Other than being sleepy from lack of sleep this week (and weeks past) I haven’t been feeling too bad this week … well, up until today anyway!
I really thought this Crohn’s flare was beginning to calm down. I was wrong. Today has not been a good day. My stomach, or rather my abdomen, has been in terrible pain all day. I’ve had severe cramping, fevers and oddest of all my feet have been freezing cold, yet clammy to the touch. Yuck, I know.
I was lying on the couch this afternoon, bundled up in a blanket to keep warm. My feet were like ice cubes and every once in a while I’d reach down to feel my foot because they were so cold they felt wet. As if I’d been outside walking in the snow in running shoes or boots with a hole in them … you know how your socks get wet when you don’t wear proper footwear in the snow? Cold wet feet. Uh huh … and my feet were damp. It must have been a result of all the fevers I’d been having, but it’s not a symptom I generally have (cold clammy feet I mean).
I think the abdominal pains are/were a bowel blockage. I have strictures (scar tissues and narrowing of my intestines) thanks to the Crohn’s so blockages happen more often than I’d like. I think it’s resolving now – finally.
I also have absolutely no appetite. I’m not really even thirsty either, although I’ve been making myself drink plenty of water as that’s one of the way I resolve these mini-blockages I get. It’s almost as if I took a handful of appetite suppression pills or something.
I hope I start feeling better by tomorrow. Honestly that’s one of the reasons why we didn’t meet up with our friends husband this evening. However, I expect we’ll be in and out of the hospital visiting our friend who just had open heart surgery several times over the weekend, so I need to feel better.
I just wish I could have at least one day where I felt completely normal and healthy. That’s not too much to ask for is it?
Have you read “The Maker’s Diet” or “Patient Heal Thyself” by Jordan Rubin? If I had Chrons, I’d give them both a serious read.
I hope you’re well soon.
I wish that they had more helpful therapies for Chron’s suffers. As a nurse, I’m sure you’re pretty up to date with what’s available, which is insufficient at best.
Hang in there.
Carol yes I’ve read and followed the makers diet, but my body doesn’t tolerate a lot of the foods it recommends. I tried it for several months just to see if my digestive system would adjust but it never did. I haven’t read the other book – I’ll have to check it out. Believe me I’m up for trying just about anything that doesn’t sound like it will do more harm than good. 😉
Three cent stamp – I’ve tried just about all of the conventional treatments for Crohn’s and nothing has really helped. One combination of meds worked well but then I developed some very bad side effects and they had to take me off it. Sooooo … I’m just puttering along hoping this ever lasting flare will die down and give me a break for a year or two. The longest “remission” I’ve had was three years, but this “flare” seems to be going on for about three continuous years … so it’s time for it to die down.