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Yes Another newbie

K

Kate

Guest
Hi Guys

Here is my Story, When i was 16 i had a reconstruction done to my knee and after the surgery i started to vomit alot and have good old D at the time i thought it was strange but just put it down to the meds i was on (how right was i) anyhow as time went on and these symtoms did lesson but infact increased i became concerend and went to my dr because we have high risk bowel cancer in my family. My Dr just gave me some anti neausa pills and said go away. When these didnt help i went back and he said that i have IBS and that there is nothing wrong cause IBS is all in your head and that i have a virus (something i was going to hear from him for some time). So i gave up and after awhile it went away. Well for a couple of years anyhow. When i was 19 it came back with avengence I had pain which started around my stomach and then moved around to my appenics area and my bowel would spasum badly. So the dr sent me to a speicalist to see if i had appenicitis he poked and proded and said i didnt have appendicitis and sent me home. Well my dr still wasnt interested. One day i had intense pain that woulnt leave so my husband and i decided i had to go to hospital so off i went. all through this time i had been in and out of A&E's and they keeped telling me i must be pregnant which was impossible cause i felt to sick to even use any opportunity to get pregnant. Once i got there again i was told i must be pregnant untill my blood work came back as negative then they looked at my uteris which was fine then again they concentrated on my appendicts. During all this the rest of my blood work came and guess what again i have a virus and a high temp. They poked and prodded and came to no concluseions but keeped me in overnight because of my temp. So i was up all night with sever D and by the morning the pain had lessoned so they sent me home and to go see my dr for futher tests. I went to my dr who said it was IBS again. So i decided that it was all in my head and i would stop seeing the dr about it. Well 2 years later 2004 and i never really came 100% right and started to loose major weight became really lathergic and my bladder woulnd empty. So very scared i went to another dr who after looking at me put me on iron tabs sent me for blood work and refered me to a speicalist before the results came back because she could feel a mass in my bowel that was pushing against my bladder stopping me from emptying it. In New Zealand they have 2 health systems 1 is public and is paid for by the govenment and 2 is private where you pay for it yourself. Well we were going to go public but the 3 month weight would have killed me so we have to go private. Before my colonoscopy i was told i had cd and bad so he arranged for me to have my oscopy within 2 dyas of seeing him. Well yes i did have crohns no surprises there and next on my list was a CAT scan and that showed a inflamatory mass. so i was called back to the drs within 2 hours of the scan and had to make an emergency appointment with the surgeon who decided to try the meds first before opperateing which was a good move because i am told it was a mirricle that i still havent had surgery. I was on the pred for over a year and gianed 20kg but i have now been off it since march this year and am getting down to size again which is good. Although crohns sucks its easier to deal with it once you know what it is. In nz i have started up my own little forum but i do encorrage them to try other websites because they can get help from others which is never a bad thing.

Sorry to bore you all Best of luck
Kate
 
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cookey

Mama Crohnie
Oh Gosh Kate, never say you're boring any of us hun. I loved reading your story, and I welcome you to the Crohns Forums. We are all here to share our stories honey, and you are right when you say Crohns sucks...it is always better to know, then wonder about the unknown. I'm very glad you joined, and that you are encouraging others, to look around for all sources of Crohns Disease forums. Please enjoy your time here...From Canada to New Zealand, I welcome you.
Deb*
 

mikeyarmo

Co-Founder
Thanks for sharing all that Kate. It is so aweful to hear how many people are told by their doctors what they are going through is all in their head. It should be obvious when your stomach is balooning that it obviously is not in your head... it is in your stomach! I am glad that you are now finding some relief off of the prednisone, and are returning back to a more ideal weight.

I am glad you were able to avoid surgery too. I am curious to how the healthcare system is in New Zealand, as in Canada there are some people who are wanting a change of our system from public to a public and private option. I would love your own opinions and insights on the current NZ system, as I think no one knows this stuff better than the people who have to go through it.
 

Tami Lynn

Forum Angel

Hi Kate! Let me extend a personal welcome from sunny Florida/USA (all the way to NZ)

Glad you found this group!

It sounds like you've had quite a bumpy ride. I'm sorry things were so rough for you. I think most of us were told that everything was "all in our head" at one time or another. I'm glad they finally figured out what was going on!

I too started my own forum and chat a couple of years ago, but it never took off. I still have both available for anyone who wants to post/chat, but I know that I personally am not opposed to "traveling around" to find a place to share and learn with others. Actually, I just updated the links on my website and told everyone about this place...lol

I think most of us just have the desire to help others. I supposed it validates our experiences to some extent.

I look forward to getting to know you better.

...and BTW: You're not "boring." :)

Happiness, health, and wellness wishes!
 
K

Kossy

Guest
Hey Kate, I am sorry to hear you had to jump through hoops and it took so long before you got real answers to what was wrong.

by the way, just wonder in the public health care system are you able to choose your own doctors or not? That question is for New Zeland and any Canadains out there. I live 15 mintues from Canada really don't know that much about their health care system. I get all my Canadain news from the CBC show "This hour has 22 minutes."
 
K

Kate

Guest
Well what can i say about public vers private.

Public you have longer waiting times for treatment/surgery and less options avalible to you as far as chooseing drs (speicalists) but all you healthcare is free apart from your visits to you GP and the amount left from the meds subsidies.

Private means less waiting times more choices of Drs (however not all public drs do private as well and visa versa) and in general "better treatment" from the point of view they arnt trying to cut costs because you are paying for it (thats where health insurance comes in handy) and when you have surgery you can have a nice roo with all the trimmings. You still dont have to pay full price for meds cause our government subsidises it.


In general public is fine if your not urgent there is nothing wrong with the treatment but its basic.

Hope this helps abit and thakyou for your replies

Kate
 
J

jyarmo

Guest
Hey Kate,
Welcome aboard! It's a shame you had to go through so much to just get diagnosed! Thank you for sharing your story!

And to Kossy..don't feel bad...a lot of my friends get all of their news (Canadian, American and Global) care of The Daily Show!
 
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