My name is Amy. I just turned 40 last month. Although I have had symptoms since I was 10, I was diagnosed last year with Crohn's Disease. Good to finally know why I have to know where every bathroom is in any building I walk into, bad because there is no cure. I haven't made a follow up appointment with a GI Doctor because my first Doctor quit his practice and I never was told what the next step was in treating this disease. So I will be making an appointment for a new GI doctor. I was told I have a mild case. Hard to believe it is mild when you are praying for death on the toilet sometimes.
My symptoms range from uncontrollable diarrhea (20 to 40 times a day) to constipation from 4 to 5 days. When I have the diarrhea I have any where from 5 seconds to a minute warning before the diarrhea is shooting out of me. Luckily, I have never been caught out in public. But, I did have to change career paths when this new symptom started. My triggers are McDonald's, stress and grease. So I no longer eat McDonald's and I limit grease in my diet. Stress is still pretty high but. I am trying. I have found a diet of beans and broccoli have helped to eliminate the diarrhea. But, I feel like the constipation is getting worse. I had internal hemorrhoids and I am afraid they have become external. There is usually blood in my stool if it is formed or diarrhea. When it is diarrhea, it is usually blood and mucus. Now, I have noticed a white fuzz surrounding the stool. My GP doesn't seem to care and wants me to discuss this with a GI Doctor.
My ESR and CRP are highly elevated so we know I have a ton of inflammation and infection in my body. Sometimes I can sleep for 16 hours straight and still wake up tired and worn out. I almost always have a rash on my face. I also found out last year I have Asthma caused by allergies. I notice if one is triggered the other one usually flares. So imagine sneezing and coughing and trying to keep snot, mucus, tears, pee and poop from exploding from your body simultaneously. Some days I look a hot mess.
I guess my biggest questions or fears is do new symptoms appear and the disease gets worse over time?
How or can you date with this? How do you explain that you will abruptly walk away and be in the bathroom for quite awhile. Or that you can't eat certain things.
Somedays I want to throw myself a pity party for one and others I realize it is not that bad. Pain is manageable and I just need to know where bathrooms are located.
My symptoms range from uncontrollable diarrhea (20 to 40 times a day) to constipation from 4 to 5 days. When I have the diarrhea I have any where from 5 seconds to a minute warning before the diarrhea is shooting out of me. Luckily, I have never been caught out in public. But, I did have to change career paths when this new symptom started. My triggers are McDonald's, stress and grease. So I no longer eat McDonald's and I limit grease in my diet. Stress is still pretty high but. I am trying. I have found a diet of beans and broccoli have helped to eliminate the diarrhea. But, I feel like the constipation is getting worse. I had internal hemorrhoids and I am afraid they have become external. There is usually blood in my stool if it is formed or diarrhea. When it is diarrhea, it is usually blood and mucus. Now, I have noticed a white fuzz surrounding the stool. My GP doesn't seem to care and wants me to discuss this with a GI Doctor.
My ESR and CRP are highly elevated so we know I have a ton of inflammation and infection in my body. Sometimes I can sleep for 16 hours straight and still wake up tired and worn out. I almost always have a rash on my face. I also found out last year I have Asthma caused by allergies. I notice if one is triggered the other one usually flares. So imagine sneezing and coughing and trying to keep snot, mucus, tears, pee and poop from exploding from your body simultaneously. Some days I look a hot mess.
I guess my biggest questions or fears is do new symptoms appear and the disease gets worse over time?
How or can you date with this? How do you explain that you will abruptly walk away and be in the bathroom for quite awhile. Or that you can't eat certain things.
Somedays I want to throw myself a pity party for one and others I realize it is not that bad. Pain is manageable and I just need to know where bathrooms are located.
