get out of bed from the pain.

Make the most of life while you're healthy, my grandad the GP used to say

 

[Angrybird]

a few days each month I'll get some minor cramping and loss of appetite - hardly enough to even compete with my girlfriend's monthly cramping

I suppose we can allow you to complain a little about your 'time of the month' as well then.

 

[SandyM]

Hi and Welcome to the forum!

 

[Jessi]

Your granddad was a very wise man. I feel lucky at the moment, too.

Here's a link to the Azathioprine Sub-forum.