17 years old, just got diagnosed with Crohn's disease… Advocates out there willing to help me?

Hey guys. My name is Mandy and I recently got diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. I’m honestly confused and somewhat devastated. It all sounds so scary, and my doctor wasn’t as helpful as I had hoped on ways to naturally help make all the pain subside. I also have Epilepsy, so I’m dealing with enough already. I have hundreds of small seizures a day, so you can imagine what I’m already going through.

If anyone out there has had Crohn’s for a while, could you explain to me what I can do to help my body naturally? My doctor says I don’t necessarily have to take any medication for this disease unless my symptoms are active – and even then I have the choice to say no. I’m turning 18 soon and I want to know what I need to know before I move out so I can care for myself. I’ve listed questions below, so please answer as many as possible that you can. The person to answer all or most questions will get best answer. Thanks so much…

1. How many times would you say your Crohn’s disease flares up? I’ve heard it can happen anywhere from once a month, to every other year.

2. What does your pain feel like for you? What are of the body hurts you, and how do you cope with the pain?

3. Are you taking any medications? Do they have harsh side effects?

4. What foods should I absolutely stay away from?

5. What foods are known to help your digestive tract when you have Crohn’s? Or better yet, are there really foods out there that will soothe/lessen the pain? I’ve heard something about bananas helping, but I’m unsure if this is true or not.

6. My pain is currently extremely bad. I’m overweight by 30 lbs, and it keeps me from exercising. However, I still go out for walks and lift weights at home. Is my exercise upsetting the pain? Should I stop for a while?

7. Everytime I eat, my mouth starts to burn and swell on the inside… almost itching. No matter what I eat. I asked my doctor if this is normal, and he said yes. But when I asked what I can do to help this symptom, he said some side effects just have to be "dealt with". As you can guess by now, I’m looking for a new doctor. But do any of you experience this, and how do you make it go away?

Thank you all for anything you can let me know! I feel so lost right now… If anyone would like to regularly e-mail, please contact me. I would love to learn more so I can cope with this.

Related posts

• What, other than epilepsy, can cause seizures in dogs? (7)
• What is the best way to lower high blood pressure? (0)
• what is the best medication for exercise induced asthma? (15)