Just joined today..

[JMcMillen86]

My best friend's Mom has been a member of this place and often views the Forums, even though I don't know her name on here, lol.. but I have been struggling with Crohn's for several years now, and decided that I should join. Everyone seems so nice here!

In March, I was hospitalized for a total of 24 days, I had a bowel resection, had over 65% of my intestine removed, and 8 inches of my inner colon. Before they found the abscess that caused this surgery, I had been on Remicade, but since I had to stop taking it when I was in the hospital, I couldn't re-start the treatment.

After a long, hard battle, and still continuing to heal to this day, I have been on Humira for a few months, and as far as the Crohn's treatment goes, I have to say it's really helping. I still deal with quite a bit of pain, as I had an abscess attached to my liver about the size of a softball shortly after I got out of the hospital for the resection. One major downfall of the Humira was the fact that it caused rhuematoid arthritis to spread throughout my entire body. So, I have swelling in basically all of my joints, and alot of pain almost everyday. I recently started doing the self-injection weekly treatment of methotrexate for my arthritis. So, 1 week I give myself 1 shot, other weeks I give my self 2 shots, including Humira at home. For being 25 years old, it is quite frustrating to have to deal with all of this stuff. I have been on and off of several medications including: Prednisone (60mg a day at one point), Flagyl, Coumadin (for a clot in my mesenteric vein, and I think I spelled that wrong, lol), Dexilant, blood thinning shots that I can't remember the name of, and I am absolutely positive there are other medications that I have been on, and can't remember right now.

As I am sure I have forgot different struggles and problems along the way, I guess that is the general idea of what I've been through in the past several months. It's good to be part of the forums and I look forward to conversing and making friends with many of you as time goes on.

-Jamie

PS- How the heck do I edit my "signature" so I can put all that snazzy info in it like everyone else has? Lol.. thanks!

 

[Del]

Hello Jamie and welcome to the forum...
Am still relatively new here myself. You can edit your signature by clicking on CP at the top left and go to edit sig....
Take care.

 

[xJillx]

Hi Jamie and welcome! I am glad Humira is working pretty well for you. You deserve it; you've been through so much!

I just turned 28 last month, and I understand how you feel that we shouldn't be dealing with this stuff at our age. My husband and I always joke when we enter the GI office; we bring down the age demographic. I certainly get down and have my bad days (mentally & physically), but we have to keep pushing on! I have just learned to really embrace the good days.

I hope Humira continues to work well for you. You should check out the Humira subforum; I am sure you'll find it helpful.

 

[JMcMillen86]

Thanks for the kind words Jill and the forum suggestion. I'm still trying to figure out how to get around this place, but I'm definitely liking what I see so far. Wonder if it's something in the air here in Pennsylvania that is kicking our butts? Haha.

And thanks to you too Del, I seriously looked in there yesterday for the signature thing and couldn't find it. Maybe it was because I looked before I made any posts? Ha.. I don't know! Oh well, got 'er now! Thanks again!

 

[David]

Hi Jamie, a most sincere welcome to you!

First off, you can edit your signature here. For future, reference, to get, there, go to the "User CP" link at the top of your screen then look for "Edit Signature" at the left. You probably couldn't see it because we don't allow people with 0 posts to have a sig. Once you make your first post, it takes the software up to an hour to update and let you have your signature.

With all that said, with 65% of your intestines removes, have your doctors discussed supplementation of various vitamins and minerals? The first that comes to mind is vitamin B12. Others would depend upon what specific areas of your intestines were removed, do you know?

All my best to you and again, welcome