MY visit to the "white coats" ;)

Thanks for the cute phrase Logan. ;)

I went to my GI for my follow up after my procedures yesterday. I suffer from a moderate case of Crohn's Disease.

He prescribed me Pentasa (250 mg), and I need to take 8 a day for the rest of my life. This medicine in unique in that it needs to be released at the site of the problem. So, it'll open up right after it hits my stomach and will then travel to the intestines and colon to make me feel better. This drug also needs to be taken when/if David and I decide to have children biologically. (Otherwise, if I have an attack, my body could abort the baby. Interesting, huh?)

Anyway, I'll be monitored for any kidney damage every six months and will get to have colonoscopies every 2 years after I've had Crohn's for 8-10 years. This will be checking for early signs of colon cancer.

As far as food, he told me that everyone is different and to moniter everything I eat. So, I'm going to start keeping a food journal. I ate an apple with lunch and my pain seems to be creeping back, so I guess I'll be adding raw apples to my list of no-no's.

Thanks for all your advice and concern for me. :) You are all wonderful friends.

God Bless,
Kelly :)

Kelly,


I am glad your doctor prescribed meds that could help you treat what you have. Keep the faith and I will be praying for you. ;)

Awww Kelly, I wish I could give you a big hug! 8 pills a day??? Wow. You're a strong, wonderful person to be handling all this so well! I'll keep you in my prayers that this will remain as easy as possible for you.

Wow. 8 pills a day.. well I shouldn't say much, i take that much in vitamins and herbs LOL.

But really, glad to hear that you're at least on the path to getting better. I know it'll be a pain, especially monitoring food!

Keep it up. I'll keep you in my prayers! (and Micah too!)

Thanks guys. :) I just took my first two pills. I have to take two after breakfast, lunch and dinner and then two more before bed. I'm just worried about remembering to TAKE them. ;)

It will become habit for you ... like taking shots is for me and Naomi. :)

Kelly, Bless your heart! 8 pills a day.

The food journal is such a good idea. You will have some disappointments as you discover the foods that cause you the problem...but there will be some nice surprises too - hopefully some of your favorites don't have any effect on you.

At least NOW YOU KNOW what you are dealing with and why!
Everyone will be so understanding.........and after a while taking the pills will be so second nature to you that you won't ever forget.

The good news is that you can lead a strong healthy life and continue on ..........

You have been so lighthearted about it with us..........but it just could not have been easy for you!

A big hug to you!!

I agree - soon it will become routine ... but until then, maybe you need a Winnie the Pooh watch with an alarm! :) That's what I have to remind me of my twice a day antihystamines! :) Otherwise, somewhere between half an hour to an hour after I SHOULD have taken it, I'll sneeze, and go ... Duh!!!! Sniffle...

Good for you, life will be different from now on, but hopefully a lot more comfortable and less worrisome!

If you have a micrwave at work, and love apples, you could try a microwave-baked apple and see if that is better un your insides softer, anway ... core the apple (or quarter it), stuff the inside with brown sugar (or raisins .. or whatever) sprinkle cinnamon on top if you have it, then microwave 'til it bubbles. Yummmm!

Now, go rub some kitty tummies in celebration - you went to the white-coats, didn't bite or scratch anyone, and didn't piddle on the table, right? Good girl, you get treats! ;)

Hope you get everything regulated quickly! Glad there is medicine to help you. You will get used to taking your pills. It will become a habit. Good luck!

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Originally posted by Karen

, and didn't piddle on the table, right? Good girl, you get treats! ;)

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Gosh, Karen, if she did, do you think she would tell us??;) ;)

I am glad that is a mild case!
Good Luck with remembering the pills! That is a challenge

Will keep you in my thoughts and prayers

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Now, go rub some kitty tummies in celebration - you went to the white-coats, didn't bite or scratch anyone, and didn't piddle on the table, right? Good girl, you get treats!

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*lol*

wow... eight pills.... It is good that it is so treatable.. . I could easily swollow eight pills to keep comfortable. I'm still praying for you though.... :)

A mild case. That's good.
It's very likely that you can keep it under control just this way.

I know people who also have to keep a food journal for that reason. It becomes a habit and you'll knwo what helps you to keep your tummy ok.

And relaxing with cats is good for any medical problem:D :D

{{{Hugs}}}} Kelly - I'm so pleased that you're on something that will hopefully help - I think after some time taking the tablets will become second nature. And being such a good girl at the 'white coats' deserves a treat! Your in my thoughts and fingers are well and truly crossed.

Lynne

Thank god, you have a mild case. Good luck with remembering to take all the tablets.

Maybe you could use one of those weekly pill boxes my mum uses. You place the right number of pills in each section and glancing at the box, reminds you whether you have taken enough today. Until it becomes second nature.

All the best. Cuddle those kitties.

Kelly, I'm so glad you've got a treatment plan now! I'm sure you'll remember to take the pills once you've got a pattern (work bottle, home bottle, handbag bottle etc etc :)) - once you're used to feeling better you should know fairly quickly if you've forgotten them. Good luck with the treatment :)

I am glad that you finally have your diagnosis and medication. Now all you have to do is to start FEELING better.
When you originally said 8 pills a day, I thought "taking pills 8 TIMES a day":eek: , With meals and at bedtime should really become an easy routine to remember, with time. Prayers for a life without pain.

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Originally posted by PayItForward
Maybe you could use one of those weekly pill boxes my mum uses. You place the right number of pills in each section and glancing at the box, reminds you whether you have taken enough today. Until it becomes second nature.

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Kelly I am so glad you have a mild case and caught it in time. My neighbor has Crohn's disease and required surgery. I know you will adapt to your pill regimen easily. I would certainly need the pill boxes, as PayItFoward suggested, because at my age I would probably forget if I already took them or not. :rolleyes: Hugs and prayers!

I'm glad to hear that it is a mild case. Keeping a food journal is a very good idea, you're very smart to do that.
As for the pills, I take 6 pills a day, so you've still got me beat, but it is habit for me. My sister has to take her pill every day at 5, and what she does is sets the alarm on her cell phone, and when it beeps, wherever she is, she takes the pill.

Good luck!!

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Originally posted by NoahsMommy
Thanks guys. :) I just took my first two pills. I have to take two after breakfast, lunch and dinner and then two more before bed. I'm just worried about remembering to TAKE them. ;)

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At our chemist I saw boxes where you can store your pills in for a whole week! It is devided in to small parts; you put in all the pills you have to take evey day. In this way, you can always check and be sure you took them! If you cannot find such a thing there, write me an message, so I can send it to you before we go away next week!

a little something for you: http://d21c.com/AnnesPlace/Spring2/FloralPlant.gif

I'm so glad it's only a mild case and is treatable with medication. I think one of those Winnie the Pooh watches like Karen mentioned would definitely be in order for me to remember to take the pills. I have a hard enough time with the ones I need to take. The Aciphex for my acid reflux I need to take right before bed. Well, I can't tell you how many times I've been all snuggled in, just about to drift off and whammo - it hits me - I forgot to take the darn pill. :mad: So I have to get out of my warm cocoon, brave the freezing cold tile floor (for about 2 steps :rolleyes: ) take the pill then climb in and try and get snuggled in again. It will usually delay my falling asleep by at least 10 - 15 minutes. :rolleyes: I guess it would be way too easy to put some pills by the bed with a bottle of water - hmmmm, never thought of that. ;) :rolleyes: :)

I really hope they start doing their thing soon so you can start feeling better. And interestingly raw apples really bother me, but oranges don't. You would think an orange would have more acid than a raw apple, but there must be something about apples that is hard on our insides. So much for the apple a day theory. ;) :)

Please keep us updated as to how you're doing. :)

Kelly, I'm so glad to hear that it's only a mild case and that the pills and diet should keep it under control. :) I know that taking 8 pills a day seems like a lot now but you'll soon get used to it. I sure hope you start feeling better soon. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

hee hee, Karen, you are too funny! :) Yes, I was a GOOD girl and I think I do deserve a treat! ;)

I took four of my pills last night, two after dinner and two before bed. I awoke at 2:00 to go to the bathroom. :( Then again at 5:00 and then again at 7:00. I REALLY hope this is just my body getting used to them....

I just took my two after breakfast about a half hour ago.

Its strange, because these pills open up and the little beads attach themselves to my intestines and colon, I can FEEL it!! It is the strangest sensation...

Hopefully this will all pass and I'll feel normal soon. :) The food journal works really well. I also learned I can't have canned mandarine ornages, but I can have regular oranges. Weird, huh?

Thanks again for your prayers and kind words everyone. :D

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Its strange, because these pills open up and the little beads attach themselves to my intestines and colon, I can FEEL it!! It is the strangest sensation...

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ooooh neat.... how weird. http://www.freeadpower.org/~mrsmiles...ara/crazy2.gif

Omg Kelly. Wow! 8 pills at such a young age. :( You are one brave person. I know you can make it through. Good luck with the pills and I hope you'll be feeling well and normal in no time!

Ps. Lut, I know of those weekly pill things you are talking about. My grandma had one when she was alive. :( I think she got it from England.

Phew, sure glad its not too serious! I'm sure you will do fine in adjusting to taking those pills all the time .. after so long it will become routine. Good luck with it all, our thoughts and prayers are with you :)

Oh, and although I'm sure you've done your research, I found some sites for you that provide some info, recipes and stuff like that

1
2
3
:)4

Hope some of that helps you :D

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Originally posted by NoahsMommy
I took four of my pills last night, two after dinner and two before bed. I awoke at 2:00 to go to the bathroom. :( Then again at 5:00 and then again at 7:00. I REALLY hope this is just my body getting used to them....

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I'm sure that's what it is because if I remember right, when you get all the warnings with the pills, they say that most side effects should disappear as you body gets used to the pills - of course they use more technical language that I can't remember right now, but that's basically what it means. So give them more time and hopefully things should regulate themselves as time goes on.

It is soooo weird that you can feel that! Does it feel tingly or picky or just like something is happening in there and you can "feel" it?

Yikes, 8 pills a day!?! I hope they help lots&lots, and you start feeling like yourself again soon!! :)

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Originally posted by Tubby & Peanut's Mom
It is soooo weird that you can feel that! Does it feel tingly or picky or just like something is happening in there and you can "feel" it?

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It feels like there's something going on in there, its tappered off some, I think I'm getting used to it. :)

Thank you SO MUCH for those links ScantyNebula!! They were all very good, thank you!!! That was very kind of you.

I'm looking into eating more natural foods. I've read and heard from a lot of people that chemicals, additives and preservatives really effect the intestines harshly. I really think that'll have a positive effect on how I feel.

Cool--- Well I mean, not cool that you have Chrons, but cool that your doing Okay. My pets give ya lots of kissies and I give ya best of luck. :) 8 pills a day? I have enough trouble taking 2 Asprin... :rolleyes:

I am sorry to hear u have been unwell and have chrons disease, my cousins husband in scotland has it, and it is not pleasant, i do hope the medication does help u, i have read a bit on it, and believe with medication its managable, so i hope they do the trick for you, u take care of yourself wont you?