Well, I guess I should formally introduce myself since I have been lurking for awhile and just recently started posting. I am very thankful to have found this site!
Just after college, I was "diagnosed" with IBS (ha ha). So for the next 10 yrs or so I have had minor issues here and there. About 2 years ago, I started getting sick more often. I NEVER threw up. I couldn't stand it. But then I started to be getting sick to the point of throwing up. I knew something was off, but because I had been around people who were sick, I just attributed it to that.
Then, I started seeing blood when I went to the bathroom. I was under a lot of stress at the time and was also worried about this blood. I was in the middle of a move, so I was going to see a doctor as soon as I got to my new home. Well, then the bleeding stopped. So, I assumed that everything was okay (sort of). Around Thanksgiving last year, I started feeling very odd. I was extremely gassy and bloated and my stomach just didn't feel right but couldn't really explain it to anyone. I took lots of Gas X and eventually it passed.
In December, I was working and as is the case in a childcare environment, an illness spread like wildfire through the staff. I got sick. Lots of diarrhea. I started to feel better, but the D just wouldn't stop. Eventually, I was so worn down that I took myself to the hospital.
Of course, there, they told me I probably had some kind of virus. I was given fluids and antibiotics. A week later, I went to my mother's house for Christmas. Luckily, my brother was with me and he drove. There was no way I could do a four hour drive with how I was feeling. While at my mother's, I got worse. I wasn't able to make it to the bathroom and then I also started throwing up. I saw a doctor (the same who diagnosed me with IBS so many years ago) in my mom's office. He was very concerned and ordered me back home and to a local GI.
I got an appointment within the next two days and went straight to the hospital from my GI's office that day. Endoscopy and colonoscopy and a week in the hospital and I found out it was Crohn's. They started me on Cimzia, gave me lots of fluids, and iron.
About a week or so later, I was back in the hospital with pains in my side. It was excruciating! The morphine didn't work too well on me. It kind of dulled the pain, but not enough. I ended up on diloded (sp?). That worked like a charm! Once it wore off, however, the pain was back.
They let me out after more fluids, steroids, etc. Another week or so later, I had a sinus infection. I went to an urgent care cause it was a weekend. They gave me a prescription, but were concerned with how pale I was. As I was checking out, I felt really faint and had to sit down. Well, of course, back to the exam room I went. They tried to get some fluids in me, but I was so dehydrated that they couldn't find a vein. I got my first ambulance ride that day. The doctors at the hospital decided I needed to be admitted (again). Besides the dehydration, they also determined that I was extremely anemic. I got three blood transfusions, more iron, more fluids, etc.
I was put on steroids to help with the inflammations. The steroids really did a number on me. My muscles in my legs were so weak that I could barely lift them. Stairs/steps were out. I just couldn't get up or down them. Weak, weak, weak was how I was. When I went to see my GI, I couldn't even get on the exam table. He literally had to catch me as I was trying to get on the step cause I was falling.
After the insurance said they wouldn't pay for the Cimzia, I was switched to Humira. So far, so good on that.
My second colonoscopy did show some improvement. However, my doctor hasn't looked at everything yet. He was concerned about going any further with all the damage in there.
Didn't realize how long this was going to be to write! Thanks for reading this if you have made it this far.
At this point, I am in remission (thankfully!). I am off of the imuran for now because my white blood cell count dropped really low. My dr wanted to take me off to see if that would help. Now it seems my white blood cells are on a roller coaster ride (down, then up, now back down again). Just got labs done on Fri so we'll see if they are back up. I have begun to feel some gurgles and more gas here lately. I am concerned that perhaps being off the imuran is causing me to slowly slide back into a flare. I have another colonoscopy coming up in June to look at the rest of the colon. He also wants to look at my small bowel. Not sure what is involved with that. Would love to hear any feedback on that procedure that anyone has had.
Again, thanks for reading and I look forward to seeing you around the forum!
-Sarah
Just after college, I was "diagnosed" with IBS (ha ha). So for the next 10 yrs or so I have had minor issues here and there. About 2 years ago, I started getting sick more often. I NEVER threw up. I couldn't stand it. But then I started to be getting sick to the point of throwing up. I knew something was off, but because I had been around people who were sick, I just attributed it to that.
Then, I started seeing blood when I went to the bathroom. I was under a lot of stress at the time and was also worried about this blood. I was in the middle of a move, so I was going to see a doctor as soon as I got to my new home. Well, then the bleeding stopped. So, I assumed that everything was okay (sort of). Around Thanksgiving last year, I started feeling very odd. I was extremely gassy and bloated and my stomach just didn't feel right but couldn't really explain it to anyone. I took lots of Gas X and eventually it passed.
In December, I was working and as is the case in a childcare environment, an illness spread like wildfire through the staff. I got sick. Lots of diarrhea. I started to feel better, but the D just wouldn't stop. Eventually, I was so worn down that I took myself to the hospital.
Of course, there, they told me I probably had some kind of virus. I was given fluids and antibiotics. A week later, I went to my mother's house for Christmas. Luckily, my brother was with me and he drove. There was no way I could do a four hour drive with how I was feeling. While at my mother's, I got worse. I wasn't able to make it to the bathroom and then I also started throwing up. I saw a doctor (the same who diagnosed me with IBS so many years ago) in my mom's office. He was very concerned and ordered me back home and to a local GI.
I got an appointment within the next two days and went straight to the hospital from my GI's office that day. Endoscopy and colonoscopy and a week in the hospital and I found out it was Crohn's. They started me on Cimzia, gave me lots of fluids, and iron.
About a week or so later, I was back in the hospital with pains in my side. It was excruciating! The morphine didn't work too well on me. It kind of dulled the pain, but not enough. I ended up on diloded (sp?). That worked like a charm! Once it wore off, however, the pain was back.
They let me out after more fluids, steroids, etc. Another week or so later, I had a sinus infection. I went to an urgent care cause it was a weekend. They gave me a prescription, but were concerned with how pale I was. As I was checking out, I felt really faint and had to sit down. Well, of course, back to the exam room I went. They tried to get some fluids in me, but I was so dehydrated that they couldn't find a vein. I got my first ambulance ride that day. The doctors at the hospital decided I needed to be admitted (again). Besides the dehydration, they also determined that I was extremely anemic. I got three blood transfusions, more iron, more fluids, etc.
I was put on steroids to help with the inflammations. The steroids really did a number on me. My muscles in my legs were so weak that I could barely lift them. Stairs/steps were out. I just couldn't get up or down them. Weak, weak, weak was how I was. When I went to see my GI, I couldn't even get on the exam table. He literally had to catch me as I was trying to get on the step cause I was falling.
After the insurance said they wouldn't pay for the Cimzia, I was switched to Humira. So far, so good on that.
My second colonoscopy did show some improvement. However, my doctor hasn't looked at everything yet. He was concerned about going any further with all the damage in there.
Didn't realize how long this was going to be to write! Thanks for reading this if you have made it this far.
At this point, I am in remission (thankfully!). I am off of the imuran for now because my white blood cell count dropped really low. My dr wanted to take me off to see if that would help. Now it seems my white blood cells are on a roller coaster ride (down, then up, now back down again). Just got labs done on Fri so we'll see if they are back up. I have begun to feel some gurgles and more gas here lately. I am concerned that perhaps being off the imuran is causing me to slowly slide back into a flare. I have another colonoscopy coming up in June to look at the rest of the colon. He also wants to look at my small bowel. Not sure what is involved with that. Would love to hear any feedback on that procedure that anyone has had.
Again, thanks for reading and I look forward to seeing you around the forum!
-Sarah
