I suppose this is the thread to introduce myself. I'm a 27 year old male from Hawaii diagnosed with crohns disease in October of 2010. Prior to being diagnosed, it was very hard for me trying to understand why my body was making such a tremendous physical transformation. I worked out religiously and intensely, and ate massive amounts of a broad range of foods. I did however drink more alcohol than almost everyone i knew in volume and consistancy for the last 6 years. I wasnt into drugs other than an on and off relationship with marijuana, and my childhood was harsh to say the least. I started noticing that it was getting harder to maintain my body weight and experimented with workout supplements to get results. It worked, til I got off of them and then i would shrink. The pain didnt start til after i had already lost around 8 pounds. I hated my stressful job so i thought maybe it would be good to take a break and a basically retired on the funds i had invested and accumulated.
To put it in a nutshell, my life has been changed in such a drastic manor from this disease that i could write about what it has done to me, mentally and physically, for days on end. The pain is something that i couldnt have imagined prior. Perhaps tattoos and burning flesh would be how i would describe it in the core of my body. Loss of weight/appetite, irrational thoughts, sleep apnea, depression, anger, suicidal thoughts and pushing all of my loved ones away was my reality. The holidays were terrible. I almost gave up and died after 5 sets of doctors couldnt find out how to treat me.
Then I met Dr. Falzarano, and after signing a do not resuscitate form before a colonoscopy (ya, i tested my fate), I was ensured with his handshake that this man was going to do everything he could to make me better. He did. This new found hope kick started me into appreciating my life again and i wanted to do everything i could to make the progress. I did. The imuran, prednisone, multivitamins, supplements and extreme dieting (i mean fuckin 500 calories every 3 hours of a short list of bioavailable foods for months!), put me in recession and at the heaviest i've ever been at 5% bodyfat. I was one of those p90x looking before and after photos ON STEROIDS with acne to prove it. My strength in the gym was phenomenal. I had my swagger back.
Then the realization of the uncertainty of this disease reared its ugly head back at me. After doing a bit of celebrating of my met goals, and for once feeling pain free, the symptoms crept back one by one. The tapering off of steroids and a combination of new job stress and alcohol led to the slow retaliation. The war is certainly not over. Although there are days when i feel like i want to go to sleep and never wake up, i do anyway. Because I have to summon the strength and the courage to push on and do everything i can to help others. If there is anything i can do to help any of you wether it be workout routines or tips on how i manage/mishandle my moderate/severe Crohn's disease, dont hesitate to email me. Stay alive partner*
To put it in a nutshell, my life has been changed in such a drastic manor from this disease that i could write about what it has done to me, mentally and physically, for days on end. The pain is something that i couldnt have imagined prior. Perhaps tattoos and burning flesh would be how i would describe it in the core of my body. Loss of weight/appetite, irrational thoughts, sleep apnea, depression, anger, suicidal thoughts and pushing all of my loved ones away was my reality. The holidays were terrible. I almost gave up and died after 5 sets of doctors couldnt find out how to treat me.
Then I met Dr. Falzarano, and after signing a do not resuscitate form before a colonoscopy (ya, i tested my fate), I was ensured with his handshake that this man was going to do everything he could to make me better. He did. This new found hope kick started me into appreciating my life again and i wanted to do everything i could to make the progress. I did. The imuran, prednisone, multivitamins, supplements and extreme dieting (i mean fuckin 500 calories every 3 hours of a short list of bioavailable foods for months!), put me in recession and at the heaviest i've ever been at 5% bodyfat. I was one of those p90x looking before and after photos ON STEROIDS with acne to prove it. My strength in the gym was phenomenal. I had my swagger back.
Then the realization of the uncertainty of this disease reared its ugly head back at me. After doing a bit of celebrating of my met goals, and for once feeling pain free, the symptoms crept back one by one. The tapering off of steroids and a combination of new job stress and alcohol led to the slow retaliation. The war is certainly not over. Although there are days when i feel like i want to go to sleep and never wake up, i do anyway. Because I have to summon the strength and the courage to push on and do everything i can to help others. If there is anything i can do to help any of you wether it be workout routines or tips on how i manage/mishandle my moderate/severe Crohn's disease, dont hesitate to email me. Stay alive partner*
