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Ann Morgan said:
What is the healthcare like there ?
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Not too bad u have to wait monthes to be seen by a specialist but if u go to ED tell them u have Crohn's h get a bed we don't have to pay for healthcare in the hospital I got really good care and the surgeon was very good
 
Lara said:
Hi Dave! I ended up taking yesterday off work and trying to sleep all day. I still feel very blocked up and my dietician has suggested to use laxatives and that if they don't work, go to the ER.
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Lara I hope you are feeling better. Is it a gentle laxative you are using? Please take care as I was told they can make things worse if you are obstructed.
 
ronroush7 said:
I have had my fifth accident in two and a half weeks,
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I wish I had an answer to fix your problem, but all of our issues here are so unique that there is just not one right answer. Some folks use Metamucil. Some use Immodium. To soften stool some folks use Miralax. Or they use laxative pills. If I am having a really bad time with diarrhea sometimes I eat the BRAT diet, which is bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. I find that bananas and plain white rice work for me when I am having bad diarrhea. But sometimes no matter WHAT we do.....nothing works:eek:
 
Ann Morgan said:
I wish I had an answer to fix your problem, but all of our issues here are so unique that there is just not one right answer. Some folks use Metamucil. Some use Immodium. To soften stool some folks use Miralax. Or they use laxative pills. If I am having a really bad time with diarrhea sometimes I eat the BRAT diet, which is bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. I find that bananas and plain white rice work for me when I am having bad diarrhea. But sometimes no matter WHAT we do.....nothing works:eek:
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Thanks

2
 
Lara said:
Hi Dave! I ended up taking yesterday off work and trying to sleep all day. I still feel very blocked up and my dietician has suggested to use laxatives and that if they don't work, go to the ER.
Thanks for asking :)
How are you feeling?
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Hi Lara

Have you tried a heating pad? Sometimes I find it can help along with a gentle massage of the area,gives a bit of relief.It might sound odd,but I take a hot bath and it seems to help move things a long.Since you are in Summer right now,that may not be to appealing. :) It's Winter here. Please go to the ER if you don't find relief.

I have had a challenging last couple months but am feeling pretty good right now.Than you for asking.When aren't we challenged with this disease,right?

My wife and I had a visit from her brother and her sister in law last night.I've been through three operations as well as being diagnosed with CD since we last met.I was a bit nervous about the evening for some reason.I just wanted to hang out and not have CD be the main topic of discussion.I wanted to hear about them and what they have been up to.They wanted to hear all about me.

It ended up being a great evening.We talked for hours and it felt like minutes.It was so therapeutic.I told them how grateful I was for there sincere concern.I feel very fortunate they care and support me.I've felt so alone recently and they helped chase those feelings away.

So,after the family visit last night,I feel pretty good this morning.
 
@ronrush7 - Have you had a small bowel resection and in particular the terminal ileum?

Dusty. xxx
 
Ann Morgan said:
I don't know what a "flare up" is ?

I started having diarrhea in 1997. I don't remember ever having a short or an extended period of time that I have not had to worry about the diarrhea, it is part of my daily life and I always have to worry about it.


What is "remission" ?

Me: 1997 until May 2014 diarrhea.
May 2014: started to have severe constipation.
August 2014: my new GI doctor did a colonoscopy with biopsy.
The colonoscopy came back normal and he told me to discontinue taking
all of my colon medications.
I cannot discontinue my Questran powder or else I will have yellow watery diarrhea
24 hours a day.
So, then he told me to take my colon medications "as needed".
I had been taking 2 Questran a day on a regular basis before the constipation started.
So after the normal colonoscopy I started taking only one Questran a day.
This was sort of working out for me ?
Then in November 2014 I took antibiotics. I did not know that the antibiotics
would cause diarrhea and my PCP doctor KNOWS that I have ulcerative colitis
and still prescribed it to me.
November : diarrhea again because of the antibiotics !
December: still had diarrhea because of the antibiotics.
December 2014: I have still been experimenting with one Questran a day,
but I really need two a day or else I WILL have diarrhea sometime during the day.
Now my colon is back to the way it was before May 2014.
Right now I am taking one to two questran packets a day, and taking what's left of my
Lialda pills. I am not going back to see this new GI doctor. I don't like him at all.

As far as I know, I have never gone through remission.
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There is a bit about the definition of remission here: http://www.crohnsforum.com/wiki/remission

The forum Wiki also has a page on flares, but it's not very helpful. Flares are basically the opposite of remission - times of active disease. But as you can see from the Wiki page on remission, there are multiple ways of defining remission (or multiple types of remission), so I think there are multiple definitions/types of flare too.

If you are always having symptoms, you could always be flaring, but it's also possible not all the symptoms are caused by UC and you have been in remission. For example if in one period your test results are normal you may be in remission even if you are still having digestive symptoms. E.g. you could be having diarrhoea being caused by antibiotics (which can cause diarrhoea in people who don't have IBD or any other digestive condition).

So it's complicated!

If your question is about drinking alcohol, taking medications that can interact badly with it should rule out drinking being a good idea regardless of whether a person is flaring or not. Besides that, it really depends on each individual's symptoms - whether or not they are worsened by alcohol, and if they are, whether the individual feels worsening their symptoms is worth the pleasure of a drink! Starting with a very small amount of alcohol and seeing how it goes down is probably the best way to start.
 
Unxmas: Thanks for your help. I tried to talk to my new GI about Bile Malabsorption and he wasn't really interested in taking about it and pretty much said I don't have it. New information has come up about my colon health since I last saw my new GI. I had a CT Scan and MRI of my abdomen, ordered by my Urologist. The results of one of those tests showed the possibility of terminal ilietis. I know that terminal ilietis can't be seen during a colonoscopy ? I really don't have any of the symptoms of terminal ilietis ? Well, when I get a new GI sometime this year I will bring the colonoscopy results with me and the CT Scan and MRI results also. I just thought that maybe my yellow watery diarrhea could be caused by Bile Malabsorption ? All I know is this, I cannot go without the Questran Powder completely, I must take at least one packet per day. Thanks for listening. Going to fly to my sisters place tomorrow for Christmas.
 
@Ann Morgan: If the scope is able to be passed through the ileo-caecal valve then the GI should be able to determine if Terminal Ileitis is present.

Dusty. xxx
 
I'm feeling like...

I'm so tired and fed up with the repeat infections.
Of the gut pain and inflammation.
Of hurting so bad I don't know if I want to puke, poop or cry; and knowing that none of those things can offer relief.
Of wanting to feel alive instead of waiting to live while working to survive.

I feel embarrassed about the fact that I have been sick for so many years, and that while other's in my life can seem to accept this, I can't stop thinking of having a disease as an excuse that doesn't belong in my life. I can't shake the self-judgment that I should not be chronically ill.

I feel guilty. Guilty about the smells, about the pain, about the disease and knowing that no matter how well I communicate with others they are just as, if not more, helpless then I am when it comes to dealing with it all. It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong just by being ill, and as a result others must be disappointed in me.

I hope and trust that the latest choices for medications will result in a month, a year, a decade of wellness.

I look forward to feeling well enough again to have the strength and energy to meet my nutritional needs without daily assistance, to be under my own roof, to be able to leave my mother's care and return home.
 
duh panda - I wish I had something helpful to tell you, I felt so bad for you reading that post. The only tentative advice that comes to my mind is not to pin your hopes on finding treatments and getting well: don't spend your life waiting to get better. Acceptance - acceptance of being ill, of not being able to live the life you want (or the life you feel you should) - can actually be very liberating. Then you can concentrate on what you are able to do despite being sick, including what you can do for other people. This illness is not your fault, and it sounds like some people in your life recognise this - thank them for understanding, and try to believe that they're right!
 
Ann Morgan said:
Unxmas: Thanks for your help. I tried to talk to my new GI about Bile Malabsorption and he wasn't really interested in taking about it and pretty much said I don't have it. New information has come up about my colon health since I last saw my new GI. I had a CT Scan and MRI of my abdomen, ordered by my Urologist. The results of one of those tests showed the possibility of terminal ilietis. I know that terminal ilietis can't be seen during a colonoscopy ? I really don't have any of the symptoms of terminal ilietis ? Well, when I get a new GI sometime this year I will bring the colonoscopy results with me and the CT Scan and MRI results also. I just thought that maybe my yellow watery diarrhea could be caused by Bile Malabsorption ? All I know is this, I cannot go without the Questran Powder completely, I must take at least one packet per day. Thanks for listening. Going to fly to my sisters place tomorrow for Christmas.
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I thought the main symptoms of terminal ileitis were abdominal pain and diarrhoea? Which are both very non-specific symptoms, and even if you don't have the main symptoms of terminal ileitis, there are atypical presentations. So, I would say on the one hand that, as with many conditions, it might be better to rely on test results than symptoms when assessing a diagnosis. But on the other hand, sometimes we do have a certain intuition about what is wrong with us, and often we know the specifics of our symptoms far better than a doctor does; e.g. you know the nature of the diarrhoea you get: colour, frequency, amount, degree of urgency, what makes it better or worse, while a doctor might just hear you say "diarrhoea" and ask for no further details, or stop listening when you try to tell him. And I don't know that much about terminal ileitis - are there other symptoms you're missing that make you doubt you have it?

Are there any tests for bile acid malabsorption? If your GI is right and you don't have it, he should should have given you a good explanation of how he knows you don't have it, and have given you another reason for the diarrhoea.

I hope a new doctor and some further tests will clarify things for you. If the Questran works, keep taking it.

Have a wonderful time at your sister's, and a very happy Christmas.
 
ronroush7 said:
In 1990,my bowels got twisted and they took 6 cms. of my colon.
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So large bowel resection then?

The reason I asked about small bowel and the ileum is a resection or extensive scarring in this area has the potential to cause bile salt malabsorption diarrhoea. This occurs because this is the area of the bowel where bile salts are absorbed into the body. If this absorption fails to occur then the salts are dumped into the large bowel and this in turn has a detrimental osmotic with the function of the large bowel.
When liquid faecal matter passes from the small bowel into the large what usually happens is water is absorbed out of the bowel and back into the body which firms up the stool. The presence of large amounts of bile salts in the large bowel has the opposite and so more water is brought into the large bowel. The result is frequent loose bowel motions.
Psyllium has the same effect as Questran, while in the general population it is used to treat constipation in the case of bile salt malabsorption it actually absorbs the excess the salts in the ileum and in doing so helps firm up the stool by decreasing the adverse osmotic effect in the large bowel.

Inflammation or extensive scarring in the large bowel also results in diarrhoea but by a different action. It occurs because the excess water in the stool can’t pass through the damaged bowel wall and back into the body, therefore the motions remain loose. I don’t imagine that Psyllium would be of any use in this case and would likely worsen the situation??

Dusty. xxx
 
Dustycat: Could I take psyllium (metamucil) instead of the questran. Or both on the same day? I bought a huge container of Metamucil several monthe ago and I have only used it once . Happy Holidays.
 
Today I feel like I was hit in the guts with a baseball bat. Had my gallbladder removed yesterday. Everything went great and I was feeling okay. Now starts the healing process... it'll feel worse before it gets better, right?

Lots of naps today.
 
Ann Morgan said:
Dustycat: Could I take psyllium (metamucil) instead of the questran. Or both on the same day? I bought a huge container of Metamucil several monthe ago and I have only used it once . Happy Holidays.
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You can take psyllium in place of Questran but if Questran is working and you are happy with it maybe stick with it.

Psyllium does have similar time constraints to Questran when taking other medications.

If you do start taking psyllium, and there would be no reason you couldn’t use Questran and Psyllium on the same day, you need to start out slowly and build up until you hit the right amount for you. By slowly I mean a teaspoon at the most from the outset. Don’t follow the instructions on the packet. Have a look at this thread as many people have listed their experiences with it.

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=13856

The other advantage with Psyllium is that you can use it on cereals and in cooking things such as soups, gravies, biscuits, cakes and so on.

Dusty. xxx
 
UnXmas said:
duh panda - I wish I had something helpful to tell you, I felt so bad for you reading that post. The only tentative advice that comes to my mind is not to pin your hopes on finding treatments and getting well: don't spend your life waiting to get better. Acceptance - acceptance of being ill, of not being able to live the life you want (or the life you feel you should) - can actually be very liberating. Then you can concentrate on what you are able to do despite being sick, including what you can do for other people. This illness is not your fault, and it sounds like some people in your life recognise this - thank them for understanding, and try to believe that they're right!
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Thanks UnXmas! I certainly agree although it seems like the grieving process never really ends. There are moments of acceptance then moments like the other night where it just hits. Helps to have reminders like what you've provided.

I'm thinking part of it all is because I'm living with my mom currently with the purpose of getting better and pursuing new treatment options (which do seem to slowly be helping) after hitting the ground hard following a thousand mile move this summer. The more decent days I start having again the more impatient I get to move back out on my own :) Looking forward to being back in my own home in the next couple months regardless of whether things improve any further or not, and get to explore a new area bit by bit.
 
Needing a vent, sorry but I am just so angry. Been away a long time. Having gut pain no matter what. Feel like I was repeatedly punched in the stomach and the rectum. I am going to see about steroid enemas tomorrow since it seems more localized there at the moment. I am so incredibly angry. I just feel like screaming and ripping out my insides in a fit of rage. Instead I will have some water and go to bed with heat.. so angry inside though. I hope this passes soon.
 
Hi guys I'm feeling itchy today my wound is getting itchy I had a couple bowel re sections just under a month ago and my wound is healing nice but oh man do I wanna scratch
 
I had a terrible watery diarrhea accident this morning while walking to the restroom. I am very pissed off. It was so gross. I am out of town visiting relatives. I am staying at a nice hotel here. Now I have to stay " home " today. I cannot see my niece and her two kids today. I last time I saw the girls was 2 1/2 years ago.The girls are 9 years old and 7 years old. I will miss seeing them today. ( I DID see them yesterday.) They are going out if town on December 26th, in 2 days. I have been enjoying my visit here. My mom and dad are dead now. My older sister is my only sibling. So, here I sit in the hotel chair watching television, bummer. I am afraid to eat anything today. I am going to make sure I drink plentry of water today. I have to get my colon regulated by tomorrow ( sigh). When I am at home I don't eat a large variety of foods because I can not eat so many things. So, now I am out of town and eating at restaurants and food from my sisters house. My bad, I ate bruschetta at an Italian restaurant yesterday. I cannot eat raw vegetables and greasy/oily food is a food trigger for me. I was supposed to go to a movie with the girls today. I am upset. I am mad at my Ulcerative Colitis. I am mad that I at a food item that I knew I should not eat ( but I miss food with flavor). I am going to be in my hotel room all day today. My sister IS going to stop by my hotel room later on today and we are going to play scrabble. The bummer part is that even if I am taking my medication properly and I eat the proper foods, I can sometimes still have diarrhea issuses. At home I eat smoothies and cereal/milk. My biggest fear of this whole vacation has been the fear of having a diarrhea accident in my sisters brand new fancy Chevy Impala. It is a really nice Chevy Impala, with all the bells and whistles. I will end my rant now. I am hungry right now but I am afraid to eat anything ! My mom dad and I have lived on Arizona for many, many years. They are dead now, so I am in AZ alone. My sister has lived in Idaho for 37 years. I spent almost all Christmas times with mom & dad except for 3 times during my entire lifetime. We had an occassional Christmas visit from my sister and brother-in-law . My niece would only fly down to AZ with the girls once every two yeas . Have a Merry Christmas.
 
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Hi Ann..I want to let you know youe aren't alone..ever. Even if you are by yourself in a hotel room...your Heavenly Father is with you always .
I hope your "D" leaves you so you can enjoy the time with your loved ones. I know before you mentioned that you thought you might be a burden on your sister. I don't think she sees it that way at all..just helping her much loved sister . Bless her heart.
OK...everyone have a nice Christmas and a Happy New Year !
 
So sorry, Ann Morgan. Your worries about the car - do you/your sister have an old shower curtain? Before I got a proper draw sheet, I used an old shower curtain as a mattress cover - it worked! Or a plastic mac (rain coat) might work. I'm thinking of you. :hug:

We had one get together/party today. I'm worried I was a misery; I wasn't feeling good physically, but just got depressed by the whole Christmas thing in general. Oh well. The next couple of days people are coming here, which is easier than trying to manage at other people's houses.
 
neohic said:
Today I feel like I was hit in the guts with a baseball bat. Had my gallbladder removed yesterday. Everything went great and I was feeling okay. Now starts the healing process... it'll feel worse before it gets better, right?

Lots of naps today.
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I had a Laparascopic Cholestectomy in 1995. The next day I felt better already. My surgery was done with a scope, no big cut on my belly and no big scars or long healing time. I just had 2-3 very small incisions and the operation was done by a General Surgeon.

Sorry you feel so crummy. If you keep feeling crummy then contact your doctor. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
 
kireikatt said:
On antibiotics for a sinus infection with the expected results of being on antibiotics x.x
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I was on antibiotics in November of this year. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2006. No one ever told me that antibiotics would cause me to have terrible diarrhea. I wish I would have known that before I started taking the antibiotics this November. I had pharyngitis and laryngitis ( and green snot ) this year. Exactly one year ago I had the laryngitis too ( but not the green snot, so no antibiotics ).

My Primary Care Physician knew that I had Ulcerative Colitis and still prescribed the antibiotics for me. Now that I know about the antibiotic/diarrhea thing, I will not be taking any more antibiotics unless it is absolutely necessary.

I hope that your side effects are minimal. I have learned more on this website about my disease than I have by any doctor or medical professional, and I started to have symptoms in 1997.
 
I don't even know what I have yet, but these antibiotics are giving me watery diarrhea. Part of it might be the two packets of Miralax I had Tuesday (capsule study) but I assume that should be out of my system by now. My colonoscopy prep didn't leave me with diarrhea for this long, after all. Imodium type medications aren't helping at all.
 
My legs were hurting earlier during a walk and my head hurt at dinner. My throat was a little raw last night. Better today but took a lozenge. Waiting for a call from my doctor. One says the Crohns had spread. The specialist says no?
 
Merry Christmas to you too, ronroush. Sorry you're having problems. It can be hard to find a doctor this time of year.
 
Are you still getting diarrhoea Ann Morgan? How was the rest of your Christmas?

kireikatt - it could well be the antibiotics causing you diarrhoea. They often have that effect, especially for people who already have digestive problems.

I had to take a week-long antibiotic course just recently, and the first day I had terribly watery stoma output and went and bought lots of Imodium, but after that first day (well, actually the diarrhoea came in the night following the first day I took them), everything settled down on its own. It's always so unpredictable!

Antibiotics do a lot of good though. I was taking them for an infection in a surgery incision that I had left alone for weeks hoping it would heal on its own, but eventually it actually started getting worse, and after just a few days of antibiotics, the redness, soreness and oozy pus just disappeared from my stomach.
 
Unxmas: I no longer have the antibiotic diarrhea.

I went to Idaho for 8 days over Christmas time. It was a special Christmas because my parents are both dead now. I had a good time in Idaho, but I was so not used to being around a lot of people. I am used to living my life alone. I sort of felt like a stranger there, because everyone there is so busy and they "have a life". I know that next Christmas with my sister and her family in Idaho will be better for me because I know what to expect now and I will feel more comfortable. I only had one really bad "colon" day in Idaho. One day we went to an Italian restaurant and I ate bruschetta. I cannot eat raw vegetables and bruschetta is basically little pieces of crusty bread that you put a tomato mixture on. I miss food with flavor and so I ordered it.

I had a diarrhea accident at 7:30am the next day and I stayed in my hotel room the whole day, just in case I had more diarrhea. I did not have any more diarrhea that day. This is hard to explain, but I was not sleeping on a bed when it happened. I had a recliner in my room to sleep in because of my hip, neck, and shoulder arthritis - - - so I did not soil the bed. Also, the accident just seemed to happen as soon as I stood up, not while I was sitting/lying in the recliner ( which was some kind of vinyl material).

I was just so pissed off that I made such a bad food choice, knowing that the outcome would not be good. I could have just ordered some plain spaghetti or something like that.

After the accident I had to wash my pajamas and underwear in the hotel bathroom sink ( gross), then double-bag them and send them to the hotel laundryroom to be washed properly. I missed spending that day with my sister, niece, and 2 great nieces.....they all went to see the new movie "Annie". I am still upset that I did not get to see the movie with them. My 2 great nieces are so full of energy and are very happy girls. I am amazed by the both of them. They have done more in their short life-time than I have done and I am 54 years old. Like: Travel to sevetal different states and Hawai'i, and Japan. They take piano lessons, Japanese "school", a special math class outside of theit regular school, they ski, they speak some Japanese, and one of them already has a love for reading and she is only 9 years old. They are so smart !

I can eat cookies and fudge and not have tummy troubles at all. But I cannot eat raw vegetables or fruit. I am back home now. It was 24 degrees in Boise yesterday ! Brrrr. It is unusually chilly in Arizona right now, but at least I don't have to wear a jacket, gloves and a scarf everywhere I go ! I don't miss the weather in Boise. I would not want to live there or drive there. B

But sometimes I get confused by my colon ? I ate McDonalds for dinner on Friday evening in Idaho and McDonald's for breakfast on Saturday in Phoenix......and still no diarrhea !!! Say What ?

Happy New Years to everyone. I will be staying home on New Years. Bummer that I cannot drink alcohol because of my acid reflux. When I was working I went to many "happy hours" with my co-workers.....what fun. Well, that was my old life, now I can hardly drink or eat anything without fear of having diarrhea. This means I feel very uncomfortable going out and doing things. My sister does not understand my colon disease. I think that she thinks that as long as I eat properly and take my medications that I will be "okay". But this disease is very unpredictable and even if I try my best I can still have colon issues. I am afraid to eat out in restaurants.

Good News: my sister and brother-in-law are retired now and will be spending January through March here in my town every year. I need time with my sister because both my parents are dead. It will be good for me to have company and to socialize. I should have some Aunties and Uncles visiting too. Everyone comes to Arizona in the wintertime because of the great weather.

Thank you for listening. I can't wait to get back to making my smoothie every day, I really like them and I missed them while I was on vacation in Idaho.

Take Care Everyone.
 
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Ann Morgan, I know exactly what you mean about everyone else having a life!

But you are already doing the best thing you can do in your situation: seeing all the things other people are doing and admiring them and loving your relatives. Some people would be bitter and jealous and it would be the hardest thing in the world to spend time with them, but you want to and it's only your illness that makes it so difficult.

How much have you tried to explain to your sister? Can you send her links to websites that explain the disease, or maybe even copy a couple of your posts and send them to her? And maybe you could see if a couple of relatives would like to speak to you on the phone or by Skype or something a bit more often, so when you next meet up you're more familiar with people?

Also, when you have accidents, do you get any warning or sense of urgency that you need to go before it happens? Sorry if you already mentioned this before, but have you discussed it with a doctor at all?

I really hope next year brings good things for you.
 
They're definitely helping with my sinus infection, at least. Today is day five of ten of being on them, but now I've got hemorrhoids and a yeast infection, which made work today very uncomfortable. I've been taking an Imodium or two a day and it's really not helping x.x
 
Unxmas: Thank you for your suggestions. Last year I tried to get my sister to understand my Major Depressive Disorder by printing up 18 pages about it from the Mayo Clinic website. I don't know if she read it, but at least I tried.

But I do think she is trying very hard to understand a lot of my physical health issues and mental health issues. I was visiting her and her family at Christmas-time and they met my every need. I could almost cry about it right now. I stayed in a nice hotel room that had a shower that was designed for handicapped people. I could take a shower without stepping over the side of a tub that would not have any bars to hold on to. I have been sleeping in a recliner for 8 years because of my hip/shoulder/neck arthritis, so she rented a recliner for me and the rent-a-center delivered the recliner to my room. She has never taken my illnesses/diseases this seriously before.

We made cookies from scratch in her kitchen, I had not made cookies at Christmas-time for a long time. When we went to an event on Friday night, my sister and brother-in-law called ahead of time to make sure there would be a handicapped parking spot for me.

Last year I was all alone for Christmas for the very first time ( long story ). My sister paid for everything while I was visiting her this Christmas.....hotel, airfare, recliner, meals, any events we went to, and any gifts I got.

In 2012 when I was broke and waiting 21 months for my SSD hearing, she supported me financially for about 9 months. I did not have to pay her back. I know that it was not a financial hardship for her to give me the money, but I still feel guilty about getting the money from her.

My sister has MANY heath conditions of her own. She has RA, lupus, Sjogrens syndrome, the start of scoliosis, and had breast cancer in 1987. I know there are some things I don't even know about. All the auto-immune and inflammatory things. She is so much stronger than me and I am just a mess! Maybe it is the prednisone and methotrelate that she is taking. How can she handle so well the things that I cannot ? I think it is definately because I have major mental illness in my corner of the boxing ring and she does not.

Wow, before 2009 I had my job at a bank for 24 years. A lot of shit has happened since then, life changing things. I used to have a real life....independence, confidence, a great job. Actually during the past ten years my life has changet significantly.

Well, this is all stuff that should be written on my www.depressiontribe.com website and not here.

Have a healthy week everyone. I know that we all just want one entire day where we actually feel great, that is my wish for everyone here.
 
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kireikatt said:
They're definitely helping with my sinus infection, at least. Today is day five of ten of being on them, but now I've got hemorrhoids and a yeast infection, which made work today very uncomfortable. I've been taking an Imodium or two a day and it's really not helping x.x
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I used to take over ten Imodium a day before I had an ileostomy, along with Lomotil. Imodium's a very safe medication.
 
It sounds like both you and your sister have some pretty horrible physical medical problems, but I think you're right that a mental illness isn't just horrible in itself, it makes it hard to cope with everything else as well. And then because you're not coping, you feel even more depressed. :(

But a mental illness is an illness - not your fault, even if some people view it that way. When I started taking antidepressants, I thought differently and acted differently. It didn't help all that much, but enough to show me that my thoughts and behaviours are determined by physical factors, outside of my control, as well as by my past experiences. I think things would have turned out very differently if I'd never had messed up brain chemistry. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it does mean the problems you have coping are not your fault.
 
feeling pretty blue today, but I don't really know why. I have no reason to be. I just want to curl up in my blankets and lay in bed all day. Too bad my back wont let that happen,
 
Feeling stressed gave up smoking 5 weeks. Ago today just before I had my op had a resection done of the terminal iliem and a wedge resection from meckels diviticulum in healing very well and it seems to be working in still in a flare or active but I havnt had any bad days buttttt I'm having a hard time at night with the no smoking so I'm eating instead I'm scared I'm gonna get fat again I was big before I got this Crohn's the only good thing about it :(
 
UnXmas said:
It sounds like both you and your sister have some pretty horrible physical medical problems, but I think you're right that a mental illness isn't just horrible in itself, it makes it hard to cope with everything else as well. And then because you're not coping, you feel even more depressed. :(

But a mental illness is an illness - not your fault, even if some people view it that way. When I started taking antidepressants, I thought differently and acted differently. It didn't help all that much, but enough to show me that my thoughts and behaviours are determined by physical factors, outside of my control, as well as by my past experiences. I think things would have turned out very differently if I'd never had messed up brain chemistry. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it does mean the problems you have coping are not your fault.
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For some reason it is very important to me to know and feel like I am " a good person". And for some reason it is important for me that others know I am a "good person" too. I think this good person/bad person thing started when it became apparent that I indeed had mental health issues. I think I felt like I was a "bad person" because I was/am sick inside of my head. I still think about and can't get it out of my head. I am not perfect and I know that I have probably done or said things that hurt family or people in my life, but everyone else probably has too.
Have a Safe and Happy New Year.
 
afidz said:
feeling pretty blue today, but I don't really know why. I have no reason to be. I just want to curl up in my blankets and lay in bed all day. Too bad my back wont let that happen,
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I think that the holidays sometimes make some of us "blue". It can be a time of celebration or a time of loneliness. But there is nothing wrong with curling up in some blankets, just so a person doesn't do it every single day ? Last year I was all alone at Christmas-time for the first time in my life, so that fact will always be in my memory every December 25th.

Take it easy and rest if you can. I sort of understand about your back ? I have been sleeping in a recliner for 8 years because of hip, shoulder and neck arthritis. I am never comfortable, no matter where I am. I wish my doctors would just give me prednisone, hydrocodone and some sleep medication, but all they do is send me to physical therapy which is ineffective and expensive.
 
leezapeza said:
Feeling stressed gave up smoking 5 weeks. Ago today just before I had my op had a resection done of the terminal iliem and a wedge resection from meckels diviticulum in healing very well and it seems to be working in still in a flare or active but I havnt had any bad days buttttt I'm having a hard time at night with the no smoking so I'm eating instead I'm scared I'm gonna get fat again I was big before I got this Crohn's the only good thing about it :(
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Is there a thread for terminal ileitis here ? I have Ulcerative Colitis, but recently I had a CT Scan and MRI for my Urologist ( we are monitoring a small cyst on my right kidney). But something showed up on either the CT Scan and/or MRI that said there could be a possibility of me having terminal ileitis. I just had a colonoscopy in August and it came back normal, labs were normal too. I am not sure if a colonoscopy can go as far as the terminal ileum ? I had a new Gastroenterologist this year and I don't like him. What are the symptoms of terminal ileitis ?
Thanks for listening.
 
Hi Guys

So I was doing okay until the last few weeks then things starting bouncing back and forth.
I have been off of my anti-depressants at the advice of my doctor and psychotherapist for a month and a half now and doing good - I am however relearning how to handle and cope with emotions and feelings as they numbed me out quite effectively.
A year and a half ago my former boss (a 63 yr old man) came to me with a question which I had no answer for. This angered him - he grabbed a fistful of my clothing and forcible dragged me whilst I stumbled to the end of my work area (about 15/20ft). I have never been good with any kind of abuse - I freeze or I run away and this time I froze up and just dumbly let him do this. This was later reported to HR where I was called a liar - he wouldn't look or speak to me and I even ended up apologizing to him (now that is fucked up). He ended up having the option of early retirement or demotion and he chose the first.
Fast forward to yesterday - another fellow employee brings up his wrongful dismissal and how work just tossed away a great man... I lost my shit. I became so incredibly angry and full of rage and I had no idea how to handle that. I became upset with myself for not being able to handle the emotions, as well as the fact I had no backbone with this incident. Then I started to cry. I tried to stop but ended up leaving work and going for a 1 hour drive then a 1 hour nap in my truck because I didn't know what to do and no one was available.
I just called in to work for today as well I am so afraid I am going to lose my work because I am unreliable right now. With oil dropping the fear of layoffs is imminent - I am a walking stress case. I didn't think stress could aggravate Crohn's symptoms but now... today I am in horrible fucking stomach pain - it hurts when I breathe even. It feels like everything constricted into a tight ball - nothing is moving. I am so worried about work and money and my husband's possible disproval over this absence but I feel sick in my guts so badly today. I am thinking of going to the hospital soon to get something for this pain or just to get things to relax. I really just want to work and live in peace with no pain or stress. I've been cutting people out to reduce the possible stressload - I can't handle it right now. I have been taking my meds and eating the right things I am so frustrated that I cannot get into remission and something like this just throws me back into the pit.
Okay that's enough. Thanks for listening out there. Happy New Year.
 
Ann Morgan said:
Is there a thread for terminal ileitis here ? I have Ulcerative Colitis, but recently I had a CT Scan and MRI for my Urologist ( we are monitoring a small cyst on my right kidney). But something showed up on either the CT Scan and/or MRI that said there could be a possibility of me having terminal ileitis. I just had a colonoscopy in August and it came back normal, labs were normal too. I am not sure if a colonoscopy can go as far as the terminal ileum ? I had a new Gastroenterologist this year and I don't like him. What are the symptoms of terminal ileitis ?
Thanks for listening.
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Hi well I started off having pain when I ate anything feeling sick wanting to vomit and very sore right side my bowels were loose then I wouldn't poo for weeks the pain got really bad i lost weight couldn't eat much and when I did I threw it back up Wanting too sleep all the time doctor thought it was reflux at first but the pills didn't help so i went to the doctor again told him I was still loosing weight and I was in a lot of pain doubled over i thought it was my appendix my CPR came back high he rung me that night told me to get to the hospital they done ct scan and found an abseses there that was in July was when I found out I had Crohn's and I been in hospital 2 times since then last time they had to operate i kept getting then dam abscess so yeah I think a ct scan is your best bet in finding out good luck I'm new too all this and I'm still coming to grips with it :)
 
Happy New Year from Arizona....... it is 12:14am here.
Still listening to the fireworks outside and the sound of gunshots that people shoot into the sky :confused::confused::confused:( during some holidays here.....very stupid and very dangerous). Just took my night-time meds. Good Night.:eek:utahere::eek:utahere:
 
Ann Morgan said:
Happy New Year from Arizona....... it is 12:14am here.
Still listening to the fireworks outside and the sound of gunshots that people shoot into the sky :confused::confused::confused:( during some holidays here.....very stupid and very dangerous). Just took my night-time meds. Good Night.:eek:utahere::eek:utahere:
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Happy new year Anne here's hoping it's a better year it was very quite where I live I couldn't even hear the drunks from the pub at the back of me lol
 
happy new year everyone! Hope you all have a good 2015

I feel terrible. Throat ulcers and tenesmus pain mainly - counting down the days until my first infliximab infusion next fri, wish it was tomorrow
 
Ann Morgan said:
Happy New Year from Arizona....... it is 12:14am here.
Still listening to the fireworks outside and the sound of gunshots that people shoot into the sky :confused::confused::confused:( during some holidays here.....very stupid and very dangerous). Just took my night-time meds. Good Night.:eek:utahere::eek:utahere:
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Shooting at the sky?! Where I am, in England, there were a lot of gun shots when I was out with my dog today because there are often hunts on New Year's Day. My dog's terrified of loud noises so she's not had a good time over the last twenty-four hours!

Happy New Year everyone, especially people in hospital and people on their own, including any lurkers who read this forum but don't post. :)
 
Hi all..I hope eveyone had a wonderful holiday season. Now it's back to reality and the long cold winter ..at least here in PA !!
Question..do any of you suffer ..and I DO mean suffer ...from restless leg syndrome ? It's to the point that every night after dinner it gets so bad I'd be willing to try anything to stop the craziness. I am on Ropinorol at HS and it did work for about a year but it must be wearing off. Nobody can understand the problem unless they experience it first hand. I am so bone tired and can't stop moving my legs ! Could it be a side effect of any meds I'm on ?
Monday ( Tomorrow ) is my Remi..can't wait. Having nausea... rectal bleeding...ughhhh. I wonder if I soon need to lessen the time between treatments. But then again..who could afford that..I must pay 20 % co-pay above what my Medicare pays. Sigh
Well ..hope the new year is good to all of us ! Talk soon and God Bless
 
Gram214 said:
Hi all..I hope eveyone had a wonderful holiday season. Now it's back to reality and the long cold winter ..at least here in PA !!
Question..do any of you suffer ..and I DO mean suffer ...from restless leg syndrome ? It's to the point that every night after dinner it gets so bad I'd be willing to try anything to stop the craziness. I am on Ropinorol at HS and it did work for about a year but it must be wearing off. Nobody can understand the problem unless they experience it first hand. I am so bone tired and can't stop moving my legs ! Could it be a side effect of any meds I'm on ?
Monday ( Tomorrow ) is my Remi..can't wait. Having nausea... rectal bleeding...ughhhh. I wonder if I soon need to lessen the time between treatments. But then again..who could afford that..I must pay 20 % co-pay above what my Medicare pays. Sigh
Well ..hope the new year is good to all of us ! Talk soon and God Bless
Click to expand...

Hi, I know how awful Restless Leg Syndrome is! I'm fortunate because I get it very rarely, usually only following general aesthetics. So for me it comes along with insomnia and feeling generally awful from surgery. It doesn't help that it's at those times when I'm either in hospital and my meds are under the doctors' control, or at home but unwilling to risk high doses of my sleep meds when I'm that sick and on various other meds besides my usual ones - because otherwise I'd probably try knocking myself out with high doses of my amitriptyline to send me to sleep!

And I do mean I'm fortunate to only get it rarely, because I do appreciate how terrible it is, and it's one of those things that doesn't sound terrible when described to people who've never had it - including doctors, and of course it's not dangerous, so that makes it low on doctors' lists of properties too. But at its worst, I get a whole-body version, where I am literally getting in and out of bed constantly, for hours. And insomnia is something I can't stand generally anyway (hence my love of amitriptyline).

One thing that helped me was having someone massage my legs. A nurse told me about this, and she massaged my legs and I managed to fall asleep. The following night she didn't have time, but a very kind patient massaged them instead, and I fell asleep then too, but only briefly then I was awake and restless again.

A couple of things that can help with minor cases: put a pillow between your knees, or try sleeping with your legs elevated - really elevated, like several pillows or cushions under them (I even lay on a sofa with my legs sort of sideways up the back of the sofa).

Check if it is being caused by any of your medications. Some allergy meds and sedatives can cause it.

Because I only get it under circumstances, I've never really looked into treating it with medication. I think there are a couple of other things besides ropinirol used for it. (What does HS mean btw?) There's a thread on Restless Leg Syndrome somewhere on this forum, I'll see if I can find you the link. If I did get it more frequently, I'd probably opt for knocking myself out with amitriptyline first, but that's my solution to a lot of things and perhaps not the most sensible!
 
Here's a list of possible causes, including medications that have it as a side effect:

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Restless-leg-syndrome/Pages/Causes.aspx

(The sedatives/allergy meds I was thinking of were antihistamines.)

List of treatments, including a couple of other medications besides ropinirole are here, but looks like the main ones are the same class of meds as ropinirole, so if that's not helping, not sure if these others will, but there's a few others mentioned too (and apparently my method of ignoring the restless leg symptoms and just trying to induce sleep is actually an officially recognised treatment!):
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Restless-leg-syndrome/Pages/Treatment.aspx

And a couple of threads on this forum:

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=48655&highlight=restless+syndrome

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=45928&highlight=restless+syndrome

Hope something in there helps you.
 
Awww Thank you for you response UnXmas ! HS means Hour of sleep or before bed. I'll try the suggestions you made and I will see about getting some amitriptyline . Like I said I'd be willing to try whatever it takes. At my age anything that feels good makes sense anymore. Thanks !
 
How am I feeling? Currently, trying to come to terms with the diagnosis. At 21, it's honestly scary! It doesn't help that I have anxiety in general, either. I don't want to feel terrible forever or lose out on life because of this disease. Trying to stay positive.

And I'm not sure if it's the steroid or the fact that my body actually feels like eating, but every 3-4 hours since my diagnosis I have been SO HUNGRY.

Hoping for remission to come soon and stay long!
 
Since mid-December, I've been feeling better. After surgeries in October and November to address issues with fistulas & abscesses, I've finally hit a point of getting energy back. I wake-up read to go, although I immediately spend roughly 20-30 minutes on the toilet first thing in the morning. I do have some on going pain/discomfort from the recovery of the abscesses, but I try to push myself a little more each day. During the holiday season this meant being on my feet at parties, shopping, or being being social. Granted this pushing usually means that I'm a mess at the end of the day and just need to sit down. But, I made it! I always traveled with extra underwear and abdominal pads in case I drained through everything.

But, the last few mornings I've noticed a large amount of fresh blood filling the toilet every morning during my first poop, which the wife always finds disturbing.

Oh, and I had sex! Woo hoo! Was it great? I doubt it, but it was great to have the connection with my wife again.

Now I'm just counting the days until my colostomy surgery on the 20th. Looking forward to not having to pack extra underwear when I leave the house or finding the nearest bathroom whenever I enter a store. I know a bag brings its own issues, but I think the benefits outweigh the day-to-day stuff I live with now.
 
MirrorBride - life will go back to normal again. Realistically, you will probably have times when the disease demands your attention, and times when it doesn't and you'll find you can concentrate on other things. It varies a lot from person to person, but it's not so very terrible a disease - most people with Crohn's can have a career, a family, a social life, or whatever you had planned for before getting ill. Steroids can definitely cause hunger, but that's not always a bad thing. Crohn's can sometimes kill people's appetites, so it doesn't do any harm to put a bit of weight on when you're able to do it easily, and for some it makes a nice change to want food again. On the other hand, if you really don't want to gain weight, there are a lot of people in that situation too, and many threads in the treatment and diet forums about how to eat healthily when on steroids.


sully - I'm always ready to tell people how much getting a stoma has helped me. I think it's much easier to adjust to when your quality of life sucked beforehand. I hope you'll post any questions you have in the surgery/stoma sub-forum.
 
UnXmas - thanks! I read your blog and it was very informative. Compared to most stoma patients, I seem to be in a good spot and have the opportunity to make this elective. Outside of the small window of time to find a toilet, my health is pretty good. I finally reached a point where I said that Crohn's is now having an impact on my quality of life. Everyone has their fingers crossed that having an ostomy for 9-12 months will give the Entyvio time to work its magic and let my colon rest.

Met with the surgeon today, and we're all thumbs-up. He's saying less than 90 minutes in the OR, and only admitted for 3 nights (baring any complications). My success goal is the Boston Spartan Race at the end of August. When I was healthy & training, it took me a little over an hour and a half. Mentally shooting for under 2 hours this time.
 
sully1102 said:
UnXmas - thanks! I read your blog and it was very informative. Compared to most stoma patients, I seem to be in a good spot and have the opportunity to make this elective. Outside of the small window of time to find a toilet, my health is pretty good. I finally reached a point where I said that Crohn's is now having an impact on my quality of life. Everyone has their fingers crossed that having an ostomy for 9-12 months will give the Entyvio time to work its magic and let my colon rest.

Met with the surgeon today, and we're all thumbs-up. He's saying less than 90 minutes in the OR, and only admitted for 3 nights (baring any complications). My success goal is the Boston Spartan Race at the end of August. When I was healthy & training, it took me a little over an hour and a half. Mentally shooting for under 2 hours this time.
Click to expand...

I don't have a blog, maybe you mixed me up with someone else? Or do you mean one of my threads - many of my posts get so long they probably should be blogs. :p I'm glad you found something helpful anyway!

It's great you have a goal to work towards. A stoma shouldn't prevent any kind of fitness, training or sports (well, of course there's always the possibility of complications, but that's always true of Crohn's with or without a stoma). Three nights in hospital sounds about right if all goes well. Mainly they'll be wanting to keep you there until they see the stoma start working, so the sooner you're able to start eating and walking, do so, they will get your digestive system going. And while you're in hospital you'll have time to learn to care for the stoma. I know some people read up on it and watch videos on YouTube to learn how to empty and change bags, but I was never good at learning that way, I learn by doing, and after changing the bag a couple of times while a stoma nurse directed me, it all came together very easily.
 
I'm feeling relieved today because I have finally got into a routine of eating enough to gain weight without making myself terribly ill all the time. I still have to eat an awful lot. I am back to eating tablespoons of peanut butter as a staple, but it's bearable now I have a stoma as the symptoms are so much easier to deal with. I still worry that it'll cause another blockage, and mad at my doctors for carrying on insisting I gain weight when they know eating so much caused a blockage and perforation before.
 
I've been physically feeling better than I have in what I can remember for years. Mentally, still worn out from hating my job. After having my gallbladder out a few weeks ago I'm finally getting back to business as usual for my typical activities. Still some bruising and a sore belly by the end of the day, but regardless doing better. The small meals I was used to before the surgery have now gotten smaller... I find myself feeling bloated and uncomfortable more if I let myself get full. More of an incentive to eat less, I guess. Overall, feeling pretty decent for the first time in a long while.:emot-dance:
 
Well i was diagnosed july last year. And im actually phisically okay but emotionally im not im always stressed and finding school even harder considering im starting my exams and its hard like every little problem becomes even bigger considering im such a worrier...
 
18 year old son is feeling "okay". He's been on MTX since mid September. 10 days ago, he had pretty bad stomach pain that lasted a few days and blood in his stool (once). The docs haven't gotten back to me about that. Was it just a bump in the road or does blood mean a flare? He had a very small appetite for about a week, too..like 500 cals a day.
His last FCP was 24 in mid November.
 
A stool that has blood in it and has only been passed once could be a bump on the road but if he has a loss of appetite the chances are higher that he could have a flare up. Last year becuase i was thirteen and diagnosed so young i was given a comic to explain my crohns and apparently you should avoid smoking stress and fizzy drinks and you should have probiotic drinks like actimil a few more modulen ( see docters if you havnt been prescribed to it) and yoghurt and of course a plain cheese sandwich and a balanced diet
 
Hi again all,

Christmas took a lot out of me. Very tired, but enjoyed myself immensely with very few repercussions from what I ate, which was nice after over a year of issues. But I did catch the damned flu in the new year.

Still doing better, although doing so without any sort of zing or energy.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas.
 
Feeling better than I had in ages I'm back at work as of 2 days ago lil bit sore at the end of the shift but I'm happy stress free and mostly pain free ;) oh yeah not smoking is going well too I've ^ 5 my self :))))
 
annoyed, mainly. Had first infliximab infusion week and a half ago and felt like I was getting better but had a PJ day today because I felt pretty bad. Dissapointed as I thought this would stop. Second infusion this Friday. Hoping todfay was just a blip
 
Had my humira last week, so was feeling a bit more "normal" on Saturday.... got brave and did grocery shopping AND a trip to the park with the kids. This as it turns out was more than my body was prepared to handle so today was a lounge around and sew kind of day lol
 
MirrorBride said:
How am I feeling? Currently, trying to come to terms with the diagnosis. At 21, it's honestly scary! It doesn't help that I have anxiety in general, either. I don't want to feel terrible forever or lose out on life because of this disease. Trying to stay positive.

And I'm not sure if it's the steroid or the fact that my body actually feels like eating, but every 3-4 hours since my diagnosis I have been SO HUNGRY.

Hoping for remission to come soon and stay long!
Click to expand...

Sorry to.hear about your diagnosis at such a young age. I was 36 years old when my symptoms started, but I was 46 when I got a diagnosis. 9 years !

Yeah, I have been on steroids a couple of times for other health issues and I was starving ALL the time ! I think I gained four pounds in one week ?

I have anxiety too, plus Major Depressive Disorder. I have Ulcerative Colitis.

You sound like a very upbeat person with a great attitude. Have a healthy and happy day. : - )
 
How am I feeling ? Still bloated every day. I have gained back 5 pounds. I lost 30 pounds last year because of changes in my Ulcerative Colitis symptoms, I just lost my appetite. The first 20 pounds came off quickly and I was not trying to lose weight ( I just did not feel good because of my symptoms changing ). Well, fast forward to NOW.....my symptom's are back to what they normally were for many years. Now I have my appetite back....ahhhhhh!!!!! One of my doctors wanted me to lose 20 MORE pounds too. Can't get rid of this daily bloating. And I crave chocolate brownies and stuff like that ! Eeek, does menopause mess a gal up as much as PMS ! ?Hormones suck ! : - 0
 
Ann Morgan said:
How am I feeling ? Still bloated every day. I have gained back 5 pounds. I lost 30 pounds last year because of changes in my Ulcerative Colitis symptoms, I just lost my appetite. The first 20 pounds came off quickly and I was not trying to lose weight ( I just did not feel good because of my symptoms changing ). Well, fast forward to NOW.....my symptom's are back to what they normally were for many years. Now I have my appetite back....ahhhhhh!!!!! One of my doctors wanted me to lose 20 MORE pounds too. Can't get rid of this daily bloating. And I crave chocolate brownies and stuff like that ! Eeek, does menopause mess a gal up as much as PMS ! ?Hormones suck ! : - 0
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Hang in there aye
 
How do I feel?haven,t been for 6 days!pretty full,I,ve just taken a piece of melon,they,ll be broadcasting a shipping warning soon.hopefully.
 
I'm still feeling well been 8 weeks since my resection I'm hoping the GI will tell me I'm in remission I'm sorry to here u guys r still doing it tough chin up thinking of u guys :)
 
Been three days without codeine. I have lots left, just testing my will power and reducing my tolerance. Somehow now I've got this far I feel more motivated to see how long I can go without it for. I don't mean it's easier because the withdrawal is over; no matter how long I go without codeine, I always feel worse than when I'm taking it. But when I'm taking loads I think I may as well make the most of it, but now it feels like an endurance test that I don't want to ruin unless I need to. That will probably last maybe two more days at most. :p When I next have a day where I feel physically and/or emotionally bad I'll take some, especially since I'll have some to spare having had this break.

The withdrawal itself hasn't been too bad. I had an upset stomach but that happens often so I can't even say it was from withdrawal. But I have no energy and ache all over and can't concentrate and have no motivation to do anything and nothing seems interesting. But I've done this enough to know this isn't withdrawal, as it never improves. It's just how I feel without codeine, and if I never take it again, I won't stop feeling like this. So I have no plans to extend this abstinence beyond the next time I feel particularly bad (and that is almost certain to happen in a day or two, I feel terrible all the time, and extra-terrible about once every couple of days).
 
Yesterday, I went to the bathroom probably seven times and had two accidents. Not feeling the best today.

2
 
Still taken no more codeine and have got through most of today, so I'll try and wait until tomorrow. Physically I don't feel as bad as on some of the previous occasions when I've stopped it, but I feel a lot of anxiety now, which is always worse in the evenings, and would really like some to calm me down. Or I just want it to be tomorrow morning when my anxiety will be less anyway. Have some things to distract me for this evening though, hopefully.
 
UnXmas said:
Still taken no more codeine and have got through most of today, so I'll try and wait until tomorrow. Physically I don't feel as bad as on some of the previous occasions when I've stopped it, but I feel a lot of anxiety now, which is always worse in the evenings, and would really like some to calm me down. Or I just want it to be tomorrow morning when my anxiety will be less anyway. Have some things to distract me for this evening though, hopefully.
Click to expand...

have you tried relaxation techniques? Hope it wears off soon
 
Well that didn't work. The anxiety just got too much so I took some, and now feel so much better.

Relaxation techniques really aren't my thing. I have tried - hypnotherapy, yoga, breathing exercises, all the usual stuff, many times over. Medications and surgery are the only ways I've been able to successfully treat any of my symptoms, physical and mental. (I have multiple physical medical conditions.)

I don't have any official diagnosis of anxiety, and at the moment it's bad because I'm on prednisone. Antidepressants have been incredibly helpful for me, so I'm considering asking my doctor about meds for anxiety.

I do find things such as getting enough sleep but also getting up early in the morning, walking in the countryside and cuddling with my dog help, but not in the way meds can do, not enough when it's this bad.
 
Had my first colostomy last Tuesday, got home Friday night. I wish I had done this surgery months, if not years, ago.

I'm sleeping without night sweats. I can sit still & walk without discomfort. I'm eating an unrestricted diet like a fiend. I have a libido. And, of course, there's no fear of pooping myself.

It's taking effort not to go out of the house at this point, but I know that the I need to respect the recovery process. I'll be out & about again, soon enough.

It amazes me that the benefits of the surgery were so immediate. Just giving my bowels/anus a few days of rest has made my life normal.

Sure, I have some soreness from undergoing the surgery, but everything was done laparoscopically, so the there are only 3 small wounds plus the stoma itself.

Fingers are cross that this rest will give the Entyvio the opportunity to work its magic, and I'm getting re-connected by the fall.
 
How am I feeling ?
Doesn't everyone here have psychological issues related to their disease ?
I feel inferior when I am around my sister.
She has many heath issues, but she just told me in a text that she "copes with the pain". Why can't I cope with my physical health issues like she can ? ( She has RA and I have arthritis/osteoarthritis.) This Major Depressive Disorder that I have just sucks the life out of me, physically, emotionally and mentally. She never talks about her "woes". She must just hide it and keep it all inside of her ( or only shares with her husband). I don't even want to see her tomorrow. I am very sensitive and it seems that even the smallest thing will effect me emotionally. She said "she copes with the pain". Well, good for her. She must be Superwoman or something. Lucky her. Good Night.
 

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