To Pen and Del: Thanks for the welcome!
No one in my family has ever had or has an IBD or IBS. Other than having my 5 children, I had never been hospitalized until 5 years ago. Your question popped that up in my mind. It was high fever, severe body aches, they never found out what was wrong and just said a "super bug, a virus". The time in July, severe abdominal cramps and vomiting. I've had 5 labors, so I have a high tolerance for pain. None the less, 5 day hospitalization. My pain is 4-5 daily and the initial meds had no effect. I went back as, pain killers are just masking the problem, not trying to help. Sadly, from first hospitalization to an endoscopy and colonoscopy, a barium small bowel series and now the recent flair up things have progressed at an alarming rate. Now waiting for biopsy results from the colonoscopy I had during this recent hospitalization that went into the ileum. Surgeon is major pissed at gi guys about that one as major scarring and thickening is about a foot in from the colon and he is worried they didn't go far enough. If it is a go, they are hoping that the Remicade will slow the process, as my surgeon and I are not thrilled with the idea of surgery. So, go big or go home theory is what they hope will work since there is no response to traditional meds.