• Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.

Howdy

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rhiannonctr

Guest
Hey everyone. I joined a few days ago and have been mostly lurking, but I thought I'd introduce myself.

Let's see, where to start? I've had Crohn's since I was 18. It took almost seven years and a ton of barium and other fun tests before an MD actually nailed it. It wasn't until I was 25 and dropped almost 30 lbs in a month that an MD decided it might be worth actually adding a small bowel follow through to about my 11th upper GI--and there it was! There wasn't a whole lot of info out there about Crohn's in '94 and most of it was just scarry. I stayed on my meds and had the basic problems--swelling, cramps, 20 trips to the bathroom a day.

Then in 2000, I decided to go back to grad school and lost my prescription coverage, so, I stupidly stopped affording my meds. I thought things were fine, just the occasional flare until Nov '04, when I found myself in the ER with an obstruction--an absolute first for me, I thought I had a severe case of food poisoning. I spent Thanskgiving and Christmas in the hospital with obstructions, and after 3 more admits in the beginning of 2005, and multiple rounds of medications (steroids, Imuran, Methotrexate, Remicade) it became apparent that surgery was required. My small bowel was a mess and had prolapsed onto my descending colon, but I was able to avoid an ostomy. Things were going fine, but then a week after the surgery I started having problems breathing and woke up two weeks later in the ICU on a respirator. Apparently, I'd suffered from several pulmonary emboli. So, instead of a week in the hospital I ended up spending 5 weeks there--and as everyone knows even 1 day in a hospital is too long!

Things are going well now. I've got a new MD at the University of Chicago, Center for IBD. She's switched my meds and I'm feeling fairly good. I do have a "fatty" liver (a result of the extra fast weight gain from the Prednisone I'm told) and am on a fairly agressive diet for that, but right now I'm in a mostly good place--and hey, it's my last year of grad school, so it's all looking up! :thumleft:

I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone here! I sure was glad to find this forum!
 
E

ElaineH

Guest
Hi and welcome to the site! Glad to hear things are going well for you at the moment, long may it continue! Look forward to seeing you around the site!

Elaine :)
 
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Mozam

Guest
Hey there!

Welcome to the forum - a great place to be, and I'm sure you'll enjoy whatever time you spend on here!

Hope to see you around some more soon.

Mx
 
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devildee(donna2005)LOL

Guest
Hi
a big welcome hope to see you posting in the forums xx
 

Karen

FRIEND 4 1 & ALL


I am GRANDMA BEAR & I'd like to take the time to say WELCOME & I am sure that your time here with us will be a wonderful one so feel free to JUMP RIGHT in and have some fun with the rest of us. There is plenty to see & lots of fun things to share in so ... if you have questions about something ask someone we are all here to help one another out !! Once again WELCOME !!
 

mikeyarmo

Co-Founder
:welcome: to the forum! I am glad that you decided to stop lurking and share in the action, and hope to see you around more often.

I am glad that things are going better now, and its good to hear that grad school is almost over! What are you studying?
 
J

Jonny

Guest
Hellos Rhiannon welcome to the site :D
Good luck at grad school and look foward to getting to know you.
 
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DannyB

Guest
Hye Rhiannon,

Thanks for your story and it's always good news to hear that things are getting better and doing well for you now.

Danny
 
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Valentina

Guest
hi! wow, must have been scary to go through all that at once in the hospital?! glad to hear your on the mend now though... youve found a glood place here as well, Im new as well, but everyone seems really nice, open, and very welcoming. see you around I hope.
 

Tami Lynn

Forum Angel
Welcome to the board Rhiannon!

I have been told that I have "fatty liver" too... only thing is... I'm not overweight and don't really know what has caused it.

I feel like it has been giving me problems lately, but I'll probably save that for another post.

Glad to have you with us! :)
 
K

Kate

Guest
Hi Rhiannon

Welcome to the site. I hope to see you around

All the best
Kate
 
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