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Finally diagnosed after 2 years of episodes

I just turned 27 this month; I have a wife, 2 year old daughter, and another daughter on the way.

On Tuesday i was finally diagnosed with Crohn's. After a gazillion blood tests, over the past 2 years and then a CT scan, colonoscopy, endoscopy, capsule endoscopy, and double-balloon assisted colonoscopy this summer/fall...they finally have settled on it being Crohn's.

I feel like my Crohn's is pretty different than most...I don't have diarrhea, which I'm really grateful for; I just get acute stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting...that and the weight loss, fatigue, and severe anemia. From the medical side of things it's a small strip of inflammation in my terminal ileum and it is fistulating to itself.

I was going to start Imuran tomorrow and Humira in the next couple weeks, but am too anemic to start the Imuran, I think I'll be getting iron infusions soon. I don't really know how i feel about these drugs, but I'm not sure i have any options.

I'm doing my best to stay positive, but being a foodie who has just drastically altered their diet--removing gluten, dairy, and sugar--it's pretty tough.
 
I don't wish Crohn's on anyone, but I'm glad you got a diagnosis and you can move forward from here. I know that Vitamin C and B 12 help you to absorb iron, so make sure that you also get enough of those through diet or supplements.

I am also a foodie with a very limited diet. Often, there is at least one item on the menu that I can have, or have the kitchen alter things. Sometimes it's as easy as substituting a sauce. Another thing that helps with digestion is chewing ALOT....especially the foods that are harder to digest or more fibrous.

Getting excersize can also help with Crohn's in addition to meds and diet.

Good luck on the new drugs!!
 

Catherine

Moderator
Welcome to the forum.

I have a daughter with similar Crohn's symptoms as your severe pain, weightloss and anemia. No bowel symptoms.

We currently know her Crohn's is flaring due to increasing calprotectin. She has a problem with lactose when the disease is active.
 
Hello :)

I actually have similar symptoms, no diarrhea but severe constipation, severe stomach pain, and a lot of vomiting. Although sometimes during a flare I do experience diarrhea it's very uncommon for me. I think typically when people think of Crohn's diarrhea is the first symptom that comes to mind but that's not the case for all of us. I was in and out of the hospital several times before the doctors figured out what the underlying problem was, they always gave me laxatives and blamed my diet. I think it's harder to diagnose when the most common symptom isn't there. I am also extremely anemic due to a B12 deficiency and I get a shot every week. The diagnosis can be hard to cope with at first but it gets easier to deal with as time goes on. Hopefully you can start treatment soon and get everything under control. Good luck and stay strong! :)
 
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