My Story

[MassnAnge]

Hi All,
I'm new the forum world, this is actually the first one that I've signed up for because another friend of mine with Crohn's referred me.
My name is Massimo, I'm 32 and living with Crohn's. I was diagnosed in February 2009 - after being married for 9 months - and just celebrated my 30th b-day 6 months before.
Its been a tough journey for me - lots of ups and downs - which is why I joined the forum with my wife who's been helping me through it all. It's tough on me as I'm sure it's tough on her. It's been hard coping with the change, not being able to eat certain foods, scared of getting a bathroom attack in public, changing almost every aspect of my life. I work for a family run landscaping company so I've been blessed in that missing work to deal with my condition won't get me fired but it's still very hard because I know others will never really know what I'm going through.
I've been on Prevacid, Azathioprine - which landed me in the emergency room on my 1 year wedding anniversary with Pancreatitis, Methotrexate (off now because my wife and I are hoping to have a baby in the new year) and now I'm on Budesonide temporarily before I make the move to Remicade. I've also had a big of anxiety/panic attacks recently because it's just hard to deal with going from being a normal, healthy guy to Crohn's, constant meds, hospitals, etc. I'm also a smoker which I hope to kick that habit in the new year.
Recently my sister in law told me about a news report she heard on how a doctor in Italy made some progress/discovery on how Crohn's is related to your genetic make up. I don't know the story 100% but I am definately going to try and find so I can post for you guys....might give us some hope that maybe one day we won't have to suffer with Crohn's!

Light at the end of the tunnel...

 

[DustyKat]

Hi Massimo and :welcome:

Good to see you here. You have found the right place for support and info and for finding the people that know and understand what you are dealing both emotionally and physically.

Good luck with giving up the smokes and in your quest to start a family, I wish you both the very best.

Here are a couple of links you may be interested in. Firstly David has also posted an article about crohns and the genome. I hope you can the article you mentioned as I would be very interested to read it. Secondly is a link to the Remicade Club.........................

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=13125&highlight=genetics

:lol: Don't need the second 'cause you've already been there!

Where is your Crohns located? I hope you stick around 'cause we would love to have you here. Good luck and welcome aboard!

Take care,
Dusty

 

[Lucy]

Welcome Massimo and I hope you find lots of good info here. Congrats on giving up the smoking in the new year I hope you are successful. Starting a family must be very exciting for the two of you. Keep us updated on everything. Glad your here.

 

[Astra]

Hi Massimo
and welcome

glad you found us, you're no longer alone!
hope the budesonide is working ok for you, it's very mild compared to prednisolone, depending where your Crohns is located?
good luck quitting the cigs, I'm still smoking, it's a toughie!
also good luck with the baby making, have fun!
lotsa luv
Joan xxx

 

[juiceit]

Best of luck.

You might want to look into natural foods and lifestyle changes as well. Dr's aren't allowed to prescribe lifestyle choices in Canada, only pills & surgery and tests.

If you're only recently diagnosed, you're body probably isn't overly toxic from meds and complications so try to act early to bang it back to where it came from and live a healthy life.

I would advise not to get hung up on looking for the cause & a cure and thinking there's a magic pill - regardless of people's viewpoints everyone here will agree and tell you there isn't one.

I can tell you from personal experience there is hope to get rid of the pain and suffering and meds.

 

[lseibert]

:welcome:MassnAnge,

Glad you found the forum, it's full of lots of information and great people. I know it's very hard to go from healthy guy to having a disease. I also got pancreatitis from Imuran and I thought a bowel obstruction was bad, haha!

Good luck with giving up the smoking, I've read it's really bad for Chron's, and starting a family.

:hang:

 

[Dexky]

Hi Massimo and welcome! Glad you don't have the job related stress! Good luck and stick around!!

 

[Crohn's 35]

:welcome: Massimo, glad your friend recommended you find this site. Crohns is very hard to understand for us let alone a spouse and we need support and some of us are lucky to have a spouse or partner to help us along the way. Scary as this disease is, it can be controlled. Most people go on the low residue diet, but if you are flaring, most avoid chewy foods and meat. They can cause obstructions. Crohns is genetic but not all here on the forum have family members with IBS. I do, and everyone is different with food, meds and severity of the disease.

I know Ontario well and I am assuming you are in the Southern part in the GTA of Toronto? I used to live in Woodbridge and I heard the south isnt recognizable. Just wanted you to feel at home. Ask any questions one of us is bound to help you out, and there are great people from all over the world here. :hang: hope you get relief from Remicade and good luck with trying for a bambino!

 

[rottengut91]

Hey MassnAnge...Welcome for the forum. Lots of great people here. Hope you stick around.

 

[Entchen]

Hi, Massimo (& Ange, I presume?)! Welcome to the forum - we're glad to have you here.

 

[Gue33]

Hi Massimo,
You are in with a good group of people. There is a wealth of experience and knowledge here from people who are just like you. And Me! Hang in there. The medical people are working very hard to find a cure, even though sometimes I wonder,... if we will ever find relief. OK enough of the negative. If you find any information please post it to the rest of us. We all work together to try and make our lives better. You work on that family now, yah hear. This comes from a gramma wanna be.:ybiggrin:

 

[MassnAnge]

Thanks for the kind words everyone! Hoping to learn and grow with you all!