Quick intro ; )

Hi guys and gals.

Im on my phone so ill try keep this brief. Hate typing on mobile.
Im a Crohn's sufferer for 20 years. Never had to get major surgery, as of yet.
But last few years have been rough. Fistula forming on my cheek, on face, leaving me with bad scar.
Also, now practically deaf in left ear and half blind in right ear. All due to my immune system attacking blood supply.
Im 40 next Saturday. Single, no kids. Im a broken man that cant be fixed lol, so cant see that changing. Who wants a hassle like me in their life.
Ok, hope to get to know and make some new friends.
Oh, im in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Cheers.

Hello! Welcome to the community

I'm so sorry to see you've been having such a hard time recently, would you mind sharing some information about your treatment? I don't have any experience with fistulas but our other members may be able to suggest alternatives or just ways of making it more bearable for you.

Don't give up hope of finding someone, there are people out there that can see past all the rubbish we have to deal with and they see the people we really are, and we are all here to help and support you the best way we can.

Explore the forum and the subsections, we have a variety of support groups that you may like to join in with and there are all sorts of helpful posts. Everyone is very friendly and we all get what it's like to have this disease. So don't be embarrassed, nothing is too much information here.

Hello Bugman and :welcome: there is lots of support and advice/ information on here. Are you currently taking any medicine for your fistulas? My hubby has a recurring perianal fistula since 2005 he's currently taking Remicade for his Crohn's & fistulas.

Im on infliximab, and azathioprine to try keep the fistulas at bay, and to stop further damage to eyes and ears. Its my second spell on infliximab, and will be on it long term.
Only other medication I take is asacol and the odd course of pred.
Ill definitely have more of a look around forum when im at the laptop. Hate browsing on phone. But many thanks for kind words.

Welcome!

Hi Bugman and another warm welcome. So glad you found us. There is a lot of advice and discussion around fistulas and how to handle them on our subforum. But I have to say that you are the first member I have met who has a fistula so far up the GI tract. At least, I am assuming it is a complication of Crohn's? Sounds awful :-(

Hi bugman I'm a fellow belfast crohns sufferer same age and diagnosed 20 years ago, it's not fun.