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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/24/2013 11:12 PM (GMT 0)
It's the beginning of the academic year at the college where I work. I do teach but this year they added academic advising to my schedule. I'm in charge of a group of students with regard to any academic issues they might encounter. They are all freshers and they need some kind of orientation, advising and whenever they face a problem, they rush to me; as if I was their mother. I can appreciate their need of me. But I'm starting to feel sick. Yesterday, d hit, I took Imodium and by night, I had severe cramps. I took a bunch of antispasmodics that made me sleep. In the morning, crazy d returned, took Imodium again and increased the antispasmodics. The excessive use of antispasmodics made me like a Zombie. I'm also studying for my Phd; it's not optional. I can't take it anymore. I wish I could stay at home instead of working. I can feel it's not IBS coz of stress; it's my Crohn's. My large intestines are very sore and I have severe pain. Still waiting to have lab works to see whether Imuran is effective or not. I can't quit, simply, because I need the money and I can't stay at home as this affects me psychologically.
Don't know what to do. I feel I'm drained. I'm trying to be keen on taking my multivitamins, Ensure several times and B injections every 5 days. Still, this is not enough. Something is wrong and I can't figure it out.
Thank you very much for listening.
Posted 9/24/2013 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
I can relate to what you are going through. Not quite the same thing but I feel like I don't want to work either. in my case I really don't care for my job and it's not what I want to be doing so, of course, this adds to it. However, I don't want to be unemployed either. I may not be dealing with the same exact symptoms but this proctitis pain is still an issue and sitting at a desk and trying to act normal with pain up my butt is getting to be a bit much. On top of that my low back keeps flaring as well. Still not sure if related to the Crohn's or not but, regardless, it's an added issue. I have taken off a lot from work. I cant' keep doing this. I wish I could just leave and take a break until I, hopefully, start to get myself feeling better.
Posted 9/25/2013 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
Pink, sorry that you are still suffering. Keep on taking your rectal meds.
Pain triggered nausea; I'm extremely happy :( I need to sleep to wake up early in the morning. Yesterday, I couldn't concentrate well and lost track of what I was saying in class. Hope this is not repeated today. The place where I work can't appreciate the idea that people might be sick. It's a private institution and they informed us that if one wants to reduce his/her teaching hours, one has to present a medical report explaining the medical condition. I did but since many people are sick (cancer, severe back problems), it was decided that whomever wants to pursue submitting the petition will lose third of his/her salary. I can't afford this. So, I have to accept working like any one who doesn't have this nice d disease.
I don't know really what to do to control pain. If I take a painkiller injection, this will affect my stomach badly. On the other hand, if I abuse antispasmodics, I'll be like a Zombie like what happened yesterday. I'm in limbo and I think I'm losing control.
Take care :)
Posted 9/25/2013 3:28 AM (GMT 0)
Minnie, I'm so sorry....doctoral programs are hard even in the best of circumstances! (I'm lucky my research assistantship this semester lets me work from anywhere).

I'm trying to come up with a way to say "please try to take the best care of yourself you can" without sounding condescending. But little things can help sometimes...warm baths, a walk in the gorgeous fall weather, tea (particularly ginger tea, with nausea/stomach problems).

Does your campus offer any sort of mental health services? I know we get twelve free counseling sessions a year at the campus wellness center. It might be worth trying to figure out some coping strategies. (I'm increasingly convinced that most of us graduate students suffer from school-induced depression and generalized anxiety disorder just because of school)
Posted 9/25/2013 12:17 PM (GMT 0)
ohhh... I'm in the same position, meaning I really can't work all these hours without it affecting my health... For me the ideal job would be 9-2. I would really like to be able to go home and have a nap, I really need it to keep me in a good shape.
I'm sitting in my office 8 hrs per day, and by the end of the day my bowels hurt, I feel I have gas bubbles, and my stomach makes sounds like a monster is about to appear. I even considered buying one of those offices that can be fixed so you can work standing up whenever you want to. Knowing that I still have to work for 26 more years to get a pension, makes me cry.
On the other hand unemployment is not an option...
I wish you all the best, and believe me, there are so many ppl feeling the same way like you

Take care
Posted 9/25/2013 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
Minnie, that's terrible that you aren't getting the support you need at your job. Is it possible though to consider some other form of income (like a side thing that might be easier on you) if you had to at least temporarily drop some hours? Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.

I understand your feeling of limbo all too well as day to day with my job I feel like I want to just quit and I never know if my back will hold up on top of everything else. Also, I am in limbo with the rectals meds in that I have been just doing the suppositories and have been on the fence about the Rowasa only because I have two issues that happen with me which is both the general ache feeling I am dealing with these days and a back and forth scraping pain I get with BMs if I don't use the hydro suppositories. So, I feel like I am going to be flaring the anal area if I don't have that coating which I won't have if I use the Rowasa and it flushes out anything else I might try and put up there. The dr's office just ordered the cortifoam for me instead. Not sure if this will be easier to retain than the Rowasa or not. Overall, people seem to think Rowasa is a little easier to use and safer. I truly don't know what to think. And I am also in limbo even with my drs as I feel better about my regular gi dr doing the colonoscopy (based on my past experience with him and the prep he uses) and yet prefer the newer dr I went to that seems to be better at seeing patients sooner. AGH! It's enough we have to suffer with what we deal with but then we have to deal with other things along with it, right?

If you ever need to vent at least know that too many people are right there with you and completely get where you are coming from. I wish more could be done beyond that though to not have to deal with this at all. :/

Posted 9/25/2013 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
In a word, have you tried Cholestyramine? I use 1/3 packet twice a day, it helps. It's better than Imodium .

As a advisor be open to email or video conferencing take some of the stress away.

Be thankful you have a job, it may be rough you will survive.

T
Posted 9/27/2013 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
Starry, Athens, Pink and Question Everything, thank you very much.I really appreciate it. I'm trying to cope though there is still soreness in my intestines and large colon. It seems stress is triggering inflammation.
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