Am I experiencing cancer?

[PotOfDuality]

I am another crohn's disease victim, age 17.
I am on the mdication Imuran now, but about a month ago, it sort of "stopped working" for me. my stools began to get lose and I have diarrhea for these past weeks. it comes with gas and cramp like pains.

I recently searched that I should check for bleeding, but I already have a anal fissure that can bleed sometimes. I even checked the paper, but there does not seem to be any blood that I can see.

Things I have read and that I amsuspicious about are:
Diarrhea
Gas, bloating and cramps
A suspicous change in the smell
Unintended or unexplained weight loss

I cannot do anything for a week, that is when I have another appointment. If I am notified that I should be cautious, I will get a test tomorrow!
How fast does this cancer develop? because for this past month there are no new changes, but today and yesterday, I actually had to go twice in a day.

 

[Lady Organic]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Its always possible an immuno-supressive medication looses its efficacy during treatment and that can lead to CD relapsing. if your' are not at maximal dosage for your weight, the doctor can ajust it and increase it. This happened to me in the past. after six months on 6-mp, the disease started to relapse and then we increased the medication and then I was good for years. Its good you have an appointment next week, you shall be able to tell your new symptoms to your dr. Dont worry about cancer. Crohn's symptoms can be different sometimes than what you experiment on your previous flares. It may not even be CD also, but IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) which sometimes co-exists and produces similar symptoms. Your dr will most likely want to order some exams to rule out or comfirm a CD relapse.

 

[PotOfDuality]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Its always possible an immuno-supressive medication looses its efficacy during treatment and that can lead to CD relapsing. if your' are not at maximal dosage for your weight, the doctor can ajust it and increase it. This happened to me in the past. after six months on 6-mp, the disease started to relapse and then we increased the medication and then I was good for years. Its good you have an appointment next week, you shall be able to tell your new symptoms to your dr. Dont worry about cancer. Crohn's symptoms can be different sometimes than what you experiment on your previous flares. It may not even be CD also, but IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) which sometimes co-exists and produces similar symptoms. Your dr will most likely want to order some exams to rule out or comfirm a CD relapse.

Yes, I did have to go off of one medication, only for the suspicion it losts its effictivity, and it got replaced (that one got taken out because of horrible side effects).
But actually they said I need to be on imuran for 9 months before it takes its effect and starts working? (cortisome really helped me in the first 2 months. after that I expeirenced loose, constipated and normal days)
on month 7-8 I could say the imuran worked. I was normal again, but I gained 10 kg (I had frightening weightloss, so from 65kg I went up to 75) but now (10 months) I am starting to lose my weight again. now I am 68.5kg

My doctor says "dont worry"and does not fill me out with a lot of info other that I am fine. I just do blood tests and that is it. But I am going to my main doctor (in lebanon) he is a professional at this and I am going to get 'tested' on other things too.
I am also developing axiety and my father does not know that I have no control over it. he just says "dont be scared" but now I read even worse news that if it is not treated it might stay as a chronic disease. yay me :frown:
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by the way, I keep reading about diets that can help crohns disease, but I lack imagination. Can you tell me exactly what you make for breakfast? and what you cook for your lunch? I dont mind living off of 2 different kinds of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners but I just dont understand the big lists they write down. I prefer to copy, rather than maybe buying the wrong brands or wrong foods.

Can you name what you had to eat yesterday, today, and tomorrow? And what is your favorite to eat or even other things you eat that are not in this list?

 

[Lady Organic]

hi again,

keep positive, for a lot of us, it can take some time after diagnosis before finding the right medication. It took 2 years for me of ups and downs before settling down, but after that I was good for years. Crohn's is a chronic disease that we will always have, but with ups and downs, so with remissions and flares. Some people can stay in remission for years, decades! Im sorry you are starting to have anxiety. Most of us go through there at some point, anxiety, depression, etc when we are in a flare, we worry we wont be able to be healthy again and yes, that is scary for sure. But keep positive and remind yourself that there will definately be a solution, because there will! If your anxiety becomes too much you can manage, please talk to somebody you trust: a social worker, a nurse, a teacher, a doctor, a friend, a family member, etc. Dont keep it to yourself, it wont do any good.

as for diets, there are different approaches, but nothing has been scientifically proven yet with strong evidence and not every patient is equally responsive. Some get partial help, some remission, some , nothing. Its something you'll have to experiement on your own if this appeals to you. If you read more into the diet section of the Forum, you'll come across the SDC diet, the IBD-AID, Dr John Hunter Enteral liquid diet fallowed by LOFFLEX diet, Dr. Jean Seignalet diet, etc... Find the thread and article about IBD-AID and inside, you'll find a table with food indications. If you decide to give it a real try, I strongly suggest you get the supervision of a nutrionnist who is willing to respect your choice of diet and work it with you so you dont loose more weight.

as for me, I cook mostly vegetarian Indian inspired food now. I avoid everything that is manufactured or processed. I eat some cereals, such as rice, buckwheat, millet but no more gluten (wheat, oat, barley). I get my proteins with nuts and legumes (green lentils +++) and sometimes a bit of fish or schrimps. In the morning a bowl of green lentils with a spur of salt is pretty good along with some vegetables cooked or raw and easy to prepare. If you are in a flare, cooked vegetable and puree could be easier to digest. Again, not every food is suitable for anyone. You might fond some personal sensityvity to particular food. Keeping a food diary and noting your symptoms can be interesting too.
good luck!