Your first diagnosis appointment,,,what did you forget to ask

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First post. I'll go into your story thread in a bit. Tommorow is my first Dr appointment after diagnosis w/ Crohns.

58 y/o male. Have had issues for a few years. 2 years ago was admitted out of ER. Dehydration over several months. along with constipation. Dx gallbladder was bad, Tore it out the hard way. Week in the hospital. While looking at the GB they did 2 colonoscopies. Said "possible" Crohn's.

fast forward 2 years (now) I'm taking lactulose to get more fluids in my gut. And alternating chloestramine to stop the diarrhea. GI doc sent me for a CT scan. Got the Dx over the phone. GI doc went on vacation.

Got some prednisone. Finishing up a ladder 40/30/20/10 mgs. Feel better. Still tired.

So I'm going to to see the GI doc tomorrow.

What do you wish you had asked at that first appointment?

Been lurking for a couple months. You all have been very helpful. Thanks!
 
The Er was 2 years ago. I had terrible constipation with vomiting & fluid loss. Dehydration. Put me on an antibiotic (IV) for a week in the hospital. They were pretty stumped after a CT scan. My whole gut lit up on the scan. Infection was what was Dx. Now I'm kinda questioning that as possible Crohns flare?

Saw the doc today. She spent a good half hour talking me through the disease. Progression, surgery, maintenance treatments. We talked about different drugs. Settled on Lialda. Dr said the "experts" in the field would sugest going straight to remicade. That is a big leap for me. We are going to try this and see if it is OK to control the inflammation. If not then we'll go higher on the drug chain

I'm still coming to grips with my diagnosis. I have not fully processed it yet. I feel "OK" except for the being tired all the time. I haven't felt "right" for a long time. I just want to get back to a semi active lifestyle. Where I can ride my bike, hike and snowshoe. I fear that is a long way off

edit: to correct meslamine to Lialda. The whole time we were talking about meslamine I'm thinking the drug from the 60's mescaline. that was creeping me out. LOL
 
Welcome.
I'm new to Crohn's as well. I started with Mesalamine too as I was tapering prednisone. I wish I'd been braver about Imuran or biologics because it ended up pretty severe. I'm on Humira for good now and relieved!
 

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