Non inflammatory stricture requiring removal

[littlemissh]

I saw my consultant again yesterday and the good news is I persuaded him to let me work a few hours. He agreed with a few restrictions as I think he realised it will save my sanity! ) I have been off work 9 months in the last 12 and my colleagues are struggling whilst my brain needs some stimulation ...assuming it is still there!
The not so good news is thinks I may have a non inflammatory stricture which would require removal . This is because I am still getting pain and vomiting when I eat larger amounts or higher residue. So he is going to discuss me with his colleagues. My Crohn's is in the depths of the small bowel so difficult to visualise/ get an exact location so it may mean MRI/DBE or another pillcam. He wanted to increase my aza but my White blood count is a little below normal. The plan is to give aza and pred another 6 weeks, stay on low res diet and see him again but ring him if I get worse before then.
I REALLY hope it is just inflammatory swelling and I will improve before then. I really don't want bits of my small bowel chopping out.

 

[Welsh-bird]

Hi Littlemissh,
I have everything crossed for you that you may be able to avoid surgery.
I agree with you regarding work. I've been off for about 9 out of the past 12 months too, and it's almost driven me crazy. I went back on reduced hours last week, and it's just nice to get some sort of normaility to my life, as well as to see other people and 4 different walls! It's been hard adjusting (can't just go to bed or lay on the sofa when I want to), and I am soo tired when I get home, but it's certainly helped me out psychologicaly.
Good luck with it, and hope you're soon on the road to recovery.

 

[rygon]

Have fun at work and hope your stricture sorts itself out. At least work will give you something else to think about (strange how even tho we all moan about going to work, without it we would be bored as hell)

 

[littlemissh]

Thanks andrea and Rygon,
I will be starting in 2 weeks. My room is next to the toilet- how convenient!! As long as I am careful what I eat (and don't do what I did before I was diagnosed which was not eat all day so I could get through) then I'll be fine. I know it's going to be really busy and hope i can work effectively as its not the sort of job where you can have an off day.

But as you say it will distract me and bring a bit of normality back. I am going to have to live with Crohn's for the rest of my life so am going to try and rule it rather than it rule me. Well that's the plan anyway.

 

[ameslouise]

Hi Little Miss - Glad you can get back to work a bit and start that brain pumpin!

And I hope you can get the inflammation under control without going under the knife. But if you end up having it cut out, I am sure you will feel lots better!

- Amy