More tests???

So, recently I had a capsule test...that fun one where u swallow a big capsule and wear a very heavy belt and monitor. The capsule takes pictures as it goes thru your digestive tract and transmits them to the monitor. Takes 8 hours.

I got a call a few days later and the girl told me it was fine. But the Dr she mentioned I didn't recognize. So, OK. I get a call today and the test failed. The capsule didn't go where they wanted it to. How does that happen? My crohn's is at theend of my small intestine - did it not go thru? is it still in there? Or did it take longer than 8 hours to get there?

And was the first call to the wrong patient? wtf?

Now I have to have it again - but this time my doc is going to go in and place it where she wants. Endoscopically. wonderful. another one.

So, someone has to drive me, cause I will have to be knocked out. Shit.

I mean , I'm not doing too bad. My biggest problemis I don't absorb food or vitamins, so I have to take liquid vitamins and B-12 shots. If I keep my levels up I feel so-so. Fatigue is a problem and so is joint pain. I eat very little since it hurts to eat too much. I'm trying to find liquid food or nutrition. That would help. And I am trying the SCD diet. Works well. Alot less pain. And I found that over-chewing my food helps immensely. Although it takes getting used to.

I still have diarrhea - every morning for the last 20 months. But not all day long. I'm lucky. But I know my body works well on a routine - get up at the same time, and it will react the same every day.

Every now and then I take prednisone for a week or so for the joint pain and the rashes, and it stops for anywhere from 2 to 6 months. whew.

And I am one of those with seasonal trigger - always starts early spring, like in March. so, now that I know, I can get ahead of it - I hope.

Fart humor

Some cat-fart humor to follow the previous post.........

Poop and farts

You know that's what crohn's and UC is about - that's why no one talks about it, and why no one knows much about it. No one wants to talk about it - so there's not much awareness. Why? It's involves pooping and alot of farting. And running to the bathroom.

Especially for women - we are viewed as delicate - we don't fart. Right? So how do we talk about this, how do we excuse ourselves so we can fart in private? Beats me, I gave up - I just fart when I have to. Too bad. And I look delicate, slim, tiny. But boy can I fart. ask my husband.

Maybe when our uptight society can finally talk about bodily functions, diseases like this won't be so 'embarrassing'. Beause that's what it comes down to - it's embarrassing. It's killing us, but we're embarrassed.

I don't see commercials for Crohn's, but I see plenty for viagra and other 'erectile dysfunction' drugs. We can talk about penis dysfunction, but not bowel dysfunction.

Why can't we talk about poop? It's normal, we all do it. Everyone.

Not so mild?

I haven't posted since I started, because I got hit with a 'flare'. I'm still new to all the terminology of this stuff - but not the symptoms. I had a bad bout of mid-abdominal pain. It's been a long time since the pain was that crippling.

Ah well, maybe my thinking I have a 'mild' case isn't so correct.

Even though I have had the common symptoms - diarrhea, weight loss, occasional abdominal pain since I was a kid, and then the others - joint pain, rashes, vitamin deficiencies, malnutrition as I got older - I was still surprised when the Dr. told me it was Crohn's. I don't know why. I have had 100's of tests for the last 15 years, and nothing shows up. Not till recently when my vitamin levels were in the toilet. I had a zero level of vitamin C, among other deficiencies.

I got so used to hearing, "We can't find anything", yet I was obviously sick, that it was a shock when a test showed something.

I have 2 friends with Crohn's, so I am familiar with the symptoms, and even though I seemed a mirror to them, I guess I just wasn't ready to hear I had it too.

Now my problem is eating - it hurts when I eat. Especially if I eat anything bigger than a portion the size of a hot dog. I can't even eat a sandwich or an average sized salad. Everything has to be in tiny amounts, or I am done for with pain and belly swelling.

I haven't figured out yet what aggravates me worse - except for oranges, crunchy chips and nuts. Anything too hard or crunchy is no good, since most of my food passes out undigested, that will hurt more. Even tablet vitamins pass out whole - so I take liquid vitamins and use B-12 shots.

I'm trying to figure out how to eat healthy when I am usually too fatigued to cook let alone go to the grocery store. If I could find liquid nutrition without dairy or cornsyrup in it, I'd drink that for a few months and let my guts rest.

Oh, and I love to add pics of lolcats to my blogs etc...