Second Time in remission

My name is Bryce. I am 29 years of age. During the fall of 2010, I began having severe stomach pains. I ignored them and dismissed them as nothing major. Soon I started experiencing difficulty digesting. Meanwhile I stopped eating a lot because I thought that the less I ate, the less I would hurt. Keep in mind that I was terrified of being in the hospital. I started to lose weight but I thought it was just stress from a very stressful job. By the time 2011 rolled around I had gone from a hearty 180 lbs to 120 lbs. By March, I was miserable. Stressed out. Much too thin. Barely eating. Not sleeping. Depressed. I quit my job. By the end of March I found myself in the hospital after getting really sick.

I was in the hospital for a week. During that week I underwent a blood transfusion and a colonoscopy. The results of the colonoscopy revealed that I had Crohn's disease. I was relieved and scared. I was released from the hospital with a prescription for Asacol and steroids. I quickly packed back on the weight and my symptoms went away and I entered what my gastroenterologist referred to as remission and my life resumed. Got a new job. A new church. Even started dating for the first time.

August of 2013 I started getting really sick again. Lost weight. On September 1, 2013, I was admitted to the hospital and released a week later. I was hospitalized again in November of 2013. I kept losing weight, My gastro doctor prescribed me Humira. I started it but I believe I was too far gone to see any true results. In February 2014 I was admitted to the hospital a third time and this time I underwent a laproscopic loop surgery as a last resort. I have since had a colostomy and it has truly been a lifestyle change. I do well with it and I have adjusted to it nicely. However, there are the psychological ramifications of having it and that's why I am joining this site because I am the happiest I have been in a long time but I get so down about dating and struggling with when it's a good time to tell someone I have a colostomy.

It's definitely very challenging to date with an ostomy but so many have found amazing partners who love them and aren't bothered by an ostomy. There are people who can see someone for who they are and find you attractive spiritually and physically. The best way is to put yourself out there, yes maybe you'll get rejected but think of your ostomy as a jerk repellant and it will help bring you to that awesome person.

Hi and welcome.

I don't have much to add. Getting an ostomy is a lot to adjust to psychologically. You haven't had it that long really. You will adjust.

Sending you my support.

Greetings and welcome to the community! You're definitely in the right place

Out of curiosity, do they have you on any maintenance medication?

All my best to you.

Hi there,
Just sending you my support. It has not been easy for you so I am glad you have now adjusted, and are feeling better. I hope all goes well for you in the dating field. Best wishes.:
):rosette1::welcome::rosette1:

Thank you so much, all of you, for your kind words and your support. My doctor is Dr. Louis Lambiase. Back in 2011 he put me on Asacol. Asacol wasn't really doing the trick so he now has me on 40mg of Humira. I take two injections a month. It was scary at first because Humira is a very powerful medication used to maintain a number of illnesses but it's working so far. The injections were once terrifying to me because I have to give them to myself in my abdomen. But now I do it and it's no big deal. I try to watch out for trigger foods. I keep active. I walk. I now have a new job with a state-of-the-art gym so I suspect that I will be going there. Other than that, I try to keep my stress levels down and I try to make sure I am rested and happy. Depression is one of the most debilitating parts of having a chronic illness but I try to just be open about my emotions and joining this forum is helping to aid. Once again thank you for your support! I look forward to helping and sharing with others.