N
northernitalia
Guest
I want to thank anyone in advance who answers this question. This is the first Crohn's forum I've ever joined and feel somewhat guilty since I feel like I've taken this disease for granted by never participating in a support group for eighteen years now. My grandmother from Italy had this disease but back then it was only referred to as Colitis mainly. Out of four siblings I was the lucky winner of being passed down the condition, it skipped my Mother. Anyway back to the point my question is Has anyone with Crohn's gotten along alright knowing they have a fistula or stricture?
It has me wondering about this topic since I am having the same usual flare up pain in the upper right abdominal area. But, I did have a great run, I made it four years this time with no pain. Typically, my doctor sends me for a blood count and drink barium sulfate, which is only one polymer chain away from being house paint. I've only had one surgery eighteen years ago for an abscess when I was first diagnosed. Every time I have a barium X-ray, it's always the same old song there's a couple places of narrowing and one fistula. I always get told by the Gastro specialist, he says I'm looking at surgery someday but that's been well over a decade and more now of being told this. The strictures have never caused any problems of blockages for sure since no issues of ever going to a restroom. I always see stories posted online how people freak out and tell others to run to the operating table over a fistula or narrowing but it's never caused me issues thus far maybe someday, I hope not.
Also is there any new breakthroughs I may have missed for treating our condition? It amazes me how I see articles every week for other diseases finding new technology but with crohn's it's so prehistoric with prednisone and drinking down white paint when your already nauseous to take an x-ray. I know about Remicade, tried that and didn't do squat for me but help rack up some quick debt even after insurance not considering the time it takes missing a full workday to take an IV bag. Also want to include that I'm only taking azathioprine and Entocort for years now (which I think is great compared to the other option prednisone). Thanks for reading.
It has me wondering about this topic since I am having the same usual flare up pain in the upper right abdominal area. But, I did have a great run, I made it four years this time with no pain. Typically, my doctor sends me for a blood count and drink barium sulfate, which is only one polymer chain away from being house paint. I've only had one surgery eighteen years ago for an abscess when I was first diagnosed. Every time I have a barium X-ray, it's always the same old song there's a couple places of narrowing and one fistula. I always get told by the Gastro specialist, he says I'm looking at surgery someday but that's been well over a decade and more now of being told this. The strictures have never caused any problems of blockages for sure since no issues of ever going to a restroom. I always see stories posted online how people freak out and tell others to run to the operating table over a fistula or narrowing but it's never caused me issues thus far maybe someday, I hope not.
Also is there any new breakthroughs I may have missed for treating our condition? It amazes me how I see articles every week for other diseases finding new technology but with crohn's it's so prehistoric with prednisone and drinking down white paint when your already nauseous to take an x-ray. I know about Remicade, tried that and didn't do squat for me but help rack up some quick debt even after insurance not considering the time it takes missing a full workday to take an IV bag. Also want to include that I'm only taking azathioprine and Entocort for years now (which I think is great compared to the other option prednisone). Thanks for reading.