Living with Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is an illness found anywhere in the digestive system. It causes huge complications in an affected person's normal life through various forms of pain, discomfort, and food digestion. Crohn's, like IBS, is a fairly common illness throughout people of all ages. Another close friend of mine deals with this crippling affliction. She is currently in her longest running attack yet, and I constantly watch helpless as she tries to deal with all the different aspects of the disease. She is unable to work or finish her high school degree because the symptoms of Crohn's have taken over her life. She is an extremely strong young woman, and I know she won't be held down too much longer. I asked her to answer some questions about her experience with Crohn's for this article, and I hope to give her, as well as other people dealing with this disease, more support by raising awareness through this piece.

1. How long have you had this illness for?
I was diagnosed two and a half years ago.

2. What age were you when you started experiencing symptoms of Crohn's Disease?
Sixteen

3. How long did they take to diagnose you?
It took three months.

4. Have you been satisfied with how doctors have assessed your illness?
The treatment since my diagnosis has been fabulous, but I was unsatisfied with the process itself. There are a lot of diseases out there; it makes sense for a diagnosis to take a long time, but it would've been less of an ordeal if I'd been given some kind of pain medication.

5. In your own words, how would you describe Crohn's Disease?
Pain. Pain and frustration. When all you want to do is live your life and Crohn's keeps getting in the way, it can get very frustrating.

6. What caused it with you?
I was taking dangerous amounts of Advil and Tylenol to dull the pain of a back problem I was having, and it aggravated the Crohn's prematurely.

7. Is there a cure?
No. Unfortunately, Crohn's is chronic.

8. What medications do you take, if any?
I take an immune suppressor, Imuran, an anti-inflammatory, Salofalk, and an arthritis anti-inflammatory, Diclofenac.

9. How has Crohn's Disease affected your life?
So far as daily routine, Crohn's has pulled me out of work, school, and my social life when I'm in a flare up. On the other hand, having to deal with it has strengthened by mind and spirit.

10. How do people react when you tell them you have Crohn's Disease?
It varies between "oh God, you poor thing," and "...I don't know what that is."

11. Do you feel like your illness is misunderstood? If so, how?
Not so much misunderstood, just unknown.

12. How supportive have your family and friends been with this issue?
Extremely. More supportive than I'd ever have asked for.

13. What kind of other support do you receive to help you deal with this illness?
None currently, but as a Crohn's flare up triggers my back problem, I am in and out of physio.

14. What causes your flare-ups?
Stress. Mild or eye popping, depending on the situation and how well I can manage it.

15. How long do your flare-ups last?
Anywhere from six weeks to five months, but that depends on whether I agree to hard medication or antibiotics, which I don't enjoy doing.

16. How would you describe a flare-up?
Crippling. The stomach pain is intense, you can't eat and when you do, you end up vomiting, and it's really difficult to move because Crohn's kicks up inflammatory arthritis. Not to mention exhaustion from lack of sleep and nutrition.

17. What helps the pain and/or cures a flare-up?
Nothing really helps the pain except not eating. Curing a flare up is usually a matter of hard meds like Prednisone or Remicade, if you're not against Western medication. If you are, you either let it run its course, or look into naturopathy.

18. What do you do to prevent flare-up from happening?
I start trying my best to de-stress and get control of whatever situation is affecting me when I see warning signs. I haven't taught myself how not to allow it to get to warning signs yet.

19. Are you dealing with a flare-up at the moment? If so, how long has it lasted so far?
I am. It's lasted six months.

20. Have you endured any other illnesses or injuries as a result of Crohn's Disease?
Yes, arthritis in my wrists, ankles, hip joints, and knees. Muscle pain in my back, upper arms, thighs, neck, and shoulders. Also, while in a flare up I become anemic.

21. What advice would you give to other people who suffer from the same illness?
Be strong. If you crumble under this disease, it will take over your entire life. Make the necessary adjustments and keep wonderful people around you.

22. Has this illness affected you in a positive way at all?
Very much so. I'd like to say that more so positively than negatively, but I think that's pushing it.

23. What do you want people to know about Crohn's Disease?
Just that it exists, that it's chronic, and that it's hell when you're alone.