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-The story about my Crohn's Disease -

I'm not going to write down every detail here, since some of them are really disgusting while others are just plain boring. But if you have any questions whatsoever, do not hesitate to email me!

I was diagnosed with Crohns Disease Januray 3rd, 2003. But sadly, this story begins all the way back in the winter of 2000/2001. I was feeling ill almost all the time, with stomach aches, nausea and diarrhoea. This led to many doctor's appointments over the next two years. Unfortunately, it took a while before I was taken "seriously". The doctors would tell me things like: "You are having a reaction to your birth control pills", "You are just depressed" and "This happens to you because you don't eat your meals at the same time each day." I was also told that I was allergic to milk, but that it probably wasn't very serious, and that I could eat/drink some milkproducts daily without it being a problem. I tried everything the doctors suggested without any improvement. Come winter 2002 I was shocked to discover that I had lost over 15 pounds. I tried avoiding anything that had milk in it. This did not help at all, and at Christmas time 2002 I had lost an additional 9 pounds. So, there I was, 100 pounds, (I'm 5.9 so it's not much) scared and displeased. I went to see my doctor again, and said that I really needed help. The doctor finally saw that something was very wrong, and sent my blood and stool samples to the laboratory. This was the day before Christmas Eve.

On Januray 3rd 2003 I had an appointment at the hospital. I was going to have a colonoscopy, which basically means having a camera pushed up your colon. This hurt like hell even though I was high as a kite on pethidine (morphine). The doctor who performed the colonoscopy told me that I suffered from Crohns Disease, an inflammation in the intestines. He explained to me that it is an autoimmune disease, which means that my immune system is not working properly and therefore tries to "destroy" my intestines, mainly my smaller intestine and colon. I was very happy that I now finally knew what was wrong with me, although it was also sad to know that I would have to live with this disease the rest of my life.

I was given prednisolone (steroids) and ciprifloxacin (antibiotics) which I was to take for a few weeks to calm down the acute infection in the intestines, and Mesalamine which I was supposed to take regularly to prevent more inflammation. I took 2 grams (0,07 ounces) a day. When I started taking this medicine my CRP (C-reactive proteine) was 99. It is supposed to be lower than 10 in a healthy person. My health improved significantly over the next weeks, but when I stopped taking the prednisolone, I got worse. The doctor decided I had to start using prednisolone again for a while, and that I in addition to the 2 grams of Pentasa was going to need 100 mg of Imuran every day. I regained my hope of becoming well enough to go to Walt Disney World to work in the Norwegian Pavillion. I wanted it really bad and I didn't want this disease to stop me from doing it! Unfortunately Imuran wasn't enough to keep me healty either, and when I stopped using Prednisolone I got worse. Again. I got admitted to the hospital one night after only blood came out when I went to the bathroom. My CRP was then 80.

I had to go through a new colonoscopy and also a gastroscopy early summer 2003. This time they let me sleep while I went through it. After these examinations it was decided that I should be treated with Remicade. You have to get Remicade intravenously at the hospital. I was told that often, after being treated with Remicade a few times, a person can stay healthy for quite a while without getting it. This was good news for me, since I wanted to go to the US and would never be able to pay for Remicade myself. Remicade turned out to be my lifesaver! My Crohns Disease was in total remission by the time I travelled to the US on september 24 2003. Unfortunately I had to go home in March after finishing only half my program at Disney, due to chronic bronchitis that led to a somewhat angry colon. Although I had to go to Centra Care quite often the last months of my stay. I don't regret going to Florida for one second! :) It was worth every penny!

I have now stopped using Pentasa, as it turned out it didn't have much effect on Crohns after all. Not for me anyways.. And I cut back on the Imuran as well, because of nausea, however my joints started to hurt so bad during the fall of 07 (because the imuran dose is so low, and the remicade started to give me more pain in the joints for some reason) that I had to stop taking the Remicade, and I have now started with Humira instead.

That's all for now. but I want to say to all you other "invisible" sick people out there: Never give up! Try your best to do what you want to do and don't let the disease control your life! And.. You're not alone!

The Humira

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