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Cimzia Worked Miracles For Me So Far!

I wanted to share my story. No two stories are the same with crohn's. But I think it could be helpful. Diagnosed with crohn's at age 13...probably had it much earlier. Used to complain of awful stomach pains. Removed appendix because they thought appendicitis but turned out surgeon saw crohn's. For a while I was okay on basic meds..5ASA meds like Asacol. Then tried some 6MP etc. I went off this because it bothered me..increased pain. That was a bad move. I ended up having a structuring of the intestine. The surgeon said he had to operate or I'd have a blockage. I ignored him. Was fearful of surgery. Worse pain and suffering for about six months. Then I had the blockage. NG Tube/enema etc. and intestinal resection.
When I came out of the resection my gi and surgeon said I should be pain free for /minor symptoms for ten years (because my crohn's moved slow/ not that bad). This proved entirely off.

Post-surgery I had chronic pain and other complications...predominantly bloating. I had balloon procedures where they widened the anastamosis because it had narrowed down again for some reason (unexplained). Then I had another exploratory surgery after four months of not eating anything but liquids and losing thirty to forty pounds. At this point I felt on death's door. Fortunately, the surgeon found a piece of my intestine stuck in my duodenum--explanation never provided--which was causing the bloating and blockage like symptoms. After this I could eat and digest food again but the chronic pain symptoms continued.

For the next twelve years or so I had chronic pain that was never quite explained by the amount of crohn's disease shown through testing. I had every test multiple times--capsule endoscopy, ct enterography with contrast, colonoscopy, upper gi etc..--but there used to be very little crohn's recurrence shown and only recently some crohn's but not in line with the degree of my symptoms (doc called it mild crohns). But the chronic pain and trips to bathroom were a nightmare and severely debilitating.

The only relief I got was marijuana--temporary--but not effective at all--for more than ten minutes--if that. It was theorized that my problems could be either adhesions or crohn's. Maybe there weren't seeing all the crohn's. I considered further surgeries at various points but as everyone knows the more surgeries you have for adhesions the more surgeries you will need in the future.

The only thing that had any affect on my symptoms was entocort...but that wore off. 6mp bothered me. 5asa's did nothing. Antibiotics changed how I felt but not necessarily for the better.

Because a lot of crohn's wasn't showing my doc was reluctant to try remicade or humira--biologic. Recently, I was hospitalized for five days. I had a partial blockage but no structuring. There was a kind of infection internally. The pain was awful. Almost as bad as stricture blockage. At one point I was one 14 mg I believe of morphine a near quadruple dose and still had 9 out of 10 pain. Vomiting all night and felt like was gonna die. Had dilated pupils and no energy. Got out of hospital....after deciding not to do surgery..because they couldn't see anything mechanical wrong and one surgeon said try remicade.

But pain returned. And had one night of horror...where I somehow held out and did not go to hospital but was in such pain I was seriously contemplating suicide. Went on liquids after that. This brings me up to yesterday. I decided to try cimzia...as it was this or surgery...and, granted, it is only 24 hours, but I seem to have had a miracle affect. I have heard these drugs being a miracle drug but I've been so resistant to treatment and so non-standard a treatment I'd given up hope (thought my problem was adhesions). I'm now beginning to believe there was more active crohn's then the test showed...as the surgeon explained..some crohn's can be beneath the surface partly...and active crohn's is shown...just not that bad. Perhaps this is keeping it in control. All I know is symptomatically it is night and day. I literally feel like a different person. I have ten times the energy. Can eat more. And without the pain I'm much more pleasant and jovial. It's like if you gave someone contacts and they suddenly realized what it's like to see clearly. I can't believe how lucky I am. I know the dangers of these drugs and I do not want to diminish them...but if you are out of options...and nothing else works for you..I highly recommend taking these drugs. I should have done it sooner. I had zero quality of life without them. I hope this continues as I'm only 24 hours in but these are powerful drugs and I definitely think everyone with these conditions should consider them when nothing else works!

36 years old. Drugs. Cimzia. 5ASA (Delzicol). Entocort (9mg per day). Surgeries: Appendectomy (diagnosed crohns). 1990. Intestinal Resection. 2002. Exploratory Surgery. 2003.
 
Mattie4444 I'm glad you have finally found a treatment that is helping! I started taking Cimzia last year after my bowel resection and it has worked wonders for me so far! I was on Remicade for 2 years before starting Cimzia. I can honestly say I feel better on the Cimzia than on the Remicade! I hope everything starts to improve for you! :)))

20 years old. Drugs: Cimzia, Imuran (150 mg) Questran for Diarrhea daily, Enalipril (10 mg HBP), Wellbutrin (150 mg), Restoril (15mg Insomnia) Omeprazole (25 mg), fish oil, multivitamin, vitamin d & b, and calcium.

Past Crohns Meds: Entocort, Prednisone, Asacol, Cipro, Flagyll, Remicade, Imuran ( started in 08-11 then taken off and put back on 13- present)
 
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