Hello all I'm new to the forum

[Conan]

Hello all,

I am really glad I found this forum.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's in March of this year. My symptoms started with very frequent bowel movements, more than I was used to at least. As they became more frequent I started getting a very sharp pain in my left side, almost debilitating pain. After losing close to 40lbs and constant pain my family practice doctor, with advice of a GI doctor, sent me for a CT Scan. When the CT came back he put me on a steroid and a ant-biotic, not sure what though at the time I didn't care. In March I had a Colonoscopy to confirm and see the extent. Sense then they put me on Imuran and Asacol. Although I am doing better, there is still quite a bit of inflammation still so my new GI doc is putting me on a course of Entocort to get the inflammation down so the Imuran can hopefully maintain it.

I am hoping we can get this under control because frankly this has been more than annoying.

Thanks for reading.
Conan

 

[SarahBear]

I am hoping we can get this under control because frankly this has been more than annoying.

That pretty much sums it up! :rof:

I'm glad the medications have been helping! How are you feeling? Are you showing any symptoms now?

 

[Conan]

Oh yeah, still showing symptoms. Still having frequent bowel movements and some pain, but not like it was. It is more of a dull pain now but increases with flare-ups. Overall I am felling a lot better though. I have energy now where as before it was a struggle just to get off the couch.

 

[SarahBear]

How often are the flares? I know I'm stealing David's line here, but have you had your vitamin levels checked?

 

[Conan]

It depends. I know I have had about one a month the couple of months. Have not had vitamin levels checked in a about two months. When I did, they came back fine.

 

[SarahBear]

Have you started the Entocort yet? Hopefully that will help!

You might want to have vitamin levels tested again, or start on a multi-vitamin (if you aren't already taking one). Crohn's often causes fatigue on its own, but low vitamins can add to that.

I hope things get better for you!

 

[Angrybird]

Hello and welcome the forum

Just to confirm what dosage of the Imuran are you on? Have the docs done any bloods to check if it has reached therapeutic levels? Also do you know what part if your bowel is affected? I have learnt from our administrator David that depending on what you have and where will affect whether certain meds will be affective. Also have you tried any dietary changes and if so do they help with symptoms?

AB
xx

 

[Conan]

My doctor just upped my imuran to 200mg a day from 100mg. Yes, he had me do an inflammation test to check inflammation levels. We are not quite to therapeutic levels yet. The doctor is calling it Iliocolonic crohn's disease. So since he did not tell me this at my last visit, I already knew about the colon part but finding out about the ilium is new to me. I have changed my diet quite a bit. I have been staying away from foods that cause gas, high fiber stuff, anything with seeds and nuts and spicy foods as well.

 

[Angrybird]

Hopefully with the increased dose and new med you will be feeling better soon, my first time with the Aza I had to go up to 200mg to get the tum settled. When will you next be seeing the doc to have a check up on things are?

 

[Conan]

I will see my GI doc again in January but I will see my family practice doc on Monday to get my meds refilled and get my blood work done. My GI doc is down at Cambridge and I only see him every now and then. Pretty much all other visits are to my family practice doc here at Lakenheath.

See, the other part of the story is I am active duty US Air Force. I found out I was getting stationed here in the UK in January. The UK has been a place I have been wanting to go to since I came in the Air Force and I almost lost that because of the Crohn's. Now I am here and from what I have been told is that GI folks I am seeing are some of the best in the world when it comes to Crohn's. We'll see if thats the case or not.

 

[afidz]

Hello, welcome to the forum and thanks for defending our country!! I was put on Entocourt very briefly but I had adverse reactions to it so I was taken off of it pretty much as soon as I started. I hope that you find the right drug therapy soon, but it sounds like your doctor has you heading down the right path!!

 

[Angrybird]

Out of interest what doc do you see in Cambridge?

 

[Conan]

Dr. Miles Parks at Spire.

 

[Angrybird]

As I know him, I think he even did my last colonoscopy! I am officialy under his colleageue Dr Middleton though at Addenbrooke's.