My first indication that I had a GI problem happened after eating a meal at a Chinese restaurant. It was sweet and sour chicken with rice and egg drop soup. Something I have eaten many times before. But this time I had abdominal pain and severe bloating. My belly bloated like I was pregnant and it wouldn't pass. I thought I had food poisoning but with no diarrhea or vomiting. I also had non specific intermittant pain. I would feel it in different areas of my abdomen not in one place all the time. I suffered with that for 3 months before seeing my PCP because it gradually got better. He did a panel of tests looking for Celiac disease and gallbladder problems. Finally after an abdominal CT the finding came back Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I still continued to have the pains and bloating. Unsatisfied with the diagnosis, I thought I better see a specialist. He sent me to have another CT with contrast. It showed constriction of the distal ileum causing gas to back up into the small intestine characteristic of Crohn's disease. I found my answer. Not great to hear I have a chronic disease that has no cure and could get worse in the future. My doctor put me on Pentasa which didn't help much. After a colonoscopy, he put me on Budesonide also which helped me a lot and made me feel normal. I went off the Budesonide for 4 months and had a bad flare. Now I am back on the Budesonide and still on Pentasa. I haven't been able to get back to feeling normal on the Budesonide. My doctor keeps wanting to put me on Humira. I keep resisting because of the side effects. I have read about other drugs used with fewer side effects like low dose naltrexone and a trial drug called mongersen. Is anyone familiar with these drugs? I would like to know about people's experience with Humira and other TNF blockers. I really don't want to have surgery either.
