Hello there. I've just signed myself up for this forum and I thought I'd pop down a line or two about my experiences with Crohns (as much to help me order my thoughts as anything else).
I was diagnosed long enough ago to not really remember when it was. I was a young teenager and was rushed in to surgery (after a truly horrendous few days of pain) with suspected peritonitis. When the surgeon opened me up however, he noted that he believed I had Crohns.
The follow-ups were woefull (although I didn't know that at the time) and the registrar happily announced that I didn't have the illness. I was happy. The issue didn't go away though and, a couple of times a year, I would get another bout of terrible cramps. By this time my parents had moved to Reigate and, one day whilst visiting, I got such a serious attack that I was taken to A&E where I was admitted to the gastro unit.
Bizarrely I was told that (due to the crohns) I was malnourished. I have the appetite of a hungry horse and have always eaten a varied diet so this was more of a shock than the crohns. I escaped surgery and was on azathioprine, pentasa & prednisolone for quite some time.
I've since lived in Brighton for 12 years and had blissfully low occurrences of the illness, the team down here have been great (the only low point was my first colonoscopy) and my general health has been better than ever just on pentasa.
However, this last six months have been the worst ever. I've been in such pain at semi-regular intervals that it's forced a re-think by my registrar and I'm in the process of working through the various prep to start a course of Humira.
All things said, I count myself amongst the lucky ones with this illness. My diet is pretty much normal, I have had rare bouts of pain and I don't need to run to the toilet. Crohns-lite if you like.
So, mammoth tale over and on with the injections in the bum!
I was diagnosed long enough ago to not really remember when it was. I was a young teenager and was rushed in to surgery (after a truly horrendous few days of pain) with suspected peritonitis. When the surgeon opened me up however, he noted that he believed I had Crohns.
The follow-ups were woefull (although I didn't know that at the time) and the registrar happily announced that I didn't have the illness. I was happy. The issue didn't go away though and, a couple of times a year, I would get another bout of terrible cramps. By this time my parents had moved to Reigate and, one day whilst visiting, I got such a serious attack that I was taken to A&E where I was admitted to the gastro unit.
Bizarrely I was told that (due to the crohns) I was malnourished. I have the appetite of a hungry horse and have always eaten a varied diet so this was more of a shock than the crohns. I escaped surgery and was on azathioprine, pentasa & prednisolone for quite some time.
I've since lived in Brighton for 12 years and had blissfully low occurrences of the illness, the team down here have been great (the only low point was my first colonoscopy) and my general health has been better than ever just on pentasa.
However, this last six months have been the worst ever. I've been in such pain at semi-regular intervals that it's forced a re-think by my registrar and I'm in the process of working through the various prep to start a course of Humira.
All things said, I count myself amongst the lucky ones with this illness. My diet is pretty much normal, I have had rare bouts of pain and I don't need to run to the toilet. Crohns-lite if you like.
So, mammoth tale over and on with the injections in the bum!
It is a shame that after a good while of being well that this disease raised it's ugly head again. Humira has been the miracle drug for many so hopefully this will get you back to a good place. Out of interest are you on any vitamin supplements at all, have your levels been checked recently? I am glad you have decided to join us and please keep us updated on how things go .
