I have suffered with Crohn's Disease for years, which was previously put down to IBS, until i was admitted to hospital early last year in excrutiating and debilatiting pain, which up on i was eventually diagnosed with Crohn's - not before being treated for 2 months for Colitis though - you gotta love the NHS!
I have never really talked to or related to anyone my own kind of age who has Crohn's, and after what i feel is a year and a half of an unsuccessful and prohibiting battle i find myself on this forum looking for answers of some sort - reassurance if you like that i am not alone!!!
Once the doctors finally decided i had Crohn's, after the usual colonoscopy, CT scans etc i was started on Prednisolone and Pentasa. The steroids obviously made a difference but once weaned off them the 'crappy' feeling returned. I was started on Azathioprine but suffered really bad side effects - my belly swelled out and i looked 5 months pregnant lol! Then they tried me on Imuran - just as bad side effects. I moved house to a different area and with that came a change in Consultant.....and a change in attitude to help! The old guy was a few months from retiring and frankly didnt give a flying f**k! He told me my Crohn's was in remission - even though i was doped up to my eyeballs on Codeine Phosphate just to make it through the day and that i didnt need any more treatment, he was referring me to a dietician to experiment with an elimination diet because he suspected my symptoms were food related - aye awrite big man. Of course simplicity does not follow - i am a head chef and pride myself on my reputation of preparing good food and do not let any food leave my kitchen without a taste test - i know one of the worst professions to be in and suffer from a bowel disorder - but why should i let a 'disease' get in the way of me fulfilling my ambitions?
At least thats what i have been telling myself for the past year or so and somehow just struggled on. But recently my symptoms have came back to bite me on the ass stronger - quite literally! I have just been diagnosed with Proctitis and am back on the 'roids' along with Pentasa 'bullets' and my daily dosage of oral Pentasa, Omeprazole, Codeine, Immodium, Ibuprofen and Paracetamol - im a walking chemist lol! My GP thinks im depressed, well no s**t sherlock - would you not be at the prospect of putting up with this mince (yes i am scottish) for the rest of your life??? Finger oot big man lets get it sorted eh!! Its frustrating when it starts to affect your work as many of you will know. I am on my feet all day in the kitchen and where 12/14 hour shifts used to be a dawdle im struggling to put in the basic 8 hour slog, this pisses me off ever so slightly as my team are starting to notice i cant cope aswell - i dont do weakness!!!
Ok rant over from crazy Scottish Lassie lol!
While i have supportive friends around me and a nurse for a mum i dont think anyone knows how you are feeling unless you have experienced it yourself, the same with any disease i suppose. Dont know if ive struck a chord with anyone, even a fellow chef, if not hope my banter was entertaining at least!
P.S. Hampden Roar means 'Whats Happenin?' in Scotland xxxxx
I have never really talked to or related to anyone my own kind of age who has Crohn's, and after what i feel is a year and a half of an unsuccessful and prohibiting battle i find myself on this forum looking for answers of some sort - reassurance if you like that i am not alone!!!
Once the doctors finally decided i had Crohn's, after the usual colonoscopy, CT scans etc i was started on Prednisolone and Pentasa. The steroids obviously made a difference but once weaned off them the 'crappy' feeling returned. I was started on Azathioprine but suffered really bad side effects - my belly swelled out and i looked 5 months pregnant lol! Then they tried me on Imuran - just as bad side effects. I moved house to a different area and with that came a change in Consultant.....and a change in attitude to help! The old guy was a few months from retiring and frankly didnt give a flying f**k! He told me my Crohn's was in remission - even though i was doped up to my eyeballs on Codeine Phosphate just to make it through the day and that i didnt need any more treatment, he was referring me to a dietician to experiment with an elimination diet because he suspected my symptoms were food related - aye awrite big man. Of course simplicity does not follow - i am a head chef and pride myself on my reputation of preparing good food and do not let any food leave my kitchen without a taste test - i know one of the worst professions to be in and suffer from a bowel disorder - but why should i let a 'disease' get in the way of me fulfilling my ambitions?
At least thats what i have been telling myself for the past year or so and somehow just struggled on. But recently my symptoms have came back to bite me on the ass stronger - quite literally! I have just been diagnosed with Proctitis and am back on the 'roids' along with Pentasa 'bullets' and my daily dosage of oral Pentasa, Omeprazole, Codeine, Immodium, Ibuprofen and Paracetamol - im a walking chemist lol! My GP thinks im depressed, well no s**t sherlock - would you not be at the prospect of putting up with this mince (yes i am scottish) for the rest of your life??? Finger oot big man lets get it sorted eh!! Its frustrating when it starts to affect your work as many of you will know. I am on my feet all day in the kitchen and where 12/14 hour shifts used to be a dawdle im struggling to put in the basic 8 hour slog, this pisses me off ever so slightly as my team are starting to notice i cant cope aswell - i dont do weakness!!!
Ok rant over from crazy Scottish Lassie lol!
While i have supportive friends around me and a nurse for a mum i dont think anyone knows how you are feeling unless you have experienced it yourself, the same with any disease i suppose. Dont know if ive struck a chord with anyone, even a fellow chef, if not hope my banter was entertaining at least!
P.S. Hampden Roar means 'Whats Happenin?' in Scotland xxxxx