Hi new here

Hi Crohnsmom10 and welcome to Healingwell we are so glad you decided to join us.

We are a wonderful and supportive group and look forward to getting to know you more.

I made it 20 years before I had to have my first surgery, and probably wouldn't have had to have it, if I had been smarter like you and stayed on my meds. Doctors had warned me beforehand about it too, but I thought I knew more than they did. Oh well, lesson learned a little late, but still learned:) Lets hope your surgery worries stay away for even longer. Hugs!

Just want to say welcome!

I also have two little ones. It is tough to be a mom with CD. I had surgery for a stricture earlier this year and happy to be able to eat steak again.

Welcome! I, too, am fairly new to the forum, as well as to Crohn's itself. I am glad that you have been doing 'ok' and I am sorry to hear about your stricture. Hopefully you will be able to postpone that surgery for as long as possible! I was diagnosed in May myself, and was told I have a very aggressive form according to a genetics test, so I am trying to be religious about taking all of my medications. Still, I fear that my future will hold hospital visits and the like - not a fun prospect for someone just graduated from college.

In reference to your experiences with "...but you look ok" sentiments, I recently read a really good article authored by a woman with Lupus who has to explain to her friend what living with an autoimmune disease is really like on a personal level. I am not sure if you have seen it before but it is called spoon theory and can be found here: http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/. An alternative is to simply ask the offending party how often they s**t their pants because their intestines just suddenly up and got bored :)

I personally have the opposite problem, actually. One of my close family members, upon finding out that I had Crohn's, was like "oh yeah I have some of those symptoms too, and my doctor wants me to get a colonoscopy to check!" - keep in mind this is a 58 y.o. woman with absolutely no history of any digestive system ailments. Gotta keep the attention focused, know what I'm sayin'! Can't have no stinkin' spotlight stealers. I guess it is better than minimalization (I decree that is now a word) of the problem, though.

All my best and keep up the optimism! Give your pets hugs for me - mine are what keep me going!

Welcome!

Welcome Mom, great group of folks here.
Looking forward to your wisdom
Dave

I too have suffered with tummy problems many years just thought it was normal up until a year or so ago with when I started having external issues. I finally went ot my PCP last thursday and he was concerned enough that he is sending me to a GI doctor. I actually go tomorrow to the GI Doctor. When you have other health issues going on its hard to tell if its something related to another issue or if its something that seriously needs to be seen about. My PCP suggested it could be chrons related. I hope not, but then again at least I'll know. I just want to clear up this mess cause it really is affecting my life as of lately. Best of luck to all of us. People that are pretty healthy just don't understand what those of us who aren't go through on a regular basis. all the doctor's appointments, test, medicine, wondering, you do kind of get tired of it all. I guess that's why I waited so long before bringing it up with my doctor. I had other things we were focusing on at the time being. I didn't want to add anything else to it. That's what their there for right to help us figure these things out. I have my hubby of 13 years and my two dogs Bear and Roscoe:)