Good Afternoon
My name is Donald C. Brennan, Ph.D. I have had Crohn's Disease for 42 years and an Ileostomy for 41 years. As can be expected the systemic debilitations are now surfacing as you age. However, one systemic occurrence I never considered, and I have a medical as well as a scientific background, was a perilous decrease in my Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium. Said deficiencies placed my very existence in jeopardy and even resulted in a brain seizure. Accordingly, what precipitated this, dehydration. (It is absolutely critical that we keep ourselves hydrated. I drink over 100 ounces of water, no sugar no cola, i add Crystal Light to the water, each day.) These noted levels are very easily checked through a low cost CBC requested by your physician and performed at a local lab such as Qwest or LabCorp. In order to return my system to orderly function, it was necessary for me to me on home IV infusion each night for 1 year with the breakout being potassium chloride IV every other night with the in between nights being a magnesium IV. These IV's took 15 hours to run and were exceptionally inconvenient. Now I take 18 tablets a day of Magnesium with Protein, plus Calcium and Liquid Potassium along with my standard Imuran and I am doing quite well. Accordingly, I encourage all with Crohn's to have your Magnesium, Potassium, and Calcium (would not hurt to have your hemoglobin and white blood cell count checked as well) though your Physician prescribed low cost CBC test. I am required to have my levels checked once a week.
Don Brennan, Ph.D.
My name is Donald C. Brennan, Ph.D. I have had Crohn's Disease for 42 years and an Ileostomy for 41 years. As can be expected the systemic debilitations are now surfacing as you age. However, one systemic occurrence I never considered, and I have a medical as well as a scientific background, was a perilous decrease in my Magnesium, Potassium and Calcium. Said deficiencies placed my very existence in jeopardy and even resulted in a brain seizure. Accordingly, what precipitated this, dehydration. (It is absolutely critical that we keep ourselves hydrated. I drink over 100 ounces of water, no sugar no cola, i add Crystal Light to the water, each day.) These noted levels are very easily checked through a low cost CBC requested by your physician and performed at a local lab such as Qwest or LabCorp. In order to return my system to orderly function, it was necessary for me to me on home IV infusion each night for 1 year with the breakout being potassium chloride IV every other night with the in between nights being a magnesium IV. These IV's took 15 hours to run and were exceptionally inconvenient. Now I take 18 tablets a day of Magnesium with Protein, plus Calcium and Liquid Potassium along with my standard Imuran and I am doing quite well. Accordingly, I encourage all with Crohn's to have your Magnesium, Potassium, and Calcium (would not hurt to have your hemoglobin and white blood cell count checked as well) though your Physician prescribed low cost CBC test. I am required to have my levels checked once a week.
Don Brennan, Ph.D.