Lifestyle changes with crohn's

I'm 17 and recently got diagnosed with crohn's and three ulcers. Now I can't even eat spicy food, drink Cokes, or eat any thing that would remotely bother my stomach now. I'm just wondering does this ever get better? I mean Im just a kid and I can't even eat my favorite foods or drink a coke anymore. That on top of there being no cure for this disease takes a toll on a person's mental health. I'm just wondering if I'll ever be able to enjoy some spicy hot wings and a Dr Pepper as a meal without suffering the consequences or if I should just accept the fact that I won't.

First - welcome to the forum!

As far as eating foods - the important things is to get your diesase under control. When I am flaring, pretty much anything I eat goes right through me. While in remission - I eat anything I want.....yes, some things may bother me a bit, but not for long...and yes, I DO love my hot wings!!! and beer.....and Dr Pepper (have a couple in the fridge right now!)....

One thing you need to do is learn what you can and cannot tolerate - some things may be fine, others may bother you some, and even others may bother you a LOt...unfortunately this is a trial and error process.

Please take a look around - and don't be afraid to ask quesitons!

I agree with pasobuff, when you're flared you can't stomach anything but when in remission you can usually take in whatever (just don't go crazy).

I was diagnosed just before I was 17, its difficult to come to terms with at a young age as you can't even imagine the rest of your life.
But I agree with the others, when I am ok and in remission I can eat whatever I want, or things don't bother me as much. Its just learning to deal with it as time goes on.
Sometimes I just don't fancy certain foods when I'm not well and that is usually a good sign not to eat it.
Good luck with everything!

I was diagnosed at age 11. For years, I was in denial about a lot of the foods I knew I wasn't supposed to have, but I ate them anyway. Sometimes when I was constantly sick, I felt exactly how you are describing. Like everything was doomed anyhow, and what was it going to matter if I slipped up. Looking back, the bag of popcorn I ate in the movie theater followed by the bag of nuts were not worth the week long hospital visit!

Sure, we've all got dietary restrictions. Meeting with a dietician could be a really good chance for you to feel out which foods might be easy for you to eat when you're not feeling good. No two people have the same body, so there's always foods you may be able to eat which might not hurt you at all.

Also, I found exploring the options of other foods I could eat without getting sick really did make up for the things I couldn't have any more. If spicy foods are your thing, perhaps seeking out foods with strong flavors might appeal to you. While hot wings might not be a good idea, perhaps some other kind of barbeque sauce marinated in baked chicken could be a new favorite. In fact, I have seen Dr. Pepper Barbeque sauce before. Sounds like it could go great with baked sweet potatoes.

Good luck to you!

Hello JlWatson,
It really depends...there are certain things that I eat and I know I'm going to pay for it...I might as well eat it while sitting on the toilet. Onions, for example. It's weird though, at times they don't bother me at all. I think it has to do with the cyclic nature of the disease. Sometimes you feel much better than others. I wish you luck...and never be afraid to ask questions or to ask for help!

The others have already said it, but they're right. As long as you have the proper foods while flaring, and eat relatively healthy all the time you can definitely "cheat" and have the good stuff. I've been in remission for quite awhile now and I don't follow any diet at all. I've never been a fan of spicy wings (or anything super spicy) but I can tolerate whatever I want. One of my favorite foods is tacos..anyone with crohns knows what tacos will do to you lol but they don't affect me at all. I've always been a pepsi over coke person because I find coke too sugary but I love Dr. Pepper!

I'm just repeating what others already said but its all about finding out what works for you, and it will more than likely be a trial and error process. You will figure it out though, and eventually it will lead to remission whichs means you can eat all the good foods you want.

This part I'm not sure, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but even if you did eat the wings, I don't think they would do anything serious or lead to problems. I think you would just have an upset stomach and that for the night or day after. Like I said I could very well be wrong. It would all depend how much you like those foods and whether or not you think the consequences are worth it.

Example: the only thing I eat/drink that even slightly makes my stomach hurt is Monster Energy drinks, and they make my stomach feel weird for a few hours, but I drink them anyways because they're so delicious and its worth it lol