Just been diagnosed with Chron's and I literally know nothing about it or pain relief

[Song of Stars]

Hi there. I'm a 27 y/o female, just been diagnosed with Chron's.

The hospital did a colonoscopy & gastroscopy about a month ago (after over a year of diarreah, pain and occassional blood spotting, and maaaany years of on and off diarreah). They said they are 90% sure it's chron's disease from my gastroscopy, which showed inflamation at the start of the small intestine. My colon is fine, for now. They told me they needed to refer me to a different department for further scans. I'm still waiting for that referal (ugh, public health).

Anyway, I have very bad pain behind navel, which is always there mildly and occasionally, in waves, become VERY painful.

Today, for the first time ever, I had haemorrhoids too. Scary, when you don't know what it is!

Do I change my diet to control Chron's, or take medication?


What do you do for the pain? Just regular pain killers or anti-stomach cramp medicines like "Buscopan"??


ANY advice, suggestions or help would be LOVED! I'm feeling so utterly lost and uninformed right now. They literally gave me the diagnosis and shoved me out the door. Ugh. Great hospital!

 

[beth]

Just be grateful for public health. Imagine fighting an insurance company that doesn't want to pay out as well as learn and deal with the day-to-day disease, and pay more for the privilege (but that's a political rant).

It seems you do know something about it already as you ask interesting questions: Some people do manage to control the symptoms of Crohn's with just diet. Others need heavy duty medication. How it affects you is one of those wonderful journeys where you see the light at the end of the tunnel and someone goes and sets the points elsewhere so you never quite get there.
Painkillers: don't touch NSAIDS, it'll probably make your guts bleed. Paracetamol and opiates are the mainstay. Buscopan is an IBS med, as you know, you may have both. Pain behind the navel might be due to a stricture, or partial blockage, hence the further scans - CT/MRI with contrast - usually barium to show up the small bowel. Look up "small bowel follow through", will give you some idea, unless they've already told you what the scans are called.

 

[Song of Stars]

Thanks so much for the information Beth!

I had no idea about the NSAIDs! I have been taking ibprofen for a while now, so I'll certainly switch to paracetamol now, thanks.

I really appreciate the information about the scans too, they haven't told me about the scans at all. They said they'd refer me to a GI that would figure out what scan to do, but my information got 'lost' and my referral is in limbo at the moment. Hence why I know my diagnosis but nothing about it!

I know I shouldn't complain about public health care, they were amazing when I had my baby. I suppose different areas of public health care are better than others, I do know some areas of public health care has been so bad it's caused more bad than good, but it's a minority. Beggars can't be choosers! God knows, I can't afford private health care!

 

[Crohn's 35]

:welcome: SOS (help) :lol: Beth is correct, Nsaids is a no no, too bad my first doctor didnt know about that or I. I do not bleed so I am grateful to learn that earlier. Asprin is another no no. Some use codeine for their diahreah too but I do not.

I started out the same way with pains in the middle, and found out a year later :awe: my bowels were "looping" which sent me into the ER many times. You have to be grateful for the fact you got diagnosed pretty quick. I would say you should be on something. Mild to moderate drugs, Pentasa or Entocort at the very least (my opinion only) CT scans are the ones to avoid as much as possible, I found colonoscopies to be the best, then a small bowel follow through to see any narrowed areas.

Many here from OZ glad you found our community, you will learn alot more here than a doctor's office. Keep us updated on you. :bigwave:

 

[Song of Stars]

Hi Pen Thank you for your warm welcome!

I was really nervous about joining this forum because I'm scared I will hear too much about serious complications and give myself a panic attack... I try not to think about my chrons so I don't get anxiety - because my anxiety is horrendous!!

Thank you so much for your advice too!!

I still have to wait 4 weeks (I've just been told) till I get a GI and can get a prescription for something - let me tell you - it's a long wait when you're in pain! But I *am* grateful; they've found it before something serious happens *touch wood*.

Hopefully I will settle into the community well and it'll stop being so scary soon!!!