Flare, again

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Regular Joe

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2009
Messages
302
Last week, Tuesday to be exact, my unwanted "sidekick" returned. This time, though, I can tell it's not "episodic". It's back, every day, some days worse.

I've lost about 1/2 my energy levels, and my diet is back to low residue, out of need I suppose. Today I was actually hungry in a week, and I sucked up some "popcorn chicken" - fried yeah I know, but no in way "gorged" or pigged out. It was breast meat too, so there was lean more than batter and oil. Who knows where that will end up?

This is a bummer. I got used to "functioning" at a higher energy level. So far I've missed almost 3 days of work, and one day of nothing but staring at the ceiling fan. I've been at work a little more than half-days and I'm trying to "kick ass" because I've been behind.

Sorry I've been behind in posting. For the new folks, I'm just going to give you all a "blanket" welcome to the board. We need you here. There are lots of helpful folks around here.

If you're frustrated, in pain, pooping a storm, nauseated, fatigued, with joint pain, neck pain, swelling, tight skin (hopefully not too much more to come) well...I know how you feel. Today, I know how you feel.

I'll be posting, proabably intermittantly for a while until I get a handle on everything in life that is piling up twice as fast as I can deal with it.

Welcome to the world of Crohn's Disease. Pardon my absense while I "redefine" normal daily activity, again!

By the way, my glass isn't "half empty" (pessimist). I'll take the engineers viewpoint. The glass is twice the size it needs to be.
 
lol @ twice the size it needs to be.... interesting way to look at it.

Was beginning to wonder where you were at.....

So sorry you have been in a flare. And I hear ya about it being a bummer too... feel great for a week and go nuts.... only to feel like a truck dumped a load on ya the next week.

Get some rest. Take a deep breath. Enjoy the whirring of the ceiling fan. Keep us posted when you can. You will be missed when you aren't around.

(I think I saw you say before that you weren't a hugger...so i won't hug ya.... but I'll think it anyway.... lol....)
 
Hiya Joe
we were worried about you, we knew something was wrong
sorry you're going through a bad un bud
but listen, look after yourself first and foremost, do not worry about us and others on here, you're no.1 priority, come back when you're ready, ok?
how about you see your doc? are you on entocort, cos if you are, I think it's rubbish! I feel worse than I did on Pred, and I'm coming off it. I like it at first, but it's making me mental!
take care Joe
xxx
 
HI Joe!! I know how you are feeling, been there so many times and it is hard to deal with your own life let alone others!

Even mods, and monitors and Admins get ill. So, we will be here for ya! NO hugs, lol. Hope you feel better soon :hang:
 
Thanks for all of your kind words. You know there is a lot inside, and I love to yap and carry on. But I just don't have the energy right now.

I'm gonna put a call in to the GI. Flares are a "normal" part of living with the disease, but boy this come on fast and pretty hard. Just a one afternoon thing...I walked out of my air conditioned building feeling great. Then boom, I started getting bad cramps instantly - really caught me off guard. I drove to an appointment and they persisted - getting worse through the appointment. I knew what was coming.

I went about 10 times that night and early morning. Wow! Who turned on the poop machine? My mind took a little while to catch up with my body - but we're together now.

I'm thinking about things to ask the GI. I think the heat had more to do with it than anything because like a couple of you ladies posted about, I was "humming" along busting my tail getting physical and doing a ton of things with no air conditioning. I put in the air conditioner the day I "hit the wall" - should have done it two weeks sooner.

Oh well live and learn. Thanks again.

BTW, one thing stayed the same (do the math):

:kiss: + :Karl: = :ytongue::yrolleyes:
 
Hi Joe: Take good care, and get that needed rest - glad that you'll be seeing your GI soon. Way to make us laugh (the mathematical equation) even when you're feeling sick.
 
@Joe- I know with panic attacks heat can play a big part in setting one off cause it causes stress on the body so maybe something similar happened with you but triggered your crohns instead.
 
Joe, so sorry to hear you're not doing well. I also cramp up terribly from high heat and humidity, and it seems to affect me more when I go back and forth from air conditioning to heat. It's supposed to be 90 here today with the heat index making it feel more like 100 degrees, so I am not optimistic about how my guts are going to react. I don't have air conditioning at home either. So I know how awful the heat cramps feel and I'll likely get them this evening when I go home from work! :(

Glad to hear you got air conditioning put in, and you should stay there in the cool air and not venture outside if you don't have to (and count the days until winter, ha ha). I think I might go see a movie tonight just so I can sit in air conditioning for a couple of hours. I hope you feel better and that your GI can provide some answers or medication that give you some relief.
 
Hang in there Joe! I hope you feel better soon.

We miss your words of wisdom, but we can be patient. :)

Take care of yourself and get all the rest you need! xo - Amy
 
Take care of yourself Joe!! Like you told Wendy about the kids, you can't be a good care-giver w/o giving yourself the best care first. Everyone here will chip in until you get straightened out. Good luck man.
 
Regular Joe

I was wondering where you were...Stay hydrated, try not to get to mad...I know I do when it happens...Be good to yourself...and Ugh! Sue
(((hug)))
 
Joe, sorry to hear about this. I hope it passes quickly, no pun intended! :ysmile: Just remember many folks here actully do know how you feel, it stinks and we're pulling for you to get through it, so hang in there!
 
Hope you get things under control Joe. I know how can feel to get blind sided. Normal one moment, sh***y the next. It isn't fun.
 
Hey Joe, sorry to hear things are flaring again. I'm glad everyone is here for support and hope there's enough to share because I'm starting a thread similar to yours. I'll be keeping you in my prayers and hope you get good news from your GI soon. I always love your view of things and how you tell it like it is. It's always refreshing. keep us posted when you can.
 
Hi Joe,

Like I said to Bev, to be going through what you are just sux.

I hope you can get things sorted and settled real soon.

Sending you heaps of :hug::hug::hug::hug::hug::hug:

Look after yourself mate and take care. :kiss:
Dusty
 
Hey Joe

It is important to look after yourself and nurture the inner you. I do enjoy reading and appreciate your witty writing style. You have made me laugh on many an occasion. I got told that if you hold a smile for 7 seconds or more it increases your seratonin levels. :goodluck: Good luck with getting through this patch. So give yourself a boost (hold that smile, go on) or watch a funny movie. Be patient with your body and it will catch up. I think I need my glasses on I keep making ****oos
 
Hiya Joe, so sorry to hear that our Kenny Rogers clone is not feeling well. Hope you are feeling better soon and hoping your are able to "know when to hold 'em" , when leaving the sanctity of the homestead. I truly hope the flare passes soon for you. Take good care.

Jerman
 
Hi Joe, I don't really know you yet but wanted to say I hope you get on top of it all soon and get back to your normal self. Wishing you all the best and good luck buddy.
 
Take it day by day Joe.. I'm currently suffering a flair too, but since I've started taking the DHA my cramps have all but gone away. I'm able to go most of the day now without hitting the restroom.. Oh, and something I really like is the joints in my hands and my hip doesn't hurt anymore either.

Stay Strong :)
 
Joe, I feel for you man.

This sucks. I'm in a bad flare as well. My stomach is rock solid. Not really eaten today.
I can feel two hard lumps in my stomach. Pain is at a constant 6. It would be manageable, but it's been days, maybe weeks now and I'm literally going nuts. I can hear and feel large watery movements in my gut. Hardly been going to the toilet. Unable to even drink much.
Paracetamol is useless & the other stuff I have I'm scared will make worse. (Co-Dydramol?).

I'm on the verge of losing my job if I take more sick days otherwise I would be in the hospital now. Going out my mind here not knowing what to do!
Also don't wanna stress my family out even more, so feel like I just need to hope it clears on it's own.
 
Well thanks for all the support.

I'm not sure what to think about this flare. It started, and it's holding on pretty consistently. The heat definitely is a factor, so keeping cool brings it under control.

I don't know what is making progress, my mind or my body? Right now, I know the flare is there. It reminded me about 3 times this morning. But it doesn't seem to be as bothersome. I haven't tried working out yet. Maybe better take that one a little easy huh? I may give that a short and light try this week.

I still have cramping every day again, too, but even that doesn't seem to be annoying me.

I'm sort of puzzled. Here's a funny question. I wonder what I'm doing right? As I delve into my over-analyzing mode, I notice a few things have changed since the last time I was having a flare. I can't say that I'm very stressed out - I'm not. I'm feeling somewhere between "I don't care" and "It's not all that bad". I'm prodding forward on the "project" scale at work and at home, but not full speed at all. I have some level of energy, but I don't feel like busting my butt on anything. I'm not anxious, depressed, or miserable. Actually, I've been hopeful and optimistic.

I'm wondering if the level of this flare is the same as before, but the level of my concern about it is not so high? I hate to "resign" to things, but I know the "next level" in treatment gets racheted up to the pred. I've pretty much decided that isn't going to happen unless the symptoms get less manageable.

Like Joan, I've been tapering from Enticort, but I haven't noticed anything different. This flare began sometime after I tapered from 9mg to 6mg and has stayed about the same level with some painful unproductive days. I'm almost through with the prescription and have been on 3mg for about 3 weeks.

As I think about it a little more, it seems my attitude or disposition changed, and I can't even sense an ounce of anxiety. Even when I "obsess" (I do have that disorder), it reaches a point where it seems like too much work, and "apathy" kicks on and shuts down the "intrusive unwanted and repetitive" thought machine. It's like a switch turned off. Ha. I'm complaining about not complaining!

OK I better sign off while I'm lucid.
 

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