- Joined
- Sep 2, 2012
- Messages
- 6
Hello all,
I am not sure exactly where I should start, so I will just get right down to the good stuff.
I was officially diagnosed with Crohn's Disease on April 9th, 2012 after a Colonoscopy in which I awoke mid-probe. (They apparently underestimated my poor, diseased body's ungodly ability to metabolize medication; narcotics and sedatives in particular). It was the most awkward moment of my life, but it was rather interesting. I am sure my GI doc thought I was a weirdo for asking so many questions while having a camera up my butt. Maybe I am a weirdo for mentioning those little details publicly? Oh, well on we go!
About two years ago, I developed terrible indigestion which I attributed to possible, extreme lactose intolerance/ a mild allergy to dairy (it runs in my family). Being eastern European through and through on BOTH sides of my family, giving up dairy is like depriving me of a limb...maybe even multiple limbs...It is like taking an arm and a leg and expecting me to run a marathon.
In case you haven't noticed, I like to talk. Especially after a long day of work when I am falling asleep. The words just pour from my mind, to my fingertips on the keyboard, to the screen. If you met me in person you would think that I have MPD or something because I keep most of my voice inside of myself so that I can write rambling posts like this! Okay, more about my "****** intestines" (get it?!)
At the beginning of February this year (the week of my birthday. ******, right?) I noticed that my abdomen was distended and I was uncomfortably bloated constantly. I thought it was the result of bad shellfish, but when the symptoms persisted I began to worry. About two and a half weeks later I went to the ER because I thought my appendix had burst. They didn't take me seriously and proceeded to load me with Phenergan, morphine, and other good stuff to shut me up. They did run a CT scan and stated in my discharge orders that it was "possible crohn's", but were treating it as a bacterial infection from the shellfish.
Two days later I was back in the ER, my pain didn't go away so they gave me MORE narcotics and stopped the antibiotic I was on (because it obviously was not an infection). Still they wrote "possible crohn's". Finally my wonderful boyfriend found a GI doctor in Vancouver, WA who is one of the best and had an immediate opening. Within five minutes of seeing him, I was admitted to the hospital down the street. This was the last week of February. Mind you, by this time I had not passed a normal BM in three weeks and looked seven months pregnant (I am in no way exaggerating here, really).
In the hospital they made me consume a wonderful drink that tasted like flat 7up in order to get a clear CT scan. In the last three weeks I had not consumed much more than water mind you, so this stuff made me SO nauseous. long story short, I puked all of the nasty stuff up but they still got an incredibly clear image. After two days they gave me a NG tube and I was royally pissed off until they took it out. I almost yanked it out myself, it made me THAT mad. I was in for five and a half days, and it was speculated that I would need surgery. Thankfully there was not enough scar tissue to merit removing a section of my intestinal tract.
I was in an out of the ER until July actually, because my GI doc is very adamant about the idea that should I be in enough pain to reach for a narco pill, I should be going to the hospital. I did not eat solid food until well into April, which is probably why I gained so much weight; ninety percent of my diet was pudding, and with the Prednisone it was like I had a vacuum cleaner on my face (someone said that once on a forum about Prednisone I think, and I am shamelessly stealing it)
I should probably mention that I was on Prednisone from February-July and gained twenty-five pounds (It is frustrating, because I was a ballerina for fourteen years and was always a size 0) My dosage went slowly from 60mg to nothing, not counting being shot up with excessive amounts of SoluMedrol during each ER visit.
I am almost done with my story, I promise...If you have read this far, good for you!
Now I am on Humira injections; one 40mg shot every other week. I feel better than I have in two years, not counting the weight gain. My physician is using a "top down" approach to avoid the buildup of scar tissue. Aside from being paranoid about infection, Humira is fantastic.
I am concerned that I have developed arthritis in my joints though. I think I had it before I was officially diagnosed, because I always had problems with the flexibility and pain in my back during dance classes but it is definitely worse now. I move like an old lady in the mornings and after I have been sitting for a while and my hands swell like crazy.
Aside from having ****** intestines, I enjoy riding my horse, drawing, hiking, and exploring the Columbia Gorge!
If any of you are near Vancouver, Washington I would recommend Dr. Casimo at the Vancouver Clinic. He has a wonderful personality and sense of humor on top of being an incredibly talented doctor.
I'll step off of my soap box now, have a nice day everyone!
I am not sure exactly where I should start, so I will just get right down to the good stuff.
I was officially diagnosed with Crohn's Disease on April 9th, 2012 after a Colonoscopy in which I awoke mid-probe. (They apparently underestimated my poor, diseased body's ungodly ability to metabolize medication; narcotics and sedatives in particular). It was the most awkward moment of my life, but it was rather interesting. I am sure my GI doc thought I was a weirdo for asking so many questions while having a camera up my butt. Maybe I am a weirdo for mentioning those little details publicly? Oh, well on we go!
About two years ago, I developed terrible indigestion which I attributed to possible, extreme lactose intolerance/ a mild allergy to dairy (it runs in my family). Being eastern European through and through on BOTH sides of my family, giving up dairy is like depriving me of a limb...maybe even multiple limbs...It is like taking an arm and a leg and expecting me to run a marathon.
In case you haven't noticed, I like to talk. Especially after a long day of work when I am falling asleep. The words just pour from my mind, to my fingertips on the keyboard, to the screen. If you met me in person you would think that I have MPD or something because I keep most of my voice inside of myself so that I can write rambling posts like this! Okay, more about my "****** intestines" (get it?!)
At the beginning of February this year (the week of my birthday. ******, right?) I noticed that my abdomen was distended and I was uncomfortably bloated constantly. I thought it was the result of bad shellfish, but when the symptoms persisted I began to worry. About two and a half weeks later I went to the ER because I thought my appendix had burst. They didn't take me seriously and proceeded to load me with Phenergan, morphine, and other good stuff to shut me up. They did run a CT scan and stated in my discharge orders that it was "possible crohn's", but were treating it as a bacterial infection from the shellfish.
Two days later I was back in the ER, my pain didn't go away so they gave me MORE narcotics and stopped the antibiotic I was on (because it obviously was not an infection). Still they wrote "possible crohn's". Finally my wonderful boyfriend found a GI doctor in Vancouver, WA who is one of the best and had an immediate opening. Within five minutes of seeing him, I was admitted to the hospital down the street. This was the last week of February. Mind you, by this time I had not passed a normal BM in three weeks and looked seven months pregnant (I am in no way exaggerating here, really).
In the hospital they made me consume a wonderful drink that tasted like flat 7up in order to get a clear CT scan. In the last three weeks I had not consumed much more than water mind you, so this stuff made me SO nauseous. long story short, I puked all of the nasty stuff up but they still got an incredibly clear image. After two days they gave me a NG tube and I was royally pissed off until they took it out. I almost yanked it out myself, it made me THAT mad. I was in for five and a half days, and it was speculated that I would need surgery. Thankfully there was not enough scar tissue to merit removing a section of my intestinal tract.
I was in an out of the ER until July actually, because my GI doc is very adamant about the idea that should I be in enough pain to reach for a narco pill, I should be going to the hospital. I did not eat solid food until well into April, which is probably why I gained so much weight; ninety percent of my diet was pudding, and with the Prednisone it was like I had a vacuum cleaner on my face (someone said that once on a forum about Prednisone I think, and I am shamelessly stealing it)
I should probably mention that I was on Prednisone from February-July and gained twenty-five pounds (It is frustrating, because I was a ballerina for fourteen years and was always a size 0) My dosage went slowly from 60mg to nothing, not counting being shot up with excessive amounts of SoluMedrol during each ER visit.
I am almost done with my story, I promise...If you have read this far, good for you!
Now I am on Humira injections; one 40mg shot every other week. I feel better than I have in two years, not counting the weight gain. My physician is using a "top down" approach to avoid the buildup of scar tissue. Aside from being paranoid about infection, Humira is fantastic.
I am concerned that I have developed arthritis in my joints though. I think I had it before I was officially diagnosed, because I always had problems with the flexibility and pain in my back during dance classes but it is definitely worse now. I move like an old lady in the mornings and after I have been sitting for a while and my hands swell like crazy.
Aside from having ****** intestines, I enjoy riding my horse, drawing, hiking, and exploring the Columbia Gorge!
If any of you are near Vancouver, Washington I would recommend Dr. Casimo at the Vancouver Clinic. He has a wonderful personality and sense of humor on top of being an incredibly talented doctor.
I'll step off of my soap box now, have a nice day everyone!
