The Wonderful World of Strictures...

[mharvey90]

Since March, I have been in a pretty bad flare up. I responded well to Remicade, but had a severe allergic reaction on my 4th infusion so had to stop that. I have been on two runs of Prednisone, Imuran, Pentasa, Asacol, and most recently, Humira. I've been on Humira for about a month and a half now, and it's not helping me at all. So in the past 3-4 months or so, my inflammation from my flare has turned into a bad stricture. My doc referred me to a surgeon, who doesn't accept my insurance, so now I am waiting...... -.- until I get onto my moms plan in January. And in the meantime, my condition is getting worse and I need some support!!!

Problem number 1: Extremely amplified "digestive sounds." Which is actually, I guess, my semi-digested food trying to move through my very narrow stricture. Well, this causes a super loud gurgling-type sound, and it's pretty scary sounding. Even the people closest to me that know what I'm going through give me a strange look when they hear these abnormal sounds. Well, I'm a sophomore in college, and the anxiety I face when I have an exam in a silent room is so bad. Imagine being in a silent room during an exam full of your peers and all of a sudden your stomach makes this ungodly sound, and people have no idea what the hell that was. Ugh....

Problem number 2: The sounds ^ are something I dealt with as a child when my crohn's was super severe. But, this is a new symptom...Whenever I feel my lower abdomen start to cramp up with pain, etc, I get a severe pressure on my bladder, that sometimes makes me run to the bathroom with an intense urge to urinate. But every single time I have stool passing through that small area of my stricture, I feel pressure on my bladder! I'm wondering if anybody else has had this problem? My stricture is where my ileum used to be, which I had removed when I was 12 years old.

Please help! I don't know if I'm going to make it through 'til January....especially with 6 final exams coming up soon

 

[jed]

i've not had a stricture so far, so i cant be of any help on that front.

just wanted you to wish you luck.

 

[shazamataz]

I feel like I have a bit of bladder pressure too, I always have to go, but I think that might be the steroids as I didn;t have this before i went on them!
I also have a stricture (unless it's healed with the inflammation being dealt with - so frustrating not knowing) and also get a lot of 'noise' but this feels like it is coming from the large bowel as opposed to behind the stricture - I could be wrong tho!
Good luck with the exams!

 

[imisspopcorn]

I had that problem as well.... The urgency you are feeling is probably from all the swelling taking place with your bowels. Even though your diseased area may not be close to your bladder, the swelling can push things around and cause pressure. You may want to be checked for a UTI. If you're having pressure on your bladder, it may not empty completely and that can lead to bladder infections.
I know your really sick right now and waiting for insurance. I feel so bad for you. Make sure you let your doctor know about these symptoms. I hope you feel better soon.

 

[CrohnieCarolyn]

I have a 5 to 6 inch stricture and I have to pee all the time and only a bit comes out at a time - so I know it must have something to do with the stricture...as for the sounds I really can't help - I would just say "I forgot to eat?" Sorry I can't be more help...

 

[mharvey90]

Thanks for your replies guys I don't think it's a UTI...because I don't have any pain, or any UTI type symptoms. I just get pressure and the urge to pee whenever my bowels start to cramp, and it only lasts for that short period of time then subsides.