Hi everyone,
I am completely new to this - I have reached the point of helplessness with my mother so I thought it wouldn't hurt to get the input of other sufferers or those affected by the disease.
My mother was diagnosed with Crohn's disease about 13 years ago. She has had one operation to remove a blockage - about 3 years ago. She is on a countless number of meds for the disease as well as meds for epilepsy. If it helps I can probably check to see what she is on. The problem is that for the past year/year and a half she has been in a sort-of constant pain from the disease. She has been in and out of hospital at least once every six weeks for a week or so at a time. It has taken such a toll on the whole family because we don't know how to help her at this stage. She is now trying to convince her doctor to give her another operation.
I've read that smoking and caffeine are big pain triggers. She smokes at least 50-60 cigarettes a day and drinks about 10-15 cups of coffee... an unbelievable amount. I am trying my best to convince her to stop this, as has her doctor, who told her she might be in a wheel chair in 5 years if she doesn't stop. She is only 46. This seems like more of a rant but I was hoping that one or two you may have stopped smoking yourself as a result of the disease and might have some advice on how I could try and help her?
I am also starting to become suspicious that she might be becoming addicted to her pain killers, almost as if she has convinced herself that when she isn't taking them, there is pain there... even if there isn't. I have brought her to her doctor at her request even when she seems fine but insists shes in bad pain (I have seen her unable to walk from pain in the past and obviously brought her straight to hospital) and yet, she can smoke and drink coffee as if she is perfectly fine.
I'll cut this short here as I don't want to make it too long for someone to read. Any suggestions on how I could encourage her to take care of her general health more would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much,
Patrick.
I am completely new to this - I have reached the point of helplessness with my mother so I thought it wouldn't hurt to get the input of other sufferers or those affected by the disease.
My mother was diagnosed with Crohn's disease about 13 years ago. She has had one operation to remove a blockage - about 3 years ago. She is on a countless number of meds for the disease as well as meds for epilepsy. If it helps I can probably check to see what she is on. The problem is that for the past year/year and a half she has been in a sort-of constant pain from the disease. She has been in and out of hospital at least once every six weeks for a week or so at a time. It has taken such a toll on the whole family because we don't know how to help her at this stage. She is now trying to convince her doctor to give her another operation.
I've read that smoking and caffeine are big pain triggers. She smokes at least 50-60 cigarettes a day and drinks about 10-15 cups of coffee... an unbelievable amount. I am trying my best to convince her to stop this, as has her doctor, who told her she might be in a wheel chair in 5 years if she doesn't stop. She is only 46. This seems like more of a rant but I was hoping that one or two you may have stopped smoking yourself as a result of the disease and might have some advice on how I could try and help her?
I am also starting to become suspicious that she might be becoming addicted to her pain killers, almost as if she has convinced herself that when she isn't taking them, there is pain there... even if there isn't. I have brought her to her doctor at her request even when she seems fine but insists shes in bad pain (I have seen her unable to walk from pain in the past and obviously brought her straight to hospital) and yet, she can smoke and drink coffee as if she is perfectly fine.
I'll cut this short here as I don't want to make it too long for someone to read. Any suggestions on how I could encourage her to take care of her general health more would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much,
Patrick.
