Hey Chelpie,

First, I just wanted to welcome you to this support group! It is a wonderful place and you will learn a ton.

I do not have Crohns but I do have Ulcerative Colitis. I feel that I can relate to you in a lot of ways. I am 19 and was just diagnosed under a year ago. I give you props for dealing with this since you were 12, that is such a young age to be given something so terrible.

I am also in college and find it to be extremely stressful sometimes. We are going through so much and under a lot of pressure. Just keep your head up and learn as much as you can about this. We are all here for you!

-Kayla

Thank you. I am hoping I will learn a lot. You would think after twelve years of having Crohns disease i would have this all figured out but I am far from that and it is so unpredictable. I have had so many issues with college. I have been forced to withdraw from classes because of hospitalizations even though i was keeping my grades up. I find this to be so unfair and so stressful. It is nice to know i am not alone.

Hi, Welcome. I was diagnosed uc march of 2006. I go for my 6th, I think, i stopped counting so many colonoscopy in 2 weeks with new GI. I'm thinking maybe I have Crohns, or he will find something my last doc overlooked because he looked at my labs, ct scans, endo, and colonoscopy i had in may and told me 6 different diagnosis that my other doc did not tell me about. I'm currently trying to get in remission from a bad flare that started end of august. But i have been flaring since oct 2010. In and out of hospital every month or so since. This site helps me to keep my sanity and health in check! I know no one with these 2 diseases. people think I just crap alot, and that's my problem. i eat something and have to go bathroom and then I'm ok...So not true

I know what you mean about the colonoscopy. I've had to have one at least twice a year since I was diagnosed. I too am currently trying to recover from a flare up that put me in the hospital. Last september I was very ill. I lost 15 pounds in a couple weeks and was in the hospital weekly because I was so sick and in so much pain. I kept going to my GI dr hoping he could help me and he kept telling me that my Crohns was doing fine and that it was all in my head. He even tried putting me on antidepressants. So after months of being sick I went to my old GI dr who is now three hours away because I knew I was sick. He found the problem immediately and fixed it. It just goes to show that we know our bodies and when something isn't right.

Welcome to daily strength Chelpie!
Sorry you are dealing with this - CD runs in our family (we've discovered... just with our generation) My sister was quite ill when they discovered her crohns. She was pregnant at the time - after having a healthy baby they took her for testing fast and diagnosed her as having Crohns - She had several resections done several surgeries - they finally removed her colon and remicade has turned her life around. She been on this drug for about 11 years and still doing wonderful!
My diagnose has been CD/UC - It's the type of Crohns that most resembles Ulcerative Colitis - (You are welcome to read my journal...) After trying several drugs that gave me more issues then I was noting with my diet (Dairy & sugar seemed to cause major flaring) My doctor & I came to the conclusion for me avoiding dairy and limiting sugar sounded like a plan. I've been doing this for over 20 years with success! A third sister is having tests done they suspect issues similar to mine. She goes for scoping on the 21st.
Hope you can find that road to wellness that fits you! A dietary journal is a must - a stress journal might help too! Learning to eat right for you and finding ways to handle stress can be very helpful... Good luck to you, hugs!

Thanks. I am starting remicade soon. I was actually suppose to start today but since they can't seem to fins the source of my fever they won't let me start it yet. I am hoping that it works for me because I feel like I've tried everything else. I'm currently on Humira and that helped but only for a short time. I can't believe there are so many people in your family with Crohns. I have a rather large family and I'm the only lucky one. Best of luck to you guys!

Thanks Chelpie,
Same to you... Our family is rather large, 11 children. Interesting to see how much alike we are though. Everything from manners to habits. When my sister first came down with CD we were certain it had to be cancer - never heard of this disease. Now we sure know a lot more about it. My disease being linked to dairy - I just thought I was dealing with some kind of severe lactose issues. Our youngest sister now having some issues seems to me she is having some responses very similar to mine. Praying they get your fever source figured and can move forward with success. Good luck!

Hi Chelpie
I replied to your other post, but now I understand! I'm 21,22 in November, got diagnosed in 2007, had to quit 6th form so no Alevels, no qualification, no job ever. Currently Hopefully going to have surgery to sort me out as I'm too on Humira, have been on it for nearly 2 years but its slowly not doing as good as it did. I tried Remicade, didn't agree with me. Had a reaction. Not too nice. I'm lucky (or unlucky?!) that most my family suffer from some sort of bowel upset. My Nan died of bowel cancer, my great aunt had crohns. my Mum has Crohn's, my cousin has Crohn's and my other cousin is going through a lot of tests, but I believe it's Colitis as his Dad has it, my Uncle. My sister is postponing her tests as I don't think she wants to admit she may have some sort of IBD. My brother and many aunts, uncles and cousins have IBS. It's mainly on my Mums side, my Nan was her Mum. Anway, so I have a few people I can talk to it about, but explaining to people who don't have any idea, or sadly, people with IBS think they understand and I mean no dis respect but they don't! Hopefully after I've had my surgery, maybe next year sometime, I will get to go to college and get a job!! I hate my Crohn's, to me it's ruined my life. I lost all chance of getting any qualifications when you are "supposed" too, My ex and I split up over many things but one major factor was my Crohn's and my side effects on Prednisolone! (Baad mood swings, believe it or not, he had colitis but never when for an official diagnosis, on had a basic one on the symptoms he showed! You'd think he'd understand a little!) Again, anyway, sore subject! I LOVE DS, it has helped me understand my disease and know that, in the very near or maybe very far future, I will get better at some point, I will have my life back, I will not be beaten by this. These people are so inspirational and helpful! I don't know what I would do with out them sometimes, just scanning the posts, reading happy and helpful things! Sorry, I tend to ramble a bit! Welcome to DS and I hope you feel better soon! There is a lot of people on here that are around our ages so you are not alone! =]

Hey Chelpie!
I'm also a college student with Crohn's. Well, I have pancolitis that overlaps with Crohn's further up in my system. I am having some of the same academic issues you mentioned...after desperately trying to handle my workload with my disease, I just became completely overwhelmed, ended up in the hospital numerous times, and had to take medical leave from school. Just wanted to let you know there's another in a similar situation (: ...If you ever want to talk, I'm around!
Christine

Hi and welcome Chelpie! This is a wonderful site and a wonderful resource. There are plenty of people here who completely understand what you are going through both mentally and physically.

I was diagnosed with UC in spring of 07 and I had my colon removed in December of 09. It's been a long journey, but things are definitely better.

I hope you enjoy your time here with us!

Sugah

Hi Chelpie,
I hear you, support is very important with out it I dont know where I would be. I am 29 and diagnosed 10 years ago with Crohns. I have severe and like you never in remission. I had four surgies in the last five months and am really having a hard time wrapping my head around everything. I am working full time now so i can relate to the stress of college, I finished my MA last year its a lot of work but my suggestions is to take it one day at a time, I know its cliche but its what gets me through day to day. Hope your doing well and take care.

Thanks everyone! It is great to know that there are people out there that understand what I am going through and that I can talk to about it with. It has been hard over the past 12 years being only surrounded with people who have no idea what its like. I have been put down and belittled many times over the years because of this disease. My family has been very supportive and I am thankful for that but they have definetly said and done things that are hurtful because they don't get it. My friends are the ones that effect me the most. They don't understand that I am not a "normal" college student. I can't do things the same as most people and things are difficult. When i'm sick its almost as if they get mad at me for it. I try my hardest to put on a smile and pretend like everything is great but sometimes its not that easy, I also like to tell myself "one day at a time" that helps.

It is surprising to me that so many of you have so many family memebers with the disease or some form of the disease. I do know that it runs in families but for me this is not the case.