Hi everyone, I am so glad this forum exists. I have been reading many posts over the last few weeks and have learnt a lot. I figured it's time I posted and started to make whatever contribution I can.
I was diagnosed with Crohn's in December 2012 after having diaorrhea for most of the year as well as arthritis. It all started with psoriasis behind my ears - which eventually led to a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis - then diaorrhea for much of the last year as well as a an acutely sore foot.
After much to-ing and fro-ing and diagnoses that while accurate did not identify the real problem (I made the mistake of attending a university physiotherapy practice run by students for the foot pain and was told I had tendonitis (true) but neither the student nor the supervising physio picked up that there was a much deeper problem - athritis). All my subsequent specialists said straightaway that the degree of inflammation - which spread to both feet - was much worse than basic tendonitis. Hence the eventual arthritis diagnosis.
Then I opened up to my rheumatologist about diaorrhea I'd been having for most of the year - I'd stupidly assumed, because I'd been diagnosed (also correctly) with a haemerrhoid early in the year, that the diaorrhea was because of that, so I hadn't spoken to my GP about it. Fortunately my rheumatologist immediately referred me to a gastroenterologist she knew and once I saw him, after examining me he suspected Crohn's and five days later he did a colonoscopy and endoscopy, which confirmed his suspicions.
The colonoscopy and a pelvic MRI showed a few fistulas as well as ulcers. The fistulas scare the hell out of me so I hope Humira will fix them...
I'm going to be on Humira injections starting in a few weeks time and I am a bit anxious about that but trying to be brave. My gastro (I assume "GI" is a gastroenterologist?) is also considering putting me on Imuran at the same time. I'm relieved to have this forum where I can let my hair down and not feel I have to put on a brave face as I am trying to do in public. I have a thousand questions which I'll try to address to the appropriate sub-sections in the forum. Thank you for reading my rambling post.:smile:
I was diagnosed with Crohn's in December 2012 after having diaorrhea for most of the year as well as arthritis. It all started with psoriasis behind my ears - which eventually led to a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis - then diaorrhea for much of the last year as well as a an acutely sore foot.
After much to-ing and fro-ing and diagnoses that while accurate did not identify the real problem (I made the mistake of attending a university physiotherapy practice run by students for the foot pain and was told I had tendonitis (true) but neither the student nor the supervising physio picked up that there was a much deeper problem - athritis). All my subsequent specialists said straightaway that the degree of inflammation - which spread to both feet - was much worse than basic tendonitis. Hence the eventual arthritis diagnosis.
Then I opened up to my rheumatologist about diaorrhea I'd been having for most of the year - I'd stupidly assumed, because I'd been diagnosed (also correctly) with a haemerrhoid early in the year, that the diaorrhea was because of that, so I hadn't spoken to my GP about it. Fortunately my rheumatologist immediately referred me to a gastroenterologist she knew and once I saw him, after examining me he suspected Crohn's and five days later he did a colonoscopy and endoscopy, which confirmed his suspicions.
The colonoscopy and a pelvic MRI showed a few fistulas as well as ulcers. The fistulas scare the hell out of me so I hope Humira will fix them...
I'm going to be on Humira injections starting in a few weeks time and I am a bit anxious about that but trying to be brave. My gastro (I assume "GI" is a gastroenterologist?) is also considering putting me on Imuran at the same time. I'm relieved to have this forum where I can let my hair down and not feel I have to put on a brave face as I am trying to do in public. I have a thousand questions which I'll try to address to the appropriate sub-sections in the forum. Thank you for reading my rambling post.:smile:
