My name is Kelly and I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in March 2017.
So, when did I know something was really wrong?
I had suffered from mouth ulcers for most of my adult life
and had lots of stomach issues which was put down to IBS.
In 2016 things became much worse and I was making more
frequent and urgent trips to the bathroom, I had severe stomach pain on a
regular basis and I had blood and mucous in my stools, as well as undigested
food.
On the worst days, I was going to the toilet up to 20 times a
day if not more and I was having accidents as a result. As a grown woman this
was highly embarrassing and soul-destroying. I had multiple appointments which
was again put down to severe IBS and was treated as such.
Things didn’t improve and by Christmas of 2016 I weighed 7
stone and I felt a shadow of my former self – after an ultrasound scan only
showing an inflamed liver I was referred to a Gastro Consultant.
He listened to my concerns, I also noted that my mother died
from stomach cancer – at the time he just wanted to put my mind at ease that it
was nothing as serious.
The diagnosis
I was sent for a colonoscopy in early 2017 where they found
ulceration in my Terminal Ileum, the nurse said it look like Crohn’s disease
(I’d never even heard of it before), but I would need to wait for the histology
results back from the biopsies they took to be sure.
8 weeks later my results weren’t back but I was so unwell my
consultant agreed that from the photos it was Crohn’s disease.
I was put on a multitude of medications at the start, mainly
an 8-week course of steroids to calm things down and then maintenance drugs.
Many medications didn’t work for me until I found a balance of Azathioprine and
Amgevita - fortnightly Injections.
My injections have really helped give me back my spark and
lessened my symptoms so that some days I even feel like a normal human being
again.
What IBD has taught me
My diagnosis has definitely taught me that I have to focus
on the good days and to be kinder to myself on the bad days. Taking time for
myself is not failing or being selfish. And, Acceptance was the biggest key for
dealing with my illness.
Living with IBD has many challenges but I have embraced my
new normal and haven’t given up on loving life.
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