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Don't know what to do, started Cimzia, possible obstruction

I am 17 years old and was diagnosed my freshman year in highschool with Crohn's (I'm a senior now). It's been a bumpy road but for the most part everything has been good until this past summer. I had been taking Humira for about a year and a half, I would have my good and bad days but it was still manageable. This summer it just completely stopped working for me. I had the worst joint paint and swelling all over my body accompanied by pretty bad stomach cramping. My doctor decided to put me on Remicade which was fantastic and I started feeling better the very next day. The third time around however I got a very serious anaphylactic reaction which was very scary. It was found that I had devolved antibodies so no more Remicade for me :( Things have just been getting worse and worse, I ended up in the hospital for a week where I had bowel rest for a couple days and was put on prednisone but still nothing! My doctor made the decision to put me on the Cimzia and I felt okay for a couple of days but then it all went bad again. I am in so much pain, I can't go to school which is awful because I'm missing out on my senior year as well as trying to deal with the stresses of college apps. I got my second dose of Cimzia yesterday and thought I was feeling alright so I ate a normal lunch but then got terribly sick and threw up. I'm really worried I might have some type of obstruction. Any help or advice will help PLEASE🙏🙏
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
It can take up to 3 months to see the full effects of Cimzia. You are in the induction phase, so don't give up. Do you have other symptoms such as fever, lack of passing stool/gas, distended stomach, sharp pain? If you keep vomiting and have any other symptoms you may have a partial or full obstruction.
 
Hi Shelby17, So sorry to hear of your pain. My 20 year old daughter is newly diagnosed with UC/ Crohns. She is having a tough time this week with a terrible upper respitory and a bad flare and she is too sick to go to her college classes. We live in California and she got a medical marijuana card and is finding some pain relief and healing from using the oil as well as raising her pred. For a week and than tapering.Do you used diet to control your symptoms? My daughter is eating lactose free foods, low residue soft foods during this flare and heving probiotics.
 
I would go have myself checked. I just had a partial blockage 2 weeks ago, but I have also had a complete obstruction. I had pain that would come and go. The ER will do a CT scan and some x-rays to see what's going on. Then they will give you something for nausea and pain. I call Zofran my friend because I hate throwing up.
 
It can take up to 3 months to see the full effects of Cimzia. You are in the induction phase, so don't give up. Do you have other symptoms such as fever, lack of passing stool/gas, distended stomach, sharp pain? If you keep vomiting and have any other symptoms you may have a partial or full obstruction.
Yeah I am having terrible pain, and having difficulty passing stool. I feel the need to go but cannot, that is why I am starting to believe that it is an obstruction. I also vomited just a bit ago after drinking a small amount of smoothie.
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
Can you call the on call doctor or the emergency line to reach your doctor? If things don't improve and you can't reach a doctor please goto the emergency room. An obstruction needs to be dealt with promptly and they can assess your condition.
 
Hi Shelby17, So sorry to hear of your pain. My 20 year old daughter is newly diagnosed with UC/ Crohns. She is having a tough time this week with a terrible upper respitory and a bad flare and she is too sick to go to her college classes. We live in California and she got a medical marijuana card and is finding some pain relief and healing from using the oil as well as raising her pred. For a week and than tapering.Do you used diet to control your symptoms? My daughter is eating lactose free foods, low residue soft foods during this flare and heving probiotics.
So sorry to hear about your daughter! Diet control has always been hard for being being that I am a teenager. For the most part I do eat a very healthy and well-rounded diet. This past year the only dairy products I have stuck with are cheese and occasionally ice cream but other than that I have stayed away from them. Low residue usually seems to be alright during a normal flare but this time I am having trouble with everything.
 
Can you call the on call doctor or the emergency line to reach your doctor? If things don't improve and you can't reach a doctor please goto the emergency room. An obstruction needs to be dealt with promptly and they can assess your condition.
They have scheduled me an MRI for tomorrow and from what I've been told they will be able to assess if I have an obstruction or not. Hopefully it all goes well! Thank you!
 
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