Looking back, I've always had issues with stomach pains. If I was ever off school, it was with a tummy ache, rather than a headache etc. However, the severe symptoms didn't really manifest themselves until May/July time last year. It was just after I'd finished my final A Level exam (I'm 19, nearly 20, now) and I woke up with such a bad stomach ache/cramp, one which I knew was out of the ordinary. I remember thinking that it wasn't normal and I remember thinking that I would probably have to see a doctor this time. Now, I'd previously complained about stomach pain, but just been assured that my body was just slower at digesting things. When I got home, I took the medication which had been prescribed for whenever this problem arose and hoped for the best. I really didn't want to be ill as I was going to be going away to University in the autumn. However, my stomach pains persisted and finally my doctor diagnosed Acid Reflux and prescribed tablets to help. They didn't work and I was told that actually, nothing had been found to prove this diagnosis and so another doctor prescribed a tablet to be taken before meals which would ease pain. Didn't work.
I went off to University in October and from then on things became worse. I didn't have a proper support network because I didn't know anyone and it was easy to miss meals to avoid the pain caused by eating. My mother, when she visited, was obviously concerned and raised the possibility of an eating disorder, something I knew I didn't have. It was extremely difficult, for obvious reasons, to prove this as I had visibly lost weight. I came home a few weekends later to see the family GP, but he refused to do anything because I'd registered at a GP at Uni, so he wrote a letter for me to give to my doctor there. The letter basically said that I had a sore tummy and wasn't eating, the tone implied that whatever was wrong with me was my fault. My doctor at Uni couldn't feel anything out of the ordinary and prescribed Omeprazole (again, for Acid), but they didn't work. By this point I'd given up.
Nobody seemed to know what was wrong and I wasn't getting answers. By Christmas I was back home, unable to return to University due to the pain. I got a part time job and went back to my local doctors surgery, this time to see another doctor (a woman) who I presented with a list of my symptoms and refused to leave until she referred me to the hospital. There, I was listened to and was told to get an endoscopy which found ulcers, so they upped the omeprazole dosage. The test also showed abnormalities and I was asked to get a blood test to see if I had too much of a certain kind of hormone. This was in March and by May (when I saw the expert again for my results) I weighed just under six stone (around 84 pounds). I was then hospitalised and put on a feeding tube whilst they tried to find out what was wrong with me. The feeding tube was too much a times and I was sick twice which is an awful experience as the tube comes out each time. I was then put on IV cyclizine thrice daily and at times morphine. Eventually, after numerous invasive tests, I was told it was Crohn’s, something I'd raised at one of the earlier doctors sessions. I was told that because it had progressed quite a lot, I would have to have bi-monthly infusions of Infliximab and I was also put on Steroids for 6 weeks.
I came home with a bag full of medication, but I had answers. It has been three months since my discharge (almost to the day) and my treatment has been effective so far. I've had three infusions so far and am now on the bimonthly cycle. I find that around the time I'm due for another infusions, the symptoms return, but they aren't as bad and I can cope. At the moment I have a bit of inflammation, but nothing major. I'm really thankful that my consultant at the hospital listened to me and didn't think I was being crazy. I'm thankful that the hospital staff took such great care of me and I'm thankful that I have had (so far) an easy recovery. I don't know where this disease will take me next, but for now I am back at University and looking towards the future, rather than wallowing in self-pity. Last year was the worst of my life and it's not something I'd like to repeat, but I know that Crohn’s is unpredictable. All I can do is remember that I know what the problem is now and because of this, help will be easier to find.
I'm so happy to have found this forum as it will be good to read about others experiences and also excellent for advice. Obviously Doctors know a lot, but I guess when you've experienced something, you tend to have a better idea about what to expect. So far I haven't really found any new foods which have an adverse effect. I already avoid products with a lot of dairy as I've found that to be a trigger to stomach problems all my life.
Thank You for taking the time to read my story! :thumleft:
I went off to University in October and from then on things became worse. I didn't have a proper support network because I didn't know anyone and it was easy to miss meals to avoid the pain caused by eating. My mother, when she visited, was obviously concerned and raised the possibility of an eating disorder, something I knew I didn't have. It was extremely difficult, for obvious reasons, to prove this as I had visibly lost weight. I came home a few weekends later to see the family GP, but he refused to do anything because I'd registered at a GP at Uni, so he wrote a letter for me to give to my doctor there. The letter basically said that I had a sore tummy and wasn't eating, the tone implied that whatever was wrong with me was my fault. My doctor at Uni couldn't feel anything out of the ordinary and prescribed Omeprazole (again, for Acid), but they didn't work. By this point I'd given up.
Nobody seemed to know what was wrong and I wasn't getting answers. By Christmas I was back home, unable to return to University due to the pain. I got a part time job and went back to my local doctors surgery, this time to see another doctor (a woman) who I presented with a list of my symptoms and refused to leave until she referred me to the hospital. There, I was listened to and was told to get an endoscopy which found ulcers, so they upped the omeprazole dosage. The test also showed abnormalities and I was asked to get a blood test to see if I had too much of a certain kind of hormone. This was in March and by May (when I saw the expert again for my results) I weighed just under six stone (around 84 pounds). I was then hospitalised and put on a feeding tube whilst they tried to find out what was wrong with me. The feeding tube was too much a times and I was sick twice which is an awful experience as the tube comes out each time. I was then put on IV cyclizine thrice daily and at times morphine. Eventually, after numerous invasive tests, I was told it was Crohn’s, something I'd raised at one of the earlier doctors sessions. I was told that because it had progressed quite a lot, I would have to have bi-monthly infusions of Infliximab and I was also put on Steroids for 6 weeks.
I came home with a bag full of medication, but I had answers. It has been three months since my discharge (almost to the day) and my treatment has been effective so far. I've had three infusions so far and am now on the bimonthly cycle. I find that around the time I'm due for another infusions, the symptoms return, but they aren't as bad and I can cope. At the moment I have a bit of inflammation, but nothing major. I'm really thankful that my consultant at the hospital listened to me and didn't think I was being crazy. I'm thankful that the hospital staff took such great care of me and I'm thankful that I have had (so far) an easy recovery. I don't know where this disease will take me next, but for now I am back at University and looking towards the future, rather than wallowing in self-pity. Last year was the worst of my life and it's not something I'd like to repeat, but I know that Crohn’s is unpredictable. All I can do is remember that I know what the problem is now and because of this, help will be easier to find.
I'm so happy to have found this forum as it will be good to read about others experiences and also excellent for advice. Obviously Doctors know a lot, but I guess when you've experienced something, you tend to have a better idea about what to expect. So far I haven't really found any new foods which have an adverse effect. I already avoid products with a lot of dairy as I've found that to be a trigger to stomach problems all my life.
Thank You for taking the time to read my story! :thumleft:
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