Hey so I just turned 18 and I also got diagnosed with Crohn's. I was wondering how any of the people in college deal with it or whether or not you have many flare ups? I am supposed to leave for college in about 4 weeks and my medicine (Asacol) has had no effect, but I'm told it may take time. I am having trouble waiting and am wondering if you think it may be worth it to take a semester off, which I don't want to do, but if my Crohn's persists, I might.
Going to College
- Thread starter Aubree
- Start date
Help Support Crohn's Disease Forum:
- Joined
- May 28, 2012
- Messages
- 326
Hello Aubree!
You might want to post this on another subforum. This subforum isn't really active. The few teens on here usually just mingle with the adults. There are some members currently in college & of course a lot of Crohnies on the forum have been able to go to college, even when flaring. I have a few friends in college at the moment & they are flaring. They are doing fine though! You should speak to a counselor at the college you want to go to so you guys can maybe work out a plan to where all your classes are in the afternoon or morning(which ever is easiest for you Crohn's wise) and maybe even spread your classes out.
You do know that you could get a scholarship for having Crohn's right?
http://www.crohnsandme.com/crohns-scholarship/
You might want to post this on another subforum. This subforum isn't really active. The few teens on here usually just mingle with the adults. There are some members currently in college & of course a lot of Crohnies on the forum have been able to go to college, even when flaring. I have a few friends in college at the moment & they are flaring. They are doing fine though! You should speak to a counselor at the college you want to go to so you guys can maybe work out a plan to where all your classes are in the afternoon or morning(which ever is easiest for you Crohn's wise) and maybe even spread your classes out.
You do know that you could get a scholarship for having Crohn's right?
http://www.crohnsandme.com/crohns-scholarship/
My last flare was also my senior year of high school and I was able to go to class. After HS I had a resection and that put me into remission. Although I was in remission, getting my Associates Degree at a community college and then going to a regular college to get my BA wasn't much different from HS. More free time really and the professors were really understanding when I had symptoms off and on and had to miss class or make up a test etc. Much more understanding than the teachers in HS.
In college you have a certain amount of time to drop classes without it affecting you negatively (or professors can always give you an incomplete where you can try again next semester or finish some missed work over break). So in my opinion, there's no harm in giving it a shot if you think you're up to it. Your health is always the most important thing though so keep that in mind.
Grad school was a completely different story. This is the one thing I would caution possibly waiting to get your health under control first because it is much more demanding. The professors are still understanding but the work load is so much more and would be very difficult with a flare. Not impossible but not easy either. It was hard enough on me while I was in remission. Take care!
In college you have a certain amount of time to drop classes without it affecting you negatively (or professors can always give you an incomplete where you can try again next semester or finish some missed work over break). So in my opinion, there's no harm in giving it a shot if you think you're up to it. Your health is always the most important thing though so keep that in mind.
Grad school was a completely different story. This is the one thing I would caution possibly waiting to get your health under control first because it is much more demanding. The professors are still understanding but the work load is so much more and would be very difficult with a flare. Not impossible but not easy either. It was hard enough on me while I was in remission. Take care!
- Joined
- Jul 29, 2012
- Messages
- 3
Hi Aubree. My first year at college was stressful which caused me to have a flair up. I would suggest taking a small course load and not over doing extracurricular activities. I tried to take on way too much my first semester and ended up having to drop two classes. So my advice is simply to take it slow and don't jump into a lot all at once.
Also if they have not done room assignments yet I would request a room next to the restroom. If you explain why they should be willing to accommodate. That way if you do have any problems you don't have to worry about running down to the other end of the hallway!
I hope you have a great first year!
:ybiggrin:
Also if they have not done room assignments yet I would request a room next to the restroom. If you explain why they should be willing to accommodate. That way if you do have any problems you don't have to worry about running down to the other end of the hallway!
I hope you have a great first year!
:ybiggrin:
Hi! I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease my senior year of high school, and luckily was put on Humira before starting my summer term of college. I tend to get sick alot with Humira, and was worried that I would fall behind or have trouble. I just talked to my professors, and suprisingly, they were very understanding! Also, if you start missing class, go talk to your teachers during office hours. They will really suprise you on how understanding they are.
I was dianosed my last year in college. It is hard, It's important to tell your teachers what's going on and file for disability. I had to do that because the pain was so bad I couldn't make it to class or I wouldn't be able to do homework some days. It's important to have someone maybe your roommate if you guys get along to be your support person. Mine was always there for me during flare ups and would help me when I couldn't even get out of bed to get food. Also for me I would find bathrooms on campus that no one would go to so that I could have privacy if I found I couldn't make it back to my dorm room. I always ate what I wanted which probably didn't help but I just couldn't accept being on a diet and having to stay away from all the foods that I loved. I hope asacol works for you. I had a bad reaction to it and had to deal with that at school too. I wasn't able to get any medication at school and only had pain meds for when I was flaring which happened almost weekly.
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2013
- Messages
- 9
I just read an article about living with Crohns and going to college. The website its in is crohnsandme.com. I found it helpful and comforting, im heading off in January. I felt like waiting a semester but I was just recently diagnosed. Hope this helped! and good luck!
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Messages
- 16
Hi Aubree!
I was diagnosed with CD my senior year of high school and spent the summer after I graduated trying to figure out the best medicines for my body and get my life back to some normalcy. I was hospitalized for many weeks and actually ended up in the hospital the weekend that I was supposed to leave for college. I ended up being forced to stay home for what would have been my first semester of college, and I was very bitter about it. I resented my disease, my parents, my doctors, anyone and anything - I just wanted to start school like all my friends were! I was originally planning to attend school out of state, but because I ended up staying home for my first semester I then reevaluated my decision and decided to try a school close to home so that I would be nearby my GI doctors. I spent my first semester working a full-time job and spent my evenings getting together with my friends that were still around from high-school (which were surprisingly a fair amount of them!) When I began my college education at the state school, I had every intention of transferring to the school of my choice at the end of my semester; however, I fell in love with the atmosphere and am continuing to pursue my degree at the state school. So out of all of this - three pieces of advice:
1.) Do what's best for your health - it may suck in the beginning, not being normal. But, you have no idea where it will lead you. There's always a bigger plan!
2.) IF you end up taking a semester off - stay as busy as your health will allow you. When you are sitting at home by yourself all the time, it is very easy to become depressed and throw yourself a pity party. Keep busy!
3.) Live on campus if you have the chance! This helped me sooo much! I felt like I could be wayy more open and honest with my friends and roommates. I felt like a didn't have to lead a double life - smiling and happy at school and then going home only to be sick every afternoon.
Wishing you the best of luck wherever life leads you!
I was diagnosed with CD my senior year of high school and spent the summer after I graduated trying to figure out the best medicines for my body and get my life back to some normalcy. I was hospitalized for many weeks and actually ended up in the hospital the weekend that I was supposed to leave for college. I ended up being forced to stay home for what would have been my first semester of college, and I was very bitter about it. I resented my disease, my parents, my doctors, anyone and anything - I just wanted to start school like all my friends were! I was originally planning to attend school out of state, but because I ended up staying home for my first semester I then reevaluated my decision and decided to try a school close to home so that I would be nearby my GI doctors. I spent my first semester working a full-time job and spent my evenings getting together with my friends that were still around from high-school (which were surprisingly a fair amount of them!) When I began my college education at the state school, I had every intention of transferring to the school of my choice at the end of my semester; however, I fell in love with the atmosphere and am continuing to pursue my degree at the state school. So out of all of this - three pieces of advice:
1.) Do what's best for your health - it may suck in the beginning, not being normal. But, you have no idea where it will lead you. There's always a bigger plan!
2.) IF you end up taking a semester off - stay as busy as your health will allow you. When you are sitting at home by yourself all the time, it is very easy to become depressed and throw yourself a pity party. Keep busy!
3.) Live on campus if you have the chance! This helped me sooo much! I felt like I could be wayy more open and honest with my friends and roommates. I felt like a didn't have to lead a double life - smiling and happy at school and then going home only to be sick every afternoon.
Wishing you the best of luck wherever life leads you!
