Regular Joe
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2009
- Messages
- 289
Hello friends,
I've been out of online action for awhile, but I just got an email about the forum. I thought I'd to stop in for a visit. Glad to see the place still rollin'.
Well a year away has not gotten rid of my disease. I've had much medical items to deal with - something of a one-armed man in an a$$-kicking contest or maybe a 3-ring circus with a ton of sideshows. But I'm alive and pretty well. Still got the bad step-child (Crohn's) for a digestive system. Patience though, we'll get through today.
I've had two flares since the last visit here. One was downright ugly! Worst one I ever had. It came on after a bout with a kidney stone earlier in January. I was in the hospital and in bed at home for about a month and lost about 25lbs.
I had a "near miss" in April. I get enteropathic arthritis ("Crohn's arthritis") before I go into a full-blown flare. Call it a flare "prodrome". My rheumatologist actually kicked that flare's but. He blasted me for a week with a tapering "packet" of prednosolone (sister of prednisone). Then he proceeded to Sulfazine at about 2000mg while keeping the Entocort at 6mg. It stopped the flare in the gut before it took ahold, and it wiped out the arthritis. I'll mention that for me, sulfasalazine worked well on both inflammatory arthritis and Crohn's. But I have mild disease.
I'm home now after surgery and rehab. I spent 2.5 weeks in hospital. I went in July thinking it was only going to be 3 days. 2.5 weeks later, I'm home.
The "Crohn's Arthritis" essentially destroyed my left knee over the past two years. The knee was weakened by osteo, but after about 3 flares, it became so deformed that I lost my stability and was heading toward being bound to a wheelchair.
So my surgery would "technically" qualify as surgery being the result of (extra-intestinal) Crohn's. I'm now sporting a brand new left knee implant and a crutch. It's been 5 weeks, but I'm getting around much better even though I need to use the crutch. Total Knee Replacement surgery was excrutiatingly painful for me, but about a week ago, the pain quickly got much better. Now I only need extra strength tylenol. By the way, I LOVE my new knee!
If you're new here or to IBD, just keep your arms and legs in the cart at all times and be prepared for the wildly unexpected, absurd, and sometimes frightening roller coaster ride of Crohn's disease. Good news is that there is much help!
Joseph
I've been out of online action for awhile, but I just got an email about the forum. I thought I'd to stop in for a visit. Glad to see the place still rollin'.
Well a year away has not gotten rid of my disease. I've had much medical items to deal with - something of a one-armed man in an a$$-kicking contest or maybe a 3-ring circus with a ton of sideshows. But I'm alive and pretty well. Still got the bad step-child (Crohn's) for a digestive system. Patience though, we'll get through today.
I've had two flares since the last visit here. One was downright ugly! Worst one I ever had. It came on after a bout with a kidney stone earlier in January. I was in the hospital and in bed at home for about a month and lost about 25lbs.
I had a "near miss" in April. I get enteropathic arthritis ("Crohn's arthritis") before I go into a full-blown flare. Call it a flare "prodrome". My rheumatologist actually kicked that flare's but. He blasted me for a week with a tapering "packet" of prednosolone (sister of prednisone). Then he proceeded to Sulfazine at about 2000mg while keeping the Entocort at 6mg. It stopped the flare in the gut before it took ahold, and it wiped out the arthritis. I'll mention that for me, sulfasalazine worked well on both inflammatory arthritis and Crohn's. But I have mild disease.
I'm home now after surgery and rehab. I spent 2.5 weeks in hospital. I went in July thinking it was only going to be 3 days. 2.5 weeks later, I'm home.
The "Crohn's Arthritis" essentially destroyed my left knee over the past two years. The knee was weakened by osteo, but after about 3 flares, it became so deformed that I lost my stability and was heading toward being bound to a wheelchair.
So my surgery would "technically" qualify as surgery being the result of (extra-intestinal) Crohn's. I'm now sporting a brand new left knee implant and a crutch. It's been 5 weeks, but I'm getting around much better even though I need to use the crutch. Total Knee Replacement surgery was excrutiatingly painful for me, but about a week ago, the pain quickly got much better. Now I only need extra strength tylenol. By the way, I LOVE my new knee!
If you're new here or to IBD, just keep your arms and legs in the cart at all times and be prepared for the wildly unexpected, absurd, and sometimes frightening roller coaster ride of Crohn's disease. Good news is that there is much help!
Joseph
