Hello, all--
I'm Mike, and I've recently been diagnosed with Crohn's disease. It's taken a long time just to get to this point, and I'm not sure where to start in describing the sordid tale.
I've had bathroom issues for as long as I can remember. I didn't know it wasn't normal to, all of a sudden, have the urge to go, or to try to hold it to make it to a bathroom only to fail. I've seen blood in my stool since I was a junior in high school--not constant, but every now and then. I'd tell the doc and they'd say, "Oh, you probably just have an internal hemorrhoid--eat differently and you'll be fine." Connecting the dots now, I'm sure that it was mild Crohn's just testing the waters.
About three years ago, I started having awful abdominal pain. I thought it was my gallbladder, because that's where it would hurt the most (not always the most often). After throwing up for a few days, I went to the ER, and they referred me to a surgeon to have my gallbladder removed. On the pathology report afterward, I noticed that I didn't have gallstones, just a small amount of sludge. I thought this was curious, but didn't say anything. What're they going to do, put it back?
Almost immediately after I stopped taking the pain medicine during recovery, I started having new pains--different pains. I thought my body was just getting used to not having a gallbladder, and I tried to adjust my diet, but nothing worked. I still had crazy, wake-me-up, take-my-breath cramps every so often. After a few doctor's visits and no good treatment, I finally had a doctor who referred me to a GI. You probably know the drill from there: scope, both ways, and wow was I a typical case! I had internal hemorrhoids (okay, so the doc back in the day was right, kinda), polyps (non-cancerous), and pretty bad ulceration at the end of the small intestine. This and a blood test or two told my doc and me that I was officially a Crohnie.
Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with histoplasmosis two weeks before. I live in an area where it's very common, and I just happened to get lucky, I guess. My lung doctor and my GI are currently fighting about what medicine I should take. I get it. Meanwhile, I'm still hurting. The Prednisone taper I feel has worn off, and now I'm back to the pain.
I've been referred to a internist at a major hospital because my case is complicated. I'm hoping to hear something soon so I can begin treatment proper and start to feel better. Glad to be a part of this forum.
I'm Mike, and I've recently been diagnosed with Crohn's disease. It's taken a long time just to get to this point, and I'm not sure where to start in describing the sordid tale.
I've had bathroom issues for as long as I can remember. I didn't know it wasn't normal to, all of a sudden, have the urge to go, or to try to hold it to make it to a bathroom only to fail. I've seen blood in my stool since I was a junior in high school--not constant, but every now and then. I'd tell the doc and they'd say, "Oh, you probably just have an internal hemorrhoid--eat differently and you'll be fine." Connecting the dots now, I'm sure that it was mild Crohn's just testing the waters.
About three years ago, I started having awful abdominal pain. I thought it was my gallbladder, because that's where it would hurt the most (not always the most often). After throwing up for a few days, I went to the ER, and they referred me to a surgeon to have my gallbladder removed. On the pathology report afterward, I noticed that I didn't have gallstones, just a small amount of sludge. I thought this was curious, but didn't say anything. What're they going to do, put it back?
Almost immediately after I stopped taking the pain medicine during recovery, I started having new pains--different pains. I thought my body was just getting used to not having a gallbladder, and I tried to adjust my diet, but nothing worked. I still had crazy, wake-me-up, take-my-breath cramps every so often. After a few doctor's visits and no good treatment, I finally had a doctor who referred me to a GI. You probably know the drill from there: scope, both ways, and wow was I a typical case! I had internal hemorrhoids (okay, so the doc back in the day was right, kinda), polyps (non-cancerous), and pretty bad ulceration at the end of the small intestine. This and a blood test or two told my doc and me that I was officially a Crohnie.
Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with histoplasmosis two weeks before. I live in an area where it's very common, and I just happened to get lucky, I guess. My lung doctor and my GI are currently fighting about what medicine I should take. I get it. Meanwhile, I'm still hurting. The Prednisone taper I feel has worn off, and now I'm back to the pain.
I've been referred to a internist at a major hospital because my case is complicated. I'm hoping to hear something soon so I can begin treatment proper and start to feel better. Glad to be a part of this forum.
