Author with IBS looking for guidance on a story about a teen girl with Crohn's

[Moomoogelato]

Hi guys! I'm Katie, and I'm a graphic novelist. A little bit about me-- I have IBS, and am also battling with severe, chronic anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, psychosis, a Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and a moderate case of Tourette's (it was severe when I was a teen). I do not at all claim to know what you are going through, but I do at least understand how hard it is to be sick.

I was hoping you guys could help me out a little bit here. Until a couple of days ago, I had no idea what Crohn's Disease was, and had to look it up. I understand bits and pieces of what goes on in the life of someone with Crohn's, but I know for a fact that reading WebMD does not fully paint the picture. I am writing a book that centers around the theme of how illness can completely change a person's values-- about how when you're really sick, and every conventional treatment has failed, you're willing to do almost anything to get a little bit of relief, even if it means breaking the law.

My protagonist is a teenaged girl, and she has Crohn's. I want to make this story as realistic as possible, and I thought "what better way to do that than ask people (and the parents of teens) who actually have Crohn's?" With that said, I ask you-- what is your daily life like? When was your first episode, and how did you react when it happened? What symptoms do you experience? What treatments have you tried, and what effects did they have (good and bad)?

I sincerely hope for the best for you guys, and I really appreciate you reading this, and posting any comments (feel free to add additional information if I've totally missed some crucial element of what would make a solid character with Crohn's).

 

[David]

Welcome

I think your best bet would be to read thread after thread here. You'll start to get a feel for things pretty quick.

If you want to make it REALLY real, be sure that the girl is first diagnosed with "IBS" and suffers for years along with other psychiatric issues such as depression and anxiety and psychosis that can often be explained by vitamin and mineral deficiencies (and easily fixed) once she is finally properly diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. It happens more than it should...

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

Like David said, trying to get diagnosis is really hard. For some it happens quicker than others. I was lucky once my GPs decided it was serious I got a good GI who diagnosed me after a series of tests, but it was still 6 months from when I first saw a doctor about it and when they told me for sure it was crohns. During that time it was just a lot of pain and confusion. I was diagnosed at 16/17 and I didn't understand it at all. I didn't even start doing any of my own research until I had been diagnosed maybe 5/6 months.

 

[Moomoogelato]

Thank you guys so much for the input! I will poke around here, for sure, and dragging her illness out to fullest extent possible sounds like a great plan. I really, really appreciate the replies.