Anxious/depressed/flare up

[armywife813]

Im dianne and ill be 23 in one month ....im a new member with crohns.... my husband is an American soldier and we get moved wherever the army decides. When he got home from Iraq last msummer we lived in fort hood, Texas and my symptoms were barely there! Of course I had bad sick days but I was doing so well physically; better than in my original home in new jersey. Since I've moved to Korea it seems like I've had a never ending flare up!!!!! I also got hiatal hernia repair surgery here and they screwed it up by stitching my esophagus too small so almost every time I eat or drink I regurgitate, which in turn dehydrates nd malnourishes me even more than usual to the point where I've passed out and hit my head on several occasions and ended up in these horrible Korean emergency rooms! I go for egds to stretch my esophagus but unlike in the states I'm fully awake and aware and its a scary experience for me. My husband works a lot and being halfway around the world where its day in America and night in Korea with a 14 hour time difference and being so far away from my family and friends I am so lonely which results in more depression/anxiety than I already have which seems to make the crohns symptoms worse....I'm on pentasa (was on remecade in the states) and prednisone 40 mg and am on and off oxycontin for the pain for both the crohns and surgeries/procedures ....right now I'm having a flare up so bad that my knees are swollen all my joints ache and the abdominal pain is excruciating....my gi gave me the option to up the prednisone to 60 mg but pred gives me such bad anxiety I don't want to. I am going to get more pain meds in a few days so hopefully that'll help me through this flare and I won't have to up the prednisone as it makes me so depressed/anxious. Its like a vicious cycle with the crohns, the botched surgery and not being able to eat or drink without reguritation, the depression, the anxiety, and homesickness. Not to mention I can't finish school or work right now since the surgeries/being in Asia, so I'm home alone all day. Sorry this was so long, I just really needed to vent.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

I'm sorry that things are starting out so hard for you Hope things start getting at least a little better for you soon. Take care. :hug:

 

[Jennifer]

I'm really sorry you're going through all this. My first thought (and its not meant to be mean in any way what so ever) is what if you could come home to the states and get well? I wonder if maybe another surgery could be done to make the hole larger in your esophagus and go back on meds that worked well for you in the past.

I know you know that pain meds aren't going to fix whatever is going on inside Crohn's wise. I know you're there for your husband but to me it sounds like you need better care (medical care). Is it possible for you to go back home and then come back to where he's stationed?

Falling and hitting your head and having botched surgeries with medieval treatment just doesn't sound like the best place to be.

I don't work well with Prednisone either and take Entocort instead. Dunno if they have that there though.

Sorry if all that wasn't much help but, you need better medical care.

 

[Txarmywife]

I'm sorry you're having a rough time I'm an army wife also (currently at fort hood) and so if you ever need someone to talk to feel free to message me. We are fortunate to be in the same state as our family but I still go through times where I feel homesick and alone. Especially when hubby is working long hours...it's hard to constantly be at home feeling miserable by yourself. I hope you get better relief soon. Have you thought about starting a journal or online blog?? That may help get some of your feelings out and not feel so isolated.

 

[SdN]

I'm sorry you are having such a rough time. I totally agree with you about prednisone it gives me anxiety problems too so you aren't alone! Is there any chance you could go home and be with family until you get better? It must be very stressful feeling so alone and being in strange hospitals. That can only make you feel worse.