I was 14 years old and graduating from 8th grade when I was first diagnosed, and now, I am 24 years old. At first, the doctors could not diagnose my condition properly, so I was initially told I had Ulcerative Colitis, but after many tests, it was concluded that I had Crohn's Disease. Some of my symptoms were the following: a great loss of blood, a great loss of weight, fatigue, weakness, severe joint pain, severe abdominal pain, chronic headaches, and constant bathroom breaks.
When I was a sophomore in high school, I had the worst flare up imaginable. I had lost so much weight, I was down from 145 to 95, and I had lost so much blood, I had to have 6 blood transfusions. Everything I described above, I experienced during my first major flare up. I was hospitalized for about two weeks and had to receive home schooling because I was not able to attend classes. I was told that stress as well as my diet played a major factor in my flare up and it was true. My diet was horrible as a teenager. I was eating fried, fatty, and greasy foods, as well as spicy foods. Yes, my diet was beyond poor, unfortunately, and being stressed out about keeping my grades up added fuel to the already scorching fire. After spending two weeks in the hospital, I knew my life had to change—specifically my diet. Since my Crohn’s was not fully healed, I began to avoid onions, tomatoes, chocolate, anything with acid (lemons, pop, etc), citrus juices and fruits, anything green (lettuce, spinach, etc), spicy, fried, greasy and fatty foods, and others that I cannot think of at the moment. The reason I had to avoid anything green, such as lettuce and spinach is because those types of foods caused me to have excessive gas inside my stomach that I was not able to pass. The other types of food caused extreme abdominal pain. Basically, when I arrived home from the hospital, my mother and grandmother made me eat boiled chicken and rice for weeks. Now can you imagine a HUGE FOODIE eating only boiled chicken and rice for weeks??? I was beyond mad, but I knew I had to get better so I stuck to this strict diet and within weeks, my Crohn’s began to go into remission. In addition to a huge diet change, I also had to take my medication on a daily basis, which I simply HATED doing because of the quantity of pills I had to take. I was on prednisone, asacol, Tylenol with codeine, iron, vitamin D, potassium, and much much more. I had lost so many vitamins and nutrients, not to mention my body was not properly absorbing vitamins and nutrients, so supplements were a must for me. I was also taking Geritol because I no longer had my monthly visits and because it gave me a boost of energy. Geritol is VERY GOOD!!! But after I saw that my Crohn’s was clearing up, I began to slowly eat certain foods, testing to see how I would tolerate most things.
I think I had got a little carried away with food again as well as not taking my medication as I was supposed to (BAD THING TO DO) because I had another flare up the last of my junior year again. It was not as bad as the first flare up, but it was bad enough. I was hospitalized for about a week, and after that, I knew I had to remain faithful to a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. I went on to college after high school and did not experience any more major flare ups; however, I did experience minor flare ups. When I got stressed out, I would get flare ups and had to learn stress coping mechanisms to help me during those times. Throughout college, I avoided eating out and began cooking more healthy meals, such as baking and broiling foods, eating lean meat, and cooking with olive oil. There were times when I cheated, such as eating chocolate or fried foods, but I did so in moderation. I ended up graduating from college without having to be hospitalized.
After living with Crohn’s for 10 years now, the best advice I can tell you is to listen to your body. Everyone’s body is different. Perhaps the foods I avoided does not bother you. I would say that if you eat something one time and it does not agree with you, avoid it. Test out different foods so that you will know which ones agree with you and which ones do not agree. And lastly, take your medication! I know at times it is hard, but it is something that you have to do in order to feel well. I still may experience minor flare ups every blue moon, but I am well aware of what I can and cannot tolerate as far as food goes. I used to hate the fact that I had Crohn's, mainly because I did not get a chance to enjoy much of my teenage years; however, I have learnt to accept what I have, and I now look at my Crohn's as a blessing in disguise because I have grown and learnt so much about myself throughout the years that I do not think I would have been able to do without having been diagnosed.
Many blessings to you all and hope my story has helped =)
When I was a sophomore in high school, I had the worst flare up imaginable. I had lost so much weight, I was down from 145 to 95, and I had lost so much blood, I had to have 6 blood transfusions. Everything I described above, I experienced during my first major flare up. I was hospitalized for about two weeks and had to receive home schooling because I was not able to attend classes. I was told that stress as well as my diet played a major factor in my flare up and it was true. My diet was horrible as a teenager. I was eating fried, fatty, and greasy foods, as well as spicy foods. Yes, my diet was beyond poor, unfortunately, and being stressed out about keeping my grades up added fuel to the already scorching fire. After spending two weeks in the hospital, I knew my life had to change—specifically my diet. Since my Crohn’s was not fully healed, I began to avoid onions, tomatoes, chocolate, anything with acid (lemons, pop, etc), citrus juices and fruits, anything green (lettuce, spinach, etc), spicy, fried, greasy and fatty foods, and others that I cannot think of at the moment. The reason I had to avoid anything green, such as lettuce and spinach is because those types of foods caused me to have excessive gas inside my stomach that I was not able to pass. The other types of food caused extreme abdominal pain. Basically, when I arrived home from the hospital, my mother and grandmother made me eat boiled chicken and rice for weeks. Now can you imagine a HUGE FOODIE eating only boiled chicken and rice for weeks??? I was beyond mad, but I knew I had to get better so I stuck to this strict diet and within weeks, my Crohn’s began to go into remission. In addition to a huge diet change, I also had to take my medication on a daily basis, which I simply HATED doing because of the quantity of pills I had to take. I was on prednisone, asacol, Tylenol with codeine, iron, vitamin D, potassium, and much much more. I had lost so many vitamins and nutrients, not to mention my body was not properly absorbing vitamins and nutrients, so supplements were a must for me. I was also taking Geritol because I no longer had my monthly visits and because it gave me a boost of energy. Geritol is VERY GOOD!!! But after I saw that my Crohn’s was clearing up, I began to slowly eat certain foods, testing to see how I would tolerate most things.
I think I had got a little carried away with food again as well as not taking my medication as I was supposed to (BAD THING TO DO) because I had another flare up the last of my junior year again. It was not as bad as the first flare up, but it was bad enough. I was hospitalized for about a week, and after that, I knew I had to remain faithful to a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle. I went on to college after high school and did not experience any more major flare ups; however, I did experience minor flare ups. When I got stressed out, I would get flare ups and had to learn stress coping mechanisms to help me during those times. Throughout college, I avoided eating out and began cooking more healthy meals, such as baking and broiling foods, eating lean meat, and cooking with olive oil. There were times when I cheated, such as eating chocolate or fried foods, but I did so in moderation. I ended up graduating from college without having to be hospitalized.
After living with Crohn’s for 10 years now, the best advice I can tell you is to listen to your body. Everyone’s body is different. Perhaps the foods I avoided does not bother you. I would say that if you eat something one time and it does not agree with you, avoid it. Test out different foods so that you will know which ones agree with you and which ones do not agree. And lastly, take your medication! I know at times it is hard, but it is something that you have to do in order to feel well. I still may experience minor flare ups every blue moon, but I am well aware of what I can and cannot tolerate as far as food goes. I used to hate the fact that I had Crohn's, mainly because I did not get a chance to enjoy much of my teenage years; however, I have learnt to accept what I have, and I now look at my Crohn's as a blessing in disguise because I have grown and learnt so much about myself throughout the years that I do not think I would have been able to do without having been diagnosed.
Many blessings to you all and hope my story has helped =)
