Your early symptoms?

[mtkate13]

Hello!
So I've been having weird stomach problems and stuff for a few years off and on now and my mom was just recently diagnosed with Crohn's disease so now we're exploring that possibility, but I can't really so a doctor right now so I'm wondering what some peoples early experiences were?

With me, the last four years I go through these bouts of intense nausea every morning and randomly throughout the day, with stomach cramping, very bloated, and some diarrhea (more recently it's occasionaly green or bloody), loss of appetite, and just recently I've been getting chills/clammy hands/night sweats which may or may not be related? this stuff happens for anywhere from a day to week or two and then disappears for a few days, weeks, even a couple months at a time.
Anyone have any advice on what this might be or if this does sound like early crohn's symptoms?

Since it's genetic we're worried maybe that would explain whats been going on with me, but as I don't have health insurance my mom doesn't want me to see a doctor for a colonoscopy until I get some insurance in case something does come of it otherwise it will be a pre-existing condition blah blah blah and I already get denied for bipolar so any advice would be appreciated thanks!
Oh and I'm a 20 year old female, my mom was 50 when she started getting so sick and she has some wierd rare symptoms but I've heard most people get diagnosed more around my age...thanks again!

 

[spingirl]

Sorry...I hate to even write this...but this sounds like how I started...and in my early 20's. It could be any number of things though...you won't know until you are checked. If you are getting chills and having fevers - I would not wait too long. I suffered for about a year or so and then developed a fever...it ended up being a peri-anal cyst and I ended up spending 5 days in the hospital after surgery. I hope you can get some insurance soon. Are you in the USA? Its so had for young people right now with the job situation...I know in MA we have a few state insurance options. Good luck to you. I hope its nothing and just stress! Well, that isn't nothing but...you know what I mean.

 

[mtkate13]

Sorry...I hate to even write this...but this sounds like how I started...and in my early 20's. It could be any number of things though...you won't know until you are checked. If you are getting chills and having fevers - I would not wait too long. I suffered for about a year or so and then developed a fever...it ended up being a peri-anal cyst and I ended up spending 5 days in the hospital after surgery. I hope you can get some insurance soon. Are you in the USA? Its so had for young people right now with the job situation...I know in MA we have a few state insurance options. Good luck to you. I hope its nothing and just stress! Well, that isn't nothing but...you know what I mean.

Thanks for the fast reply spingirl! I just want to figure out whats wrong with me becuase it makes work miserable...I have two jobs already and neither provides benefits but I'm looking for a new job that does!

 

[oldcrohn]

mtkate13, sorry to hear you're not feeling well. The green stool sounds to me like some type of infection possibly C-Diff. I don't remember any beginning Crohns: it was just fine and then on toilet 10-15 times a day, horrible abdominal pain, bleeding, and I mine didn't stop until I went on Crohn's meds. You do need to see a doctor asap though

 

[oldcrohn]

Insurance

Reading comment about insurance and was curious where you live?Can you get state insurance or get on your parents insurance? With new laws, you can be on parents' insurance until 26

 

[Jennifer]

Bleeding is never a good sign and should be checked out whether you get a diagnosis or not. All you're doing is allowing it to progress without treatment and doing that leads to scar tissue and other complications, most of which lead to surgery. I'm not saying that to scare you, I'm just one of those blunt/outspoken people on this forum. Maybe you get hemorrhoids often rather than suffering from IBD, I don't know and niether will you until you get it checked out via colonoscopy and other tests.

As far as insurances go, it is possible for you to get insurance easier through the government by having IBD (easier in the sense of not being turned away because you have a pre existing condition). You may be eligable for Medicare. Check out the Social Security website (assuming you're in the USA). Also as stated you can still get on your parent's insurance (I think the age changes from state to state but none is under age 21 I believe) if they have any which I bet your mom does (if not, find out what insurance she has to help pay for her Crohn's condition and see about getting that insurance for yourself).

My early symptoms were flu like symptoms (random body pains, fever, tired, weak etc), weight loss, diarrhea, and bleeding. Once the bleeding started I was admitted to the hospital for almost 2 months until I had a diagnosis and was treated properly. I was 9 years old.

 

[oldcrohn]

Oh God, nine years old. that makes me want to cry

 

[ameslouise]

mtkate - sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I agree that if you are having fever/chils, you could have an infection and you don't want to wait too long. I know that's easy for those of us with insurance to say, but you could potentially put yourself into a life-threatening situation. Or a situation where you have to have emergency surgery.

Please, take care of yourself.

-Amy