Need- Advice/Opinions/Answers "Winter"

 I was diganosed 7 months ago with CD and it has been a battle pretty much every day, as most of you know living with CD yourself. I understand everyone & every case is different but we all do share a lot of the same kind of problems.  My concern now is winter is approaching fast & I need to know. DOES THE COLD EFFECT ANYONE ELSE WORSE NOW THAN IT DID BEFORE CD ? WILL I BE AT A HIGHER RISK FOR SICKNESS DURING THESE COLD MONTHS ?

Post Edited (krisjupiter) : 10/21/2013 1:55:29 PM (GMT-6)

The weather never seemed to effect my CD when it was active. The cold weather with lower temperatures did effect my the other problems that are associated with Crohn's - especially my arthritis. Once I began treating my CD, I seemed to get FEWER winter viruses. Make sure you get a flu shot. Also, it is a good idea to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after using public equipment like ATM, gas pump, store pens, door handles, etc.

Thank You for all your responses. I am calling for a flu shot this morning. I do fear the cold will be harder on me this year but I am trying to keep faith and hope that it will not be too harsh. I woke up this morning to a trace of snow already. My back had been hurting all week & today I can hardly move around except to use the restroom. Not a good start to winter. But I am trying to remain optimistic.

I got done with a steroid 2 Weeks ago. I am currently on Apriso, promethazine, zanax, align, gas x, & hydrocodone.
Doctor has been talking about infusions. I guess this is all a waiting game & hoping for the best.

Post Edited (krisjupiter) : 10/23/2013 2:54:16 PM (GMT-6)

 I guess it depends on the day of how my bowels are, yeasterday was horrible, having to use the restroom a lot & today so far so good. I am on promethazine for severe upset stomach around my menstral cycle, I am on the medication for about 1-2 weeks out of the month.

 This all started Feb. 1,2013  I had a 7mm kidney stone that I passed on my own in the hospital, I was then admitted in the hospital for 14 days because I turned septic by passing the stone on my own. My stomach started swelling while I was in the hospital. I believe it was all the antibiotics they were pumping through me, 3 different ones back to back in 1 night, for example. It was a horrible ordeal. Every since then I have had stomach & kidney problems. I just passed another 2mm stone & fragments last month. This is why I am on hydrocodone & some days my back hurts so bad that medicine does not work.

 I am going to a specialist in the middle of November in another state. Hopefully I will get some answers. My family insists on this. I understand that in the begining of CD its all a guess on what medication will work best & I have tried others, I also understand that kidney problems can go along with CD. I just am in search for the best answers & treatment I guess. 

 I do not get constipated due to the medication. As far as zanax goes I take that for anxiety as needed. Some days not at all. I do believe the steroid helped but some days I can not tell the difference from moment to moment because I feel so awful. I try each day to feel like the old self & some days it works.

  Do you sleep well ? Are you in remission ? Feeling good most days ?  

 What exactly is immunosuppressant ? Would any of my medications be considered one ? Apriso, promethazine, steriods, Align ?

 I am obviously new to all this & I am trying to learn as much as I possibly can about CD.

 As far as the cold weather it already seems to be taking a toll me. My back hurts more, my muscles are aching. I think its from tighting up. I don't know these days anymore what is what. I am trying to remain positive.

None of the medications you are taking are immune supressors, except for the steroids but you are done with them.

You should be taking vitamin D at a minimum. If your DR hasn't tested your vitamin D level, ask for that blood test next time you go in.

What has your kidney specialist said about the repeat stones? Are you watching your fluid intake? Were the stones analyzed and are they calcium stones?

I've been in a good remission for a couple of years now. It took me a long time to figure out what the right medications were for me, and the final adjustments were all dietary (gluten free, adding psyllium).

Based on the timeline you've provided, you were diagnosed with Crohn's when you were hospitalized for the kidney stone?

Last question first - flax seed oil is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, which is generally understood to be a natural anti-inflammatory. More people choose fish oil for this purpose but I cannot abide it for moral as well as taste reasons.

I was diagnosed after the birth of my first child and right before I got pregnant with my second. My GI at the time took a whole year to figure out what was going on, and even then he got it wrong. I waited until after the birth of my 2nd to go back to a new GI and then another two years to get a full scope. Then that GI undertreated me to the point that every joint in my body got inflamed and painful. Then I found a rheumatologist and a new GI and got very serious about figuring out the right meds. I came to this forum in 2010 (9 years after diagnosis) for help with the final tweaks. So yeah, that's a long time.

I live in a very large city with one of the world's largest medical centers and it took me a long time to find the right GI for me.

What sets me off? Pregnancy I guess, also viral infections and stress and apparently gluten.