| Chrons, the Mystery Disease |
| Written by Aidan Gillen | |
The CauseEven doctors who specialize in gastroenterology cannot determine the cause of chrons disease. In fact, the illness is hard to diagnose. Doctors normally order a bunch of tests and go through a myriad of maladies, before finally checking to see if a patient has chrons. It can be months or even years before someone will finally get to the crux of the symptoms and seek the right treatment. Meanwhile, the symptoms usually progress and other problems rear their ugly head to add to the mystery.Sounds ScaryYes. If you are going online to search for information about chrons disease , it sounds really scary. Some sites can get your heart pounding so hard; you are wondering whether you should plan your funeral in advance, just in case. But, many people get online to grouse about the worst case scenario. Personally speaking from experience, it is a lot better than having colon cancer. You can learn to live with the disease, see your kids grow up, and even enjoy life again. But, you have to learn the good and bad of the disease. Plus, the right attitude can make a big difference. So, do not be scared; become informed. The SymptomsUnfortunately, chrons has no one set of symptoms to define. Thus, doctors usually check for chrons as a last resort, since many of the complaints can also be signs of other illnesses. For example, you can have any or all of these problems in varying degrees:
Of course, you will likely have good and bad days. But, once the doctor finds the right medication to control the symptoms, you can learn to live peaceably with the disease, most of the time. However, you will definitely have to change your lifestyle. What you can do TODAY!For instance, if you smoke, it is time to quit. Get help, use patches, go cold turkey and apologize to friends and family for your temperament. You have to do whatever it takes to put that last cigarette out for good. Smoking only makes the symptoms much worse. If you light up, you are more likely to end up in the hospital frequently, because of the uncontrollable diarrhea, rapid weight loss, sores and more. You may be miserable during the process, but your body will be kinder to you than the body of a person who continues to smoke and deal with chrons.Next, you need to become a teetotaler. Sorry. But, this vice needs to go, even if you are only an occasional social drinker. The alcohol will go straight to your intestines and intensify your troubles. As some will tell you, a half glass of wine at Christmas is not even worth the pain and misery you can experience as a result. Finally, you need to work on an elimination diet. Some foods and drinks may set off your chrons, while another person with the same disease does just fine. Your attitude toward food has to change. You need to learn how to eat to live, not live to eat. Start with something very bland. Greasy and spicy foods are generally culprits for making chrons symptoms worse. Sticky rice is often good for people who are recovering from a bout of diarrhea from the flu. So, you might want to try that first. Also, dairy products can set things off. However, the more the products are processed it can be easier to digest. For example, you may not be able to drink a glass of milk, but yogurt stays down and does not cause pain. You might also be able to eat hard cheese. Some people do fine with vegetables. Others can get really sick. Raw veggies are harder to digest, so you may still be able to eat the cooked or canned variety. So, start with one food. After two or three days, if your body is tolerant, add another food, and so on. If you try a food that makes matters worse, back off. Maybe when your chrons is not flaring, you can try again. But, eating something you know will make you sicker is not worth the price you will pay. So, now you know a little bit about chrons. You can learn to live with it, and it is still a lot better than being diagnosed with cancer. So, chin up and continue to increase your knowledge and ability to be sensitive to your body. |
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