Help, attacks are ruining my new job!

1. Call your doctor and see if there is something that he/she can prescribe for you, something you could take at lunchtime to head off the pain and/or the runs. Let your doctor know that this may not be something you'll need forever, but that you've started a new job and your afternoon attacks are making it very hard to work--or even sit at your desk.

2. Level with your new team--or one member of it (preferably one who'll talk with the others). Don't be apologetic, but tell them that they've probably noticed that you've spent the last couple of afternoons in the bathroom and you want to explain why, so that they won't think you're a total freak. Let them know that you have Crohn's Disease, which is chronic and incurable. Let them know that sometimes it isn't a problem, but sometimes it flares up--and that, unfortunately, it's been acting up in the afternoons. Tell them that you're talking to your doctor about prescribing something that will help you get through the afternoons, but, until that happens, you may be in some pain. Ask them to be patient--hopefully, things will get better soon.

3. Buy a heating pad to keep in your office. Even if you can't lay down on the job, you can at least get some heat on your lower abdomen while you're sitting at your desk.

Don't feel humiliated. Sometimes being honest is just something you have to do. I once had a receptionist job in a big medical office. When I had to leave my desk, my boss wanted me to go all the way to the back of the office to notify her secretary to come up front and cover the desk--before I went to the bathroom, which was located in the complete opposite direction. I had to gather myself up and tell her that there was no way I was going to have time to do all of that in a Crohn's emergency. We worked out an agreement that I would print up a sign that said, "I am away from my desk. Please call XX at extension XXXX" and slip it onto my desk before I ran for the bathroom.

No one can fire you for having a disease or a disability. Sometimes telling people is your best protection. And sometimes it actually makes people less critical and more understanding.

I don't know if this is the best course for you, but it's definitely worked for me in the past.

Good luck! And I'm so sorry that you're in so much pain each afternoon.

Are you on any bowel antispasmotic drugs? I had this problem in 05', and immodium would not stop it. It started about mid afternoon, and I was diagnosed as having tenesmus..My doctor told me my bowel was locking down and quivering..I never woke up with it, and it did not matter what I ate..I tried several different drugs, and I reacted to all of them except Donnatol..This worked wonders..This could also be a sign of infection..

Cindy

Good luck to you and I hope that your team members show patience and understanding.

It took me years to be diagnosed and at one office job that I truly loved it was impossible for me to get through each day without having to spend at least 15 minutes in the bathroom a couple of times a day.  And of course I would have little notice, so would just make a mad dash for the restroom.  My boss spoke to me about it several times, and my co-workers felt I wasn't carrying my share of the work, and I had no answers for either except to tell them what my dr. was telling me, which was ''you have what you get before you get an ulcer...you have inflammation of the intestines...drink Mylanta...drink milk''...I was not diagnosed with crohn's disease until about 15 years later.  I always felt so guilty about having to sometimes miss work or go home early.  I ended up moving from the area, and at my next job the same thing happened.  At this job I was required to perform a minimum number of orders per quarter hour.  Soon this became a problem for me and again, no doctor could figure out what was wrong with me, except to say I had gastroenteritis.  This didn't fly, and even though several times my boss would walk the data entry line and stop and tell me how awfully tired I looked, she soon tired of me being in the restroom.  I eventually quit this job because I just couldn't take the stress anymore.  about 10 years later I was diagnosed with Crohn's.  I wish I had known then the reason for my feeling ill most everyday, and I wish my employers had known too so that I could tell them that I wasn't making it up. 

Hey there,

If you feel like you're experiancing tenesmus, then you may want to ask your GI for some cortifoam rectal meds because if you're having that feeling then CD is likely affecting your rectom right now....feel better and I hope everything works out for ya!

Hey cupcake, I think you maybe need to sit down with your supervisor and discuss that you have Crohns Disease. Explain that you are working with your doctor to get this flare quieted down quickly and that hopefully things should quiet down soon. I am always pretty honest with most and that has helped out in the long run for me. Sure hope things get better soon. Hugs!

Cupcake, congrats on the new job. Sorry you are having a flare right now. I can totally relate to your issue as can a lot of people here. I have also had to make many a trips to the bathroom walking by co workers. That really embarasses me b/c I can get hit in rapid succession, barely make it back to the desk and gotta go again. You can assess the situation and decide what you are comfortable doing. It's probably best to tell the truth. Some places will work with you and then others just want all the work out of you they can get and could care less about you as a person. I hope the former will be the situation for you. Heck, smokers often get a lot of breaks, why not people with IBD getting their bathroom breaks! I hope your doctor can fix you up very soon!

Well today was a better day. I took 1 immodium before lunch, I wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not (sometmes immodium saves me other times it makes things worse), but I got through my afternoon much better.

Fingers crossed tomorrow goes as well.

As for telling work, I don't think I should yet. I have been very upfront at 2 previous employers, 1 it helped the situation and 1 it did not and I regretted ever saying anything. My gut at this time is telling me not to say anything yet. I am going to wait and see what the doctor says on Thursday and our course of action before making any decisions about what to say at work. I don't get a bad vibe, but I definitely feel like something is telling me to wait.

Thanks for all the well wishes. We all go through so much, I know work is so hard for a lot of us. The new job aspect is just that much worse. We have been moving around a lot in recent years, but hoping to settle here for awhile so hopefully I will get settled in and have many years to come at this job!

Maybe its just the stress of a new job . Hope it gets better soon.