I will not be defeated

[natalie]

Hi,

My name is Natalie I am 23 yrs old and i was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in december 2010...

I would say i got sick round july 2010 but it didn't start to get bad till october. It got so bad that I was puking up most of my food intake and I was loosing weight rapidly. By the time I went to the doctor's and had both camera procedures done I had droped from 120kg to 59kg in a matter of 3 months. I had to wait 2 weeks for the results and my doctor told me there was a chance that it could be cancer but it was a 1 in 2000 shot to be true but still you can't help but to think the worse so it was a long 2 weeks. During that time I googled my symptoms and Crohn's disease popped up I read all about it so when I was informed that it was Crohn's and not cancer I had a general idea. It was bad enough to put me into hospital but as it was 2 days before xmas my doctor aloud me to take the medication by mouth and stay home for the holidays.

3 weeks ago I had an abstruction and the pain got so bad my partner rushed me to the hospital she works at (Concord) where I was admitted straight away. This was my first time actually staying in a hospital over night so I freaked and cried alot but as the days went by it wasn't too bad. I stayed in for 4 days total for iv steroid injections. The doctors there where very helpfull and informed me that my infected part is actually in the worse spot of all (the lil part the connects both the small and large bowel) which was a bit of a shock but explains why i can only have 6 really tiny meals a day and if i eat big stuff i get blocked.

I'm stiil finding the changes really difficult everytime i turn around there is something else of MY LIFE that i need to change and it's frustrating. I am also a fulltime smoker but here's a (shocker) this is something that i really need to give up or i'm looking at surgery in a yrs time.


Attention!!!!! I need advice on how to quit smoking?
I'm tired of the same foods any ideas?
How can i help my g/f who is a nurse give me a lil leway with certain things?


I am glad to be here and to beable to read so many stories it's nice to know I'm not the only one doing it rough and i really like the remission stories they give me hope I also think i have a lil bit of depression.

Happy to hear back from anyone....... :ybiggrin:

 

[natalie]

Medications!!!!!!!!

Imuran 150mg
Nexium 20mg

 

[Grumbletum]

Hi Natalie
Sorry to hear you have Crohn's but I'm glad you found us here. Yea, it is a big shock and a huge learning curve.
Re: the smoking. In the UK you can get free cessation counselling and aids if you go through your GP and I would highly recommend this.
About your diet, as you feel blocked easily it might be worth trying a Low Residue Diet. Keeping a food diary is good too. You keep track of what you've had and note down foods that block/bloat and generally aggravate your symptoms.
Hope this helps

 

[archie]

I had CD in the same spot as you and I also was sick last year, I can totally relate to your first night in hospital I cried as well and I'm not a crier!!! But it is overwhelming when your new to it all, anyway long story short I tried meds felt a bit better but in the end needed surgery to remove the diseased part and now feel great. Hope u don't need surgery but try meds and hope u feel better soon. Just quit by the way it'll really help no excuses!!

 

[Astra]

Hiya Natalie
and welcome

Yeah it's a shock but in time you'll be able to manage it, it's a process of trial & error and elimination. All this takes time.
Keeping a food journal in the early days is a good idea, so is the low residue diet.
My Crohn's is in the terminal ileum too and if I flare I just go on this diet for a few days to give my bowels a rest.
I was in hospital for a week last year with a blockage, it's no fun. I was given IV steroids then came home with Prednisolone for a year.
Remission is possible, I've had months of remission since last year. Feeling a bit rough now tho!
You and your girlfriend should read this forum together, get yourselves genned up on Crohn's, there are lots of success stories, all about treatment and diet, and also about depression.
Oh, and the smoking, yeah it's not good, but I smoke too, I know how hard that is!
good luck and
lotsa luv
Joan xxx

 

[Trysha]

Hi Natalie,
Sorry to hear of all the trials and hope you will soon be feeling better.
I smoked for many years and was reluctant to stop but had to because of all the issues
such as high blood pressure, crohn's etc.
First I tried hypnotherapy which at first worked but stupidly after being in a social gathering I had that first cigarette and BAM---back to smoking again. After about six months because of declining health I went to a Chinese GP who practised acupuncture
specifically to stop smokers and for weight problems. (which I did not have).Incidentally he was also a great GP.
After one session I stopped smoking and have never since smoked. He had said to keep away from smoke, especially second hand smoke which I did, and also to return if exposed and he would repeat the acupuncture.This is 30+ years ago, and have never smoked since.The early days after the treatment had a few negligible temptations that I resisted and even dreamt I was smoking and woke up with a start.It did not seem difficult at the time.
It is essential to find the right acupuncturist and I knew of this docs reputation at the university med school, he had an avowed intent to get people off smoking!
Now if only he could apply the same technique to cure the Crohn's_-----------
feel better soon
Hugs from Trysha

 

[Lydia]

I used nicotine gum, and only when I was niccing out really bad. That was over 5 years ago now. I also told myself it was not forever. Forever is a long time, mentally speaking. Its just for today, and its just been today for over 5 years now. I can always start tomorrow if I really want to.

 

[natalie]

Astra????????

Do u still smoke now?
I was a full packet a day kind of smoker but have dropped down to about 10 to 15 a day depending where i am and what i'm doing....

Advice????????

Is it ok to maybe just smoke a lil less then what I use too or do I really have to give up all together???

I can't use champix or any of the other smoking stuff like gum etc my doc tried to explain to me why but I don't get it really. Apparently I just have to give up cold turkey which is really not easy when your house hold is full of smokers.....

 

[ameslouise]

Hi Natalie and welcome!

Like Joan said, it's scary at first but over time you will learn to manage all the diet and lifestyle changes. It can be very overwhelming, though!

You might want to check out our section on diet and fitness, lots of good food suggestions over there. Personally, I drink a lot of smoothies for breakfast. I hate fruit and it's a good, safe way to get a fruit intake, it really fills me up and gives me a good burst of energy from all the sugar!

As for smoking, it is my experience that it is better to quit gradually than to shock your system by going cold turkey. Again, this is only my own personal experience. Everytime I quit (which was like, once a year for several years until I finally quit for good!), I would get a flare up. It was just too much of a physical stress on my body and it always produced a flare.

Lastly, I will say that there are lots of us here on anti-anxiety and/or anti-depressants. It can be seriously overwhelming and exasperating dealing with this disease. There is a HUGE emotional component that is not, IMO, adequately addressed by even the best GI doctors. Don't be afraid to try an anti anxiety like Celexa or Lexipro (not sure what you have down there!) Better living thru chemicals!!!

You are lucky to have a nurse for a GF! She probably approaches things from a more clinical and less emotional viewpoint and that could be a good balance to your perspective as the patient.

Good luck! - Amy

 

[scottmyster]

HI Natalie, and welcome to forum i have had crohn's for 21 years and was in remission for 15 wonderful years. through diet and medications. but mine just last month flared up out of the blue and now on preds and other medications to keep the inflammation down.Your right, eating 5 or 6 small portion size meals daily are easier on your system instead of eating 3 major meals a day it's easier on you digestive system. i smoke a pack of cigs a day and been trying to quit but no success yet. i also tried champix but it didn't work so i continue to smoke because it calms me down. if your in depression mode you can talk to you doctor about some ant-depression medication. I have bipolar disorder(manic depression) so , i know where your coming from crohn's seems to take the good out of your sails. but, like you said don't give up you can have a good life outside of crohn's. i hope you will feel better soon best wishes.:rosette2:

scott