Hi everyone!
I have been on here for a few days, reading posts and seeing what it was all about. I'm glad that everyone seems so supportive and that this site EXISTS! I'm 27 years old (the picture of me on the left is me about two years ago).
I have had sypmtoms of CD since 2007. It started when I was studying abroad in Central America; I got super sick from some parasite while I was down there and just never fully recovered. Over the next couple of years, I had the urgency constant BMs, but never thought anything of it. I honestly thought it was IBS, self-diagnosed of course. I also had a ruptured appendix when I was 4 years old and had to have exploratory surgery, which left an 8-inch scar down the middle of my tummy (scar tissue, hello partial-cause of obstruction!).
In 2009, the excruciating pain started. I woke up one night and the pain in my abdomen had me curled up in a fetus position and literally crying, which is odd because I have a high tolerance for pain. It persisted for a few days and I stayed home from work. I should have gone to the doctor, but hindsight 20/20 I guess.
I went six or so months before my next episode. By this time, I was in grad school and didn't have insurance and it happened a couple of times. Hindsight again, I should have purchased the insurance through my university. Well the last quarter of my graduate program, last April, right as I'm preparing for my thesis oral presentation (the deciding factor if I pass or fail my program!) the pain comes back. And the pain... well it would worsen during the night and be ok during the day. But I would constantly be missing school or my practicum because I didn't sleep the entire night. After a few weeks of this, the worst pain I have ever had comes back but multiplied by infinity. It's so bad that I can't even cry... I SCREAM. And my stomach is distended. And this time, I'm throwing up non-stop. And I can't see but I think there is blood? Luckily, I had purchased the student health insurance the month before by this time (or so I thought, come to find later on that I would be denied and I am still paying back thousands of dollars) so I went to the hospital. CT scan. Boom. Doctor walks in and says I have crohn's. I'm in and out of consciousness, but I remember him saying this and I cry. I spent four days in the hospital and feel lucky because the obstruction cleared with medicine and I didn't have to have the surgery. Even as I left, the doctor wasn't sure 100 percent that I had Crohn's, but all of the tests point that direction. So I continued to have MRIs and colonoscopys done throughout the summer. One doctor may say I have CD, but the next may say that the evidence points that direction, but they need more testing to be sure.
At this time, my current doctor says I have fibrostenotic CD. I was taking 4000mg of Pentasa and weening myself off of Prednisone from a recent trip to Uganda. All of the GI specialists I have been to have told me that I am playing with fire because I'm such a high risk for another obstruction and they think I should be on Humira. But due to some circumstantial stress, I am in the middle of a flare, which makes me clinically depressed, and I have stopped taking all medication. Sometimes, I just don't want to fight. Most days, I wake up crying and I'm barely able to hold it together at work (work is the majority of my stress). But I can't quit because I need the health benefits.
Anyway, thanks for reading, I know this is long. I appreciate the support and warm welcome I have already received! Have a BLESSED day!
I have been on here for a few days, reading posts and seeing what it was all about. I'm glad that everyone seems so supportive and that this site EXISTS! I'm 27 years old (the picture of me on the left is me about two years ago).
I have had sypmtoms of CD since 2007. It started when I was studying abroad in Central America; I got super sick from some parasite while I was down there and just never fully recovered. Over the next couple of years, I had the urgency constant BMs, but never thought anything of it. I honestly thought it was IBS, self-diagnosed of course. I also had a ruptured appendix when I was 4 years old and had to have exploratory surgery, which left an 8-inch scar down the middle of my tummy (scar tissue, hello partial-cause of obstruction!).
In 2009, the excruciating pain started. I woke up one night and the pain in my abdomen had me curled up in a fetus position and literally crying, which is odd because I have a high tolerance for pain. It persisted for a few days and I stayed home from work. I should have gone to the doctor, but hindsight 20/20 I guess.
I went six or so months before my next episode. By this time, I was in grad school and didn't have insurance and it happened a couple of times. Hindsight again, I should have purchased the insurance through my university. Well the last quarter of my graduate program, last April, right as I'm preparing for my thesis oral presentation (the deciding factor if I pass or fail my program!) the pain comes back. And the pain... well it would worsen during the night and be ok during the day. But I would constantly be missing school or my practicum because I didn't sleep the entire night. After a few weeks of this, the worst pain I have ever had comes back but multiplied by infinity. It's so bad that I can't even cry... I SCREAM. And my stomach is distended. And this time, I'm throwing up non-stop. And I can't see but I think there is blood? Luckily, I had purchased the student health insurance the month before by this time (or so I thought, come to find later on that I would be denied and I am still paying back thousands of dollars) so I went to the hospital. CT scan. Boom. Doctor walks in and says I have crohn's. I'm in and out of consciousness, but I remember him saying this and I cry. I spent four days in the hospital and feel lucky because the obstruction cleared with medicine and I didn't have to have the surgery. Even as I left, the doctor wasn't sure 100 percent that I had Crohn's, but all of the tests point that direction. So I continued to have MRIs and colonoscopys done throughout the summer. One doctor may say I have CD, but the next may say that the evidence points that direction, but they need more testing to be sure.
At this time, my current doctor says I have fibrostenotic CD. I was taking 4000mg of Pentasa and weening myself off of Prednisone from a recent trip to Uganda. All of the GI specialists I have been to have told me that I am playing with fire because I'm such a high risk for another obstruction and they think I should be on Humira. But due to some circumstantial stress, I am in the middle of a flare, which makes me clinically depressed, and I have stopped taking all medication. Sometimes, I just don't want to fight. Most days, I wake up crying and I'm barely able to hold it together at work (work is the majority of my stress). But I can't quit because I need the health benefits.
Anyway, thanks for reading, I know this is long. I appreciate the support and warm welcome I have already received! Have a BLESSED day!
