Welcome Brian
:ghug:Hi Brian,
I was diagnosed in March. I started feeling good in July after bi weekly B12 shots and iron infusions as well as remicade. ( I was never put on pred) From July to mid October I was feeling better. Good enough that the doc gave me a go ahead to join the crohns challenge. A half marathon in Las Vegas to raise money for crohns foundation. It was 3 weeks after the go ahead from the doc that I started feeling ill again and since then I have continued to get worse and have been in ER twice and hospital once since then. So of course no training will now happen (docs new orders) most of the time I have to muster up energy to get out of bed. I won't lie it is hard, but I am also a newbie as well. I too have many questions. I have found you need to advocate for yourself and find a really good GI that you feels not only listens to what your saying but will try to help as oppsed to the "lets wait and see and Ill see you again in 6 weeks" thats horrible because at first they want to run through the gamit of what smaller,weaker drugs will or will not work before they try the big meds. I have also found it odd my GI never put me on pred after diagnosis. As you will see many start out on pred. I had a horrible GI and I am know having to start all over again with a new doc. UGH! I know I might sound negative and please understand I am not trying to scare you, I just haven't been in true remission yet and it's been 8 months. Also everyone is has their own story, this just happens to be mine, good and bad. I just want to convey to you that it might be a bumpy start and if that's the case you need to educate yourself. Much of the knowledge and what has helped has not been through a doc but rather from what I have learned on the web and this site. Also have patience and if you get down or have anxiety that is completely normal, many of us have felt that. When you are dealing with a crohnic disease such as this I have to say yes there is a life change. It took me months to figure that despite hope and being positive. It changed my life, I have children and this has made it hard as a mom to be there for my family the way I would like. I worry to about the added stress on my husband because I depend on him so much more now. I can no longer work or watch my kids and that is hard but thats not always going to be the case. I will get better, I just don't know when and not having that control is hard. I will run that half marathon just not now. I have always been a go getter, outgoing, happy now I have limitations and that gets hard to accept. Sometimes will be worse then others and sometimes things will be great. You can never tell about this disease. I have to say when things are good I really cherish and enjoy that time. I am also a much stronger person. For me there is always a lesson to be learned. You will be able to do a triathlon again, you just don't know when. So until then pay attention to what helps you and what hurts. I can't have gluten, dairy, pop or even the occassional drink with a friend and I don't smoke but all the others have been hard to give up but when you consider the problem you have when you dont listen to your body it makes it easy to stick too. Also one last thing, when I was first diagnosed I started to load up on all these herbs and natural meds, which made things worse. A crohnie has a tempermental tummy. Again, this is just my story, your story will be different then mine, so find out what will work for you but for most here it is a change in their lifestyle but that could be for the better for some. I hope to hear how your doing so keep us posted. Any questions shoot me a message. Have a good night and stay strong and positive and patient. thats the best advice.
welcome and feel better soon
