I just wanted to post my story from the beginning to see if anyone can relate to it and identify with the symptoms I'm experiencing... I still am not sure about my CD diagnosis and would love to hear everyone's opinions.
2 years ago
i discovered i had gallstones and developed a gall attack after eating some chips
i changed my diet and managed to keep the gallstone attacks to a minimum
1.5 years ago
i began experiencing pain in my sides and SI joints- the pain was a stiffness felt in the AM usually after a long day of exercise and walking so it seemed to be inflammation.. i just had a baby and was carrying her around on my hips so i felt this somehow contributed to the pain.
1 year ago
i developed some pains in my upper stomach.. just under the breasts. i went through several days of feeling sore, nauseous and unable to eat. i suspected it was a more intense gallstone attack or an ulcer. the pain eventually subsided and things went back to normal. i think i experienced this again another time but more mild the second time.
i did noticed that every now and then i'd get a stabbing stomach pain in the upper GI after eating... especially if i bent over.
i also noticed that usually before i caught a virus my left nostril would flare up in pain and feel sore for a day or two... this still comes and goes.
i also noticed that my eyes would feel clouded with discharge in the AM as well as my eyelids seemed to be inflamed and purple... this comes and goes still
6 months ago
i noticed my infrequent bowel movements worsened and i had pretty bad constipation. it felt difficult to pass a BM and when I did there was some bleeding from hemorrhoids.
I cut back on my iron supplements thinking it was contributing to my constipation and when i did i noticed my BM were more regular. they didn't really feel too normal tho-- i was more regular and they were formed but it just felt that on occasion i had a bit more of an urgency to go. also, when i did go i didn't feel finished. these symptoms lasted a few weeks as i tired to get my hemorrhoids under control .. i felt that this might have been contributing to the having to go feeling.
at this time, i also developed some pain around my tailbone area and a feeling of a pulled ligament just to the right of my anus in my buttocks.
i also felt that i was gassy more than usual.
with all the strange changes of my BM's and the pain i requested a colonscopy. that is when they discovered inflammation of the TI and did a biopsy. it came back positive for inflammation which the dr. who did the colonscopy says was crohn's. she referred me to a GI specialist but in the meantime wanted to put me on meds. she said it looked to be mild and her opinion, the possibility of the start of crohn's.
over the last few months
i have noticed some digestion issues like GERD and constipation.. even if I drink prune juice it eventually comes but seems that my BM gets held back somewhere. I have near constant pain around my SI joints, flanks etc.. it seems some aches and pains float around my body. I now have a constant pain on my left side, lower ribs and it hurts to touch. ( i'm getting it scanned tomorrow.)
over the last 2 months
i have had mild fevers as well as frequent phlem in my throat. i had a uti infection and a burst cyst. i do feel pains now and then in the lower areas of my stomach/ovaries but it's hard what/if anything sets it off. most of my pains feel more constant and have worsened over the last few months.
i am just wondering how soon CD can set it. before my gallbladder attack i had no GI symptoms what so ever.. never did expect for infrequent BMs. i gave up gluten and that really helped with my pain... i am still at a loss tho.. i am not sure if this is CD. when i asked my GI dr. about it, he said the inflammation in my TI could also indicated lymphomia.. that freaks me out.. but my blood tests came back normal expect for slightly elevated inflammation.
now it's safe to say i have anxiety from all the strange symptoms that are going on with my body. my fever has been constant all weekend- i'm not sure if i'm fighting something off or if it's related to what i have. i feel attacks of inflammation in my eyes and joints but it doesn't really relate to any D. last night i had a burning sensation all in my upper GI which felt very odd- almost like an infection - didn't feel like GERD. i also developed sores in my mouth when this happened but they were gone the next day.
also i have noticed i'm bruising easily and my hair is falling out faster.. i have low iron but it's been lower before plus i don't have any other low iron symptoms like heart palpitations which i normally get if it drops low.
anywho- i am just wondering if this sounds like your experience with CD. I know something is going on but I just can't tell what. it seems pretty intense at times and is slowly worsening... if it is CD I plan on treating it with meds.. i see my dr. again in 2 weeks and will discuss with him.. i the meantime, i need someone to tell me to calm down and relax.. i'm afraid of getting terminally ill and leaving behind my family.
2 years ago
i discovered i had gallstones and developed a gall attack after eating some chips
i changed my diet and managed to keep the gallstone attacks to a minimum
1.5 years ago
i began experiencing pain in my sides and SI joints- the pain was a stiffness felt in the AM usually after a long day of exercise and walking so it seemed to be inflammation.. i just had a baby and was carrying her around on my hips so i felt this somehow contributed to the pain.
1 year ago
i developed some pains in my upper stomach.. just under the breasts. i went through several days of feeling sore, nauseous and unable to eat. i suspected it was a more intense gallstone attack or an ulcer. the pain eventually subsided and things went back to normal. i think i experienced this again another time but more mild the second time.
i did noticed that every now and then i'd get a stabbing stomach pain in the upper GI after eating... especially if i bent over.
i also noticed that usually before i caught a virus my left nostril would flare up in pain and feel sore for a day or two... this still comes and goes.
i also noticed that my eyes would feel clouded with discharge in the AM as well as my eyelids seemed to be inflamed and purple... this comes and goes still
6 months ago
i noticed my infrequent bowel movements worsened and i had pretty bad constipation. it felt difficult to pass a BM and when I did there was some bleeding from hemorrhoids.
I cut back on my iron supplements thinking it was contributing to my constipation and when i did i noticed my BM were more regular. they didn't really feel too normal tho-- i was more regular and they were formed but it just felt that on occasion i had a bit more of an urgency to go. also, when i did go i didn't feel finished. these symptoms lasted a few weeks as i tired to get my hemorrhoids under control .. i felt that this might have been contributing to the having to go feeling.
at this time, i also developed some pain around my tailbone area and a feeling of a pulled ligament just to the right of my anus in my buttocks.
i also felt that i was gassy more than usual.
with all the strange changes of my BM's and the pain i requested a colonscopy. that is when they discovered inflammation of the TI and did a biopsy. it came back positive for inflammation which the dr. who did the colonscopy says was crohn's. she referred me to a GI specialist but in the meantime wanted to put me on meds. she said it looked to be mild and her opinion, the possibility of the start of crohn's.
over the last few months
i have noticed some digestion issues like GERD and constipation.. even if I drink prune juice it eventually comes but seems that my BM gets held back somewhere. I have near constant pain around my SI joints, flanks etc.. it seems some aches and pains float around my body. I now have a constant pain on my left side, lower ribs and it hurts to touch. ( i'm getting it scanned tomorrow.)
over the last 2 months
i have had mild fevers as well as frequent phlem in my throat. i had a uti infection and a burst cyst. i do feel pains now and then in the lower areas of my stomach/ovaries but it's hard what/if anything sets it off. most of my pains feel more constant and have worsened over the last few months.
i am just wondering how soon CD can set it. before my gallbladder attack i had no GI symptoms what so ever.. never did expect for infrequent BMs. i gave up gluten and that really helped with my pain... i am still at a loss tho.. i am not sure if this is CD. when i asked my GI dr. about it, he said the inflammation in my TI could also indicated lymphomia.. that freaks me out.. but my blood tests came back normal expect for slightly elevated inflammation.
now it's safe to say i have anxiety from all the strange symptoms that are going on with my body. my fever has been constant all weekend- i'm not sure if i'm fighting something off or if it's related to what i have. i feel attacks of inflammation in my eyes and joints but it doesn't really relate to any D. last night i had a burning sensation all in my upper GI which felt very odd- almost like an infection - didn't feel like GERD. i also developed sores in my mouth when this happened but they were gone the next day.
also i have noticed i'm bruising easily and my hair is falling out faster.. i have low iron but it's been lower before plus i don't have any other low iron symptoms like heart palpitations which i normally get if it drops low.
anywho- i am just wondering if this sounds like your experience with CD. I know something is going on but I just can't tell what. it seems pretty intense at times and is slowly worsening... if it is CD I plan on treating it with meds.. i see my dr. again in 2 weeks and will discuss with him.. i the meantime, i need someone to tell me to calm down and relax.. i'm afraid of getting terminally ill and leaving behind my family.