February 2012
1 post
3 tags
Mouth ulcers hurt.
January 2012
2 posts
CROHN'S RANT
I want to be treated like I am completely normal & healthy. I think that’s what most people want when they have a chronic illness.
BUT I wish that my family would remain considerate of my dietary restrictions, even when I am not sick.
There is nothing in this house for me to eat. Everything is multi-grain or whole wheat or dairy. Everything.
I don’t mean to sound like a bratt....
4 tags
A Crohn's Cold
I have a full blown cold and it’s the first REAL ASS-KICKER I have had since starting Humira a few months ago.
So far, I haven’t thought much of Humira’s side effects. It’s something my mom has spent a lot more time stressing about.
She’s always been super worried about me getting a cold while I’ve thought nothing of it.
Now that I actually have one though,...
December 2011
1 post
Crohnology- a really cool upcoming website for... →
November 2011
5 posts
4 tags
Health Update
I saw my GI a couple weeks ago. My weight is up, my energy level is great and Humira is working like a charm. I am feeling very lucky.
We briefly touched on the future and how our conversations are going to change as I get older. She brought up children, which isn’t on my radar AT ALL right now. What I was really interested in talking about was traveling.
This is something I really want to...
4 tags
Probiotics: Pros and Cons →
Of Everyday Interest:
• 64 per cent say having IBD has influenced their choice of career; • 50 per cent have left or lost a job at least in part due to having IBD; • 61 per cent felt having IBD has held them back from advancing in their careers; • 66 per cent experienced depression and anxiety during an active flare of their disease. • 44 per cent have had an accident in public because they couldn’t get to a...
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RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH →
I’ve posted links for research opportunities before.
And here is the concrete evidence as to why research is so important.
This link is a summary of some key findings that were found in a Fall 2011 questionnaire.
Sure, this questionnaire did not find a cure. But it discovered areas in which diagnosis and treatment are seriously lacking. Before we can find a cure we need knowledge.
Some...
4 tags
October 2011
8 posts
Living Well With Crohn's Disease - CNN →
runningwithcrohns:
The CNN website has a whole health section devoted to specific diseases and Crohn’s is one of them.
15 Healthy-Eating Tips for Crohn's Disease →
Prednisone
upsanddownsofcrohnsanduc:
Definition: the destruction of one’s self-esteem.
I’m feeling organized and healthy, I have all the supplements I’ve been wanting to take for a while now:
Calcium citrate + Vitamin D
Multistrain Probiotic
Vitamin B (Multivitamin)
The Vitamin B is so awesome. My pee is like, NEON.
The hardest part is remembering to take them, and taking them seriously. I would never miss a dose of medication but sometimes it’s easy to say,...
3 tags
Drinking Red Bull for the first time in like 4 months.
We’ll see how this goes…
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I often find myself thinking about this night that I ate like a bag of walnuts.
I hadn’t been diagnosed with Crohn’s yet and I just didn’t understand why my stomach hurt SO BAD.
I ate them thinking I was eating something so good for me.
LOL. I’ve basically developed a phobia to nuts since then.
September 2011
12 posts
4 tags
Inflammed and Untamed: Here is an article on... →
agirlwithguts:
NUTRITION AND IBD
By Pamela Thomas Haddad, R.D.,M.S.
In this months column I would like to discuss some of the questions that I am most often asked regarding diet and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
Is there a specific diet that will cure or prevent a flare-up of the disease?
…
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On: Unhealthy Choices
I admire people who can stick to strict dietary plans.
I know a man who was diagnosed with Crohns and has managed it almost entirely with dietary changes. He doesn’t cheat. He remembers to take his supplements and non-medicinal pills everyday. He only drinks a special kind of water. Et cetera, et cetera.
I am ashamed to talk about this because, god, I hated being in the hospital so much. I...
z0mbie-spawn:
Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696
Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433
LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255
Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743
Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438
Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673
Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272
Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000
After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-439–4253
...
3 tags
YOGAmazing →
Since I cannot afford a yoga membership of any type, I have been using these videos to do yoga in my room.
I have tried a few and they’re really good. In fact, I just did the “Yoga Before Bed” video and I feel amazing. It was mostly stretching and maintaining positions for an extended period of time-a great way to close my day.
Tomorrow I am getting up early to try the...
Humira Injection #2
Well, I got to use the automatic pen. And I realized I actually prefer the syringe but I’m too lazy to do anything about this so I’ll keep using the pen.
I was tapered down to 80 mg (two pens) for my second injection and by my third one I’ll be down to 40 mg every two weeks.
I was starting to feel abdominal pain, cramping and bloating by the end of the two week period...
Second Humira shot tomorrow.
I can tell it’s working because this past week I’ve been reminded I still have Crohns.
Crossing my fingers it works again tomorrow. And forever.
Thoughts:
You know how there’s all these new websites and apps that are some variation of “Bathroom Finders”?
I think this is so great.
But what I would really love is a “Private Bathroom Finder So You Can Do Your Business Without Anyone Walking In On You”.
So much anxiety when I’m at school.
IBD IS SEXY IN TIMES SQUARE: ALMOST THERE →
My mom informed me today that Jess is in the top 5% of winners for this contest.
You can vote once a day from the same computer!
SO VOTE EVERY DAY CAUSE THIS COULD BE OUR MOMENT.
IBD affects 1 in 160 people. The number of people diagnosed with this disease is huge and it’s growing. The funding and support does not compare to this number; we are largely under represented.
Let’s...
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Humira Injection #1
I started my Humira injections today.
There was a big mess with the pharmacy when my dad brought the prescription in. Somewhere along the way forms were not handed to the right people so they knew nothing about my coverage or anything.
I needed the drug for my training session today though so instead of giving me the pen like I was supposed to train on, they gave me the four syringes they had in...
3 tags
The Undergraduate Student Union at my university has set up a health care insurance type deal. It has been in place for three years and it’s supposed to be affordable and easy for students. It’s built right into the tuition and it includes drug and dental coverage as well as travel insurance.
I always opt out because I am covered by my parents as long as I am in school.
But this year...
August 2011
5 posts
6 tags
IBD IS SEXY IN TIMES SQUARE →
So remember when I posted that link, “IBD Is Sexy”? It was about this university student named Jess Grossman. She has had IBD for a long time and at a young age, was given an ostomy bag. She models with it, not only to spread awareness for IBD but also to reduce the stigma against ostomy bags as being “gross”.
Click on this link and hit “Vote for this profile”...
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GUTSIEST CANADIAN CONTEST →
In Canada, November is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness month. From September 1 to October 1 you have the opportunity to nominate yourself or someone you know who has IBD and inspires you as the Gutsiest Canadian.
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Even 15 mins. of exercise a day can add years to... →
runningwithcrohns:
The findings by a study in Taiwan suggest just 15 minutes of moderate exercise a day can lead to a longer life.
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The Next Step:
I saw my GI specialist today. I was expecting it to go like this,
“Yeah the surgery went well, incision is healing great, bowel movements are normal, been managing my diet, don’t have any pain. Thanks so much, see you in three months”.
But as it usually goes, it went in a slightly different direction. One that I should have seen.
Obviously the next step is prevention. During...
3 tags
July 2011
15 posts
4 tags
A Testomonial On: Feeling Good
If you are comfortable in heat and being in a room with a bunch of sweaty, heavy-breathing people you NEED to try hot yoga.
I just went for the first time since my surgery and it was the best. A godsend. Exactly what I needed.
I went to hot yoga for the first time this past winter. I was feeling my very worst but decided to give it a try. I was sold when the instructor had us do a move thought...
2 tags
I had my post-surgery follow-up yesterday. My surgeon walked in all smiles and I was excited to tell him how well things were going.
He said in August when I go with my family on a nice little road trip I can go swimming and even hit up a roller coaster if we end up at an amusement park!
He loved the idea of going to hot yoga and thought the heat and light stretching would be really good for my...
5 tags
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY →
This is just a quick online survey. It’s provided by the CCFA, which is American, but anyone from anywhere can fill it out.
I cannot even begin to express how important research is. Period.
But especially for IBD and other growing and largely misunderstood diseases. We don’t know what causes IBD and we don’t know how to cure it. If you have IBD take the time to do this. And...
4 tags
IBD IS SEXY →
Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you, Jess Grossman.
A couple weeks ago I was terrified of ostomy bags. To be completely honest, I still am. And because this is a possible future for me and others with IBD, we need to look to people like Jess for inspiration and support.
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Jess & her "Poop Bag" in the media. →
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KnowCrohn's →
runningwithcrohns:
Just saw a commercial for this website on FX. I wasn’t facing the tv when the commercial came on, but when I heard the word “Crohn’s”, my head turned immediately.
The site is sponsored by Abbott, the makers of Humira. Haven’t browsed around the site yet, but it looks pretty informative.
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Coming Home
The weird thing about coming home is:
You think you’re going to be ecstatic, smiling from ear to ear, kissing the ground, loving everything and everyone.
But when I got home last night I was a complete and utter mess. I immediately set to unpacking my bags and cleaning my room. I kept to myself, catching up on all the internet I had missed. I was short with all my family members when they...
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Stuffed Microbes! →
I also found this one when I was searching gift ideas for a friend recently accepted into Med School. There isn’t a “Crohn’s” or “Ulcerative Colitis” microbe obviously but there are lots of other fun and medically related options.
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Amy's Organ Bank! →
This is a great place for gifts! Friends or family who have been recently diagnosed, surgical patients, surgeons, doctors, etc. I bought Colin the Colon and The Ileum & The Ostomy for my surgeon, he absolutely loved them and said he looked forward to using the colon as a neck pillow on plane rides.
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KEEP POOPIN'
After 10 days in the hospital I am finally home. This is a written account of those 10 days:
WEDNESDAY JUNE 29, 2011 (DAY 1):
I began a diet of clear fluids at midnight of June 29. I arrived at the hospital around noon with two bags of luggage. They signed me in and off I went to Unit 44 - Active Treatment Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. Though we requested a private...
June 2011
9 posts
