The beginning...

Hi, I'm Melissa and I have Crohns. It doesn't define me but is definitely a big part of my life. A constant thorn in my side, some days more than others. I have been diagnosed for almost four years but I have had it for almost six years. Let me tell you my story...

I had my daughter back in May of 2007, I had no issues with food while I was pregnant except alot of heartburn. Prior to my daughter my health was pretty good and I had no stomach issues except being slightly lactose intolerant but I loved dairy products, namely ice cream, too much to be slowed down by that.  I wouldn't say that I ate junk food all the time but I also wasn't the healthiest eater either. I really only liked raw vegetables and a few fruits. 

So after having my daughter I started having issues with my stomach, I went to the bathroom almost immediately after eating anything. It started out slow and progressively got worse. I thought since this was the first time having a child that maybe it was just taking some time for my body to get back to normal, but part of me felt something else was wrong. The pain was so intense at times I didn't want to eat or it would make me vomit. Seriously I could have had my daughter with no drugs and the pain would have been less than what I was experiencing with my stomach. There was also the drastic weight loss. Now being a new mom any woman would be happy to lose baby weight, however I wasn't that big to begin with and the weight loss was obviously unhealthy at the rate I was losing it. I also noticed blisters in my mouth which I never had before. At the time of all of this I had no insurance so I couldn't go to the doctor. I researched the crap (no pun intended) out of my symptoms though and was convinced I had Crohns. Towards the end of 2008 I finally had insurance and went to the doctor and told them my symptoms and that I was sure I had Crohns.

Next came the tests, numerous blood tests and stool samples (yuck). I went to a physician in Stafford that would refer me to a gastrontolegist. He performed a series of these tests because obviously I am no doctor and couldn't be sure I had Crohns but deep down I knew from my symptoms and lots of research it was true. The final test was a colonscopy and and endoscopy that confirmed that yes I did indeed have Crohns. The pictures of my insides were pretty gross, red, inflammed and lots of ulcers, no wonder I was in so much pain.