Crohn's disease......anyone?!
Question: I was wondering what the tell tale signs of Crohn's disease are and how does a person live with. What are the syptoms and maybe your experience with the disease. Can you still live a normal life? Is there medication...surgery...what? My doctor thinks I might have it. I have to go in for a Colonoscopy. Thanks.
Answers: I was wondering what the tell tale signs of Crohn's disease are and how does a person live with. What are the syptoms and maybe your experience with the disease. Can you still live a normal life? Is there medication...surgery...what? My doctor thinks I might have it. I have to go in for a Colonoscopy. Thanks.
The telltale signs of Crohn's disease are quite variable. I was diagnosed about 6 years ago. I had lost my appetite, lots of diarrhea, nausea, lost about 45 pounds, lesions on the gums, etc. Typically an altogether unwell feeling, sometimes you feel worse after going to the bathroom, maybe blood, etc. As
I said there are a lot of signs and symptoms, and some people don't get it as bad. The colonscopy shoul give you a better idea. I live with it. It's not easy but for the most part you can live a normal life. It is important to watch what you eat, you will learn what makes you sick, and it is important to take vitamins because with crohn's you do not absorb nutrients as well. I have struggled with it, I won't go into detail, but there are definitely times you flare up, and times you are in remission. Medication, they may start you on a corticosteroid such as prednisone to get the inflammation under control, and then you will go on a maintenance drug such as sulfasalazine, imuran or in bad cases remicade. There are things that come with Crohn's potentially, and the crohn's itself which can require surgeries. Other than that, feel free to email for more information. Hope this helps.
My daughter has Crohns. She started with it at 18 and now is 30. She takes Remediate for it and does live a normal life. However, she has gotten really sick at times. There are alot of different medicines for it and everyone is different. It causes alot of cramping.
Chronic diarrhea, weight loss of more than 50 pounds, abdominal pain, fatigue, moderate fever, skin breakdown in the rectal area.
From my book, "Diseases and Disorders", by Sommers, Johnson, and Beery....
During acute attacks, bowel rest is important to promote healing. Bowel rest can be achieved by making the patient NPO (nothing eaten by mouth) with the administration of total parenteral nutrition (feeding tube)... Once the acute episode has subsided and symptoms are relieved, a diet high in protein, vitamins, and calories is prescribed. The patient's diet should be balanced, and supplements of fiber may be beneficial. In addition, a low residue, milk free diet is generally well tolerated.
Surgery may be necessary for patients who develop complications such as bowel perforations, abscess, intestinal obstruction, fistulae, or hemmorhage and for those who do not respond to conservative management such as nutritional and drug therapy.
Get plenty of rest and relaxation, reduce stress, and maintain a proper diet. Be vigilant with skin care, especially in the perineal (anal) area.
My uncle has it; he lost a great deal of weight and had to have surgery but is okay now.
My friend's wife also has it, she lost alot of weight, and needed to have several feet of intestines surgically removed, but she too is good now.
Hope this helps.