Hi all!
Here's my story -- I can't say I've ever shared it in its entirety with anyone outside of my immediate family:
I was Dx in 1992, at the age of 11, after a number of gastro-related issues: abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite. Tests revealed a parasite, but once treatment resolved that issue, the symptoms didn't dissipate. I was referred to a local GI clinic and underwent some pretty traumatic tests for a kid. ("You're going to put what in where?!")
Tests revealed that it was Crohn's -- mostly contained within the ileum and cecum. I was started on a course of high-dose prednisone, and my symptoms improved. I was weaned off prednisone and put on sulfasalazine and azathioprine, which seemed to keep things stable... for a while.
Then things got worse!
I ended up going under the knife in 1993 for an ileocecal resection (with a bonus appendectomy while they were in there with a scalpel).
I was kept on low-dose prednisone and some other drugs for maintenance. Around the same time, I was started a regimen of NG feeding to give my poor gut a rest and to put on some much needed weight. This was a really tough time in my life because I was starting to hit puberty and was already feeling really self-conscious about my body.
Things were relatively stable until I had an episode of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in '04, which I attribute to withdrawal from steroids. Symptoms included absolutely terrible headaches and ultimately double vision from the increased pressure on my brain and ocular nerves. That was scary; I thought I had a brain tumor at the time.
Fast forward many years to 2010 --
I'm 29 and I've been on and off combinations of almost every medically approved treatment in Canada: 5-ASA, Imuran, prednisone, Entocort, 6-MP, Remicade, and currently, Humira.
Overall, I consider myself lucky, in that I've been able to lead a more or less normal life. My flare-ups are occasional and mostly manageable. I've been hospitalized twice for strictures; both times prednisone has helped, and I was able to taper and maintain a functional life with therapy that has less side effects.
At the moment I'm dealing with a couple of issues (one personal and one medical), and that's why, after a short Google search, I ended up on this forum. I'll post more about them in the General forum in a bit.
Everyone here seems like a very welcoming and supportive bunch, so I'm pleased to be here.
- Andy
Here's my story -- I can't say I've ever shared it in its entirety with anyone outside of my immediate family:
I was Dx in 1992, at the age of 11, after a number of gastro-related issues: abdominal pain, diarrhea, loss of appetite. Tests revealed a parasite, but once treatment resolved that issue, the symptoms didn't dissipate. I was referred to a local GI clinic and underwent some pretty traumatic tests for a kid. ("You're going to put what in where?!")
Tests revealed that it was Crohn's -- mostly contained within the ileum and cecum. I was started on a course of high-dose prednisone, and my symptoms improved. I was weaned off prednisone and put on sulfasalazine and azathioprine, which seemed to keep things stable... for a while.
Then things got worse!
I ended up going under the knife in 1993 for an ileocecal resection (with a bonus appendectomy while they were in there with a scalpel).
I was kept on low-dose prednisone and some other drugs for maintenance. Around the same time, I was started a regimen of NG feeding to give my poor gut a rest and to put on some much needed weight. This was a really tough time in my life because I was starting to hit puberty and was already feeling really self-conscious about my body.
Things were relatively stable until I had an episode of idiopathic intracranial hypertension in '04, which I attribute to withdrawal from steroids. Symptoms included absolutely terrible headaches and ultimately double vision from the increased pressure on my brain and ocular nerves. That was scary; I thought I had a brain tumor at the time.
Fast forward many years to 2010 --
I'm 29 and I've been on and off combinations of almost every medically approved treatment in Canada: 5-ASA, Imuran, prednisone, Entocort, 6-MP, Remicade, and currently, Humira.
Overall, I consider myself lucky, in that I've been able to lead a more or less normal life. My flare-ups are occasional and mostly manageable. I've been hospitalized twice for strictures; both times prednisone has helped, and I was able to taper and maintain a functional life with therapy that has less side effects.
At the moment I'm dealing with a couple of issues (one personal and one medical), and that's why, after a short Google search, I ended up on this forum. I'll post more about them in the General forum in a bit.
Everyone here seems like a very welcoming and supportive bunch, so I'm pleased to be here.
- Andy
It's nice to know we are not alone as young chronic Chronies around the world. Hopefully we'll be able to help and support each other! 
