New and looking for support

[LanaBanana]

Over the past 3/4 months I've been suffering from what many people are classing as Crohn's.
I'm quite new to things like this so I don't really know what to put but I'm due to have a camera test to try and determine what's going on.

Bit fed up at the moment as I feel like I'm in limbo with my symptoms.

Everything started like I said about 3/4 months ago, where I had a bad bout of diarrhoea which lasted for about 2 weeks non stop. With me going back to University, I thought it was just a bug going around from the Freshers because it's known to get a flu from constant partying. the sensation was sudden though, and when I needed to go... Boy did i need to go!

After the two weeks I was a little worried and went to a walk in centre in town just to ask what was going on as an idea. I NEARLY didn't go, but i'm so happy that I did now!
The doctor there told me to see a doctor as a matter of emergency in the morning as I had lost quite a bit of weight (15 pounds) in this time and other things too.

The doctors in the morning said that I had to be tested for Crohn's straight away. Blood tests were taken (the first of many!!!!) and I was sent on my way for results. I didn't even get to see what they were... I was rushed into hospital A&E two days afterwards as I had gone green and unable to stand due to being so weak.

It was then where I suffered from a serious case of constipation and terrible vomitting when I ate. I was discharged with what the doctor's said was Gastroentiritis (spelling?) and sent home with a spectrum of medication to ease these symptoms. From these I'm always tired and find it hard to simply get up and do things.

This carried on for 3 months, and I went in a complete circle. I was in the doctors every other day, missing work and university and was told another load of things what's wrong with me. I was told it was my ovaries, then my pelvis and then finally back to Crohn's. This took the doctors 3 months to get back to the first thing they thought it was in the first place!!

Like i said i'm finally booked into a camera test to be done to see what's going on but I'm not very hopefully. Right now I'm feeling terrible stomach cramps when I eat, spotting and mucus in my stools, ulcers in my mouth and tongue, back plains, joint pains (especially my ankles and hips) and weight loss. There seems to be a terrible pain I get at the bottom of my stomach on the right, which feels like appedicitis. The doctors thought it was this for a while, but I kept assuring them it cannot be as I had my appendics out in 2009! I seem to be waking up with horrible pains in my stomach and back in the night. And although i'm going to the toilet everyday, it's ever so painful, to the point here I'm on there for an hour at a time and there's blood/mucus present. I've been put onto pain killers but they're not great and I'm scared to eat things in case I need them.

I seem to have become intolerant to certain foods also. Things like Bread, Gluten and milk. I'm unsure if this is anything related or whether they're temp or not.

Erm, I don't know what to do at the moment. I'm only 20, in my final year of uni and I've recently lost my job because of the amount of illness I had. all my blood tests seem to be alright so the doctors don't believe me but they don't see the constant relapsing I'm having!

Can anyone give me advice or is it all in my head?

 

[LanaBanana]

oh and i forgot to mention, I have a family history of Crohn's disease as my auntie and I think my grandmother had it.

 

[Pine Barrens]

Hi LanaBanana

I'm also new here, but we've had similar symptoms so can understand what you're going through.

The colonoscopy you're booked in for will help them diagnose the disease properly and will help get a good picture of what you're situation is.

When I had mine I could see my insides on the screen - very, very weird but the doctor was very good in explaining what the ulcers and inflammation inside my bowels was. This should then help them in giving you the appropriate treatment to reduce your symptoms. There are a variety of different things they can give you and it's just about finding the right one so you can get on.

Hang in there, things will get better :banana:

 

[crazycanuck]

Hey there welcome to the forums.

I too had a lengthy diagnosis and I know how frustrating that can be when doctors just won't listen. Pine Barrens is right the colonoscopy is by far one of the better ways to diagnosis this (along with biopsies which require the colonoscopy anyway). A lot of people here including me also had the appendix come up as a possible reason but as with most people here it's not been the case. Apparently the pain Crohnies often get is very similar to what appendicitis feels like.

I'm sorry to hear about your job and the last year of university is probably very exciting and nerve racking at the same time and I'm assuming like me your in exam period right now? If so stress is one of the biggest reasons people with Crohn's see their symptoms ramp up. I've been sicker than I have in the last year of pretty much remission because of my exams so keep that in mind too. Also if you get a diagnosis of Crohn's then medication can work very quickly and for all we know you could be going back next semester feeling like nothing is wrong.

So anyway best of luck and I hope the scope goes well. When are you booked in?

 

[LanaBanana]

Thank you Pine Barrens and Crazycanuks for you replies. They're reassuring to say the least.

Although I've only been suffering for a little period of time, I feel like I'm at the end of my tether. Reading a lot of stories on here are truly commendable and give hope on getting through the hard bits. You're right, I'm in the middle of my exams, and I've had to miss a few because of illness. The stress isn't helping I guess lol

My test is on the 6th January and I've been given the lovely laxative sachets for the day before. Must admit I'm not looking forward to it lol.

The hardest thing at the moment is finding what will trigger a relapse. At this moment I tried eating some potato and rice but it's left me with terrible stomach pain and extreme fatigue. The pain killers aren't working either but I'm too scared to go back to my doctor.

 

[Pine Barrens]

Hopefully your university will give you some support & flexibility regarding your exams. I'm sure if you speak to your tutors they will understand.

I hated the prospect of the laxatives and colonoscopy, but as long as you keep the mindset that it's something you need to get through to reach the other side, you'll hopefully be able to get some answers and medication which will help.

I can't recommend any painkillers or anything prior to medication as everything I tried didn't work. The only thing that I would say is avoid food with high-fibre and things such as nuts which may cause problems getting through your bowels. I wrote off all fruit and veg prior to being diagnosed which helped a lot.

 

[xJillx]

Hi LanaBanana and welcome! Getting a Crohn's diagnosis can be a daunting process, trust me, I know. I had one, and then it was taken away! Crazy! Anyways, it is not in your head. You know your body best, and if you know something isn't right, keep fighting to find out what's wrong. I know being in limbo and doing test after test can put you at the end of your tether, but you must keep pushing forward. If you do in fact have Crohn's, you need a diagnosis, so you can begin treatment and get well.

Good luck and please keep us posted!

 

[LanaBanana]

Thank you all for providing me with some support about the whole thing. I'd like to say that my family has done the same but in reality, we're not that close of a family.

Jill that's terrible, how can they take it away?! That's absolutely unreal!
I'm terribly sorry for the way the medical profession has failed you... Dreadful.