Update

Glad to hear you had a good appt with your new doc. I pray that the drugs help you to get back on the road to recovery.

I think now that you are in college I think you probably won't have as many problems at school. Everyone is a little more grown up in college, so hopefully you won't get the childish behavior you did when in the 9th grade.

Hope you get feeling right as rain soon. And that your college experience is a wonderful one.

Hugs,
Gail *Nanners*

Well first off Im glad that all went well with your doc, and just like nanners said things in college are usualy different there were many times when I attended classes looking not the best (the dreded moonface ) and nobody paid it any attention, in fact there were some people who I met in my classes that had different facial scars that said the same thing that they were terrified to go to college after how they were treated in high school, but ended up having the time of their lives there and never felt out of place....good luck....and hope u continue to feel good, well except for the pred.....

I'd like to think that the people you deal with in college will be more accepting of this kind of condition. I'm going starting my sophomore year at college this coming Wednesday and I am EXTREMELY nervous about being able to keep up. It seems you and I are in the same boat having gone through all this blood loss recently and need for new meds/painkillers/etc.
As for the moon face...as long as it means you're feeling better right? Much better to suffer that than experience college while in a flare. Here's to us doing really well this coming semester :) I'm sure you'll be fine!!

This will be the first time I go back to college after beginning the prednisone actually. I was diagnosed officially just shortly after classes ended(what a hellish semester!!!). I don't think my classmates will be a problem though. Honestly, fie on anyone so shallow to make a big deal about me having a rounder face too you know? I am a little concerned about when I have to start wearing a face mask after beginning an immunosuppressant BUT I think that will be fine too. Generally, people at college have been all right. I'm sure they'll be fine with you too. And if not, why bother with them? They've had enough time to grow up and get over the fact that some people have to live life a little bit differently. At some point they'll have to realize they're not in high school anymore.

Well for one thing, remember that no one at school will know what you really look like.  The new friends you make will think you just look and act like that, and like you the way you are.  Then when you go off pred., your friends will think you are getting better looking and getting a sweeter disposition!!        Also, you should focus squarely on getting great grades, rather than socializing, because grade average you get in your first year is difficult to change as time goes on.  So don't worry about how you will look -- just go to school and have fun on the side!  I think getting the CD under control is very important, and the sooner you do, the sooner you can go off pred.

And just an added note--many of my friends were less accepting after knowing the normal me and then experiencing me AFTER I was diagnosed with Crohn's. It's better that people know right off the bat what they are dealing with rather than giving them a false picture of how things are and then revealing what life really is like for you. It will let you find out who your real friends are to hide it initially and show it later, but more painfully so. If you come as you are I really think you will be happier in the end.

thanks you guys are really making me consider just taking it, but it's been a while since i've been on prednisone, does it really make that much of a difference for getting out of a flare?

thanks so much for the support you guys. and if you dont mind me asking LMills what dose of prednisone are you on and have you had to deal with the "moon face" at school?

I just went down from 40 mg to 35 mg this past Saturday. I think I've been on the 40 for a couple of months now though just to get through the day.
As for the moon face at school! I will be dealing with it starting this Wednesday, but I really don't mind. People will have to accept me for what I am no matter what stage of medication and disease I am in. I can't say I'm terribly worried :) Randy is totally right in that most classes will have so many people and and they will probably not notice anything although occasionally I will be wearing a face mask during flu season and I will be taking x-number of of my 15+ daily pills, but if I can handle it then so can they. As for how my true friends have handled it, I've had so many people say it's cute so I don't know. Personally, I feel funny with my face so round, but I'd take it over a flare any day...and it gives me an excuse to wear my hair down.

I am SO glad you've decided to stay on your medication. I really think it will make things easier for you..god college can be so stressful sometimes haha. The feeling on completing a semester is amazing though. What kind of classes are you taking by the way? I'm starting the first round of my physics, math, and chemistry as well as a psychology course..trying to take it easy with 13 hours, but I am hoping my diet and medication will keep doing well while I try and keep the stress levels down.

and by the way this is kind of corny but i just want to let you know that i really respect what you all say and think and even though we dont know each other on a personal level, i really trust in your opinions, and LMills, i really look up to you with how brave you seem and you inspire me to really try to make college work seeing how you have made it work so far. not many people know what we deal with and it's nice to be able to talk wiht someone who can have sincere advice. thanks!

haha well try and stick with it and see if you can take one eventually, i took four years in high school and did mission work in honduras and it's great to be able to speak another language! it's not easy to learn though. but yeah i hope things go well for you, you must be heading to school soon. i have 10 days til i move in, so i figure if i continue with the pred right now it will at least give me a little over a week to get used to the night sweats and aches associated with it.

Crohnspatient13 - have you ever asked your doctor about entocort? It has less side effects than pred because it is non-systemic. It is released in the gut and much less gets into the blood stream. But it depends on where your disease is located to determine if it will be ok for you or not. Second, not everyone gets the same reactions to pred every time. I have never taken it but I have friends who have. One is a gorgeous girl who has UC and she has been on high doses and never had a facial change. So maybe you will get lucky this time and not have it as much. Is it essentially retained water? Could you ask your doc about a diuretic to help release that? I think it is very smart that you have decided to follow doctors orders but at the same time I understand your "vain" concerns and wanting to look your best and feel confident. But here is what I decided. I feel a lot more confident with acne from entocort than I do about to poop my pants from an unmedicated flare.

LMills: Did your doc say you needed to wear a mask? Many people on here are on those drugs and I don't think they wear masks on a regular basis. I had an immuno-supressed professor (chemo) and she just announced "due to my lack of immune system I would appreciate it if you think you may be sick to stay home from class. I would be happy to go over what you missed when you are feeling better." Maybe if you are comfortable you could tell the people you see the most and are in close contact with (like a roommate) that you are immunosuppressed and if they get a cold/flu to let you know so you can wear the mask. If you are willing to wear the mask without a fight I am so impressed. You go girl. But I just wouldn't want you to wear it if it wasn't necessary.