• Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.

Need Advice About Explaining to Friends - Please HELP!

Hi! I just joined because my best friend of almost 20 years just doesn't understand what I am going through. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with Crohn's disease. I am a school teacher and we recently went on a field trip from 5:30am to 7:30pm, where it was constant walking except for 4 hours of that time. The next day I spent on my couch, resting, because I extremely exhausted. My friend told me that she believes I needed to rest but after a couple of hours I should have gotten up and 'done something with my life'. She also tells me all the time that I need to eat super healthy foods even if they taste disgusting so that it will help. I have tried to explain things to her but she says I am using my Crohn's as a crutch to sit around being lazy. Does anyone have any advice on how to help her not be so harsh to me about this? I would appreciate any and all comments. Thanks!
 
I lost my best friend because of this. She kept insisting that I didn't have a disease and it was just my "nerves". It really hurt and confused me because she was a genuinely caring and intelligent person, she just couldn't seem to handle me having a chronic incurable disease. I told her that really hurt me, and it was like telling an MS patient that it was all in their heads and they should just get up out of that wheelchair. She never spoke to me again. So maybe I'm not the best person to give advice! You could try giving her literature or pointing her to websites that explain the symptoms, but honestly it seems that some people just don't want to know. I'm so sorry that you're going through this. I know how much it hurts. All I can say is you're not alone.
 
If your friend,s a teacher she really should know better and your condition isn't,t new.it depends how close you are swallow it or tell her to go forth and multiply my own tolerance level is almost zero for that kind of behaviour.good luck
 
Punch her in the colon and tell her to walk it off lol. Nah in all seriousness she won't be able to understand unless she has the condition, some ppl just think they know everything.
 
Top