Crohn's Disease

[loboloco]

I recently found out my daughter has Crohn's Disease. Has anyone here had a family member or suffer themselves?
I have read the info on it, but am looking for a better 'feel' for the disease.
Any info would be appreciated.

 

[rc2james]

My wife’s Uncle lived for most of his life with Crohn’s disease. Those were in the days when there were not the treatments that I understand that we have today.

I wish you all the luck and all our prayers will be headed your way friend. I have never done any research on the subject Loco but I’m betting Pirate Girl can fill you in.

 

[thcri]

I have a niece that has it. She is about 40 years old right now. Again she got it at a young age and the technology wasn't there like it is today. It seems like she spends a lot of time in and out of the hospital a lot. She is far away so I don't hear a lot about it. Prayers will be coming your way.

 

[loboloco]

Thx guys. My daughter is 28 and only found out after she lost her appendix and parts of her large and small intestine. Nobody could figure out what the problem was.

 

[thcri]

Thx guys. My daughter is 28 and only found out after she lost her appendix and parts of her large and small intestine. Nobody could figure out what the problem was.

I think that is about the same for my niece. They had a heck of a time figuring out what was wrong.

 

[jpr62902]

My oldest brother has it and it's a very insidious disease. Multiple bowel resections, iron infusions and many colonoscopies. Your daughter has to watch what she eats, how much she eats, when she eats, everything.

On the other hand, a friend of mine, who's only 22, was diagnosed with Crohn's, but they later found out he had a blockage in his appendix. One appendectomy (and one unnecesary cholecystectomy) later and he's back up to snuff. Are you sure she's been diagnosed properly?

 

[rlk]

Thx guys. My daughter is 28 and only found out after she lost her appendix and parts of her large and small intestine. Nobody could figure out what the problem was.

Loboloco, you need to find her a gastroenterologist. In my experience, a lot of doctors will try to treat the problem, but she needs the expertise of a specialist.

There are some great medicines on the market these days that can help put Chron's Disease in remission, but a gastroenterologist is in the best position to know which one to prescribe and the correct dosage.

Check your PMs.

Bob

 

[Erik]

also when you go talk to the gastroenterologist, have him check her for food allergies -- especially wheat and/or gluten. This frequently mimics Crohn's.

 

[NorthernRedneck]

My dad had colitis(a cousin of crohn's). He ended up having his entire colon removed and now lives with an ostemy bag. I know of several people in my town that have either colitis or crohn's. With today's advances in care of the disease, there are several different methods of treatment. For years, my dad's colitis was controlled with medication. Until one night, one of the ulcers in his intestine burst. He was flown out immediately to the nearest center capable of caring for him. His surgery was scheduled for the following day. I remember very well when the hospital called us in at 3am as they didn't think he'd make the night. He did and had the surgery. Now, aside from having an ostemy bag, he no longer has any complications. And that's been since 1994.

My advice to you is to do your research online and inform yourself about the condition as there are many different versions of this disease. Some affect the small intsestine, others, the large intestine. Then others affect both. Each require different forms of treatment.

Warning, one of the medications used to treat this condition is prednizone, which is a steroid. It, in itself, can do damage to the body if used for long periods of time. Trust me on that one. Dad was on it for 10 or so years.

Anyways, good luck. Inform yourselves on the various forms of treatment out there. It's usually treated with medications at first but as the disease progresses, surgery may be necessary.

 

[Bobcat]

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/story?id=7766583

Teen Diagnoses Her Own Disease
By Elizabeth Cohen, CNN

(June 11) - For eight years, Jessica Terry suffered from stomach pain so horrible, it brought her to her knees. The pain, along with diarrhea, vomiting and fever, made her so sick, she lost weight and often had to miss school. Her doctors, no matter how hard they tried, couldn't figure out the cause of Jessica's abdominal distress.

Then one day in January, Terry, 18, figured it out on her own. In her Advanced Placement high school science class, she was looking under the microscope at slides of her own intestinal tissue -- slides her pathologist had said were completely normal -- and spotted an area of inflamed tissue called a granuloma, a clear indication that she had Crohn's disease.

More...

 

[NorthernRedneck]

Good find. Read the whole article.