Newbie

[julkee]

newbie

Hi Everyone! 3 years ago I had gotten diarhea and decided I had eaten bad pork for dinner that night. 3 days later (a Friday), I stopped by the pharmacy to ask the pharmacist about my diarhea symptoms, he recommended Immodium AD. Next day I started vomitting like crazy and by Sunday I was so dehydrated, I ended up in the ER. They hydrated me and gave me antibiotics thinking that should help. After a few days of not getting any better, I went to see my regular doctor and he said maybe it's worms and gave me the worst medicine of my life. By this point I was going to the bathroom like crazy, bleeding, in pain and vomitting and couldn't eat anything. I had suffered for 10 days at this point and I remember getting to work and walking straight to my boss' office and telling her I can't stay, I need to go home and she looked at me and said go right away. I think I looked deathly ill by then and instead of going home, I drove myself straight to the ER and when they saw me, they admitted me right away. Didn't even need to go through triage. I was in the hospital for 6 days. They ran some tests and decided I had Ulcerative colitis. The meds seemed to help at 1st, for about a year and then it all went downhill and I started getting the same symptoms and I called the doc and said I'm feeling like I did last year before I landed in the hospital so this time he did a colonscopy and a capsule endoscopy and determined that I actually have Crohn's since my small intestine is affected too. So they put me on Pentasa and it has been helping me ever since. I'm glad I found this forum.

 

[DougUte]

Welcome Julkee! This is a good place to be.

 

[scottmyster]

HI there julkee, welcome to the forum, i have had crohn's for 21 years now and recently just had a flare up and taking predisone hopefully that will do the trick. i am sorry you were so sick. but, i am glad you were diagnoised early so you can a handle on it. your taking pentsa and i am on asacol same family of drugs. but, my flare up has lasted three weeks now. i am on liquid diet and some soft foods like jello oboy yummy.LOL. but you will get alot of support here in the forum. they welcomed me like family. and lots of great people and a great deal of knowledgable people who been where you are right now. again welcome to forum. best wishes.

scott

 

[julkee]

Thanks Doug and Scott! I'm looking fwd to being part of the family here

Scott, sorry you are having a flare up. Hopefully you'll start feeling better soon!

 

[xJillx]

Hi there and welcome to the forum! I am glad your Crohn's diagnosis was quickly discovered. Many forum members have gone years thinking they had UC, but then later are diagnosed with CD. Now, you are able to properly treat your illness. And I am so happy Pentasa seems to be doing the trick. I hope you continue to feel so well!

 

[steelerfan]

Welcome

Hi Julkee,

I am curious exactly how long you have been on Pentasa? I am glad it worked for you, it did not for me. Crazy how meds and IBD work so differently for all.

 

[julkee]

Thanks Jill and Steelerfan!

Steelerfan, I've been on Pentasa since Nov. 2009. I started out with 6 pills a day (2 pills 3 times a day). After a few months, the flare up seemed to be gone and the doc said to try to cut down a pill a week and see how it works for me and see where I can find a happy medium. All was going good, got down to 2 pills and my grandma passed away (we were very close) and the stress of her passing, I got sick again and went back to 6 pills. And then 10 months later, my grandfather passed. So it's been a vicious cycle for me. Every time I start feeling better and can cut down on my meds, I experience a traumatic experience and my Crohn's flares up. But Pentasa has been my saviour for now. 6 pills seems to do the trick for me. I'm sorry it hasn't worked for you.

 

[cheerio]

Welcome!!! Glad you found your way here! this site is a 'goldmine'