Hi all. I'm Lori from Colorado. It's possible I've had Crohn's for the better part of my life, but wasn't officially diagnosed until 3/2016. I had my first flare (or what I call the episodes) in May 2004, 2 months after I lost my daughter. Not a post for sympathy, but for those asking what caused their first flare, mine was most definitely stress combined with severe emotional distress and grief. I was hospitalized in March 2016 with a perforation and after a CT scan it was official.
From the first flare in 2004, I have has so many and am just coming off of one now. I have all the issues daily-multiple trips to the bathroom, sometimes diarrhea and sometimes perfectly normal..just 5-10 times a day. However, I have had periods when I had no bowel movement for 5 days, but no flare. Weird? I have pain when I eat and pain when I don't, but it's not constant. Crohn's is auto-immune-i also have low thyroid and lichen sclerosus, both also auto-immune. I have terrible neck and back pain with no explanation via MRI and I get random stabbing pains in my legs, arms and sides. My flares put me in bed for hours to days. Once or twice a week to one every 3 months. I have a very high tolerance for pain, but these flares feel like 3rd stage back labor. No bowel movement during, but in the past, as soon as I could have any kind of bowel movement, the pain would go away. Not the case currently. Fever, dehydration, such severe chills that my muscles were seizing and violent vomiting. And labor pains. Contractions coming every minute and lasting at least a minute, all above and level with my naval. If it is Crohn's because the inflammation is in the ileum, then why does it hurt so bad in other places?
Treatment has been minimal with GI-very far away. She has me on a steroid and NSAID for the gut and something for the cramping that doesn't really work. Have to follow up with her soon to review MRI of my pancreas because of a spot. Lovely.
Anyway, I think I've covered everything. Sorry for such a long post.
From the first flare in 2004, I have has so many and am just coming off of one now. I have all the issues daily-multiple trips to the bathroom, sometimes diarrhea and sometimes perfectly normal..just 5-10 times a day. However, I have had periods when I had no bowel movement for 5 days, but no flare. Weird? I have pain when I eat and pain when I don't, but it's not constant. Crohn's is auto-immune-i also have low thyroid and lichen sclerosus, both also auto-immune. I have terrible neck and back pain with no explanation via MRI and I get random stabbing pains in my legs, arms and sides. My flares put me in bed for hours to days. Once or twice a week to one every 3 months. I have a very high tolerance for pain, but these flares feel like 3rd stage back labor. No bowel movement during, but in the past, as soon as I could have any kind of bowel movement, the pain would go away. Not the case currently. Fever, dehydration, such severe chills that my muscles were seizing and violent vomiting. And labor pains. Contractions coming every minute and lasting at least a minute, all above and level with my naval. If it is Crohn's because the inflammation is in the ileum, then why does it hurt so bad in other places?
Treatment has been minimal with GI-very far away. She has me on a steroid and NSAID for the gut and something for the cramping that doesn't really work. Have to follow up with her soon to review MRI of my pancreas because of a spot. Lovely.
Anyway, I think I've covered everything. Sorry for such a long post.
