It's going to get better...Right?

So, I get my 5th Humira shot sunday and I know it will take a while to see if it's going to work & I haven't been losing weight like it's out of style(thankfully!) but......This month marks my year long 'flare-aversary' & I want to know from you guys who have been in flares that have lasted SO MUCH longer than mine is it typical for things to get better for a few weeks(almost to the point of the word 'remission' popping into your head) & then things go down hill fast and the cycle just continues? My GI told me once my body gets completely done with the whole puberty proccess(around age 24!) that my disease should deffinately calm down so that makes me happy !   Then he followed that up with "your disease doesn't play by the rules either though."

   Anyone find that their disease got better after fully maturing?

   Anyone find that their 'flare' can go from horriable one month to almost non existant the next?

  I'm just tired of feeling alone & I know out of all the Crohnie's on here someone can answer the above questions with a 'yes'.

Hope all is well with everyone!

 i WANT TO BECOME A FLAGYL JUNKIE, LOL i FELT SO MUCH BETTER AFTER TWO ROUNDS OF IT. iM DOWN TO TWO IMMODIUM A DAY  I WAS UP TO NINE, IT GETS BETTER....

Well, I'll put it this way...I've had most of the same symptoms since I was in elementary school but they came in 'flares' but no doctor would dx me with Crohn's even though my birthmother has it & autoimmune crud runs in the family. It took me losing 80 pounds from February-August for them to take it seriously and look for it more(You know, because ALL young women have an eating disorder right?) *sarcasm* but I finally got dx in October & my GI is conservative with meds and I'm already on the second biologic bc the Crohn's can't be controled with my Apriso, steroids or antibiotics...It will happen though!

@Matthew: That doesn't completely shocking considering CD is weird like that(about the pneumonia). This is only my second flare in the last two years. The last one went away spontaneously like you said in July 2011 then came back for me in February(current flare). I thought it was all in my head! Didn't know it could actually go away spontaneously! Thanks! :)

@Dusty: I love me some Flagyl too buddy! :)) It made my nervous system mess up more than it already was when I was on it but other than that...I loved it! Anyways, 9 immodium? I would deffinately feel miserable if I used the bathroom that much. Glad you are down to two!! :) Thanks!

@C6H1206: What's the test called that can determine my future pharemacutical loads? My GI was hoping I could stick with just Apriso but of course I'm on a host of meds at the moment & would like to have the test to see if I could just do Humira & Apriso soon! What supplements are you taking? I'm just doing B-12, Folic Acid, Probiotics & Zinc, supplement wise. I've heard a lot of good things about V-D though! I'll start experimenting with my diet a little more and cut out some more junky food. Liquid diets have ben my friend though lately :)

Thanks for taking time to post back! Hope you all fee; amazing soon!

Oh my gosh, you had THAT much trouble getting a diagnosis?! Oh honey I am so sorry! That's almost criminal!!!

If I remember correctly, the test is called a Prometheus test? You get a box with the required stuff, then take it to the lab in your medical facility and they ship it off for you. Then your GI should call you back when the place calls him with the results (the lab that runs the DNA is in California or something like that). Apparently my DNA markers show that I have a very aggressive form of Crohn's with a 99% chance of complications. So far I have been doing ok, but I know that in the future I need to be prepared for more intense treatments. Supplements wise I have been doing B-Complex, Vit D, Mulivitamin and Calcium (Crohn's can really erode your bones!) along with probiotics. I have been doing SCD for a bit now and I feel SO much better! There are other, less restrictive diets that might help you though :)

Best of luck!

Keepingfaith,

I completely understand what you are talking about. When people mention being in remission I think-huh, what's remission??? I don't think I can say that I have ever been in remission during my entire diagnosis of Crohn's Disease (15 years). Every colonoscopy I have ever had has shown active disease. Every time I get to the point of thinking that things were going so good and then BAM! I would spend the next couple of days calling in sick to work and up all night going to the bathroom, and then feeling bad for weeks.

I have to say, I didn't notice a difference around the age of 24 and I am now 29.

I think that right now I am feeling better than I have in years (that's scary to say-knock on wood). You will be happy to know that I just started Humira about 5 months ago. I think it has really helped me. Prior to Humira I was on Remicade for about 8 years. I am also on azathioprine, low dose naltroxone, B-12, B-6, Vit D, probiotic, and what I think has made the biggest difference is a gluten free diet. I just started that about a month ago and I noticed a big improvement right away.

I hope it helps to know you are not alone, and hoping this is the start of the illusive remission I have heard so much about!

@C651206: Yes...it was a very long road to getting DX. My friend was so happy when I finally got a DX that she screamed "YAY! My best friend has Crohn's Disease! I'm so happy for you!!" Hahhaha Someone said "Who is happy for their best fiend to have a disease?!" It's good to get treatment though :) I have had one Prometheus test done but it was that one that tells how likely you are to have either CD or UC I think. I'll have to ask the GI about the other one because I'm curious!

@Dusty: I felt so much better when I found the site too! It's so great and sometimes when I feel like crying my eyes out I go on here and just browse random threads and feel better   I'll be praying your appointment goes well! I hope you find a medicine that works for you as soon as possible! I got DX in October and am still figuring things out so don't get too dissapointed when a medicine doesn't work!

@Maeday: Ahh! You sound so much like me !! Thank you for giving me some hope! I still am trying to figure out what exactly is remission? Some say it's when you're symptom free others say it's when their is no inflammation, and some say it's normal to have symptoms remain in remission. It's confusing...I'll be praying you have the magical remisssion that is on everyones mind! A lot of gluten free products give me 'D' which is weird. Some gluten free products I REALLY like, even better than the products that contain gluten!

Thank you all!

If you had asked me 2004-2006 I probably would not had a positive answer for you and would have cried..I have had three years of steroids with mild mini flare ups here and there..Dr has called it remission..I have not been med free or totally asymptomatic??I thought I was headed into disability 2004-2006 I was miserable..I have been able to live fairly normally the last three years...I had the kidney stone, gall stones, severe joint and headaches so I had alot of the extra stuff in an active flare..I like to preach hope..I do believe in watching your diet on what sets you off which can be different according to where and how your flaring..
Cindy