Has anyone had food poisioning or stomach bug that resulted in a flare up? Feeling horrible with constants stomach aches and diarrhea (full liquid) for three days now.

Hi, I (63F) have had worsening issues with pain and diarrhea for about 13 years. My prior two colonoscopies have just showed chronic, mild inflammation of the terminal ileum. Not enough to be called Crohn's (yet). Things have gotten worse, and I now rely on Imodium about every 2-3 days, just to get through my work day. I'm having a repeat colonoscopy next week. For those of you who take Imodium regularly, when do you stop it prior to colonoscopy? The general internet gives me answers ranging from 3 days to 7 days prior. Of course, I'll be sending a message to my GI as well. Just wondering what others do. Thank you!

hello! longtime lurker here. wanted to hear about others’ diagnosis difficulties b/c im not sure how to feel at this point.

i’ve been having GI symptoms since 2018:

• chronic diarrhea
• 1+ years of rectal bleeding, moderate rectal stricture (required internal sphincterotomy surgery and dilation to correct) proctitis, hemorrhoids, fistula (post fistulotomy)
• chronic gastritis, non-healing gastric ulcer (always neg for h. pylori)
• nonspecific chronic inflammation on colon biopsies

my GI doctor asked me to do a pillcam study, which found jejunum mucosal damage and many bleeding aphthous ulcers in the ileum. the doctor was sure i had small bowel crohn’s. about 6 weeks later, i had a lower double balloon enteroscopy that came back visually normal? pending pathology results now.

but during the past 6 weeks while waiting for the enteroscopy, i have been taking a JAK-inhibitor when humira failed after 2 years of use (being treated for another autoimmune disease). i havent taken nsaids since 2014.

has anyone else experienced ulcers healing on immunosuppressant medication, and still got the Crohn’s diagnosis?

kinda random but did anyone else have diarrhea after having a CT scan? i don’t know if that’s normal with the IV injection thing but i could find anything about it and the doctors mentioned nothing

does anyone else find it increasingly fatiguing to explain the facets of this disease? i’m kind of using this post as an ‘off my chest’, but it’s just so hard to actually talk to anyone about this disease without medically educating the other person. there’s so much misinformation too, i know im guilty of believing/spreading some of it unknowingly. i’m sick of people thinking im lying or being dramatic about this disease. i’ve had people tell me that they have a cousin or something with crohns and they aren’t as nearly as restricted as i am in diet. please stop the direct comparisons. this disease isn’t a box to fit into, and it’s not my job to help you feel okay about how you understand my disease

I had an urgent/unplanned ileocecal resection 10 days ago. My period cramps the last 2 days have been HORRIBLE, the worst in my life. And the doctors in the hospital said not to take any Advil when I get home, which is what I usually take for the first 24 hours of my period to eliminate the cramps. I’m on daily lovenox (blood thinner) for a month too. Not sure if that’s contributing. Anyone else hav this experience?

I asked my GI doctor if i would be able to get my remicade infusion every 8 weeks again instead of 6 now that iv’e been in remission again for a while. He suggested starting with the s.c. injection instead since getting humira every 2 weeks or remicade every 8 weeks for people who are in remission had the same outcome. So in 4 weeks I will get my first s.c. injection.

I’m very excited to start humira, because this means that I don’t have to plan my travels/life around my infusion. At the same time, i’m quite scared to start something new after being on remicade for 3 years.

Anyone els who uses humira or an other type of s.c. medication or who has switched from iv to sc medication? What is your experience with it? Do you find it easier or more difficult to travel? Because now I do have to bring medication with me when travelling when before I didn’t. But with my IV infusion I couldn’t just travel whenever I wanted to or even plan a simple day trip because i had to be near the hospital to get my infusion.

I started taking budesonide 2 months ago, 9mg. It did put me in remission pretty fast, can't complain about that. But I've been having some strange symptoms lately: -full body itching (I'm alergic to dust but normally one aerius was enough to calm my itchiness, now not even 2 a day are enough) -muscle twitches (I was having them before the tratament but now they got stronger than before and in different places) -electric shocks feeling on my skin (strange sensation, wouldn't call it tingling tho) -some muscle pain, especially in the thighs/legs.

Did anyone else experience something like that while taking a course of budesonide? I'm starting to suspect at least some of these are due to the budesonide directly or indirectly. What do you think?

I thought I had made it in time and I didn’t. it just makes me feel like the most disgusting person. The cleanup feels shameful, having to clean yourself up in places you don’t normally need to feels disgusting. I had surgery a month ago and have been struggling since then. I was finally getting back to my exercise routine and was going to go back into the office. Now I feel afraid that I’m going to have an accident again and I’m mortified. At least this happened at home.

This is just the worst feeling and I have no one to talk to about it. I hate having this disease.

Hello guys what happens to yall in USA if you have no money and insurance and you need treatment or worse you need emergency surgery for like obstruction, perforation etc. They let you die without paying first? Or they perform surgery anyway and then you have to pay for it? What happens if someone is not able to work because of crohns because he cant afford treatment and he also own money for surgery ( if they performed for example emergency surgery in past) does USA pay for you or help you? If you dont have any support from family and cant work, then you can became homeless with crohns on street and die? Or are there some programs which save you and help you? I will never in my life be able to understand how such a developed country Can not have free healthcare

Hi, I'm looking for perspectives/tips for a conflicting situation. Crohn's disease was diagnosed 2 years ago with symptoms in the lips and mouth, with mild Crohn's visible in colonoscopy. There are hardly any stomach symptoms, just occasional mucus. The disease mainly manifests in the mouth, sometimes. Been on Mercaptopurine for 2 years. The problem lies in neuroticism. Reading about side effects feels bad due to family history of cancer, also the medication causes brain fog and fatigue. I asked about the possibility of switching to a medication I would feel 'safe' using for years - or stopping medication altogether after the disease has been symptom-free for a couple of years. The doctor doesn't want to switch to another, and the nurse said the medication is the mildest option. It's difficult to have a dialogue or understanding from the hospital side, and with recently diagnosed and nearly symptom-free Crohn's, it feels wrong to take immunosuppressants for so long - although I understand they help. Aren't there other medications on the market? I don't personally feel any improvement despite the medication. Of course it is impossible to say if it specifically kept the disease in check. Any insights on how to proceed? Currently, Calpro has risen to about 500, but there are no symptoms other than having mouthsores sometimes. I'm extremely stressed because of this inner conflict :(

Hi guys, I'm (27f) about to be admitted to hospital for the first time ever. I'm going in for fluids and steroid IV I think but I have literally never been an inpatient before for anything. Do any of you have any advice? I've packed a book, phone charger, headphones, meds and clothes but I have no idea what to expect. I'm in the UK if that helps. I'm stupid nervous and have a pathological fear of needles so I was wondering if anyone could describe what their first inpatient visit was like.

I stopped taking cortisone on the 4 and I did my second infliximab IV treatment on the 3. Yesterday I started having some stomach discomfort and I had diarrhea. I didn’t eat anything out of my routine. Is this a side effect of stopping the cortisone, is the infliximab not working?

I will admit that I have not been officially diagnosed with Crohn’s, but I tested positive for ANA, haven’t had a normal bowel movement since early January since it’s either diarrhea or flakes, have a recent severe vitamin D deficiency, and tested negative for the other ANA full panel markers (which does not include GI disorders). So, at least to me, I’d be more surprised if I didn’t have an IBD and suspect it’s Crohn’s.

However, I’m in a rough spot right now. The earliest GI appointment I could get was in mid May after I graduate college, but I’m struggling and I’m afraid my grades will take a huge hit in this last stretch.

My fatigue is debilitating, it started in February and it’s been getting progressively worse. I’ve gradually attended class less and less and, though I used to still complete assignments on time when I missed, I’m starting to struggle with that now too.

It takes too much energy to think and to go places, I’m starting to eat less because I’m too tired to go to the dining hall and too poor to order in. I just don’t know what to do since I can’t get my first GI appointment any sooner. I have vitamin D supplements but they aren’t helping. I have some heftier ones that were called in by my doctor that I don’t have yet, but I’m worried what to do if they don’t work.

My circadian rhythm is frequently thrown off, I can’t stop sleeping once I’m asleep and can’t make myself go to bed when I want to. Melatonin hasn’t been working. I don’t want my grades to suffer, but can’t get any targeted treatment for this semester.

I would also like to mention that I know these sound like depression symptoms, but I have had depression before and my family and I agree that this is not the same since it’s much more physical. I have a lymph node that’s been swollen for half a year which prompted my concern in the first place.

Sorry for the novel lol. Are there any suggestions for what to do with completely untreated Crohn’s? I can’t afford to do poorly in class in this final stretch, but I frequently feel so weak and exhausted. I feel stuck.

hi guys, i’m 21f in america. still on my parents “insurance” but they don’t really have real health insurance because they own their own business. i’m considering going on biologics but one reason i’ve shied away is because there’s absolutely no way we could afford them without insurance.

i was wondering if anyone could walk me through getting my own insurance so i could afford biologics? i doubt my job would pay for anything because it’s just a part-time thing. i live with my parents and they claim me as a dependent. what do i have to do to get my own insurance? thanks!

Hello everyone! I want to share my experience since being diagnosed with a mild form of Crohn's disease. Initially, I barely felt any symptoms beyond occasional diarrhea, which was resolved with infliximab. Although my calprotectin levels were alarmingly high (over 2000), I never experienced pain or needed to visit the emergency room. However, an anxiety attack led to the suspension of infliximab as a precaution (during the first maintenance dose), although I also recall having some days with diarrhea towards the end. But overall, I felt fine. That's when my nightmare began.

I went months without biological treatment and started experiencing pain. Although I didn't worsen significantly, the pain changed my quality of life. Subsequently, I was switched to vedolizumab, but didn't initially experience improvement. Corticosteroids temporarily stabilized me, but the diarrhea returned after a few months.

For a year and a half, I struggled with worsening symptoms and had two anal fissures that left me immobilized for months. I had a normal diet, except on days of intense pain. I never smoked or drank, although my sugar consumption was high. Additionally, I didn't exercise and suffered from anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and severe depression.

After changing medical teams, I started ustekinumab, which finally relieved my pains and fissures. However, the diarrhea persisted. Now, I administer ustekinumab every 8 weeks and have adopted a strict gluten and dairy-free diet, which makes me feel almost 100% some days.

Although I've improved, the anxiety persists, and lack of energy makes me very sedentary. I feel like I worsen every day, especially before having to go to the bathroom, when the pain intensifies. My medical team is considering changing the treatment to every 4 weeks, but I'm worried another treatment might fail. My calprotectin levels have decreased from 4800 to 1000, but are now increasing again.

I wonder if I could have intestinal tuberculosis, as I had tuberculosis as a child. My last colonoscopy showed 35% of my ileum affected with numerous fibrinous ulcers. I don't know if this is compatible with intestinal tuberculosis or if it's simply my current reality that I can't fully accept.

I'm 26 years old and have been diagnosed since I was 20. I appreciate any advice you can offer. Although my disease isn't severe compared to other cases, it baffles me how a mild form of Crohn's disease can be so difficult to control, and I only dream of complete remission and not feeling pain again.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read my experience and for any help I may receive.

Moved from Nz to Aus a couple years ago as I was fortunate enough for my parents to pay out of pocket for Stelara in Nz but felt too guilty and all my doctor’s recommended I just move since it’s free in Aus. Since then Stelara has become funded in Nz but I’m curious how funded it is? Feels kinda silly to ask but if you’re someone in Nz on Stelara are you getting as much as you need or the minimum? When I was on it in Nz I just got it every 8 weeks which immensely helped but I wasn’t tiptop, obviously the cost influenced that as well. When I moved and they asked my symptoms, etc they immediately changed me to every 4 weeks which has put me in a really good place.

I’m just wondering if I moved back to Nz would I still be able to get it every 4 weeks? How often do you get it and do you think it’s enough?

50, male, great health, no issues until now. 6' 180 (before weight loss).

On 12/1/23 I was simply sitting in my car and felt pain at my appendix. My siblings had both had theirs out, but they were very visibly ill. I had no symptoms other than pain. A few days later I went to the ER for either appendicitis or a kidney stone. They did a CT scan, blood and urine test and sent me back to my PCP with a request to test for H. Pylori and Celiac. Very bad pain, only symptom. As ever, completely normal digestion.

Both test were negative although the Celiac revealed 500 immunoglobulin A.

Referred to only local Gastro office and the referral was botched because of insurance snafu that is still ongoing.

To this day I have not received the endoscopy and colonoscopy that the Gastro office wants to give me but cannot perform.

PCP has become non-responsive.

On 3/31 and 4/6 I went to two separate ERs for pain. At both visits neither did ANYTHING for me. I have stopped eating, not because of digestion, but because of the sensation of pressure and also simply because of the pain. I have lost 30 pounds in 45 days.

Prior to the 3/31 ER, the Gastro sent me for a second CT, this time with both types of contrast. The previous had neither -- no time. The second scan revealed that since 12/23 I have had thickening of the ascending colon.

I am in constant pain as my only symptom. I radiates down into my hip, around to my right kidney, and by now is sometimes up near my gallbladder (which seems to be normal) -- the pain there is curiously rib-ish. I am also now getting descending colon and sometimes even left hip pain in the "elephant ears" area.

Occasionally the pain nearly vanishes for a day, especially while walking and standing a lot. Worst when sitting and even lying.

Obviously this could be another diagnosis.

I am currently in a very bad situation of seeing two hospitals, PCP, and Gastro offices and no one wanting to take ownership of me. "First world medicine".

Hi, I’m 21 years old and for the past 9 days I’ve had increasingly loose stools, with it being a now consistent 15 per each 24 hours of loose to fully liquid stools since Friday evening. I also have a lot of abdominal pain with this. I’ve been drinking pedialyte for hydration since yesterday early afternoon.

I went to urgent care on Friday afternoon and they did a stool multiplex panel test which showed no viruses, bacteria or parasites when I got it back Saturday night. I was dizzy last night for awhile and worsening so I went to urgent care this morning and they tested for cbc, as well as metabolic/electrolytes. They were both normal minus high eosinophils. So dehydration not happening. I also got a abdominal x ray to check for obstruction, negative.

I’m still feeling very awful, and haven’t been able to have any solid food since 11 pm last night (8:47 pm now) and was told by urgent care to try liquid diet for 24 hours. The issue is, even chicken broth is causing 10-30 minutes later diarrhea at this point, so I’m just pedialyte now. I know hydration is the most important part, but is there anything else to do?

Idk if it’s just lack of major calories but I feel so much weaker than even yesterday.

Sooooo I have a pill cam procedure on Tuesday, meaning tomorrow I’m doing a half bowel prep. I’ve done a bowel prep before so I know what to expect for that. But what should I expect for the pill cam procedure itself? I know you swallow a pill and it takes vids and pics of your Insides. But if anyone has this done before, how was it for you?

I am the type of person who hates the clear liquids diet. I've never been a fan of broth and its always been a pain to get enough liquids on prep days. Well a few preps ago I had an idea to make my version of tom yum soup and just pull the solids out of it. Its super simple (especially if you have some form of tea infuser or spice bag), doesn't require measuring, and is ready in about 5 mins. It also doesn't require much in the way of fresh ingredients so you can stock up and keep it on hand for a really long time. Better yet, it doesn't taste like straight broth.

Tom Yum Broth

In a pan add some Canned or Boxed Chicken Broth, then add into a spice bag or tea infuser the following:

• A small handful of Dried Galanga Root (Amazon sells bags of these that are dried and shelf stable)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic slightly crushed (Or fresh garlic chives if you have access to them)
• A stalk of lemongrass (You can buy this fresh or do what I do and buy dried lemongrass from amazon).
• 6-8 Dried Kafir Lime Leaves (Amazon, I'm sure you are seeing a trend).
• A few stalks of green onion or a small amount of shallot (neither are important but it helps with flavor)
• Optionally, a dried chili for a little flavor and a subtle spice, Beware though, these infuse rather well and can easily over-spice the broth. Especially if its broken up in any way.

Bring the whole thing to a boil with the spice bag/infuser inside then turn it down to low and let it simmer for 5-10 mins. When its ready, just pull the infuser and toss its contents and you have perfectly clear broth with a ton more flavor than store bought.

And on non prep nights, throw in some chicken, thin rice noodles, and some Asian veggies, and you have a bomb bowl of soup. Enjoy

I've been in remission for about 5-6 years and have the occasional flare.. I've been in an intense one for 2 days now. I can't leave my house becuase I'm scared of pooping my pants.

I know this is mainly due to stress (big life event), but damn I forgot how bad this disease can get. I feel for those that have this daily.

As of recently, my CD has decided fresh fruit juice is not for me. Having even the smallest glass feels like I’ve drank directly from the wells of hell.

Anyone else also react to fresh fruit juice like this? Do you find particular fruit juices to be more manageable than others?

I cannot imagine a life with fresh fruit juice.

Been on a specific lowfodmap diet for a very long time now and wanted to ask if anyone else here has an airy fryer and what your experience was with it in relation to your illness?

Thanks for your time and feedback

After a 6 week EEN diet I’ve finally started reintroducing food. I’ve been trying to take it very very slow and had a few extra drinks so I’ve been on a sort of PEN diet but my last drink finishes today. I haven’t had an increase in symptoms like diarrhoea but the past two days I’ve been in such intense pain and any gas that travels through me makes the pain 1000 times worse.

I’m not sure what to do. I’m in the uk so I’ve never even seen my GI doc. Everything has been done through my IBD nurse except she takes ages to reply. Last time I felt pain like this I contacted the nurse and it was a month of back and forth with her asking how’s the pain now and me saying I’m still dying up until i was hospitalised.

I was meant to have a telephone appointment but they mixed it up with a face to face appointment so that never happened. My next appointment is with the pharmacist in another 6 weeks time. Any advice?

I’m newly diagnosed, 2 weeks ago. I’ve been on budenoside (budenofalk) 9mg for a week and a half, I’m tolerating the meds well, with one side effect, I cannot poo.

I’ve gone from 15+ movements a day to nothing. My inflammation is isolated to my terminal ileum, it’s quite severe inflammation (a lewis score of 1019).

I read that osmotic laxatives are the best for CD but lactulose has made me feel unwell, pain, nausea and sulphur burps. I’ve taken dulcolax and had a result but also read that you shouldn’t take dulcolax with IBD. Does anyone have any advice on what I could do to ease this side effect

Im new to this, and havent found any straight forward advice. I know its different for everyone. How do u keep it in control? Any tips or things i should keep in mind. What has had the most impact?

Ever since I have had Crohn's, I have suffered from fatigue. I've been on ADHD medication since I was around 14. It helps, but the fatigue ebbs and flows. At times the fatigue is minimal enough to where it works well. Right now it's not working at all, and I'm having to rest.

I've actually been to the ER. They have so many immediate resources that I have gotten out of treatment and had energy without taking Ritalin.

I saw a primary care physician. He was a resident, and when he got the doctor, she gaslighted me saying that it was amphetamine related fatigue. I said that I didn't think Ritalin was an amphetamine and she said it's amphetamine based. I'm pretty sure it's not.

They did minimal blood work. And said it was unrelated to Crohn's.

My fucking psychiatrist did blood work and found that I was deficient in Vitamin D (even though I had been taking 8,000 I.U. a day for a long time). I saw a new PCP and he prescribed 50,000 I.U. once a week and he promised to do more blood work. When I take that once a week I feel better.

I don't think that doctor can always find the source of fatigue for Crohn's. It really sucks. I'm having to back off of work and just rest. I haven't been able to run more than a mile in a year.

My body feels different. I'm weaker than I used to be. I went from running 7 Miles in under an hour to an hour and 20 minutes. And the past year I've had a couple of flares and had to take steroids.

I'm going to start lifting and running again, but I can't right now.

And even when I am in remission, I have way less energy than I used to. But it seems like that is something that hasn't been acknowledged to me by a doctor.

I don't think I'm imagining this.