Death in the family and delayed Crohn's flareup?

[Snitzer1]

A close family member passed on last November.

Four months after their death my Crohn's flareup began.

Although I openly grieved a little at the time of her death
I'm basically one of those people who keep most emotions bottled up.

I am wondering if it is in any way possible that the repressed stress brought on from this family member's death (and while they were dying) could have caused my Crohn's flareup but took four months of bottled up stress for it to begin.



Before this flareup (which got me on Remicade) I was almost symptom free for fourteen years and during that time I had intermittent life stress (like anyone else).

 

[Polaris]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I also wonder if a recent death in the family (3 months ago) caused my current flare. I was doing great for almost a year, and all of a sudden I'm not. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[tots]

It's been my experience after a very stressful or emotional time my CD flares up.

Hope you feel better soon.


Lauren

 

[dave13]

Sorry for your loss.

I wholeheartedly feel my blockage/resection occurring at the same time as one of the most stressful times of my life was no coincidence.

Yes,I feel your repressed emotions can exacerbate your CD.We all have them,to one point or another.Dealing with them is the healthy thing to do,not the easy thing to do,but the healthy thing to do.

Do you have a family member you can talk to? It might let loose some stress to talk about how you felt about your passed relative with another relative.

 

[Snitzer1]

I spoke to family members and a trusted therapist in the months following my Mom's death.

Oddly enough my Crohn's flareup was the only major illness that followed this stressful time. No other illnesses.

Its the idea that I did not have the flareup until 4 months after her death.

But it makes sense that I did have a Crohn's flareup immediately following her death but the noticeable symptoms did not surface until four months later.

Thanks for your advice.

Knowing the probable cause of my flareup won't solve anything but after nearly 14 years of being symptom free I'm curious what caused it!

Thankfully, the Remicade is helping so far.

 

[Catherine]

Here another idea maybe the Crohn's was siliently flaring in the background and only become noticeable later.

 

[UnXmas]

I'm also very sorry for your loss.

I've never noticed any link between my physical symptoms and emotional state.

I think anyone in any situation can see a link if they're looking for one, especially if you're prepared to consider long delays between stress and reaction. Defining stress is also difficult. You had obviously experienced a lot of stress, but they'll be plenty of others just as sick or sicker who haven't, and people experiencing more stress who stay physically well.

I've just never been convinced by theories about illness and stress, although I do think that if mental stress leads to someone changing their physical state - eating poorly, sleeping poorly, not exercising, smoking or drinking, etc. it can have a knock-on physical effect, though I don't think it would cause a Crohn's flare up - maybe just worsen the symptoms.