What does remission feel like?

[Khaley]

Hi everyone.

I was diagnosed with Crohn's seven years ago after many years of symptoms. Since getting on azathioprine I'm much better but never 100%. A couple of times a year I get a bad flare that lasts for several weeks, but mostly it's just bloating, gas and general discomfort. Usually, even if I'm not bloated, my stomach feels tender and swollen. I always visualize my insides as a sack of potatoes in a big plastic scrubby. I just thought that was how I was supposed to feel; when you have Crohn's you never feel great. Plus, I've felt this way most of my life so it's my normal.

Now I find out I have a stricture and I don't think I've ever been in remission. So, I'm wondering: does remission mean no flares ever? Is it a complete lack of symptoms? How long do you have to be symptom-free? And how do you feel between flares, anyway? Do you have a lack of gas and cramping? Does your stomach flatten out? Do you feel completely normal? I want to know these things so I'll be better able to judge whether or not my treatment is working. And, just for curiousity's sake, is there a particular way you visualize your disease?

So many questions! Thanks for any input!

 

[theOcean]

remission means no flares. remission is the state you're in when you aren't flaring, aren't experiencing symptoms, check out on all the tests as being fine, etc.

I'm in remission and I feel totally fine and like I don't even have Crohn's.

 

[Khaley]

Wow, that's wonderful!

 

[afidz]

Check out this link http://www.crohnsforum.com/wiki/remission
There area few different kinds of remission, and like the rest of the aspects of Crohn's, remission is different for everyone.

 

[Khaley]

Thank you!

 

[Ian]

I have likely UC rather than Crohns (and either way my disease is strictly colonic so it probably feels different anyway) but I'm currently in remission and feel completely normal. I have no symptoms, I have one regular/formed b/m per day and eat/drink whatever I like - although I've never noticed my diet affect my disease or symptoms positively or negatively so I've never really adjusted it (I even eat McDonalds when I'm sick, it's so soft it goes down a treat! Lol). It's my understanding that my "It's like I don't even have UC" remission is not what everyone experiences but I hope when you achieve remission it's the same for you. I don't really understand it personally, my colon is scarred all over from rectum to caecum - it baffles me that it can still produce a perfectly normal poo! But somehow it can.

As for visualising my disease, have you ever seen that episode of 'The Simpsons' where Homer tours the country getting hit in the stomach with a cannonball as a performance stunt - and then it starts to damage him and his stomach keeps doing these involuntary shakes/rumbles? When I was flaring I'd imagine my colon like that - all loose and lacking any rigidity, as if the slightest movement would cause it to ripple and flap about and make things just fall out of it lol. What a weird image...

 

[Khaley]

I have seen that, Ian. That's funny. I'm so glad you're in remission and you feel normal. That's great!

I'm starting Remicade soon. I'm scared to death but hopefully it works for me and I'll feel normal, too.

I appreciate your reply.