Need some advice! Crohn's disease and work?

[ladybugoleander]

Just some info about me first: I just turned 23 years old. I've been diagnosed with Crohn's disease since I was 18, and had very little success with treatments until about a year ago. I tried just about everything, Asacol, Entocort EC, Azathioprine, Humira (which worked for 2 weeks, then stopped working), then Remicade + methotrexate. At this point, my doctor wanted me to do drug trials, and I refused. My Crohn's disease was considered severe. I then tried an antibiotic regiment, which didn't work, and then finally saw a naturopath, who prescribed me low dose naltrexone. The low dose naltrexone actually worked. It worked for about a year.

Unfortunately, I'm now having a flare-up. The low dose naltrexone is no longer working. I was in the ER two weeks ago. My GI doctor just did a colonoscopy, and put me on prednisone, and wants me to also be on methotrexate, possibly also azathioprine, and try Remicade again. I'm not sure if this will work or not. She also discussed removing my colon as an option, as my Crohn's is solely in my colon (at the moment). I plan to try any and all treatment before getting my colon removed.

What I need help with, is that I currently work as a caregiver, or home care aid. I've had to take the past week or so off, because I've been feeling so lousy. I can't take care of someone else, when I myself am feeling awful. I took the job when I was in remission, and thought I would be for quite some time. Now, I feel like it's not the right job for me, as I can't go to the bathroom whenever I need to (and I'm going 12+ times a day), I also have severe lower back pain at the moment and knee pain, I have Crohn's-related arthritis, which means I can't help lift clients, or if I do (as it's a requirement of my job), I'm in horrible pain at the end of the day. Does heaving lifting exacerbate arthritis?

I'm also worried about being immune suppressed and working as a caregiver. I already get sick from my clients quite often, and I know I'd be getting sick ALL the time if I was immune suppressed.

Do you think it's the right decision for my health to quit my current job?

What type of jobs allow for frequent bathroom use, etc? I have a college degree, and am considering going back to school. (I did pre-med, but have not yet gotten into medical school, and am re-thinking my decision to become a doctor, due to all the stress that would be involved, plus having to work in a hospital while being immune suppressed :-\) What kind of jobs do you all have?

Sorry for the long post. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Terriernut]

I dont know your personality, so its hard to suggest what would be a good fit for you job wise.

If you have a degree already, and are in the medical field, why dont you look into lab work, or something else in the medical field.

What sort of training and degree do you have?

I am in sales, after a long career in IT and Buying. Frankly, its just alot more money, and I'm good at it. But I've always worked full time regardless of flares and hospitalizations. As long as a bathroom was near by. Until I got Stan, and I'm fine to do anything BUT lift now. You might do with a temp stoma and get some rest for that colon? Or have a resection to remove the worst bits of the disease. In order for you to move on with your life. Surgery shouldnt be a life or death thing, like it was for so many of us.

I hope the meds work for you this time. But if they dont, surgery is a good option, even just a resection if possible.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

I agree with Misty. What you could do is research online the training/degrees you have and see what kind of careers would go along with that. I work in retail and thankfully they've been very good to me especially while I've been sick. If you can afford it and if you can't do what you're doing at this moment I'd apply to a place like fredmeyer just to get me some insurance & money for the moment till you can find something else...