Too young to feel this old.

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Joined
Dec 13, 2011
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27
Location
Houston,
too young to feel this old.

Hi my name is Stephanie,

My symptoms began when i was 13 it started as stomach aches that bothered me but didnt make me physically ill. I went to my pediatrician and she diagnosed me with anxiety then prescribed me to Zoloft. My symptoms progressed and after several months i began to feel defeated and different so i told my dr that i felt fine and that i didnt feel i needed the medication and she took me off. By the time i was 16 i was paying attention to wear the closest restroom was when i was out with my friends and i ate little to no food in hopes that i would get sick less, i had diarrhea almost imediatly after every meal and would vomit when i was in a stressful situation but i wasnt ready to alert my mom that there was a problem.

When i was 17 i got pregnant with my son Kamdyn and almost as soon as i found out i was pregnant my syptoms came to an abrupt hault. My body was completly normal again and it felt great. I chalked up all of the problems i had been having as "a stage" that i had out grown. My third trimester i broke out with a pregnancy rash i would blister and bleed and nothing helped. I now believe that was just part of the skin sensitivity that comes with crohns. But my digestion was still normal. Two weeks before my due date i went to my OBGYN sick (fluish) and was told i was eclamptic (toximia) i was rushed to the hospital and put on Magnesium Sulfate to prevent a seizure. I ended up having an emergency C section but both me and my son were fine.

Literally as soon as i had my son my Crohns symptoms came back (with a vengeance) and i have been treating my self over the counter until recently i tried everything from pepto, anti dir., tums, lactose meds., IBS meds, starving myself, & nothing worked but i was able to continue working without alerting anyone that there was something going on. (Im a single mom so i work two jobs and cant afford to miss any work) I had a little routine going with round about times of the day when i would get sick and how i would deal with it. I cut alot from my diet all caffine, dairy, and seeds.

Then in December 2010 i had new syptoms in my upper abdomen i would drop to the floor in pain on the verge of blacking out when finally i decided enough is enough and i went to the hospital. Turns out i also had galstones and while doing my cat scan the dr. noted that my intestines were inflamed just like crohns but when he asked if i had any crohns symtoms i again denied it, i figured once my galbladder was removed i would be able to over the counter medicate/ manage again.

I was wrong. The galbladder came out and i felt ok for a few months still dealing with the crohns but no additional problems. In October 2011 i went from living in the restroom to constipated for a week. I was worried so i FINALLY made an appointment with a GI (dr. howard hamat) I had a bowel obstruction and went to the hospital for a week i was given Prednisone, and Flagyl we got the swelling down, then we did a colonoscopy to diagnose my severe crohns and now im back to being sick again. i just had my second round of Remicade my third will be on December 22,2011 and im hoping that after a couple more treatments i will notice a difference.


Im interested in hearing if anyone else had syptoms while pregnant ive never met anyone with crohns who also has kids?
 
Hi Stephanie and welcome! I am glad you finally got a diagnosis and are getting treatment. Have you noticed any improvement with Remicade, yet? I really hope it will kick in for you soon.

I don't have any kids, yet, but I have done a lot of homework on the subject. It seems like many women go into remission while pregnant. The body naturally suppresses the immune system when pregnant to protect the fetus. So, to immediately feel well while pregnant is not uncommon. Also, many tend to flare badly after having a baby, because of all the hormone changes. To talk to others with Crohn's & kids, check out the Parents with IBD subforum.

Once again, welcome to the forum!
 
I do feel that im more in control of my bms thanks to the remi but i cant help but think about two years from now when im no longer eligiable for remi start and treatment will cost $550 every 8 weeks i dont have that kind of money but for now my situation is looking a little brighter. If i could just get my Dr. to shut up about taking tylonol and offer me some real pain relief when i ask for it without making me feel like im dramatic or a drug addict.

Thank you for the parent link i will for sure check that out!
 
Hi Stephanie and welcome :)

Wow, that's quite a story. And you're one amazing woman to somehow be able to juggle being a mom, two jobs, AND Crohn's Disease. My goodness. Heck, I'm basically useless when I'm in a flare (I have lymphocytic colitis) so you inspire the heck out of me.

I'm glad you're here and hope you become a regular part of our community :)
 
Hi Stephanie I'm sorry for all you are going through. I can really relate to the "I'm too young to feel this old". I'm in my prime but feel like I'm
Living in the body of an 80 year old. I'm just so weak, sick and tired always.
 
Thank you David =] thats super sweet of you. I try to stay busy and mind over matter when im not feeling well. I finally broke down and told my bosses about my crohns and they are very understanding they have given me some extra vacation days and when im sick they let me leave early without a guilt trip im not sure they get how horrible i feel 24/7 because from the outside i look like a normal 21 year old girl but they do try and sympothize so i cant complain. My son is also getting used to mommy not feeling well he even reminds me every morning to take my Pred. & Align. I think my way to busy crazy life style makes it easier for me to handle my crohns, i cant control my digestion right now but i can control everything else so that what im focusing on. I will lead a some-what normal life styl, I will get better, & no matter what i will NOT let Crohns take me down without a fight.

Nogutsnoglory- Yeah 80 years old sounds about right especially with prednisone its like menopause in a pill hot flashes, weight gain, the whole nine. Not pleasant.
 
Hi Stephanie,

People use their "signature" to do that. Go to the "UserCP" link at the top of the page then, "Edit Signature" at the left. Or just go here.

Are you taking any supplements? Vitamin B12? Vitamin D? Or calcium, zinc, potassium and vitamin C to help combat what the prednisone uses and causes additional losses of?
 
i was going to ask my Dr. about B-12 i saw on the forum that ALOT of people are taking injections but no im not taking any supplements. I also didnt know Prednisone causes losses of anything my Dr. didnt tell me a whole lot just that the long term side effects were not good so were are going to get rid of it asap i just stepped down to 20mg but not i feel tired and my stomach feels uneasy again. Please tell me what you know or ill be googling all day at work haha.
 
We've been working on a well-sourced vitamin and mineral deficiencies database you may want to check out. Crohn's Disease and meds people are put on result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies for a variety of reasons which in my opinion, causes the majority of extraintestinal manifestations people see. At the very least, I'd get your vitamin B12 and D levels checked. And these guys say the following about Prednisone:
Prednisone causes decreased absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the small intestine. It also causes increased losses of calcium, zinc, potassium and vitamin C. With continual use of high doses of prednisone, the result may be bone loss and development of bone disease. Protein needs also are increased for people taking prednisone because it increases protein breakdown in the body
Most doctors don't think about the dietary/supplementation aspects of Crohn's Disease. So that's where I come in. I nag everyone about it :D
 
Im so glad you nagged me i had no idea. I will for sure go pick up some tomorrow maybe that will put a little pep in my step im dragging ass lately :voodoo:
 
I'd personally recommend doing it under the care of a doctor. They can test your actual levels and monitor you so that you are shooting in the dark regarding what levels to take. For example, if your vitamin B12 is really low, you may need injections. If your vitamin D is really low, you may end up taking 5,000iu+ per day. But until you know the numbers it's hard to ascertain what to supplement and how much.

With that said, not all doctors put stock in having all this tested. If yours doesn't, I'd personally find an integrative medicine doctor in your area who will. It's just too important to make sure you're not deficient in any of these essential vitamins and minerals.
 
He did do some blood work last Thursday but i didnt ask what it was for i figured it was another IBD test to see how the Remi is doing but who knows. I have an appointment on the 22nd and i will for sure request those tests im intersted now, my iron has always been really low and i bought supplements but im horrible about taking them, i think its time to pay closer attention to those things.

Thank you so much for all your help!!
 

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