New to site, looking for helpful friendly advice

Nikki M

New Member

Joined : May 2007

Posts : 2

Posted 5/16/2007 10:37 AM (GMT 0)

Hi,

I was diagnosed with Crohns disease about 2 years ago, believed to have come from a bout of serious food poisoning. I had very adverse side-effects from mesalazine and kind of gave up on medical treatment. about 8 months ago I was diagnosed with Ankolysing Spondolytis. I am on 6 sulfasalazine tablets a day and prednisolone when it flares up. Right now Im feeling tired, sore, irritable and depressed. There seems to be no easy answer and the tablets dont seem to help. Im 25 years old... Just feeling a little alone and would love some advice Thanks, Nikki

yalinda

Veteran Member

Joined : May 2006

Posts : 1179

Posted 5/16/2007 11:11 AM (GMT 0)

hi nikkiand welcome! sry i can not relate to any of ur dx as i have RA- but duck or erin should come along soon and they will have plenty to offer i think! is the sulfa and pred helping at all with the flare? feeling tired and overwhelmed in natural. ur in the right place as we all understand those feelings here and venting often helps hang in there ~*yalinda

bluemeanies

Veteran Member

Joined : Jun 2004

Posts : 1372

Posted 5/16/2007 8:18 PM (GMT 0)

Hi, I too have crohn's disease. It is not caused by food poisoning, www.ccfa.org has good information. I am going to my rheumatologist this Friday. I am getting reoccuring tendinitis in my wrists and hands about every 3 months. I may have a form of Spondolytis.

I recently stopped taking Pentasa because it was making my symptoms worse and I am not on anything right now for the crohn's. I have only seen the rheumy once and am currently not on anything for the tendinitis either.

Many people with chronic illnesses have depression and it can be treated with antidepressants. I hope you are feeling better soon.

Ides

Forum Moderator

Joined : Nov 2003

Posts : 7204

Posted 5/16/2007 11:37 PM (GMT 0)

I have both AS and Crohn's. If you are having either Crohn's or AS symptoms or both simultaneously, then the sulfasalazine is not effectively controling your problems. Have you discussed this with either your GI or rheumy? There are other medications that can help control the inflammation of these diseases. I take Remicade and Imuran. I had a colonoscopy 2 weeks ago and my gut is in remission [no signs of inflammation]. My joints and enthesitis have improved greatly too. Please help yourself by making your doctors aware that you are having problems and feel that the medication is not working. Good luck and welcome to Healing Well!

Nikki M

New Member

Joined : May 2007

Posts : 2

Posted 5/19/2007 5:40 AM (GMT 0)

Thanks for the replies!

I just saw my gastroenterologist who has told me to stop the salasapyrin and try something else, still waiting for an appointment- it takes so long to get an appointment with these specialists! In the meantime I have just given up smoking, 3 days now! Hard work but i figure it must be done Lots of exercise and no smoking should see a great improvement in things :) Its great to be able to hear stories of other peoples health and what you guys do to improve things, do you find that anything else (not pharmacuticals) helps? Diet, natural remedies etc. I read somewhere that emu oil can help sore joints? Has anyone used that before? Thanks for the supportive messages

The Bear

Regular Member

Joined : Mar 2007

Posts : 364

Posted 5/19/2007 10:25 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Nikki just posting to say welcome and that you will find good company here and no smal amount of invaluable experience. Everybodyexcept yours truly has something to offer - heaven forbid if anybody took what I say seriously - I know lttle or nothing about Crohn's and admire the way people deal with the way, say, RA particularly affects them. I'm just an ossie - osteo arthritis with pd thrown in for good measure but what the hell - these things are sent to test us and give us all a valid reason to have a good old fahsioned moan. There are goodpeople here I have found - not been able to fijnd a site like this in the UK.
enjoy.
the bear

KodakPuppy

Regular Member

Joined : Mar 2007

Posts : 101

Posted 5/20/2007 12:38 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Nicky,
Welcome to healingwell. I hope you like it here. I have RA as well as other medical problems. No fun!! I hope you will come back soon. Take care and God bless.
KodakPuppy

BabZ

Regular Member

Joined : Dec 2006

Posts : 74

Posted 5/28/2007 9:52 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Nikki,

well my best freind has Crohn's and i know that what u are going thru can be scary and extremely Painful espeically when u get a chronhs attack...

this is what she did, to better control her situation, soo Please discuss this wit ur physician first beucase wat works for one may not work for all

**1st thing, U can not let urself get stressed out, cuz it makes the Cronhs attack even worse, soo try really hard to not let things get 2 u..
** 2nd thing-my best freind incorpated Organic Foods into her diet, and she avoided things like marinara sauce...and when she did have her sauce wit her pasta it was on a occassion.((organic can be expensive but it was more gentle on her digestive tract, which help her decrease her attacks.

**take vitamins, and drink organic tea's, and eat fruits that aide in the healing of the digestive/intestinal tract.

***sulfaSALinze didnt help her either, but remember there are other treatments that u can take, and insist on ur dr to try them out as an option...

switching the foods will not work over night...but over time the change will be benificial...

**always drink lots of water...my freind has always told me that after her attacks for some weird reason the next day she would crave some greasy, she gave in to these cravings but she neva over did it...

and if u have to get a 2nd and 3rd opinion on other treatment alternatives from other physicians that speacilize in this disease...l

hope this helps
ttyl
BabZ

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