Hiya,
I've been lurking around the forums for a while now since facing the possibility of a Crohn's diagnosis. I feel now that I may benefit from providing and receiving support and knowledge from this community, so I thought i'd introduce myself and share my story
I'm currently a 17 year old male from the United Kingdom recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease in February 2016. As I was growing up, I always had stomach pain issues and despite multiple Dr appointments, I was given an unofficial diagnosis of frequent 'migraine of the stomach' haha. I had a big needle phobia, therefore I wasn't tested for celiacs via blood. It didn't really cause me any problems growing up so I thought nothing of it. I have always played football at a high level and weight-lifted, thus living an active and healthy lifestyle.
Along came my GCSE year which was last year. (GCSE = UK Examination Based Qualifications) - I started studying with no problems and completed my exams too with no health problems excluding a slight cold. Then came the dreaded wait for my results. All was well until results day was looming in a couple of weeks (August). I started to experience slight stomach pain, but I put that down to anxiety. My results were great, having had hard work paying off. Unfortunately my symptoms got worse after my results, therefore I thought it was the stress 'coming out of me'.
Whilst still experiencing symptoms, I started Sixth Form and my A Level courses. Showing no improvement, I had multiple Dr appointments but they seriously palmed me off to be experiencing anxiety and suggested counselling. I have always been a confident character, therefore i was rather insulted that they suggested I came across as an anxiety character. In November, I was bedridden due to the pain and nausea/sickness whenever standing up. I recovered but experienced this before and on Christmas day. I then eventually had a Dr whose concern somewhat pleased and angered me regarding the previous Drs 'diagnosis'. I then had to conquer my phobia of needles to have a blood test. This showed levels of inflammation, I was then referred to a GI on the NHS, not receiving an appointment until May. (After the time of this post haha).
I was considered 'urgent' but the referral still took months. I couldn't wait that long so opted to go private under insurance. I had my first consultation in February in which the specialist scheduled an MRI scan for a weeks time. This then came back and showed abnormalities at the end of my small bowel and start of my large. I was then told that it was most probably Crohn's disease, but he'd rather want a colonoscopy completed before a diagnosis could be given and medication could be started. The colonoscopy was then scheduled, causing me to be a nervous and emotional wreck regarding my probable diagnosis and unnecessary researching into bowel prep.
Then came the dreaded few days in which I had to start the diet and bowel prep. The diet I could handle, but the time in which came to start a bowel prep called MOVIPREP was the most impossible thing in my life. I could only get 1/4 of the prep down due to how sick and gaggy it made me feel. I had to eventually stopped because it gave me the worse pain in my stomach causing me unable to sleep at all that night. I had to inform my specialist that the bowel prep couldn't be completed but he still suggested to come in for my examination anyway. He'd try his best (this made me love my Dr haha). When I arrived, he informed me that the prep caused my intestines to keep contracting and not stop and thus the excruciating and constant pain I was still experiencing. Thankfully he didn't need to examine too far into me to diagnose Crohn's at least in my sigmoid colon severely. This angered me as It was severe enough to be called a 'rather sick young man'. Yet my previous Drs and NHS didn't think so. I was then prescribed on the day, 40mg of prednisone to taper 5mg every week.
I'm loving the prednisone at the moment haha! I'm loving the munchies as I lost so much weight. Able to live my life currently, although also currently being obsessed with food Maybe currently ordering too many takeaways The side effects like moonface donot bother me as I'm feeling great- Currently on 25mg, I do understand that symptoms do return when tapering but I guess I'll cross that bridge when it comes to it. I'm also due to start azathioprine soon, therefore any information anyone can provide regarding side effects and experiences will be hugely appreciated.
Thanks for reading my steroid induced long story (they make me talk like hell).
Kind Regards.
I've been lurking around the forums for a while now since facing the possibility of a Crohn's diagnosis. I feel now that I may benefit from providing and receiving support and knowledge from this community, so I thought i'd introduce myself and share my story
I'm currently a 17 year old male from the United Kingdom recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease in February 2016. As I was growing up, I always had stomach pain issues and despite multiple Dr appointments, I was given an unofficial diagnosis of frequent 'migraine of the stomach' haha. I had a big needle phobia, therefore I wasn't tested for celiacs via blood. It didn't really cause me any problems growing up so I thought nothing of it. I have always played football at a high level and weight-lifted, thus living an active and healthy lifestyle.
Along came my GCSE year which was last year. (GCSE = UK Examination Based Qualifications) - I started studying with no problems and completed my exams too with no health problems excluding a slight cold. Then came the dreaded wait for my results. All was well until results day was looming in a couple of weeks (August). I started to experience slight stomach pain, but I put that down to anxiety. My results were great, having had hard work paying off. Unfortunately my symptoms got worse after my results, therefore I thought it was the stress 'coming out of me'.
Whilst still experiencing symptoms, I started Sixth Form and my A Level courses. Showing no improvement, I had multiple Dr appointments but they seriously palmed me off to be experiencing anxiety and suggested counselling. I have always been a confident character, therefore i was rather insulted that they suggested I came across as an anxiety character. In November, I was bedridden due to the pain and nausea/sickness whenever standing up. I recovered but experienced this before and on Christmas day. I then eventually had a Dr whose concern somewhat pleased and angered me regarding the previous Drs 'diagnosis'. I then had to conquer my phobia of needles to have a blood test. This showed levels of inflammation, I was then referred to a GI on the NHS, not receiving an appointment until May. (After the time of this post haha).
I was considered 'urgent' but the referral still took months. I couldn't wait that long so opted to go private under insurance. I had my first consultation in February in which the specialist scheduled an MRI scan for a weeks time. This then came back and showed abnormalities at the end of my small bowel and start of my large. I was then told that it was most probably Crohn's disease, but he'd rather want a colonoscopy completed before a diagnosis could be given and medication could be started. The colonoscopy was then scheduled, causing me to be a nervous and emotional wreck regarding my probable diagnosis and unnecessary researching into bowel prep.
Then came the dreaded few days in which I had to start the diet and bowel prep. The diet I could handle, but the time in which came to start a bowel prep called MOVIPREP was the most impossible thing in my life. I could only get 1/4 of the prep down due to how sick and gaggy it made me feel. I had to eventually stopped because it gave me the worse pain in my stomach causing me unable to sleep at all that night. I had to inform my specialist that the bowel prep couldn't be completed but he still suggested to come in for my examination anyway. He'd try his best (this made me love my Dr haha). When I arrived, he informed me that the prep caused my intestines to keep contracting and not stop and thus the excruciating and constant pain I was still experiencing. Thankfully he didn't need to examine too far into me to diagnose Crohn's at least in my sigmoid colon severely. This angered me as It was severe enough to be called a 'rather sick young man'. Yet my previous Drs and NHS didn't think so. I was then prescribed on the day, 40mg of prednisone to taper 5mg every week.
I'm loving the prednisone at the moment haha! I'm loving the munchies as I lost so much weight. Able to live my life currently, although also currently being obsessed with food
Maybe currently ordering too many takeaways The side effects like moonface donot bother me as I'm feeling great- Currently on 25mg, I do understand that symptoms do return when tapering but I guess I'll cross that bridge when it comes to it. I'm also due to start azathioprine soon, therefore any information anyone can provide regarding side effects and experiences will be hugely appreciated. Thanks for reading my steroid induced long story (they make me talk like hell).
Kind Regards.
