Just Another Crohnie Day

I finished the Rowasa a month ago. i don't feel any different but my inflammation (C reactive protein went from a 6.8 to a 2.9) has gone down. i still have diarrhea and it's making me really sore!

I have spinal arthritis and the pain has been unbearable for the last year. so bad i had to quit the gym, i couldnt stand to cook, i couldnt even bend over to tie my shoes. About a month ago i was referred to a pain specialist and he injected nerve blockers in to my spine. my arthritis doctor is giving me steroid shots in my hips for bursitis (might be why my crp went down).  i feel soooooo good now! i even rejoined the gym! he hasn't gotten the stelara approved (hasn't been trying either) but he gave me samples last week so i could start it. im hoping that gives him the push to work on insurance approval!

i took a Pound class...dancing with drumsticks..this week and omg...it was a WORKOUT! I made the mistake of doing the same day as my steroid shots so i was HURTING! but it was a blast and awesome cardio so im going back for sure!

I've been trying to eat healthier. It's bot easy when healthy foods make you sick...thanks a lot crohn's! but im doing my best!

thats all for now! updates coming soon!

Rowasa

I haven't started the Rowasa yet. I will today. Hoping itll help with the inflammation and ulcer! But im nervous because Rowasa is also known as Mesalmine...the active ingredient in 5-Asas...which im allergic to. The doctor said my body should react to it differently as an enema than orally.  Crossing my fingers!

Colonoscopy 2017

I welcomed the new year with a colonoscopy! I have some inflammation and an ulcer in my rectum. My doctor is putting me on Rowasa enemas so lets pray it helps!

All Backed Up

I ended up back at the ER the other day. I hadn't used the bathroom in 4 days, as most crohnies know, this is rare. Last time this happened, i had a bowel obstruction. So i went in, waited for hours, only to find out i was really backed up but no obstruction. 2 days later i finally went. My stomach was hard as a rock and i was in so much pain. But now im back to going like 5 times a day. Gotta love crohns and it's unpredictability...

No Rest For The Weary

I cannot sleep. I take ambien and my doctor just started me on mini press for ptsd nightmares. But no sleep. None. Nada. Nothing.

I have slept a matter of a few hours over the last 3 days and I'm taking sleeping medication.  It shouldn't be like this! Last night at 5am I broke down and went to the store and bought 2 bottles of nyquil to use over the next week or so. I also bought some sleep aid similar to zquil.

I ended up taking half a bottle of nyquil and 4 doses of sleep aid before i got to sleep. That lasted 2 hrs. Not even a full 2 hours; it was a broken up and down 2 hours. Ahh!!! I feel like im going crazy!

Insomia, you're a bitch. JS.

Back Pain ER Trip

So i started having these severe, sharp pains in my back around my kidney and in my abdomen just below my ribs. It was hurting so bad, i couldn't sleep.

As much as i didnt want to, at 3:30am i caved and came to the er. I prayed on my way it wouldnt be a long wait or else i was going home and suffering through the pain. But God answered my prayer and there was no one in the waiting room.

They gave me fluids, pain meds and nausea meds to help..and they definitely did help. The doctor ordered blood work, urine tests and a ct scan of my kidneys.

All the tests came back great. Even though i suggested it may be my arthritis, the doctor feels its more likely a crohn's flare.

He gave me pain meds to go and is starting me in prednisone...yay, moon face will be back...😑😑😑

Praying my rheumatologist can get me on meds for my back and hoping my GI will figure out my flare (I have an MRI on December 10 and a cold in January).

I should be discharged in like 15min. Im ready to go home and sleep now!!

When You Live With Pain

I have been diagnosed with spondyloarthritis. And i cannot sleep! Even though im on ambien for my insomnia, the pain is relentless and i get no more than a few hours of broken sleep a night. I'm starting to get beyond frustrated with the fact my meds havent been preauthorized yet and my dr won't call me back.

When i saw him the 1st time, he asked my pain level. I told him a 10 because it was. I could barely move, walk, sit. I cant even bend over. He said no a 10 means you wouldnt be sitting here talking to me right now.

Hold on. Let me tell you something! For over a decade, i have been poked and prodded, been through chemo, a stem cell transplant, every test imaginable, felt like i was giving birth to my intestines 15-25 times a day, was malnourished, had multiple picc lines, almost died twice, had surgery, have given my self injections for years, broken multiple bones, had my bones drilled in to 3 times and God knows what else. I am not a stranger to pain. Just because you can't read it on my face, doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It just means I've been through Hell already so I know how to walk through fire.

Please don't underestimate my pain, based on my facial expressions.  You haven't live through what I have.