Crohn's Disease

by Sharon
(Alabama)

My 25 year old daughter has been diagnosed in the past week with CD. Her symptoms are right side pain that at times is extreme along with constipation. Her left side aches at times. She is under the care of a Gastro doc but we are having a hard time getting information. Her diagnosis was from a colonoscopy and biopsies.
My main question is since she has never had loose bowels or blood and she had just started with the pain and constipation -- is this a good sign? We are trying to figure all this out and I have to say it is amazing how much info there is to filter through. I am not sure traditional medicine is the way to go.

Comments for Crohn's Disease

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Overwhelming information and advice.. NEW
by: Annette

Hello there,

I am sorry to hear that your daughter has been suffering with pain of late. The positive aspect is that she has at least been diagnosed now. It can take a long time sometimes for a diagnosis can be made and often appendicitis and IBS is also considered.

It sounds like your daughter has at least been given relevant tests and they are happy with the diagnosis, so now it is a case of ensuring that the treatments that they give her start to help.

You are absolutely right, there is an awful lot of information out there and it can all be pretty overwhelming and a scary time too. The more information you can learn however about the disease, the better prepared you will be. It's worth noting that although there are very similar symptoms, some people do not experience the extremes of the disease or as many flare-ups. This does not detract from the pain of cramps, or joint pain aches or nausea that can be experienced but it does seem to affect people differently.

It is good that your daughter is not experiencing diarrhea etc and I assume she has made her symptoms very clear to the doctor? It is worth her making a note of her symptoms and to ensure that she provides the details to the doctor when she goes.

I would always suggest seeking medical assistance rather than just relying on self-help solutions. But there is a lot that your daughter can do, such as:

Listening to her body and resting when required as fatigue is a common indicator.

Cutting back on caffeinated drinks, having less spicy foods and increasing the amount of water consumed to avoid dehydration.

Reducing stress levels as stress can be a trigger

Avoiding smoking

Some people try out hypnotherapy or acupuncture for example and there are favourable responses as well as those who believe that the treatments did not help. It's all on an individual basis of course but taking positive action may make your daughter feel more in control.

All i would suggest is that your daughter researches any medication and alternative therapies thoroughly before trying, as remember, everything can cause a negative reaction and even 'natural' remedies can have side-effects.

Joining forums such as this is a positive thing to do because it takes the isolation away from the disease and offers additional support. I wish your daughter the best of luck in coming to terms with the disease and being able to adapt to life with Crohn's.

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