My Story

So basically after nearly a year I decided to join a forum (after reading nanner's post I decided that this was a good one). I am a 23yr male and was diagnosed late last year with Crohn's although I was thick-headed about it and had the OBVIOUS symptoms of it for probably 2 years prior and had Dr.'s brush it off as IBS or as an elaborate scheme to get pain pills (emergency room visits that my parents dragged me to when I could barely move lol, and yes being a young male sucks as every Dr. seems to think you want "the good pills"). I look back at the beginning of 2008 when I began my new job at Scott's Lawn Service (I lost my previous job due to too many sick days surprise) the first 3 months were relatively easy as it was mostly sales (hard enough for me with my anxiety problems caused me to stutter on the phone but, I still managed to beat out nearly everyone else) then came the hard part production, this is where you push a 100lb spreader across a lawn in 100 degree weather (I also live in TN and we have hills so bad that we charge more for a lawn and call it the **** factor). As you can imagine this nearly killed me on a daily basis, having to stop 5+ times a day to use the restroom didn't help either but, I did it anyway without missing a single day (I look back and laugh at this 70hr+ work week thinking I have it bad now). After about 4 months of this and 2 really bad sprained ankles (hills will make you fall too) my body just gave up and I couldn't move let alone get out of bed, emergency room later that day after I fell in the bathroom. The Dr. gave me bentyl for my stomach pain and celebrex for everything else (he even went to my parents and asked if i had a history of drug use as I couldn't possibly be in so much pain), I took a week off of work as I could still barely move and started to worry if something was really wrong with me. 3 weeks more of the same job and I was just getting worse and worse and I finally quit one day when I just couldn't move or get out of bed. It sucked I had to move back home and my GF was really mad at me for quitting. A month goes by and my parents are threatening me to get a job or live on the streets all the while I'm in so much pain I can hardly see straight. I get some b.s job and after a week quit because my body now won't even give me the energy to do anything for 8 hours. My mom finally thinks there might be something wrong with me one day after seeing me without my shirt on, we go to a different Dr. and he says "try no gluten for 1 month" wow did that not work. Finally I get a double scope, and they tell me its Crohn's disease, I was so happy you have no idea (no sarcasm). So finally I have the support of my parents and friends, then a month later my GF of 3 years breaks up with me (by myspace email wow) because "she doesn't want to be with somebody that can't hold a steady job", that still hurts to this day, so if you have a significant other that supports you LOVE them all you possibly can and appreciate every minute of it. So I finally start a couple meds eventually remmicade and finally pain pills (I cried the night I got them because I forgot what it was like to not be in such pain). Time passes little improvement second scopes, "healing slowly" they say. During this time I realize I may never be the same again. Fast forward to my last treatment get an x-ray I got feces larger than my lung blocked up, wow at the abdomen pains that night. My Dr. also says that I should be in full remission right now too (based on my last scopes done several months ago) and that my pain should be minimal and slashes my pain medication by 2/3s (young males apparently can't take pain meds for pain lol). So for the past 2 weeks I feel like I've gone back a year in time, everything hurts really bad (just unbearable pain all day G.I and joints, it even wakes me up at night) I have to go back to my "safe foods" for a small reduction in pain, I've quit working out (push-ups, yoga, etc.) because my body won't let me. I've lost more weight than the last 2 months combined already (I've gone from 175 under 10% bodyfat to now 120 and I'm 5'8). Is this a normal part of the healing process? Like a "suck month" where my body re-adapts or does this sound different? Anyways thanks for reading my long story which was supposed to be shorter but, I kinda got carried away but w/e. I look forward to being a part of this forum, thanks again.

Wow I didn't even know there was general IBD that was hard to dx. And yea I know Docs don't just give out pain meds but, it would just blow my mind that my parents would go to the Dr. and just complain about back pain and come home with something ridiculously strong and have to go back to the Dr. and ask for something lighter lol.

Welcome! As Nanners said that if you don't get results from your present GI, look for another doctor.

I know it amazes me what I've gotten meds for (like shingles which I've gotten 10+ times which is weird as its an auto-immune disease like crohn's) which feels like nothing now compared to crohn's. I know they are afraid that it will slow down the bowels but, sometimes THAT WHAT WE WANT lol. I do have a really good G.I though (I go to a hospital where I get my care for free, if you need this I'll tell you how to get this) and a pain management specialist is probably the next step though (as I've sadly discovered Crohn's is quite painful even out of a flare-up). I'm guessing that everyone here smoked before being dxed (tell me if I'm wrong). I'd also be interested to see how people here feel about medical marijuana, some people I've met online w/ Crohn's swear by it and at the same time gotten off of pain meds (I've stayed off of it to not interfere w/ my other meds just in case).

Wrote this before I lost internet hours ago, I don't think its a bowel obstruction as I'm going normally now as I've changed my diet (from flare-up to post flare-up whatever that means, just ALOT more fiber). My G.I did say that I was in remission and that I shouldn't be in any pain, then again I think he was maybe trying to make me optimistic or something.

Post Edited (AllHailDietmar) : 7/24/2009 9:49:20 PM (GMT-6)

I am sorry you are having such symptoms! And shingles 10 times! I've had shingles twice and it certianly is not fun. It is not an auto-immune disease, rather it is a virus. People with weakened immune systems are more likely to get shingles, assuming of course they have already had chicken pox. This last time the antiviral drug stopped it cold in its tracks! I know others aren't as fortunate. Anyway, I hope you find a good doctor who can set you on the right path!