Aa
Crohn's positive today!
45 year old female just found out today that I have Crohn's Disease. Can anyone share anything with me that you think may be helpful knowledge for me in the future please? Feeling a little overwhelmed right now and this is not a subject matter I feel comfortable discussing with family/friends at this point until I have an idea of the reality (no sugar coating please) of this situation.
PEACE
PEACE
You are right about thinking positively, I know it makes a big difference in everything we do and the way our bodies react to stress. Sounds like a good hair day did wonders for you too!!! Seeing a specialist now to see what he thinks at this point, and he seems like a smart guy. Been doing a lot more testing.
Got a good man, 2 great dogs, and a couple of cool cats so all is good!
Got a good man, 2 great dogs, and a couple of cool cats so all is good!
Glad you have got over the initial shock. Thing is - get POSITIVE! Don't slip into depression or negativity. Get right with emotional issues. Was not able to handle my emotions maturely 2 years back and nearly died of menorrgahia (heavy period) and also tested CIN3 (pre cervix cancer). Since then, grow up some and learn to laugh more and take things less personally and life and health are back to normal. Never did pity myself what i went through but actually thankful that i learnt from all these experiences even though they look like trials, huh? And you know what, the hair grew out beautifully, thick, charcoal black and curly! Always did admire people with natural curly bouncy hair! God is GOOD!
Right On! Thank you for your note and I am so sorry for your situation...bummer.
Makes my concerns seem a little selfish. I do seem to be out of my initial funk now. These few messages are my 1st internet contacts in all these years as I never understood "talking" with people you dont know and cant see, but the responses from you and April2 have in a big way made me seem less alone stuck in my own head. So, thank you for that. It is a righteous gift!
PEACE
Makes my concerns seem a little selfish. I do seem to be out of my initial funk now. These few messages are my 1st internet contacts in all these years as I never understood "talking" with people you dont know and cant see, but the responses from you and April2 have in a big way made me seem less alone stuck in my own head. So, thank you for that. It is a righteous gift!
PEACE
i do not have Crohns disease and wouldn't understand what you are going through. But i can understand is the total dismay and dread when a doctor announced a threatening illness or disease. In early 2004, i was diagnosed with breast cancer and was told very bluntly that i need to go for a mastectomy when the lump was only less than 1 cm! Well, this is a 3rd world country i'm living in. Had 6 doses of chemo injections and 40 days of radiotherapy. So chin up, gal!
April2 is right, knowledge is empowerment. Be obsessed with researching to know as much as you can - helps with dealing with the disease and knowing what to expect.
April2 is right, knowledge is empowerment. Be obsessed with researching to know as much as you can - helps with dealing with the disease and knowing what to expect.
That's ok! :) A pm means private message. You can either write on here or click on the person's name to send a private message.
It does seem that this forum's been a bit slow lately. Did you try going over to the Crohns Disease Forum? There's a lady over there named Lizzie who will talk to you and probably have more information than I've been able to give you since she's had Crohn's for many years. Just put her name in your title or something when you ask a question. She'll respond. She's pretty good about that although it might be a day before she gets back to you since she lives in the UK, I think.
I hope you get all the info that you're looking for. Take care.
It does seem that this forum's been a bit slow lately. Did you try going over to the Crohns Disease Forum? There's a lady over there named Lizzie who will talk to you and probably have more information than I've been able to give you since she's had Crohn's for many years. Just put her name in your title or something when you ask a question. She'll respond. She's pretty good about that although it might be a day before she gets back to you since she lives in the UK, I think.
I hope you get all the info that you're looking for. Take care.
Thank you very much for taking the time to address my situation. I fully appreciate that you did that. I have never "chatted before" although I am fairly computer literate so this is very new to me and again I thank you for sharing your thoughts and information with me. I go to see a specialist next week but feel slightly obsessed with researching the subject myself. My doctor seemed evasive so I wanted the real deal from someone who has been there. I am a strong woman and am a little suprised that this putting me a such a bummer. I suppose I have to go through this downer time before I just pull up my boots and get on with it. Thank you again, you are the only one who replied and I appreciate the contact.
I hope this is a "pm" as I wasnt even sure what one was! I am such a dork!
I hope this is a "pm" as I wasnt even sure what one was! I am such a dork!
I recommend you talk to Lizzie on the Crohns forum as she's had Crohs for 37 some years and is pretty knowledgable about it. She's helped me tremendously.
We're in the same boat! I'm a 42 year old female who was just diagnosed with Crohns a few months ago. I'm trying to educate myself as much as I can. I totally undersand not wanting to discuss this with friends and family, lol. They don't usually want to discuss your intestinal problems anyway. Dontcha luv em! :)
I can tell you what I know or have learned about all of this. In simple laymans terms, your body's immune system's out of wack for some reason. When we have an infection our body produces more white blood cells to attack the infection. Well, with us "fortunate few with Crohns" our bodies mass produce the white blood cells but don't turn them back off for some reason and so they keep attacking what they think is an infection or foreign invader which is what causes the inflamation, irritation, ulcers, etc., common with Crohns.
They don't know what causes it. There does seem to be a genetic link but I have no one in my family with it. However, I did learn something interesting the other day. Diabetes seems to be linked with Crohns and even though I don't have it, many people in my family has Diabetes. They're all auto-immune diseases. There also seems to be a link to Jewish people having it more but again that doesn't relate to me. They think it's partly environmental, partly genetic.
There does appear to be a higher risk with colon cancer for people with Crohns but the good news is that colon cancer is something like 98% curable if caught early. My grandmother had colon cancer twice so I do have it in my family so it's something I need to be aware and watchful of.
I'm trying to educate myself to natural rememdies too as that's always interested me. I've been reading and going to the local health food store and talking to the people there. I'm going to try digestive enzymes, flax seed and fish oil and a good multi-vitamin. My Gastro doc said it's all ok to take along with the meds he prescribed which is Nexium and Entocort. He also wants me to take Folic Acid. Since Crohns usually affects the small intestine, in particular the Terminal Ilium (the last part of the small intestine that hooks up to the large intestine) you can be deficient in different vitamins especially vitamin B12 since that's only produced in the Terminal Ileum.
From what I'm learning, Crohns is not a death sentence. It's not curable but it is treatable. With proper care you should be able to live a normal life. There will be times of flare ups and times of remissions. You may have to have surgery someday as I did back in August. But now that you've been diagnosed, they will be watching you carefully and will take care of things as needed.
I hope any of this helps! You're welcome to send me a pm if you ever want to talk. Just take everything one day at a time and try and learn all you can. The more you learn, the less scary it will all seem. I think learning empowers you. And like I said, talk to Lizzie. She's usually on the Crohn's forum. She has loads of information she can give you and she can help a lot. She's been there for me. I wish you all the best. Keep in touch and let us know how you're doing! God bless.
April
We're in the same boat! I'm a 42 year old female who was just diagnosed with Crohns a few months ago. I'm trying to educate myself as much as I can. I totally undersand not wanting to discuss this with friends and family, lol. They don't usually want to discuss your intestinal problems anyway. Dontcha luv em! :)
I can tell you what I know or have learned about all of this. In simple laymans terms, your body's immune system's out of wack for some reason. When we have an infection our body produces more white blood cells to attack the infection. Well, with us "fortunate few with Crohns" our bodies mass produce the white blood cells but don't turn them back off for some reason and so they keep attacking what they think is an infection or foreign invader which is what causes the inflamation, irritation, ulcers, etc., common with Crohns.
They don't know what causes it. There does seem to be a genetic link but I have no one in my family with it. However, I did learn something interesting the other day. Diabetes seems to be linked with Crohns and even though I don't have it, many people in my family has Diabetes. They're all auto-immune diseases. There also seems to be a link to Jewish people having it more but again that doesn't relate to me. They think it's partly environmental, partly genetic.
There does appear to be a higher risk with colon cancer for people with Crohns but the good news is that colon cancer is something like 98% curable if caught early. My grandmother had colon cancer twice so I do have it in my family so it's something I need to be aware and watchful of.
I'm trying to educate myself to natural rememdies too as that's always interested me. I've been reading and going to the local health food store and talking to the people there. I'm going to try digestive enzymes, flax seed and fish oil and a good multi-vitamin. My Gastro doc said it's all ok to take along with the meds he prescribed which is Nexium and Entocort. He also wants me to take Folic Acid. Since Crohns usually affects the small intestine, in particular the Terminal Ilium (the last part of the small intestine that hooks up to the large intestine) you can be deficient in different vitamins especially vitamin B12 since that's only produced in the Terminal Ileum.
From what I'm learning, Crohns is not a death sentence. It's not curable but it is treatable. With proper care you should be able to live a normal life. There will be times of flare ups and times of remissions. You may have to have surgery someday as I did back in August. But now that you've been diagnosed, they will be watching you carefully and will take care of things as needed.
I hope any of this helps! You're welcome to send me a pm if you ever want to talk. Just take everything one day at a time and try and learn all you can. The more you learn, the less scary it will all seem. I think learning empowers you. And like I said, talk to Lizzie. She's usually on the Crohn's forum. She has loads of information she can give you and she can help a lot. She's been there for me. I wish you all the best. Keep in touch and let us know how you're doing! God bless.
April
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