- Location
- New Albany,
Hello!! I'm Abby, and I'm actually new to this forum. I am really interested in seeing everyone's responses and contributions, because I really don't know anyone else with Crohn's around me. So anyway, onto the story 
I was diagnosed in 1999 at the age of six through a biopsy taken in a colonoscopy. All I knew at that age was I didn't like the nasty tasting liquid and as a result, I had to have a NG (nasty gross) tube stuck down the throat. And that I was put to sleep, but woke up with my underwear off. Weird! After that, I was put on a strict no dairy or sugar diet, which I hated. I took steroids, 6-MP, and something I can only remember being called "sofa-sola-zine," and I thought it was the coolest stuff ever.
Since then, I have been through alot of hard times. In 2007, I began Remicade infusions, and saw a huge turn around. I went through remission for roughly two years, and brought my blood work down to perfection. It was then that I started incorporating dairy and sugars back into my life. I have played basketball and softball since the age of 10, and never stopped, even through all the pain. I also graduated middle school top of my class, and high school with an honors diploma from a pretty prestigious school. Remicade has done the trick for me until about the last year. My specialist always joked that I was part mouse because I took to the Remicade so well. However, through recent (and expensive) blood tests, my body is starting to make antibodies against Remicade, and if an increased dose doesn't help, I will move onto Cimzia and see how that works. I am now 19 years old. Crohn's disease hasn't been horrible for me, though. Because of it, I am actually pursuing a nursing degree to help those who are in pain and confused like me, and I can't wait to get started!!
However, I would like to try other more natural methods to control my Crohn's, because I'm afraid of the risks of lymphoma and infections that harsher drugs include. I'm strongly considering going to a vegan diet, cutting dairy and meat out entirely and seeing how that goes. I've read some very good success stories about that. Does anybody have any suggestions? I will be starting college this week (ahh!!!), and would like some input.
Thank you for reading my story, everybody. It means so much to find a community of support
I was diagnosed in 1999 at the age of six through a biopsy taken in a colonoscopy. All I knew at that age was I didn't like the nasty tasting liquid and as a result, I had to have a NG (nasty gross) tube stuck down the throat. And that I was put to sleep, but woke up with my underwear off. Weird! After that, I was put on a strict no dairy or sugar diet, which I hated. I took steroids, 6-MP, and something I can only remember being called "sofa-sola-zine," and I thought it was the coolest stuff ever.
Since then, I have been through alot of hard times. In 2007, I began Remicade infusions, and saw a huge turn around. I went through remission for roughly two years, and brought my blood work down to perfection. It was then that I started incorporating dairy and sugars back into my life. I have played basketball and softball since the age of 10, and never stopped, even through all the pain. I also graduated middle school top of my class, and high school with an honors diploma from a pretty prestigious school. Remicade has done the trick for me until about the last year. My specialist always joked that I was part mouse because I took to the Remicade so well. However, through recent (and expensive) blood tests, my body is starting to make antibodies against Remicade, and if an increased dose doesn't help, I will move onto Cimzia and see how that works. I am now 19 years old. Crohn's disease hasn't been horrible for me, though. Because of it, I am actually pursuing a nursing degree to help those who are in pain and confused like me, and I can't wait to get started!!
However, I would like to try other more natural methods to control my Crohn's, because I'm afraid of the risks of lymphoma and infections that harsher drugs include. I'm strongly considering going to a vegan diet, cutting dairy and meat out entirely and seeing how that goes. I've read some very good success stories about that. Does anybody have any suggestions? I will be starting college this week (ahh!!!), and would like some input.
Thank you for reading my story, everybody. It means so much to find a community of support
