Surreal

[william]

December 23rd, 2011. My life changed forever..or so "they" tell me. Woke up with severe lower abdominal pain, specifically the lower right quadrant. The pain was excruciating. After 5 days I was convinced I had appendicitis, called my parents at work and they drove me to the ER. After 8 hours and several tests (CT scan, xray, blood tests), the doc told me I had inflammation near my appendix and that I might have crohns. She gave me 20mg of prednisone, which helped tremendously. I put back on the weight I initially lost, appetite came back, and I even started training at the gym again. Fast forward 3 weeks..had a colonoscopy and endoscopy. The biospy confirmed mild crohns. I was relieved to have an answer, but then the reality of having an noncurable disease set in. Im now starting to taper off the prednisone, while taking 500mg of pentasa 4x a day. I guess I don't know how I feel right now. Shocked, angry, stressed. At 25, im a very active person. I play basketball, golf, and run and lift religiously. I was just accepted into a local university for their physicians assistant program. I've been in a relationship for the last five years. My girlfriend and I have definitely had issues over the years, usually because of my various health "problems". I was diagnosed with panic and anxiety in 2008 after experiencing chest pain, dizziness and palpitations at the gym. At the time I thought I was having a heart attack; turned out it was stress. It took a good six months to get back on my feet after, and it certainly caused tension between us. She didnt know how to help me, and that frustrated her. She didn't understand my panic, and now she doesn't understand crohns. It doesn't help that both diseases are virtually invisible, at least in my case they are. My only symptom is pain, which i've always been fairly good at hiding. Right now I just feel weak! Not physically, but mentally. In my mind, I've let her down. After 5 years, I think were on the edge of cutting ties. Part of me is angry that shes not more sympathetic towards what im going through, but the other part feels awful for dragging her through this. Maybe she'd be better off without me anyways. Maybe itll be better for me to focus on my health. Like I said earlier, crohns is very new to me. This has all taken place in the last month. From what my gastro has seen, he thinks I have a mild case that can be controlled with meds. I guess i'll know more as time goes on. Im hoping and praying for the best!

 

[chrisnsteph1022]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but at least now you know what it is and can treat it. Pentasa is one of the mildest drugs available, so you have lots of options if things get worse.

As for your gf, she may just need time to adjust. If she can't handle it, though, it's better to find out now. Crohn's can get really nasty and debilitating and you need a good support system. It sounds like your parents are there for you, which is great.

 

[MunMun]

Hey William.

Try counselling or to have someone to talk to about it all. You're one step ahead of many who actually have an answer/a diagnosis. Do as much research as you can, this forum is a great place and because it's all new to you (me too) try to come to terms with it and mentally accept it. Focus not on the comments that it's 'uncurable' but try to manage it emotionally.

Take care of your emotional wellbeing William, honestly, once things are better for you mentally and emotionally your physical wellbeing will increase as well.

Also, take it one step/day at a time and perhaps have someone speak to your GF or write her a letter or something expressing how you feel so she's aware.

But this place is a great place to start, with so many helpful individuals

 

[william]

I do have a great support system. Family and friends that will always be there. Is it naive to think my crohns could stay mild for the rest of my life? I read that more than half of people with crohns need surgery at least once..but ive also read that with meds, some people almost never have problems except the occasional flare up. Does it normally progress?

 

[Angrybird]

Hello William and welcome to the forum. I am sorry to hear about the diagnosis but at least you know what is wrong. I would say it is certainly possible for there to be mild cases of crohns, you are at the key stage where you can also have a look at what you eat and how to try and manage your crohns this way as well. Things with little pips and seeds can aggrivate the bowel so try to avoid these and then the common intolerances are to dairy, caffiene and high fat/high fibre foods. Keep a food dairy and note down what you get a ticky belly with. Really take the time to look at this and as I think this can go a long way to being healthy. Surgery may be something that you will need but if you can get a head start of things now this could be years and years away. Definetly worth trying to get things sorted with your gf as stress will definetly aggrivate the condition. You also have us now for any advice and support that you need

 

[Lisa]

Hi william and welcome - as has already been said, yes, you may end pu staying with a mild case - just make sure you take care of yourself and don't let it get away from you! ... I'm one of those who has avoided surgery (so far) - been dealing with Crohns' Colitis for over 30 years...and I have a moderate/severe case.....

What part of NY are you from? Seems like there are a few more of us lately