- Joined
- Mar 9, 2009
- Messages
- 12
My name is Ashley and I was diagnosed with Crohn's in November of last year.
In June 2007 I got really sick - diarrhea for 2.5 weeks, vomiting for a week, pains, and a high fever. At the time my doctor had no idea what was wrong with me and unfortunately didn't seek further tests when my results were messed up at the lab. Over the next year I would continue to have problems but it took me a long time to see a pattern. These problems included going to the washroom a lot, often with a lot of urgency, and stomach pains and cramps.
Finally in the summer of 2008 I realized that something was not right and that I should do something about it. I think I had let it go on for so long because I thought that at 24 nothing could be wrong with me! I soon learned that I am definitely not invincible. I talked to my GP at my yearly physical about everything that was going on and he decided to put me on some antibiotics. He also did some blood Two weeks later nothing had changed and the bloodwork determined that I was anemic, so he sent me to a gastro saying maybe it was colitis, but not to worry.
I went through my story with my gastro at the first appointment and he said a lot of the signs were pointing to Crohn's so he sent me for my first colonoscopy. Wow, that was quite an experience! It wasn't even the procedure itself - more the preparatory work - that was the most unsettling. I started crying about 3/4 of the way through my Peglyte because I felt so full of liquid and I couldn't even stand the thought of drinking any more of that HORRID stuff. Following the colonoscopy my doctor told me that I did indeed have Crohn's and showed me a little plastic intestine and pointed to where my intestine was damaged and scarred. He said there would be no need for surgery at the moment but that it could be a possibility down the road.
He put me on Pentasa and Flagyl (along with the Palafar & B12 I was taking already for my anemia) I noticed some improvement over the next few weeks. And that continued until I started experiencing night sweats for two weeks at which point my gastro took me off the Flagyl.
After my diagnosis I also started to see a naturopath. I have great benefits at work and they cover 90% of the naturopath fees up to $500/year so I figured it would be stupid of me not to go. I've found her to be incredibly helpful and has suggested some additional supplements for me to take (probiotic, GI Encap by Thorne, Fish Oil) I also did a food sensitivity test and received my results this week. I read about things like SCD and I didn't want to choose a one-size-fits-all option and my gastro just recommended a healthy balanced diet. The food sensitivity tests revealed sensitivities to gluten, wheat, dairy, egg yolk and yeast among other things. This weekend I will begin my elimination diet and I'm actually looking forward to it! There will be a lot of restrictions (you can read my complete list on my blog) but I hope that I will begin to see improvement and that removing these foods will allow my body to begin the healing process.
When I first found out that I *might* have CD I was fairly upset, but the more I've read about it and talked to people about it, the more optimistic I've become. I've faced a lot of challenges in my life and I really believe that there could be a lot worse things happening to me. I've been working to educate myself about the disease and I'm happy to be approaching my treatment from a traditional medicine view as well as from a naturopathic standpoint. I am lucky to have an amazing support system as well!! I'm trying to get involved with the Canadian Crohn's and Colitis Foundation through events and talks they are having as well as doing my first Heel and Wheel-a-thon this summer.
I look forward to talking to this community, reading and learning!!
~Ashley
In June 2007 I got really sick - diarrhea for 2.5 weeks, vomiting for a week, pains, and a high fever. At the time my doctor had no idea what was wrong with me and unfortunately didn't seek further tests when my results were messed up at the lab. Over the next year I would continue to have problems but it took me a long time to see a pattern. These problems included going to the washroom a lot, often with a lot of urgency, and stomach pains and cramps.
Finally in the summer of 2008 I realized that something was not right and that I should do something about it. I think I had let it go on for so long because I thought that at 24 nothing could be wrong with me! I soon learned that I am definitely not invincible. I talked to my GP at my yearly physical about everything that was going on and he decided to put me on some antibiotics. He also did some blood Two weeks later nothing had changed and the bloodwork determined that I was anemic, so he sent me to a gastro saying maybe it was colitis, but not to worry.
I went through my story with my gastro at the first appointment and he said a lot of the signs were pointing to Crohn's so he sent me for my first colonoscopy. Wow, that was quite an experience! It wasn't even the procedure itself - more the preparatory work - that was the most unsettling. I started crying about 3/4 of the way through my Peglyte because I felt so full of liquid and I couldn't even stand the thought of drinking any more of that HORRID stuff. Following the colonoscopy my doctor told me that I did indeed have Crohn's and showed me a little plastic intestine and pointed to where my intestine was damaged and scarred. He said there would be no need for surgery at the moment but that it could be a possibility down the road.
He put me on Pentasa and Flagyl (along with the Palafar & B12 I was taking already for my anemia) I noticed some improvement over the next few weeks. And that continued until I started experiencing night sweats for two weeks at which point my gastro took me off the Flagyl.
After my diagnosis I also started to see a naturopath. I have great benefits at work and they cover 90% of the naturopath fees up to $500/year so I figured it would be stupid of me not to go. I've found her to be incredibly helpful and has suggested some additional supplements for me to take (probiotic, GI Encap by Thorne, Fish Oil) I also did a food sensitivity test and received my results this week. I read about things like SCD and I didn't want to choose a one-size-fits-all option and my gastro just recommended a healthy balanced diet. The food sensitivity tests revealed sensitivities to gluten, wheat, dairy, egg yolk and yeast among other things. This weekend I will begin my elimination diet and I'm actually looking forward to it! There will be a lot of restrictions (you can read my complete list on my blog) but I hope that I will begin to see improvement and that removing these foods will allow my body to begin the healing process.
When I first found out that I *might* have CD I was fairly upset, but the more I've read about it and talked to people about it, the more optimistic I've become. I've faced a lot of challenges in my life and I really believe that there could be a lot worse things happening to me. I've been working to educate myself about the disease and I'm happy to be approaching my treatment from a traditional medicine view as well as from a naturopathic standpoint. I am lucky to have an amazing support system as well!! I'm trying to get involved with the Canadian Crohn's and Colitis Foundation through events and talks they are having as well as doing my first Heel and Wheel-a-thon this summer.
I look forward to talking to this community, reading and learning!!
~Ashley
it's the perfect place to learn about crohns if your new to it. I read your blog and your nature guy hit pretty much every food most people have alot of problems with, including myself, although beans are one of the things that don't bother me at all. Not sure how potatoes make you feel but I know they make me feel horrible lol if you want some recipes you can check this out
