Introducing myself since I'm new here...

[skymgirl]

Hi everyone -

I was just diagnosed with Crohn's via a CT scan on March 6th - I'll be having my first colonoscopy on 5/26. :eek2: (Fun way to spend Memorial Day - prepping all night! Awesome!) I also have Celiac disease, newly diagnosed as well.

I've suffered with symptoms pretty much my whole life - just about 30 years. (My biggest problem is awful constipation, along with lots of pain.) So it didn't surprise me that something was going on w/my intestines, I just figured it was IBS as a few of my previous doctors advised me. (I saw a doctor in October who told me that "all women your age have IBS, just stop stressing out and you'll feel better.") Not trusting that and needing to do something b/c of the limits this has put on my life (sick days @ work, anxiety) I saw another GI doc who came highly recommended and she diagnosed me quite quickly.

Luckily, the doctor has told me that my case of Crohn's appears to be mild, she started me on Asacol the night of the diagnosis. (I take 2 caps 2x a day) I've been doing well with the meds - no side effects I've noticed. My husband is very supportive, as are most of my friends and family. (My step-dad also has Crohn's, a more severe case of it then me.) I've been stressing a bit about helping some people in my life understand. My mother-in-law told me she did research on Crohn's and that as long as I don't eat anything that bothers me I'll have no problems at all! (Which makes me feel like I'll always have to pretend I'm fine, even if I'm not feeling well.) But it's great to have the support of people really close to me, and that has really helped me start to be ok with this diagnosis.

I'm quite nervous about the colonoscopy, so I know I'll be reading a lot of what you all have to say about them. It's nice to have found this place, and I look forward to getting to know everybody.

 

[D Bergy]

Welcome to the forum.

A colonoscopy is not as fun as skiing or surfing, but the good thing is you don't have to spend a lot on equipment.

Seriously, it is not that bad. The prep is kind of tough because of the sheer volume of liquid you have to put down. Once that is done the rest goes fast and usually there is no problems. I would rather have a colonoscopy than have a filling put in my tooth. But I hate going to the dentist.

Don't worry about it. It is just a routine procedure most people will have done sooner or later.

Dan

 

[My Butt Hurts]

Hi skymgirl - welcome to the forum!

I saw a doctor in October who told me that "all women your age have IBS, just stop stressing out and you'll feel better."[/FONT]

What an idiot - glad you followed your feeling to get it further checked out. (Haha - I almost wrote gut feeling!)
The colonoscopy seriously isn't that bad. Most people sleep right through it. I have had 5, and only woke up once in the middle of one for a few seconds. The worst part is drinking the stuff.
Now, as for your mother-in-law... where to start? A *lot* of people try to be well meaning, and will never understand. Most of us aren't able to control our symptoms with diet alone. Maybe you can cut-n-paste some posts from here into some nice bedtime reading for her. Whatever you do, do NOT pretend for her. That's not fair to yourself.
If the 2xday pills work for you - great, but I have always taken my pills (sulfasalazine, asacol, or pentasa) 4xday. If they don't work as well as you had hoped, you might ask to up the dose maybe?
Good luck, and welcome again!

 

[DanM]

Welcome!! Don't get too worried about the colonoscopy. The prep is much worse than the procedure. They set you up with an IV, say good night, and you wake up in about an hour or so. A few farts later, you will be back to normal.

Dan

 

[mRae85]

A colonoscopy is not as fun as skiing or surfing, but the good thing is you don't have to spend a lot on equipment.

LMAO, well that takes the words right out of my mouth there! Good work D Bergy! seriously, I slept through most of mine but when they hit the right side where most of my pain was I woke up screaming and the Dr had to put me back out but that is ususally rare. The prep had me really sick tho, I hope to find something better next time and have managed to copy a few ideas from here on what kind I want!! Glad you didn't let what a Dr had to say stand in your way to finding the truth, I know I had to go through a few Dr's to actually get a real answer. As far as a diet goes, some people have alot of luck with it and other people don't. For me, what makes me sick one day I'll be fine with the next, that I think is what makes Crohns so hard to "control". Everyone is different and it seems each day is different. Just be sure to take your meds, then if they don't work out, talk to your Dr. I must say the best thing for anyone who has a lifelong illness is a good Dr. If you can't talk to your Dr about anything and if they aren't willing to work with you then you'll never get better. Trust me, I have went through Dr's like I go through TP, if they get too much of an attitude, ignore me, or tell me that I just have to deal with it, I go to the next one. This time I think I have one who might last a while.... we shall see. :welcome: Welcome to our little world here, I hope you find it as nice as I have

 

[skymgirl]

Thanks for the nice welcome, everyone. My doctor sent me a prescription for Movi Prep for the colonoscopy - I did a little research on that one and it looks to be less then what I was afraid of having to drink. I drank 3 big bottles of barium for my CT scan, and that was so gross! I'm not expecting the prep to be good, but I'm hoping it's a little easier to get down then the barium.

I am lucky that I have people who support me and are being great about everything. My relationship with my MIL has always been a little tricky. She's a a "fixer" and feels the need to control things. And I think telling me "you'll be fine!" is her way of minimizing any worries she might have about my health in the future. But I can't really be worrying about that now, I'm working to accept this myself and get better. It helps to have a sounding board!

 

[fenway1971]

Hi and welcome. Do a search for Dave Barry - I sent around an article he wrote about colonscopies. It'll make you laugh.

I used Miralax for my prep. Tasteless and no issues.

 

[mRae85]

That was the first thing I thought of when I read "Movi Prep" hahahaha.... Dave Barry omg..... yea, read that, if nothing else it will give you a very good laugh!