progression?

I was diagnosed around the same time as you are, but I got sick in April 08. When it started for me, I woke up one day and I was in as much pain as ever, pain that kept me awake in tears, severe vomiting, D, chills, and so on... Only thing that changed over time was that I also ended up constipated. I tried Pentasa and had a bad reaction to it and it wasn't strong enough for me anyway, so my doctor has been trying Entocort, which seems to be doing the job, but she warned me that I may have to be on it for a while. I'm a bit worried about what they'll put me on after I'm finished with Entocort since I can't tolerate Pentasa. I have taken tons of days off of work and worked from home for about a month while I was recovering, but my work is really supportive about it. Basically we're in the same boat, I can only wonder if some day my disease will progress to the point where I'll have to deal with surgeries and fistulas and who knows what else. It's definitely scary to not know where it will go!

I have had Crohns Disease for over 30 years. I had two flares in my first four years with the disease, then went on to enjoy a nearly 20 year remission. During that time I didn't take any meds, ate pretty much what I wanted, and basically lived as if I didn't have the disease. But my remission ended with an emergency resection in 2002. I ended up having to have another resection 3 years later. Those two experiences really opened my eyes to the damage this disease can do if it is not treated. So now I watch my diet, take my meds as directed, and am once again in remission. Life is different now since the surgeries as my body has had to adjust to the changes that occured from the surgery's, but it still is pretty good.

I do usually use most of my sick days every year as you will have bad days even if you are in remission. I find my system is a little more delicate and virus's and such seem to effect us a little harder. But there are plenty of good times too. I still have a fulltime job and luckily have been blessed with supportive bosses.

My one suggestion to you both is always take some kind of maintainence med even when doing well. The inflammation can be going on microscopically and doing its damage even when you feel great. Thats what happened to me ending up in the emergency resection. Good luck to you both!

The only thing constant about Crohns is that there are no constants. Some patients have strictuirng and/or fistulizing diease early on and need multiple surgeries. Some later. Some not at all. There is a subset of Crohns patients, according to Dr. Haneur at U of Chicago who is one of the top IBD experts, who have stable, level, moderate disease throughout life, with no serious complications. There has been some recent researcjh that shows that just as certain genetic markers can make us more susceptible yo Crohns, some genetic markers seem to play a role in predicting the severity of the disease and its complications. It truly is an individual illness and the only case that really counts is your own as far as knowing whether it will progress and where to.

Well I've had it since 2001 and was told that it was such a mild case that I would never need surgery. I lived life like nothing was wrong, not knowing that Crohns was destroying me inside. I took my meds everyday and thought I was invinsible.That was until last September when I had a bowel obstruction and after many tests was told that I needed surgery. After the surgery my surgeon told me she was stunned how any food had amde it through the pencil thin intestine. She said that if I had not had surgery that emergency surgery was in my near future. She ended up taking out 18 inches of intestine. Not bad for a mild case hey! I pray everyday that this disease does not come back, it is an evil menace.
I know that this disease effects everone differently, this is just how my life is with Crohns. i will not let it defeat me...