I am so thankful for this web site!

by Samantha
(Maine)

I am being tested for Crohn's Disease. It started back in July of 2009, out of the blue I got really sick. I started having extream stomach pain that wraped around into my back. I began to loose a lot of weight in a short amount of time. I delt with the pian for a moth before I finaly gave in and went to see the Doctor. From then on the foung that I had anmia. After having an upper GI done they found alot of inflamationin the stomach and esophogus. The Doctors then put me on heartburn meds but with much heart break it did not help. Then after having an MRI done on my galbladder they found that it needed to come out. The specialist said that it was no longer functioning the way it needed to. So in October I had the surgery and had hoped that I would start to feel like my old self. Well almost a year later I am still very sick and getting worse. I am tired all the time to the point that it is affecting my job proformance and my home life. I also am in pain all the time. A few weeks ago I had another upper GI done along with a colonoscopy all it ahowed was that the small intestint was very inflamed. So they sent me to have timed xrays done, drinking the barium. I am now being tested for celiacs desiease and crohn's.
I am at the point that I want to give up I am so fustrated and woren out. I really want answers. I am not myself anymore and it is effecting my 6 year old son. He see's me in pain all the time and he is wored for me. My son says he wants his old mamma back soon, all I can tell him is so do I.
After reading many other peoples stories It has help to give me hope. Thanks to everyone who has shared their stories. If anyone could give me more information to help me that woluld be great, I just feel like I am at such a loss. I can be reach at wegofive @ aol.com Thanks again and my prayers go out to all of you. Best of luck.

Comments for I am so thankful for this web site!

Click here to add your own comments

I am so thankful for this web stie! NEW
by: Annette Young

Hello,

Thanks for writing in. I'm so sorry to hear that you are really suffering and in a lot of pain.
Although it does sound a lot like Crohn's disease, I'm glad they are also testing for coeliac too. Sometimes it can seem to take forever to get a correct diagnosis.

My mother suffered for many years with a variety of symptoms including abdominal pains, nausea, diarrhea and she lost so much weight, that she looked seriously ill and she became quite reclusive because she spent so much time rushing in and out the bathroom. She was falsely diagnosed in the first instance, which is quite easy because Crohn's disease symptoms can echo other conditions. But it is still very frustrating for the individual whilst they wait.

I am glad that you are finding this forum useful. I think that Crohn's disease is such an isolating disease and isn't talked about enough. There's always an air of mystery with Crohn's disease and unless people have first-hand experience, or know someone who was ill with it, there is not a lot of information unless you actively search for it.

Whilst you are waiting for your diagnosis, I would suggest that you start creating a food Journal. Your doctors may have already advised you of this but because food can be a trigger and cause a lot of pain through the act of digestion, this forms a really good starting point.

If you eat a lot of spicy foods for example, then you need to change the types of meals that you have, it can help you to avoid dairy products, and wheat, in case you have coeliac disease as well. Try to have a simple diet as possible, avoid smoking and alcohol and try to limit the amount of stress that you have in your life.

I know it must be very worrying for your son to see you in so much pain and to struggle to cope but do tell him that often Crohn's disease goes into a remission period where the symptoms ease up and the individual tends to live a fairly normal life. Okay, there are flare-ups that can occur out of the blue and these can be quite aggressive but some people go months and even years in between bouts of pain and that is a possibility for you.I hope this helps.
Do let us know how you get on.
Best of luck,
Annette

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Ask A Question About Crohn's Disease.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.