The first occurrence of what I now know was a flare up happened at the worst time and place imaginable. Four months ago in March, I was a nightclub with a few friends in which afterwards we made a pit stop at McDonald's before we got on the subway. I instantly started to feel so nauseous that I could not finished my nuggets, but assumed it was the alcohol I had been drinking (although, I have a high tolerance. I had an 8 drink limit before I stopped drinking) As I waiting for the subway my nausea became so intense that I projectile vomited all over the subway platform and myself. And to make matters worse, as I am puking my life out I feel my bowels give way. I was mortified, humiliated, and embarrassed. I tried my best to hold it all in on the subway ride home and raced to my apartment. That's when the nightmare REALLY began! For the next three days I consistently vomited and had a bowel movement every thirty to forty minutes although, my bowel movements weren't anything like diarrhea that I have ever seen. I was passing clear while liquid with pale yellow, dime sized pieces of something that looked like my boogers. Anyway, that got so intense that I couldn't make it to my bathroom anymore after the first day. I was puking and popping all into my garbage can 
I had nothing left in my system but I kept dry heaving and brining up bile. I couldn't keep anything down, not even water. Finally, after three days of hell it finally stopped however, I was so exhausted, week, and malnourished I couldn't get out of bed for an additional two days. And then, 6 days later, I could eat an applesauce.
Once I had recovered I felt completely normal again. I chalked it up to food poisoning or a stomach bug and carried on normally. Until I got sick a month later (April). This time at work and same exact way, for the same exact amount of time, with the same exact intensity. That's when I started to worry. Clearly it was more than a stomach bug. I got sick again in May and again in June. That's when I realized I was getting sick once a month as soon an my menstrual cycle ended. I also had dropped a significant amount of weight. Before my first flare up I was 145 lbs. I am now at 116lbs which is not flattering on my 5,9' frame. I've become extremely depressed, not because of embarrassment, but having to explain to everyone something you don't know or understand yourself can be frustrating. As a 24 year old female, my life consisted of going out with my friends, drinking, and parties which can no do because of my fear of an unexpected flare up. (every flare up that Ive had has always started to happen at a social gathering) Also, not having any having health insurance made my issue even more difficult because I simply couldn't afford to see a doctor. The last time I had a flare up in June, it as so bad I passed out in my home, and my landlord found me a few hours later. I spent three nights in the hospital and they still couldn't diagnose me, saying my symptoms seemed everything like a stomach virus. I started to do my own research and was convinced what I had was a parasite. Finally I bit the bullet and saw a GI specialist. (who wasn't the greatest based on what I could afford and didn't seem like he care very much about his patients) I explained to him that no matter what the cost I wanted to be tested for any and everything. I was diagnosed last week with Crohn's after my stool test came back positive for a special protein your body will only produce when you have Crohn's.
I am happy to at least know what's wrong with me but this is such a broad diseases that I feel so confused, scared, and debilitated. I've been doing so much reading about flare ups, triggers, what foods I shouldn't eat, medications, and how the heck I got this lol. I know that heredity factors in to it but no one in my family has ever had this, or any forms IBD or IBS at all. I never have any indicators of a flare up until it actually happens. I never get constipated or have any pains, even when going through an intense flare. I know I need to find a doctor, figure out what part of my digestive system is being affected, and then get on medications (as much as I hate medications. I have always preferred natural remedies.) I know my flare ups occur around my period, but I don't know what to and what not to eat at that time or how to tell i'm about to have a flare up before it starts. This disease is so subjective to the individually that I feel hopeless that I will ever feel like myself again...
I had nothing left in my system but I kept dry heaving and brining up bile. I couldn't keep anything down, not even water. Finally, after three days of hell it finally stopped however, I was so exhausted, week, and malnourished I couldn't get out of bed for an additional two days. And then, 6 days later, I could eat an applesauce. Once I had recovered I felt completely normal again. I chalked it up to food poisoning or a stomach bug and carried on normally. Until I got sick a month later (April). This time at work and same exact way, for the same exact amount of time, with the same exact intensity. That's when I started to worry. Clearly it was more than a stomach bug. I got sick again in May and again in June. That's when I realized I was getting sick once a month as soon an my menstrual cycle ended. I also had dropped a significant amount of weight. Before my first flare up I was 145 lbs. I am now at 116lbs which is not flattering on my 5,9' frame. I've become extremely depressed, not because of embarrassment, but having to explain to everyone something you don't know or understand yourself can be frustrating. As a 24 year old female, my life consisted of going out with my friends, drinking, and parties which can no do because of my fear of an unexpected flare up. (every flare up that Ive had has always started to happen at a social gathering) Also, not having any having health insurance made my issue even more difficult because I simply couldn't afford to see a doctor. The last time I had a flare up in June, it as so bad I passed out in my home, and my landlord found me a few hours later. I spent three nights in the hospital and they still couldn't diagnose me, saying my symptoms seemed everything like a stomach virus. I started to do my own research and was convinced what I had was a parasite. Finally I bit the bullet and saw a GI specialist. (who wasn't the greatest based on what I could afford and didn't seem like he care very much about his patients) I explained to him that no matter what the cost I wanted to be tested for any and everything. I was diagnosed last week with Crohn's after my stool test came back positive for a special protein your body will only produce when you have Crohn's.
I am happy to at least know what's wrong with me but this is such a broad diseases that I feel so confused, scared, and debilitated. I've been doing so much reading about flare ups, triggers, what foods I shouldn't eat, medications, and how the heck I got this lol. I know that heredity factors in to it but no one in my family has ever had this, or any forms IBD or IBS at all. I never have any indicators of a flare up until it actually happens. I never get constipated or have any pains, even when going through an intense flare. I know I need to find a doctor, figure out what part of my digestive system is being affected, and then get on medications (as much as I hate medications. I have always preferred natural remedies.) I know my flare ups occur around my period, but I don't know what to and what not to eat at that time or how to tell i'm about to have a flare up before it starts. This disease is so subjective to the individually that I feel hopeless that I will ever feel like myself again...
