• 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.

Introducing myself

Hi all,

Been lurking on and off for a while and whilst obviously not contributing to discussions have found this forum useful and supportive during my most recent flare.

I'll try and keep it short. Was diagnosed with Crohns in 2006 after 6 months of thinking I had bowel cancer (didn't visit Dr, had never heard of Crohns). On the day of my graduation I was lying on table with a camera up my back passage. It was also two days after my birthday :ycool: Was started on Pentasa but ended up in hospital again 6 months later and started on 6mp and went into remission. Happy days!

Spent 9 years getting on with life - trained as a mental health nurse, got my first post and life was grand. This time last year I noticed symptoms creeping back - mouth ulcers and rectal bleeding mainly. Nothing too disruptive though. As I was in fixed term employment I didn't want to look as though I couldn't cope so buried my head in the sand and carried on with work thinking I would be fine until I saw my GI in the new year.

I went downhill pretty quickly. Currently had 8 hospital admissions this year, pretty severe pain in all but my last admission a month ago. You can empathise I'm sure...

So after limited sucess with Humira (still have to take it fortnightly), I got start on low dose MTX (10mg). Still flaring, oh, and steroid dependant, so trying to taper that as well. Currently symptoms are returning. No doubt I'll be posting about them!

It's been a tough year but I'm surprised just how strong I can be when I need to. Guess I'm lucky - no surgery and great healthcare support when I do get admitted to hospital. Hopefully I can offer some support as you have no idea how much just reading some posts on here has helped me through the tougher times and I look foward to speaking to you all in other threads :ghug:
 
Lilac,
Sorry to hear of your current struggles. Have you taken a look at modifying your diet?
I've had one resection, 12 years ago. I'm still on Remicade, Lialda, budesonide and Omeprazole. But, resently changed my diet drastically, and I believe it is the best I've felt in 15 years. Difficult to do but the results have been worth it.
 
Hi Justanothercp,

What do you include/exclude in your diet?

While I was in remission I was pretty much following a clean eat diet. Still trying to on the days I can eat solid food. It's feast or famine with me - when I'm in remission, nothing bothers me food wise but when I flare nothing seems to agree with me. Interested to hear what you do food wise.
 
For YEARS I figured if I ate it and didn't have a SBO I must be ok with it. But, Finally after my last partial obstruction the light went on, and I researched more and decided it's the chronic inflammation and then finally I get in real trouble. So, I decided to commit to a new diet and see what happens, didn't really expect much.
I eat a paleo diet and low FODMAP. And nothing but real food. No boxes, no cans. I'm not militant about it, but pretty strict. Surprised how little I miss milk, cheese, and wheat/flour products. But, maybe it's because I just feel a lot better. Kinda fun too, buying and eating things I've never eaten. I've finally gotten familiar enough with the diet that I've got a few staple recipes. And love juicing every morning.
 
I know this sounds crazy, but try and remain positive. I was diagnosed in 1990 and went through 6 years of pure hell (resection of the ileum and half my bladder removed). I developed a mantra and when I wake up in the morning I say to myself "Crohn's does not define my life." It will take work, but try and find what makes you feel better that is outside the world of meds and/or treatment: A walk, a drive, reading, working out, Yoga...whatever. Make sure you do whatever it is and make it a part of your life. You can live WITH the disease not FOR it!
 
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