Crohn's Disease & Ulcerative Colitis Support Group

Crohn's disease is a systemic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of unknown cause, that results in chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. It can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, and can also cause complications outside of the gastrointestinal tract. There is no known medical or surgical cure for Crohn's disease, but there are many medical...

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working with crohns

yankee13
yankee13
hey guys

anyone else find it hard to go to work or even just be spontaneous ? just go out and have fun? I dont know about you but i have this constant thought of well i would love to go out and have fun but "what if" my crohns acts up? i have anxiety as well as crohns and its such a vicious cycle when both are in full swing at the same time. its real hard to bounce back.

i am in a hiring process for a great opportunity in a job i really want. its in the field i went to school for and i know i will like this job. its been a long and rough process but i have made it through to the end. next week is my final stages of the process and im getting psyched out . i have passed up too many opportunities due to lack of self confidence in myself and using crohns and anxiety as a crutch. i know everything there is to stay calm and cool and collective but when that first hint of a possible flare or panic attack coming on my world comes crashing down, i feel helpless and feel like i need to depend on my family. i am 24 yrs old. i want to be able to move out of state take on this new job and not live in fear that what if i have a panic attck? what if my crohns act up? what if..? i have made myself sick stressing so hard over this great career move. i dont wanna lose out on this. i dont want to give up but i have my days where i say okay i cant do this ill just stay here and continue working a job i have no interest in bc its my safety net. i want to explore i want to live outside of the box i have surrounded myself with from fear that i may or may not have fun or not . the fact that i dont know the out come is scary to me. im not sure what is worse getting this job or not getting this job....

after this ramble i guess what im looking for is hope that eventually it is possible to live a life without having to worry bout flare up.

opinion/advice/comments are welcome . thanks
deleted_user
deleted_user
yankee13,
You have to check out "The Foul Bowel" by John Bradley. It will give you some great insights into how to move forward with a career and life while having Crohn's.

http://www.foulbowel.com/4956.html
AdventureEvryDay
AdventureEvryDay
Everything you are experiencing is perfectly normal and understandable. Life is full of what if"s and the unknown, but that is what makes it so cool. I have limitations now because of my UC just like you do because of Crohns. Yeah it sucks and some days doesnt seem fair but that is just the way it is. You have to realize your limitations, accept them and live within them. That is not to say do not pursue your dreams. Actually quite the opposite. Grab ahold of the chance you have now and dont let go. Through your experiences in life you have so much to offer an employer, you have dealt with and overcome adversity. You deal with it on a daily basis. You understand sacrifice, compassion and empathy. One thing I have learned thru all this is that I am a better person for all I have been thru and so are you never doubt that fact. You are allowed to have shit fits, feel sorry for yourself and pout, the key is to get back up dust yourself off and get back in the ring for just one more round. This is your chance to grab the bull by the horns and ride it as long as possible. Remember we all fall down at times and sometimes things just dont work out the way we planned but that is the time to make a new plan and start over with new enthusiasm and hope. You can do this never doubt that fact. If you are still doubting yourself just look at your past and realize the mountains you have already climbed and take pride in that and know if you can do it once you can do it again. Give em hell and never apologize to anyone for who you are. Good luck. Charlie
rmb
rmb
You're going to have this disease for the rest of your life. So when you think about that, it's hard to think about letting it hold you back. You have a life to live, and CD or UC is just a small part of it. So it comes down to not letting it take such a hold. And not letting it be such a defining factor in your life. That takes acceptance and a little bit of faith in yourself.

You can do whatever you want, go wherever you want to go. It's really a choice. The world is full of what ifs and unknowns. I mean, no one knows what's going to happen to them, regardless if you have IBD or not. I've worked while in remission and while in a flare. You just try to roll with the punches a bit.

Suffering from anxiety is so hard, I know. I have issues with it sometimes, although for some reason my UC doesn't seem to amp it up too much. I mean, I get a little anxious when I don't feel well but I've kind of learned some techniques to help me with that, like visualization techniques, meditation stuff, etc. It really helps me stay calm and focused when I start feeling like I'm spinning a bit.

I have UC, I live a great life. I work, I play, I'm social. I've live well, while flaring and while in remission. I just don't want to sit on the side lines or ever have this thing take hold of me. So some of it really comes down to just getting right with having this disease and some of it is changing how you see yourself.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Well, going through job interviews is a rather stressful process in and of itself. People with no IBD or no anxiety get wigged out over this. So, for what it's worth, your feelings are pretty much normal for the circumstances.

You wonder is it possible to work and go out and have fun and do regular life stuff with crohn's. I can answer that: Yes, it is.

Heck, I worry about my crohn's all the time (other worries: the financial stability of the place where I work, the economy, the health of friends + family, my home's water heater... you know, normal stuff) but that doesn't prevent me from doing the other things.

Does it make it harder or interrupt the normal life stuff at times? Yes, but there you are. Few people are without some kind of setback in life to deal with, whatever it may be.

I also know what it's like to live with both crohn's and gad, and I know that there will be times when both of them really bite, but they are only part of the big picture.

Trust me, the good parts of life are still there to be enjoyed. The B in my screen-name stands for Bird. While my crohn's has been better than it is at the moment (it's been far worse, too), next weekend I'll be out on the Christmas Bird Count. Heck, my worry right now is why the Pine Siskins appear to be avoiding me. Probably a worry not many people share. :/

Good luck with the final stages of your job interviews. This sounds like a great opportunity - I hope you get the position!

-B
yankee13
yankee13
thank you everyone for the support and advice, i found it all very helpful. it really helps seeing i am not the only one feeling this way and gives me the hope that i too can learn to overcome the everyday obstacles.

p.s. i am looking into that book the foul bowel. thank you i have been looking for a book like that.

i head out tomorrow to begin the final stages of the hiring process, i will take the advice and kind words from everyone with me and remain positive . i find the more positve thoughts the better the outcome :)
deleted_user
deleted_user
It has taken years but I think I have finally come to terms with the fact that it is what it is. I have an amazing job and just happen to utilize the restroom far more frequently than everyone else.
deleted_user
deleted_user
There's been some really gorgeous replies here that everyone can take something on. People on here really care and know what it's like and it's just wonderful.

I'd just like to add on the anxiety side that I saw in another post a link to book by Dr Claire Weekes that is supposed to be one of the best books ever written on anxiety.
Here's a link to her website and I think there are some clips on youtube. http://www.drclaireweekes.co.uk/books.htm

Good luck, I hope you get the job!
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