long time Crohn's person
hi all, been on the Internet for years, had chron's longer, and never put the two together until now. I started having problems in my junior year of high school in 1988, but at that time was misdiagnosed with pancreatic problems and put in pig enzymes which did next to nothing for me. before the missed diagnosis my parents believed I was anorexic as I refused to eat when in pain, needlessto say at least I thought I finally found a name, and my folks felt better when I didn't eat. even with the diagnosis, I was sick my final year of high School and missed almost all my final semester, but did well enough to graduate and go off to college.
things calmed down a bit until my junior year, when things flaired up again, and I got sick. this time I got lucky, and was correctly diagnosed with Chron's and our on Asacol. I took it for. a while but didn't feel it helped much. I modified my diet, and basically only ate meat, chicken, non fried potatoes well cooked vegies and candy.
while I lost weight, I was not in pain, but not close to well. when I had flareups, I would go to the doctor and be put in prednisone. at some point I also went on to 6no. Skipping ahead, I graduated and went to law school in NY and basically stopped medicine. I would self medicate will Codiene pills I had horded up over time, and some other drug that will remain nameless, but did help the pain and made me hungry.
I made it through law school, and actually did very well, but by my final exams, I was in rough shape. after exams I started to study for the bar exam, and was self medicating a lot to get rid of the pain, and to be able to eat. I took the bar, in pain, and passed. by this time I was also interning, and working long hours, but I would always be OK at work, and self medicating at home, but after about three months of non stop work, and Long hours, my body gave up. I keeled over at work, and drove myself to the doctors, where it turned out I had a blockage. they admitted me to hospital, and I spent several weeks there with feeding tubes in my neck on large doses of prednisone and pain killers to try and avoid surgury. it was several weeks of futility as I had my first operation after six weeks in hospital. both a small and Large bowel resection. while there I restarted 6mp and recovered well.
the next few years were good but I eventually stopped 6mp again, and did have a few flareups now and again. prednisone was used to help, but then I started to have issues in it. I developed pancretitus when I took it, which resulted in further hospitalization. now that I couldn't take steroids anymore I had a problem, the next flare up landed me in hospital again, and I had another operation. By this time I had a new doctor, doctor kornbluth and a great surgen did some repairs, rather than resections. back on 6mp I was doing fine.
a few years after, I had my checkup, as I had a minor issue, and we found a narrowing. while not required, I elected to have surgury to fix it. that went well, as I wasn't sick recovery was quick. I also started remecade in addition to 6mp and have been fairly good since 2004. I do get the occasional flare up, but all still looks good inside. I have up self medication 13 years ago, and now rely on my doctor. I did stop taking 6mp for about a year and a half as my wife And I were trying to have A baby (even though doc said it wasn't an issue) but I am now back on it and have infusions every 8 weeks.
I do feel good, especially a day or too after, and tend to start to feel bad about a week before, but all in all I feel it is controlled, and an very thankful for having found doctor k, he has improved my life greatly.
so believe it or not, that's my shortened story, any questions,
I will add, I have tried many homeppathic and alternative meds to no avail, even getting sicker from some, and do believe in watching my diet during flareups, but what I have learned most is to take my meds, get my blood tests regularly, see the doctor at least annually if not more, and be open minded.
hi all, been on the Internet for years, had chron's longer, and never put the two together until now. I started having problems in my junior year of high school in 1988, but at that time was misdiagnosed with pancreatic problems and put in pig enzymes which did next to nothing for me. before the missed diagnosis my parents believed I was anorexic as I refused to eat when in pain, needlessto say at least I thought I finally found a name, and my folks felt better when I didn't eat. even with the diagnosis, I was sick my final year of high School and missed almost all my final semester, but did well enough to graduate and go off to college.
things calmed down a bit until my junior year, when things flaired up again, and I got sick. this time I got lucky, and was correctly diagnosed with Chron's and our on Asacol. I took it for. a while but didn't feel it helped much. I modified my diet, and basically only ate meat, chicken, non fried potatoes well cooked vegies and candy.
while I lost weight, I was not in pain, but not close to well. when I had flareups, I would go to the doctor and be put in prednisone. at some point I also went on to 6no. Skipping ahead, I graduated and went to law school in NY and basically stopped medicine. I would self medicate will Codiene pills I had horded up over time, and some other drug that will remain nameless, but did help the pain and made me hungry.
I made it through law school, and actually did very well, but by my final exams, I was in rough shape. after exams I started to study for the bar exam, and was self medicating a lot to get rid of the pain, and to be able to eat. I took the bar, in pain, and passed. by this time I was also interning, and working long hours, but I would always be OK at work, and self medicating at home, but after about three months of non stop work, and Long hours, my body gave up. I keeled over at work, and drove myself to the doctors, where it turned out I had a blockage. they admitted me to hospital, and I spent several weeks there with feeding tubes in my neck on large doses of prednisone and pain killers to try and avoid surgury. it was several weeks of futility as I had my first operation after six weeks in hospital. both a small and Large bowel resection. while there I restarted 6mp and recovered well.
the next few years were good but I eventually stopped 6mp again, and did have a few flareups now and again. prednisone was used to help, but then I started to have issues in it. I developed pancretitus when I took it, which resulted in further hospitalization. now that I couldn't take steroids anymore I had a problem, the next flare up landed me in hospital again, and I had another operation. By this time I had a new doctor, doctor kornbluth and a great surgen did some repairs, rather than resections. back on 6mp I was doing fine.
a few years after, I had my checkup, as I had a minor issue, and we found a narrowing. while not required, I elected to have surgury to fix it. that went well, as I wasn't sick recovery was quick. I also started remecade in addition to 6mp and have been fairly good since 2004. I do get the occasional flare up, but all still looks good inside. I have up self medication 13 years ago, and now rely on my doctor. I did stop taking 6mp for about a year and a half as my wife And I were trying to have A baby (even though doc said it wasn't an issue) but I am now back on it and have infusions every 8 weeks.
I do feel good, especially a day or too after, and tend to start to feel bad about a week before, but all in all I feel it is controlled, and an very thankful for having found doctor k, he has improved my life greatly.
so believe it or not, that's my shortened story, any questions,
I will add, I have tried many homeppathic and alternative meds to no avail, even getting sicker from some, and do believe in watching my diet during flareups, but what I have learned most is to take my meds, get my blood tests regularly, see the doctor at least annually if not more, and be open minded.
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