Another holiday party

[BLM]

Greeting friends, hope your enjoying your December. So, things are going ok for me these last few days....better days than worse!! Im amped up on Prednisone, and dont seem to get much rest. Im having terrible anxiety, and my xanax isnt helping too much. I find that my temper is very short, making it hard to repeat myself over and over to my 3 year old son. So tonight, was our second holiday party this weekend....and OMG the food, and food and more food. I want to eat it all, and I have eaten way too much....and I know my consequences.....ILLNESS!! So how do I deal with this, people dont get it when I say I cant eat that, they think its a choice or something....or they think Im on a diet, or they just dont think and I end up eating things bc I dont want to offend someone and I want to enjoy all the holiday goodies. So, how do I go about keeping myself well, not telling the world my life drama and still have a good time?? Its quiet frustrating, especially when my children are loading up on all the holiday goods, and Im trying to choke down my water....I want so badly to be normal again...or not constantly freaked out that Im going to make myself sick. So, I ate, and ate and ate.....well, I know Im paying for it tonight and tomorrow and possibly into next week. My stomach is turning, Im having my naging sharp pain in my left ab and Im having terrible gas....that I really cant pass every easily.....so I know Im in for it in the next few days....all for some tasty holiday food. UGH!!

 

[crazycanuck]

God Im sorry I know the frusteration of saying no. Hard alcohol doesnt do well with me and as a fairly recently eligble legal drinker its incredibly difficult saying no over and over. Food even more frusterating Im sure. I however have a firm 2 answer rule. Ill say no twice but the third time you ask Im telling you look I have crohns disease I cant... Usually they havent got a clue but the word disease gets the poibt across quickly. Sorry for your pain and get better soon ok?

 

[Nica]

I understand what you are going through. I wish I had answer for you. I am 12 years into this and usually wind up in a flare in Dec and January. It's hard. I know I am weak when it comes to diet. I will not drink more than 1 drink anymore though. So maybe it will come to where you only eat the things that mess with you just a bit instead of all of it? I dont know I feel your pain.

 

[Sandy]

Hi Bev,

I suggest you be up front about it right away!

I'm really lucky in that I haven't found foods that bother me -- except maybe milk products but that's probably just lactose intolerance -- I take generic Lactaid.

But I'm an unwilling teetotaler due to a mild seizure disorder (alcohol interferes with the antiseizure drug), so I have to say "no" to drinks. So what I do is if someone asks, is to be frank and right away say "it interferes with my antiseizure medication." And if I had a food problem due to my Crohn's, I'd be frank there too. I'm pretty up front about it when it comes to having to run to the men's room too -- I just up and leave and if anyone asks, I tell them what's going on.

It's takes some practice doing this, but in my opinion it will make you feel better, because you'll be putting the burden of how to feel on the other person. If they're a good person, they'll understand. If not, who cares?

We're OK!

Hope this helps. Rereading my posts, I sometimes wonder if I'm saying the right things . . .

Happy holidays!
Sandy

Dx 1963
Now on:
Asacol
Azathioprine
Rowasa
Budesonide (sprinkled lightly in Rowasa, shaken, not stirred)
Folic acid

Other stuff for:
Seizure disorder
Hypertension
GERD
Depression (Probably due to corticosteroids)
Glaucoma (Probably due to corticosteroids)
Osteopenia (Probably due to corticosteroids)

 

[katiesue1506]

It's way easier to say that you can't drink because of medication interactions than it is to explain Crohn's. I find just saying no never works so I always say something like "no thanks, its really hard on my liver since I already take some pretty rough medications" Then they don't look down on me for being a spoil-sport.

I am a by-choice teetotaler and would be even if I didn't have Crohn's Disease though. I don't think anyone should have to explain themselves anyways. Why do people HAVE to drink at parties? What if I were a drinker and I just decided I didn't wanna drink that night... does that make a person bad? I don't get the whole alcohol thing though. **shrugs**

 

[Nica]

@ Sandy I wonder if I say the right things as well. The way I look at it is we both are just trying to give some of our experience to help others so it can't be wrong.It's what we have lived through. No alternative motives and just generally caring about others who suffer. I don't know that it can be wrong when you look at it that way. I know for me there was NOONE around with Crohns, when I was DXed, I can only imagine how different it was for you. No internet to help even. I at least at the 2 pages of a CCFA website.

For me not drinking was the easy part, the hard part is saying no to yummy foods when I feel ok. Sometimes I can get away with it, sometimes I can't. I always go with sure I can do this one for now. Then oops no I couldn't. Drinking has always played havoc on my system just one and I feel a bit of it the next day. I get to be the designated driver these days!

 

[Jennjenn]

When I am around my family or friends they understand what I stay away from. There is never a second no thanks that needs to come out! With people who do not know me as well, I just look like a picky eater. I don't care if they think that. If they say something like, "Oh your missing out, this is really good" I usually just make it like I do not like that type of dish or food. I do not care what they think after either if I say no thank you.

 

[woops!]

It is hard, I have a difficult time with my family. I have 2 first cousins who have CD. They drink, and eat what they want. One has an ostomy bag, the other is just constanly in and out of the hospital. I can not make my mum undrestand that just because they are willing to eat/drink it and pay later. I am not. I find that if I am just blunt it seems to be better. "No I realy don't want to eat that, If I do I will have intense pain, be in the bathroom for a long time... do you have enough toilet paper for me... and if it is realy bad you may end up taking me to the hospital. So mabey I will pass."
It works better for me if the person offering the food is pushy.

 

[Mountaingem]

It's way easier to say that you can't drink because of medication interactions than it is to explain Crohn's. I find just saying no never works so I always say something like "no thanks, its really hard on my liver since I already take some pretty rough medications" Then they don't look down on me for being a spoil-sport.

I am a by-choice teetotaler and would be even if I didn't have Crohn's Disease though. I don't think anyone should have to explain themselves anyways. Why do people HAVE to drink at parties? What if I were a drinker and I just decided I didn't wanna drink that night... does that make a person bad? I don't get the whole alcohol thing though. **shrugs**

I totally agree-it's rude to make people explain WHY they don't eat or drink something.

 

[ameslouise]

"I'm on a medically restricted diet" usually does the trick without having to give too much information they won't understand and don't really care about anyway.

I find that also helps me stay away from temptation, too. Once it's come out of my mouth, I'm too embarassed to eat whatever it is I just said I couldn't eat because of medical restrictions!

Good luck -the holidays are rough enough with the food situation!

-Amy

 

[Sandy]

I like the "medically restricted diet!" Short and to the point.

Thanks for the moral support, Nica.

Sandy