Diagnosis and treatments: life with Crohn's disease at 18 years old

Hello. I became ill at age 18 also.  I had abdominal cramping, diarrhea and nausea.  For the next 5 years I went to doctor after doctor never getting a diagnosis. Being a young girl at the time, The doctors told me I was emotional and therefore I should take Valium and rest more. I became sicker and sicker. This began in 1966. I 1972 I weighed 85 pounds.  One evening after dinner, I became violently ill. I went to the ER only to be told by my doctor that I had the flu. They medicated me and sent me home. By the next day, I could not even crawl to the bathroom. I went back to the ER and was seen by a surgeon. He aspirated my abdominal cavity and pulled out what he told me was pus.  He thought my appendix had burst. I was taken to surgery immediately.  That is when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.  I had two more resections after that. The last one in 2003.  I have been on Remicade and have been in remission since.  I am now 73 years of age. Life was a struggle, but I fought every day to keep doing the things I loved.   Today I am healthy, I will not let anyone tell me nothing is wrong or it’s all in my head ever again. I admire your spirit, Laura. 
❤️Diana

Nothing worse than a teen being diagnosed with a forever disease with no cure or exact reason for it. I know. I was 16 when it hit me and 17 when finally properly diagnosed.

I went on a summer trip with friends, upstate NY at 16, in 1975. We camped, hiked and spend 5 days in the mountains of Blue Moose. I came home and had the flu, we thought. It never left. By October, same year, I had numerous diagnoses. I was down to 70 lbs, couldn't keep anything down or in and finally my uncle called his friend at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC.

I was admitted and given a 50/50 chance at survival. The pain was unbearable, so I was on morphine and testing done. It was Crohns, in my ileum. Immediately, a Dr from Germany told me we must operate. I told them NO. I chose to try a treatment plan. 3 months later I was much better, heavier and went home. Life would never be the same. My whole year of being 17 was missed, spending it suffering at home, bedridden, so sick I couldn't walk. My friends slowly forgot me, but a few were loyal and came by to help me laugh again. I was tutored at home for my junior yr of HS. I learned determination, faith, knowing my own body and listening to it. I also decided I wanted to be a psychologist.

The following year I met and married a funny odd young man and had my 1st child. A miracle as the previous year I was given my last rites. I was on my own soon after, as my husband was very ill mentally and we separated.

MANY yeARs went by. I had more children, more education and became a nurse at 22. Psychiatric was my fit. I had much pain, hospital stays and heartache, but I survived with no operations, resections, or being held back for long. I'm writing about my journey from a fun summer vacation to near death to a creative life and 5 children. I still have pain and many medications have been tried but I'm at an advanced stage now, my entire small intestines involved. This year is 47 years of battling Crohns. 17 was too young to begin this path but we don't have choices in many things, I chose to survive. All Crohns patients are Warriors, so remember that always.