Posted 1/1/2011 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
This is my first contact with a support group. I'm 62 y.o., diagnosed with CD 6yrs ago. Bled all summer long, finally, at the point I felt I was going to die, she said she would get me an appointment with a GI doc. I told her I was going to the hospital because that's where I felt I belonged. My new young female physician seemed to be upset and said she would put me under the care of another doc. She got a list and I picked out a doc I knew. After two weeks in the hospital, two pints of packed cells, 2 colostomies, being told by 4 GI doc's I may have cancer, 14 inches of resected colon, I was told I had CD. I was put on pentasa and in 6 mo. I was bleeding again. Another colonoscopy and upper GI revealed Crohs in the ileum, 17 inch stricture with 5 thumbprints. I was started on Remecade and in 6 mo. had a terrible reaction. I had severe pain and swelling in all of my joints with the skin peeling off. I went to a Rheumatologist, he could find nothing. My GI doc told me I had a reaction to the Remacade and put me on 60mg of methylpred. Weaning me off in 6 mo. Then starting me on Humira. So far my CD has gotten better. I am a diabetaic type II also. As my CD got better, my diabetes got worse. If I get a flare up, my diabetes gets better.
Right now I have what is know as Migrating Arthritis in all of my joints. I am told it's from the CD. 1 1/2 yrs ago, I had emergency open heart sx. I had an Thoracic Aortic Aneurism 6.5cm, Aortic Valve replacement, and 1 bypass. Taking 21 meds for all my conditions. Don't need any more meds.! For the CD I take Colozal 2250 mg 3 time daily, Humira 40 every other week, perccet for the joint pain with Ibuprofen. My GI guy told me to try it. So far it hasn't bothered me. it's twice daily and it really helps the pain with the percocet. My wife is a nurse and has little sympathy, so I don't bother her with complaints, she has her health problems too.
Retired, looking for a part time job to help with the cost of the meds. 2010, cost for Meds were about $31,000. We have good insurance and our copays were about $7,000.