Hello Everyone! I just joined the forum after lurking for quite some time and I thought I'd share my story. I'm a 20 year old girl and I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in February of 2007 when I was 14. I was admitted to the hospital for 5 nights/6 days after a colonoscopy and endoscopy and was put on Methodrexate (pills) as well as Asacol and Prednisone. Eventually I used Remicade for sometime and was finally able to maintain remission. I experienced an allergic reaction to the Remicade (a rash on my hands) and was placed back on Methodrexate (injections at first, than later pills again). This time the Methodrexate was sufficient to maintain my remission and for 2 years I did really great. I was able to live my life normally again and I graduated high school and started college.
This past year however, I flared for the first time since diagnoses. I started seeing blood in my stool again, an increased number of bowl movements, and I experienced a lot of pain in my bottom after bowel movements. I started experiencing these symptoms again around Thanksgiving of 2012. A colonoscopy in December did show some inflammation and my doctor switched me from the pill form of methodrexate to the injectable. My symptoms worsened in January, and my doctor put me on 20mg of predinsone. Since than, however, I have been unable to get off the predinsone. I originally did a 20 mg course for 2 weeks (tapering by 5) and than when my symptoms came back, I started all over with 20 mg for 2 weeks, but this time I tapered by 2.5 a week. In May, I was off the steroids completely for about 2 weeks when I took a turn for the worse. I had thankfully just finished my spring semester, so I was already at home and near my doctor when it occurred. I lost about 10 pounds (I'm only 5'2'' about 115 to begin with) and was unable to eat anything without pain and nausea. I was again experiencing increased diarrhea, cramping and blood in my stools. I saw my Doctor during that week and he put me on 40 mg of Predinsone for 2 weeks and I've tapered by 5 since than. My symptoms have started coming back again about a week ago. Once I reached 25 mg, the painful cramping with an increase in bowl movements and blood in my stools returned. I talked to my doctor today and he wants be to go back to 30 mg of predinsone for 2 weeks, as that was the last time I felt really good health wise. I expected this, thought I'm not thrilled with it. I see my doctor in about a month, so hopefully will be able to figure all this out than. I've only been seeing this doctor for about a year, he's my first "adult" doctor, as I was previously cared for at a children's hospital.
At this point, I'm pretty frustrated. I think I've done a decent job balancing school and my disease so far, but the thought of starting another semester, with my health still influx, is not at all appealing. Taking 5 classes in hard enough, the added stress and fatigue of a chronic illness just makes it that much harder. I feel like I've been taking these steroids for so long now, but its not working the way I'd hope.
And yeah, that's pretty much my story
I've really enjoyed exploring the site and can't wait to interact with you all!
This past year however, I flared for the first time since diagnoses. I started seeing blood in my stool again, an increased number of bowl movements, and I experienced a lot of pain in my bottom after bowel movements. I started experiencing these symptoms again around Thanksgiving of 2012. A colonoscopy in December did show some inflammation and my doctor switched me from the pill form of methodrexate to the injectable. My symptoms worsened in January, and my doctor put me on 20mg of predinsone. Since than, however, I have been unable to get off the predinsone. I originally did a 20 mg course for 2 weeks (tapering by 5) and than when my symptoms came back, I started all over with 20 mg for 2 weeks, but this time I tapered by 2.5 a week. In May, I was off the steroids completely for about 2 weeks when I took a turn for the worse. I had thankfully just finished my spring semester, so I was already at home and near my doctor when it occurred. I lost about 10 pounds (I'm only 5'2'' about 115 to begin with) and was unable to eat anything without pain and nausea. I was again experiencing increased diarrhea, cramping and blood in my stools. I saw my Doctor during that week and he put me on 40 mg of Predinsone for 2 weeks and I've tapered by 5 since than. My symptoms have started coming back again about a week ago. Once I reached 25 mg, the painful cramping with an increase in bowl movements and blood in my stools returned. I talked to my doctor today and he wants be to go back to 30 mg of predinsone for 2 weeks, as that was the last time I felt really good health wise. I expected this, thought I'm not thrilled with it. I see my doctor in about a month, so hopefully will be able to figure all this out than. I've only been seeing this doctor for about a year, he's my first "adult" doctor, as I was previously cared for at a children's hospital.
At this point, I'm pretty frustrated. I think I've done a decent job balancing school and my disease so far, but the thought of starting another semester, with my health still influx, is not at all appealing. Taking 5 classes in hard enough, the added stress and fatigue of a chronic illness just makes it that much harder. I feel like I've been taking these steroids for so long now, but its not working the way I'd hope.
And yeah, that's pretty much my story
I've really enjoyed exploring the site and can't wait to interact with you all!
