Hello everyone.
Really pleased to have found such an informative forum. I am a 22 year old recent graduate from Reading University, England.
My story starts away back when I was 13 years old. Around Summer time in 2002, from no-where, I developed Chronic diarrhea. At first I thought this was just a stomach bug, however, it went on for several weeks. I went to the Dr and he put me on imodium. The symptoms didn't get better. I went back to him and he got in touch with a bowel specialist in the hospital. A few days later I had a Colonoscopy - they knocked me out for this as I was so worried about it. Anyway after the biopsy results came through I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.
Straight away I was referred to a Gastroenterologist and he put me on mesalazine which I have been on to date. This seemed to settle things along with the Azathioprine that I went on later. The years went on and I got my grades at School and then went to university in Edinburgh. However, I lasted only one year there as I developed a perianal abscess which had to be operated on. This left me with a drain coming out my rear which wasn't very comfortable but it did it's job. I then decided to start a fresh at Reading for a 3 year Meteorology course. I got through 1st year but then at the start of 2nd year I developed another abscess in the same area. Again I went home and got it drained, albeit, not successfully this time. I was in again a few weeks later as it re-infected. So I missed quite a lot of 2nd year - 7 weeks in fact! With the help of steroids though I got through my degree and graduated with a 2:1 in June.
Since June though my Crohn's has been terrible. Most days going to the loo 10 or more times a day. They tried me on steroids again but they didn't help. There has been talk of infliximab, however, I managed to get on to an Elemental diet as I heard many good reports about this. However, 2 weeks into it and I am still getting a lot of diarrhea even though I'm on the liquid diet with no solids. This is all getting me down currently - both mentally and physically. Lost a stone of weight over the last month. Anyway that is where I am at currently. I hope to find out a lot more about this horrid disease on this forum.
Thank you for reading. I hope I haven't bored you with this LONG story
Calum
Really pleased to have found such an informative forum. I am a 22 year old recent graduate from Reading University, England.
My story starts away back when I was 13 years old. Around Summer time in 2002, from no-where, I developed Chronic diarrhea. At first I thought this was just a stomach bug, however, it went on for several weeks. I went to the Dr and he put me on imodium. The symptoms didn't get better. I went back to him and he got in touch with a bowel specialist in the hospital. A few days later I had a Colonoscopy - they knocked me out for this as I was so worried about it. Anyway after the biopsy results came through I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.
Straight away I was referred to a Gastroenterologist and he put me on mesalazine which I have been on to date. This seemed to settle things along with the Azathioprine that I went on later. The years went on and I got my grades at School and then went to university in Edinburgh. However, I lasted only one year there as I developed a perianal abscess which had to be operated on. This left me with a drain coming out my rear which wasn't very comfortable but it did it's job. I then decided to start a fresh at Reading for a 3 year Meteorology course. I got through 1st year but then at the start of 2nd year I developed another abscess in the same area. Again I went home and got it drained, albeit, not successfully this time. I was in again a few weeks later as it re-infected. So I missed quite a lot of 2nd year - 7 weeks in fact! With the help of steroids though I got through my degree and graduated with a 2:1 in June.
Since June though my Crohn's has been terrible. Most days going to the loo 10 or more times a day. They tried me on steroids again but they didn't help. There has been talk of infliximab, however, I managed to get on to an Elemental diet as I heard many good reports about this. However, 2 weeks into it and I am still getting a lot of diarrhea even though I'm on the liquid diet with no solids. This is all getting me down currently - both mentally and physically. Lost a stone of weight over the last month. Anyway that is where I am at currently. I hope to find out a lot more about this horrid disease on this forum.
Thank you for reading. I hope I haven't bored you with this LONG story
Calum
