life after treatments
I have had symptoms of crohn's since I was 13. I was diagnosed at the age of 18 with crohn's and that summer hospitalized for over a month to "rest the bowel". I was on prednisone, 6mp and pentasa. Still was in a lot of pain, was put on remicade, it helped for a month and then wore off, after several treatments, I opted for surgery in the summer when I was 19. They removed my appendix and part of my large and small. They assured me that I would be "symptom" free for 10yrs and took me off my pentasa.
after 5months the crohn's came back with anger. I was in extreme pain. Underwent more rounds of prednisone and higher doses of pentasa, still no relief. Finally the doctor subscribed cimzia and said it was the "newest and greatest". My body reacted slightly to it in a positive way, but not positive enough. So they put me on the maximum dose with the shortest amount of time. So at the age of 29 the doctor sat me down and said the cimzia isn't working and surgery (grant it, it was out of the blue). So I had my colon removed. Luckily I did have surgery right sooner then later. They found an absess the size of a grapefruit on my large intestine. I went back for a follow thru with the gi doctor and he acted like he didn't know my case, after 10+ years being his patient, he actually asked me, what did we do again?. I decided to drop him like a bad habit.
I could not be happier with the result. I feel fantastic! No symptoms. The surgery went amazingly. I have a new fabulous doctor that actually listens to me and cares about my long term health. The ileostomy has its positives and negatives like most issues. My life is still controlled around bathroom things, but in a different, controllable way. Worst thing I have now is dehydration due to no large intestine, which is better since my small has finally realized the colon is gone and kidney disease that was caused by the pentasa. Which I call the "toxic cocktail" that I no longer take.
I have had symptoms of crohn's since I was 13. I was diagnosed at the age of 18 with crohn's and that summer hospitalized for over a month to "rest the bowel". I was on prednisone, 6mp and pentasa. Still was in a lot of pain, was put on remicade, it helped for a month and then wore off, after several treatments, I opted for surgery in the summer when I was 19. They removed my appendix and part of my large and small. They assured me that I would be "symptom" free for 10yrs and took me off my pentasa.
after 5months the crohn's came back with anger. I was in extreme pain. Underwent more rounds of prednisone and higher doses of pentasa, still no relief. Finally the doctor subscribed cimzia and said it was the "newest and greatest". My body reacted slightly to it in a positive way, but not positive enough. So they put me on the maximum dose with the shortest amount of time. So at the age of 29 the doctor sat me down and said the cimzia isn't working and surgery (grant it, it was out of the blue). So I had my colon removed. Luckily I did have surgery right sooner then later. They found an absess the size of a grapefruit on my large intestine. I went back for a follow thru with the gi doctor and he acted like he didn't know my case, after 10+ years being his patient, he actually asked me, what did we do again?. I decided to drop him like a bad habit.
I could not be happier with the result. I feel fantastic! No symptoms. The surgery went amazingly. I have a new fabulous doctor that actually listens to me and cares about my long term health. The ileostomy has its positives and negatives like most issues. My life is still controlled around bathroom things, but in a different, controllable way. Worst thing I have now is dehydration due to no large intestine, which is better since my small has finally realized the colon is gone and kidney disease that was caused by the pentasa. Which I call the "toxic cocktail" that I no longer take.
