- Joined
- Jan 21, 2012
- Messages
- 30
Hello all, new to the forum, been reading for quite some time so I thought id finally pop in and say hi.
I was diagnosed with Crohns officially in December 2011 after quite a quick flare up of symptoms.
In July 2011 I got a painful swelling on my buttock (right next to anus), hurt to walk and hurt to sit. Visited GP on the monday and she initially thought it was piles and sent me home with some cream to apply. it gradually got worse and on the wednesday I went to A&E, again they had a look and said it was piles or maybe a small internal tear. I stuck with the cream and spent the rest of the week laid on my sofa. On the saturday I was very poorly, high fever, shaking and was admitted to EAU....one look and they diagnosed (you probably all guessed by now) perianal abscess - and a pretty big one at that, 10cm across surgeon informed me. Got emergency surgery, wound packed and I spent the next two months getting daily wound packing and dressings.
After that first hospital visit I started to get symptoms, very poorly tummy/cramps, urgent diarrhoea, weightloss. My wound finally healed, but then (sods law) I developed another small abscess and fistula which they caught very early and I had surgery again.
The district nurses were very amused when I phoned then up three days after they discharged me to say 'Hello, its that girl who's bum you clearly love to look at....I need you to start coming to see me again'
I had my colonoscopy and they found I have a lovely ulcerated bowel (I say lovely because I watched on the screen and my ulcers had a nice polka dot pattern to them - typical of me to make sure that even my illness is 'on trend and fashionable').
So right now Im on Prednisolone, side effects not too bad and I'm coping well - still losing weight, but its definitely slowed down. Still get cramps and pain, but a lot less severe. I'm starting to reduce Prednisolone now and should be finished by end of march. Then Dr wants me on the azathioprine which I'm a bit worried about looking at the side effects.
My work have been absolutely amazing and understanding - especially when I got a new role in the organisation and then 3 days later I ended up being on the sick for a month following my surgery. But they keep me laughing and in good spirits with constant innane questions and statements like "hows your bum?" and "If your on steroids does that mean you dont have to shave your legs? I mean, you can say hairy legs are a side effect!". They have kept me sane and laughing, which is what Ive really needed when I've turned up at work exhausted and looking like Ive been dragged though a hedge backwards
So that's all about me...id really appreciate any advice on what to expect as I start the azathioprine as the new meds will coincide with the launch of a new project at work and it would probably help if I'm prepared for any side effects I might get during that very stressy time.
I was diagnosed with Crohns officially in December 2011 after quite a quick flare up of symptoms.
In July 2011 I got a painful swelling on my buttock (right next to anus), hurt to walk and hurt to sit. Visited GP on the monday and she initially thought it was piles and sent me home with some cream to apply. it gradually got worse and on the wednesday I went to A&E, again they had a look and said it was piles or maybe a small internal tear. I stuck with the cream and spent the rest of the week laid on my sofa. On the saturday I was very poorly, high fever, shaking and was admitted to EAU....one look and they diagnosed (you probably all guessed by now) perianal abscess - and a pretty big one at that, 10cm across surgeon informed me. Got emergency surgery, wound packed and I spent the next two months getting daily wound packing and dressings.
After that first hospital visit I started to get symptoms, very poorly tummy/cramps, urgent diarrhoea, weightloss. My wound finally healed, but then (sods law) I developed another small abscess and fistula which they caught very early and I had surgery again.
The district nurses were very amused when I phoned then up three days after they discharged me to say 'Hello, its that girl who's bum you clearly love to look at....I need you to start coming to see me again'
I had my colonoscopy and they found I have a lovely ulcerated bowel (I say lovely because I watched on the screen and my ulcers had a nice polka dot pattern to them - typical of me to make sure that even my illness is 'on trend and fashionable').
So right now Im on Prednisolone, side effects not too bad and I'm coping well - still losing weight, but its definitely slowed down. Still get cramps and pain, but a lot less severe. I'm starting to reduce Prednisolone now and should be finished by end of march. Then Dr wants me on the azathioprine which I'm a bit worried about looking at the side effects.
My work have been absolutely amazing and understanding - especially when I got a new role in the organisation and then 3 days later I ended up being on the sick for a month following my surgery. But they keep me laughing and in good spirits with constant innane questions and statements like "hows your bum?" and "If your on steroids does that mean you dont have to shave your legs? I mean, you can say hairy legs are a side effect!". They have kept me sane and laughing, which is what Ive really needed when I've turned up at work exhausted and looking like Ive been dragged though a hedge backwards
So that's all about me...id really appreciate any advice on what to expect as I start the azathioprine as the new meds will coincide with the launch of a new project at work and it would probably help if I'm prepared for any side effects I might get during that very stressy time.
