I am a male, 29 years old and I am in good health. I started to work in a call center when I was 21. I used to be physically active when I was younger, I played hockey and football, and I was in decent shape. When I started to work in the call center I became a lot lazier and over the years I gained weight, to the point that I weighed over 300 pounds, I'm 6 feet tall (I know weigh 210 due to diet and exercise). I was eating horribly, my daily meals consisted of 2 sometimes 3 meals at fast food restaurants like McDonald's for example. I also smoked a lot of marijuana, I started when I was around 14 or 15, and up until last year I was smoking on average 2 grams a day.
So in October of 2012 I quit my job at the call center due to the stress associated with the job. I decided to start living a healthier lifestyle, I cut down on junk food and started eating healthier, I also started doing some exercise and was loosing weight quite fast. in February of 2013 quit smoking weed cold turkey due to it negatively affecting my lungs.
I was feeling good until sometime in the summer of 2013 when I started to have a pain in my lower right abdomen, it was accompanied by low fever that would last for days at a time. I didn't go to see a doctor right away because I figured it would pass. It did pass for a few weeks but then came back a bit worse, it did this a few times off and on until in October of 2013 I was plagued with that same pain in the abdomen but it became so sharp and intense that I could barely move. I did a bit of research and though I had appendicitis due to having all the symptoms associated with it. My pain was so bad that I had to call an ambulance because I was in to much pain to drive, and my family members were away on vacation.
When I got to the hospital they did some checks on me and determined that I didn't have appendicitis, but that the end of my small intestine was badly swollen. I still had regular bowel movements, that were never diarrhea, but I had difficulty passing gas and would become incredibly bloated. They kept me in the hospital for 6 days, they gave me prednisone and antibiotics, this caused the swelling to go down and the pain to go away. They did a few tests including x-ray, MRI and a colonoscopy. When the Gastroenterologist did the colonoscopy he was unable to enter into the swollen area, but was apparently able to take a biopsy. When he later talked to me he said that while the test was inconclusive he strongly believed that I had Crohn's (due to my symptoms being very similar to Crohn's).
He then let me let me leave the hospital and prescribed prednisone for 3 weeks and told me to go see him after my prescription was done. A month later I went to see him and was feeling fine, like I was 100% healthy. He asked my if I wanted to go on a different medication or try to stop the medication and see what happens, and that I should contact him again if it came back. I decided to try and stop the medication since I was still not 100% sure that it was Crohn's (due to colonoscopy being inconclusive) and I was actually scared of the side effects that the medications can cause.
So I went about my regular life until December 31st when I went to a new year's party at a friend's house, I drank a few beers (like 12 lol) and I went to Burger King and ate like 3 burgers. I woke up the next morning with pain in the same area as when I had been hospitalized in October. I went to the bathroom and it decreased a bit but didn't go away, I didn't panic and figured it would go away. Well after waiting 2 weeks for it to go away I finally tried to contact the doctor, but was told that he moved away. I then went to see my family doctor who told me she couldn't prescribe me the medication I needed and to go to the hospital for some "tests". When I got there Thursday of last week, they decided to keep me overnight so I could see another Gastroenterologist the next morning. Well when I saw him, he talked to me for about 30 seconds then left me with his intern. I am still at the hospital right now and was able to speak to another Gastroenterologist today. She told me that she is sure I have Crohn's even though they have done no further tests since last time I was here, and when I asked about alternatives to the side effect ridden drugs she just ignored me and had a "how dare you question me" attitude.
I've read that some people have had great success with fecal transplants, when I asked her about it she said that it's not for Crohn's, when I told her that I had read differently online she just shook her head and kept saying "no" repeatedly. I got the impression that she doesn't know what she's doing and just wants to push some pills on me.
I'm also thinking maybe I do have Crohn's and have had it for awhile but the Marijuana was having a role in suppressing it, as I've read that cannabis can be used as an alternative treatment. Anyway, what I want to know now is if I actually have Crohn's and what other tests could be done to ensure a 100% diagnosis. If I do have it then what are the best medications with the mildest side effects, what's the point in taking medications if the side effects are worse than what you're treating. And are there alternative methods of treatment that I could try than have little to no side effects. I live in New-Brunswick Canada, does anyone know of some good doctors that are not mere pill pushers? I am honestly scared right now and any help would be greatly appreciated.
So in October of 2012 I quit my job at the call center due to the stress associated with the job. I decided to start living a healthier lifestyle, I cut down on junk food and started eating healthier, I also started doing some exercise and was loosing weight quite fast. in February of 2013 quit smoking weed cold turkey due to it negatively affecting my lungs.
I was feeling good until sometime in the summer of 2013 when I started to have a pain in my lower right abdomen, it was accompanied by low fever that would last for days at a time. I didn't go to see a doctor right away because I figured it would pass. It did pass for a few weeks but then came back a bit worse, it did this a few times off and on until in October of 2013 I was plagued with that same pain in the abdomen but it became so sharp and intense that I could barely move. I did a bit of research and though I had appendicitis due to having all the symptoms associated with it. My pain was so bad that I had to call an ambulance because I was in to much pain to drive, and my family members were away on vacation.
When I got to the hospital they did some checks on me and determined that I didn't have appendicitis, but that the end of my small intestine was badly swollen. I still had regular bowel movements, that were never diarrhea, but I had difficulty passing gas and would become incredibly bloated. They kept me in the hospital for 6 days, they gave me prednisone and antibiotics, this caused the swelling to go down and the pain to go away. They did a few tests including x-ray, MRI and a colonoscopy. When the Gastroenterologist did the colonoscopy he was unable to enter into the swollen area, but was apparently able to take a biopsy. When he later talked to me he said that while the test was inconclusive he strongly believed that I had Crohn's (due to my symptoms being very similar to Crohn's).
He then let me let me leave the hospital and prescribed prednisone for 3 weeks and told me to go see him after my prescription was done. A month later I went to see him and was feeling fine, like I was 100% healthy. He asked my if I wanted to go on a different medication or try to stop the medication and see what happens, and that I should contact him again if it came back. I decided to try and stop the medication since I was still not 100% sure that it was Crohn's (due to colonoscopy being inconclusive) and I was actually scared of the side effects that the medications can cause.
So I went about my regular life until December 31st when I went to a new year's party at a friend's house, I drank a few beers (like 12 lol) and I went to Burger King and ate like 3 burgers. I woke up the next morning with pain in the same area as when I had been hospitalized in October. I went to the bathroom and it decreased a bit but didn't go away, I didn't panic and figured it would go away. Well after waiting 2 weeks for it to go away I finally tried to contact the doctor, but was told that he moved away. I then went to see my family doctor who told me she couldn't prescribe me the medication I needed and to go to the hospital for some "tests". When I got there Thursday of last week, they decided to keep me overnight so I could see another Gastroenterologist the next morning. Well when I saw him, he talked to me for about 30 seconds then left me with his intern. I am still at the hospital right now and was able to speak to another Gastroenterologist today. She told me that she is sure I have Crohn's even though they have done no further tests since last time I was here, and when I asked about alternatives to the side effect ridden drugs she just ignored me and had a "how dare you question me" attitude.
I've read that some people have had great success with fecal transplants, when I asked her about it she said that it's not for Crohn's, when I told her that I had read differently online she just shook her head and kept saying "no" repeatedly. I got the impression that she doesn't know what she's doing and just wants to push some pills on me.
I'm also thinking maybe I do have Crohn's and have had it for awhile but the Marijuana was having a role in suppressing it, as I've read that cannabis can be used as an alternative treatment. Anyway, what I want to know now is if I actually have Crohn's and what other tests could be done to ensure a 100% diagnosis. If I do have it then what are the best medications with the mildest side effects, what's the point in taking medications if the side effects are worse than what you're treating. And are there alternative methods of treatment that I could try than have little to no side effects. I live in New-Brunswick Canada, does anyone know of some good doctors that are not mere pill pushers? I am honestly scared right now and any help would be greatly appreciated.