Crohn's Disease :: Indicative Inflammatory Bowel Disease
I am a 24 year old who works a 12 hour rotating shift pattern (including night shifts). For the past 6 months or maybe more o have had upper left abdominal pain (cramping/aching) and more recently lower pain (sometimes across lower, sometimes left and sometimes a specific place on the lower right). I put it down to IBS due to shift work. My partner convinced me to see the GP as I have a family history of IBD. Oh and my bowel movements vary from constipated (less than once a week) to lose (not diarrhoea and multiple times per day)
Had stool tests and blood tests. I expected them not to find anything to be honest and just did it to please my boyfriend and put his mind at rest.
Doctor phoned and said that "the stool test shows signs of inflammation indicative of inflammatory bowel disease". I couldn't really ask more questions because of where I was. Phoned in for blood results and told by reception that they were fine.
I have been referred to the gastroenterologist and have an appointment in 2 weeks.
I am tired all the time and find it really difficult to get out of bed, frequently have naps at work but put that down to shift working.
I don't want to take any laxatives because I never know when it will change between constipation and loose stools and when I'm working, I often can't get to the toilet.
I often have joint pain but I also have a knee injury and some hyper mobile joints.
I am so confused as to what is going on and hate not being in control of my body. I know I only have mild symptoms, I feel so alone (shift work doesn't lend itself to meeting people regularly).
Can You Take Beer With Crohn's Disease?
My husband was diagnosed with crohn’s disease some time ago. It seems that he is not allowed to drink beer. I don’t know how he will be able to do this, since he is a great fan of beer. Why isn’t he allowed to take it? Can someone tell me?
View 2 RepliesCrohn's Disease Can Affect Fertility
My wife has been diagnosed with crohn’s disease. We have no children yet, but we were planning to. However, this disease is something that surprised us. She manages to coup the disease with medications. However, we don’t know if this affects her fertility. What do you think about this?
View 1 RepliesCrohn's Disease Relation To Hemorrhoids?
I know something about crohn’s disease. However, there is something else that intrigues me. I was wondering if this disease can be manifested with haemorrhoids. As far as I know, those are two different entities, so I would like to know if they can be linked in any way.
View 2 RepliesCrohn's Disease :: Hearing Loss?
I've had hearing loss now for a few years but don't know whether it's down to Work, crohn's or chemotherapy, anyone else?
View 1 RepliesCrohn's Disease And Naproxen - Vomiting
I had my surgery in 98. I've been symptom free for over 10 years. I recently hurt my back at work and was prescribed Naproxen (Aleve) because of the new pain med laws. Well after taking it for a week, I just started vomiting large amounts of blood. I went to the ER and they were shocked to hear that this was prescribed this for my pain since they were aware I had Crohn's. Has anyone else had symptoms like this from Naproxen? Would it be a honest mistake or malpractice?
View 1 RepliesCrohn's Disease :: Really Thick Blood?
I had a blood test today as I'm being tested for Crohn's disease and a load of allergies however my blood was really thick and gloopy and would flow even the nurse said that it was unusual. She couldn't get much blood out either as it would flow so ended up having to use bottles that they use for babies because there nearly any blood. I'm just wondering what this could mean or if anyone else has had this before?
View 2 RepliesCrohn's Disease :: Tiredness - Don't Have The Strength To Do Anything
I've had Crohns for 20 years I have a structure but is under control with drugs but the tiredness and fatigue is terrible specialist isn't much help or understanding on this point how do others cope with it ? My bloods are checked regularly and are always fine. I sometimes wonder how I'm going to get through the day at work sometimes and don't have the strength to do anything when I get it at night and I cannot wait to get to bed even if it's to watch tv I wouldn't mind but I'm no party animal has anyone got any sensible suggestions please ?
View 37 RepliesCrohn's Disease :: Humira Stopped Working
I'm 28 and have crohn's disease. I have been on humira for 2 years which had worked well. The past few months, however, I have been suffering from a debilitating flair up. My Dr upped my dosage but it hasn't made a difference and am now back on steroids. I was wondering if anyone else had experienced this with humira? And if anyone had had success with any alternative medications?
View 7 RepliesCrohn's Disease :: Mercaptopurine And Tramadol For The Pain
Hi I have just joined the forum and would like to know if anyone feels the same as myself or am I going mad. Was diagnosed with crohns in 2010 after doing the over 50 bowel screening ( I am 55) have been on several medications and had a very nasty abcess where you dont want one and had to stay in hospital 11 days. Last november I had been in infliximab for 2 years having infusion every 8 weeks and also taking mercaptopurine and tramadol for the pain, I now have infliximab every 10 weeks still taking mercaptopurine which I have been on for 4 years, the doctor asked me to try and stop tramadol but I only take 2 per day 4 on a very bad day, I have tried several times not to take these but when I stop the next day I feel bloated, very sick and its a struggle to get out of bed and as a full time carer for my disabled husband thats no good, it happened today so I took 2 tramadol and crawled back to bed and within an hour I felt a lot better, have explained this to 2 doctors and 1 wants me off tramadol and says symptoms are due to them and the other gives me a prescription and says if I need to take them to do that I am so confused. I take them because the option not to makes me feel so crap (pardon the pun ) has anybody got any advice please I hate this crohns
View 4 RepliesCrohn's Disease :: Sore Throat When Taking Azathioprine
I have been taking Azathioprine for crohn's for some time and have been lucky not to have had any side effects. For a while I have had a sore throat but not needed any medication. When I read the possible side effects on websites they mention sore throats. Any one else experience this, if so have you spoken to GP or consultant.
View 3 RepliesCutting Down Alcohol Consumption And Bad Dreams
Although I'm trying to cut down etc and make my life better which I am , I'm suffering the most terrible nightmares!
Since I moved to my new house last August I've had the most terrible dreams ! Has anybody experienced sleep paralysis ?? I've researched this as have experienced this before but recently in this house I have periods where its terrible ! Last night was awful but I coped better because I knew what was happening , although awful ! . I don't want to explain exactly what happens because I don't want people thinking of this before they sleep . Just wondered if this was linked to drinking ?? I think this is perhaps linked to psychosis ?? I'm worried . I drink a bottle of wine a night , sometimes more but not normally and have done for 15 years . There is a family history of alcohol addiction plus mental health in my family!
Anxiety :: Coming Off Propranolol - By Cutting The Tablet?
I have been on 10mg PROPRANOLOL for a few years for anxiety attacks which would last 4 days of continuous sickness and sweating, also heart palpitations.
I have managed to control this over the past 2 years and very rarely get panic attacks , if i do the sickness and palpitations last a day.
I was taking this medication twice a day, however the beginning of last year i weaned myself down to one tablet a day (10mg) and then eventually stopped taking my tablets all together. i then became very anxious and had to reverse back to 0ne tablet daily. This is with the odd attack.
A year later and having no attacks i would like to try again and wean myself of completely but scared i will revert back to being sick an anxious again. However putting that to one side and thinking positive i would like to stop them.
Can i cut the tablets with a drug cutter and reduce the amount to 5 mg daily and stop.
Trouble Breathing - Cold, Cough And Phlegm Cutting Off My Chest
Recently got over a cold now I seem have this nasty may cough that is producing phlegm but it getting sick in my chest n thrust literally cutting of my airway.
View 3 RepliesPrednisolone Not Working For Crohn's
I have been provisionally diagnosed with Crohns and have been on Prednisolone for 3 weeks, starting off with 40 mg a day and reducing weekly by 5 mg.
I am having terrible headaches and no releif from the abdominal pain.No other symptoms yet.Can I expect some improvement as time goes on in your experiences ?
Developing Beer Belly - Any Alternatives Without Cutting Beer?
I am only 22 years old, but I believe I am developing beer belly. What I should do about it. I guess you’ll say cut the beer…but I am hoping for another answer.
View 1 RepliesInner Ear Disorders :: Possible Perilymph Fistula?
My story is as follows: about a month ago, I began having ear pain that would alternate between ears. After a few days of this, the pain settled in my right ear, where I developed both pain and fullness that persisted for about two weeks. My ear constantly had the sensation that it needed to "pop," such as what one experiences when on an airplane. I went to my GP after a week of these sensations, who told me that it was likely Eustachian Tube Dysfunction and that it would resolve soon. She prescribed decongestants, antihistamines, and a steroid nasal spray. I took Sudafed and Allegra (but not the spray, as I am scared of steroids) but they did not seem to help.
Well, in the meantime, my blocked ear was annoying the crap out of me, so I decided to go online and look for some home remedies to try. One thing that I found was something called the Valsalva maneuver, in which you close your mouth, pinch your nose and blow out against closed airways to unblock the ear. I tried this several times over the course of a few days in attempts to get my ear to unblock. Most times it was difficult to get the right ear to "pop," and even when it did, it did not alleviate my symptoms.
Shortly after trying this maneuver, however, I read that the Valsalva maneuver can actually DAMAGE your inner ear and cause a perilymph fistula if done too forcefully. (I don't think I did it too forcefully, but I can't be sure.) Learning this sent me into a panic, and ever since, I have been experiencing a vague, constant dizziness that lasts all day. I have had trouble focusing my eyes and it feels, at times, like my brain is being sucked up and out of my skull (sorry). In the meantime, the sensation of fullness and pain in my right ear has improved greatly, but I am still being plagued by this constant dizziness. This dizziness has been present for a full week now. I have no sensitivity to loud noises, no hearing loss, and no episodes of vertigo. I do have a bit of wooziness when I am a passenger in a car, and I have felt extremely, unnaturally ill and fatigued throughout this ordeal. For those of you who have had PLF, does this sound like it could be a possible PLF? Is it even likely that I acquired a PLF after performing the Valsalva Maneuver?
Thank you so much for your help. I am hoping and praying that this dizziness is a fluke and not related to a PLF or inner ear damage, but the possibility scares the ****** out of me, regardless. I have had an extremely stressful year between losing my job, acquiring a crippling hip injury, and dealing with a host of other health issues, and the possibility of chronic dizziness is not something I feel capable of dealing with at this point.
Perilymph Fistula :: Is There Any Surgery?
Anyone out there had this surgery? I'm in week 3 and wondering what to expect going forward.
View 3 RepliesPerilymph Fistula - Surgery Or Not?
To cut a long story short - mid August 2014 I did a sinus rinse for chronically blocked sinuses. It went very wrong and I ended up with water trapped in my left middle ear. It didn't come out by itself and the pain and pressure was getting too much. I saw a GP and we agreed on using a nasal balloon to equalise the ears and try to get the water out. I also tried a few valsalva actions.
One day (first week of September), I was using the balloon when I felt a painful loud click in my right ear. This is where my real problems started.
I now deal with: constant tinnitus in right ear, dizziness, vertigo, some nausea, really bad head pressure, auras, vibrations and buzzy feelings throughout body, deep pain in ear - can almost feel blood or fluid in right ear.
Saw GP and it is a suspected Perilymph Fistula of the round window in the inner ear. I am seeing an ENT privately, hopefully in the next 2 weeks. Thing is, I am in England, UK and I am worried that they don't really deal with PLFs. Then I will be stuffed!
I am currently doing as much bed rest as I can as I read online this is best at this stage. I am however very very worried about what has happened. I am worried about leaking CSF fluid too. I certainly have enough head pressure.
Can this really heal with bed rest or do I need surgery? Also, I am scared about my tinnitus getting worse with surgery. Anyone who has had PLF repair surgery, what was the outcome? Did your tinnitus get worse or better in the end? Did the head pressure go? Has anyone recovered just with bed rest?