MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'disease treatment'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:24:44 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069475&cid=t_196427_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-is-the-most-costly-healthcare-expenditure%2F2011.07.27 The National Institute for Healthcare Management Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on healthcare. The foundation just published an excellent report on the distribution of  healthcare costs in the population. The results indicate that reducing healthcare cost is all about reducing and managing chronic diseases. U.S. healthcare spending has sharply increased between 2005 and 2009 by 23 percent from $2 trillion to $2.5 trillion per year. This is a result of a combination of factors. Chief among them is the increasing incidence of obesity. Who spends the money? (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Repairing the Healthcare System* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069475 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 12:00:54 +0100 5069475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872484&cid=t_196427_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2Fkd_pr0-E_hs%2F HBV Some of the highest rates of hepatitis B are in alcoholics and addicts. Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The virus is carried in blood and body fluids. It can lead to serious liver damage, life-long infection, liver cancer, liver failure and even death. Fortunately, there is a vaccine that can protect you against HBV.BackgroundHBV is one of a group of viruses that attacks the liver. Many hepatitis viruses have been identified but three – known as A, B, and C – cause about 90% of the acute hepatitis cases.HBV is the most common form of hepatitis virus in the world. It is easily transmitted and is significantly more infective than HIV.HBV is primarily transmitted from one person to another through blood or other body fluids, such as vagina... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872484 Sat, 07 May 2011 14:06:01 +0100 4872484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4794954&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fmay-2011-how-is-your-crohns-today%2F Hello Everyone! I hope that you are doing well today! It is time for us to have another edition of How Is Your Crohn’s Today?. For those of you who are new to the blog, every now and then I like to check in with everyone for updates and your Crohn’s is holding up. I’ll tell you how I am doing, and you reply in the comments section about your current status. I finally went to see my rheumatologist and did my yearly bone scan. I was reluctant to go because I was so afraid that my bone density would be worse and I have been anxious about taking the Reclast medication again. As I wrote in a previous blog, I have been worried about some of the side effects of the medication. The bone scan actually showed that my bone density improved by 7.2 percent, which is really a lot if you think abo... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4794954 Fri, 06 May 2011 17:59:30 +0100 4794954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512501&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fanxiety-about-testing-medicine-and-doctors%2F It’s that time of year again — time for my yearly bone density check. I am really dreading the bone scan this year, but it is not because the test is hard. It is pretty much one of the easiest procedures that we, as Crohn’s patients, have to take. I am dreading the scan, because I am dreading the results. I just don’t want any more bad news. I don’t want to have to take the Reclast infusion again, and I know that if my test comes out worse, the rheumatologist is going to insist that I do. Recently, the FDA has begun studying drugs like Reclast, Boniva, and Fosamax due to signs that the drugs can cause abnormal heart rhythms. There is also some controversy about whether or not these drugs can actually increase the chance of thigh bone fracture after five years or more. My gen... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512501 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:36:24 +0100 4512501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190335&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fhappy-thanksgiving%2F It is that time of year again, the time when those who suffer from Crohn’s and other digestive diseases must remain strong in the face of an abundance of delicious and wonderful foods. This is my favorite time of year because of the cool weather, the wonderful colors on the trees, and the chance to spend time with family and friends. It is also the hardest time of the year for me with my Crohn’s. The falls in Houston are usually pretty damp and we get a lot of mold and fungus this time of year. I am highly allergic to mold and fungus so I usually end up with a sinus infection or asthma trouble around Halloween or Thanksgiving. This year I have a double whammy with a urinary tract infection and a sinus infection. I have been on antibiotics, but they are making me really sick — very ba... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190335 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:02:30 +0100 4190335 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077609&cid=t_196427_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fhepatitis-a-b-and-c%2F diseases; Descriptions, transmission, prevention and treatment.   From; www.hepatitisc.org.au The Hepatitis C Council of NSW Inc is a community-based, non-government organisation, funded by the Australian NSW Health Dept. - Share, print or e-mail this articleChemical Dependency and the FamilyWhat Are Drug Addicts Looking For?Relapse Prevention (Source: Recovery Is Sexy.com) Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077609 Sat, 16 Oct 2010 14:46:03 +0100 4077609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3921086&cid=t_196427_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fpathologic-skin-picking%2F Pathologic skin picking (PSP) is characterized by the repetitive and compulsive picking of skin which results in tissue damage. We sought to examine the evidence supporting the school of thought, and biological links between PSP and substance use disorders. A review of the literature examining clinical presentation, comorbid psychiatric conditions, and treatment studies was used to examine the relationship of PSP and substance use disorders. Prevalence rates of PSP range from 1.4–5.4% in the general population, with a much higher preponderance in females and in psychiatric patients. Significant medical complications are common, including scarring and infection. Although some pharmacologic agents (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, opioid antagonists, and glutamatergic agents) a... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3921086 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:18:00 +0100 3921086 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3920967&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fhow-is-your-crohn-august-2010%2F Hello everyone! How are you feeling today? I hope that you are well and that your Crohn’s isn’t being a pain in the rump. In case you are new to the blog, I will explain the topic of today’s blog. Every month I like to check in with everyone to see how you have been doing. Everyone writes in and tells how they have been feeling and what has been going on with their Crohn’s or with anything else. It is a great way for us to share and to vent. Since I write the blog, I get to go first. Right now my Crohn’s is not doing too badly. I just went down to 28 mg of prednisone and hope to continue weaning. I am craving carbohydrates like crazy and can’t seem to stop thinking about waffles, bread, coffee with milk, and pretty much anything bad for me that is full of starch. I wrote a blo... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3920967 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:06:01 +0100 3920967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3787112&cid=t_196427_137_f&fid=39091&url=http%3A%2F%2Falzheimmers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Falzheimers-research.html So it appears the thrust of research at the recent consortium is to take all the research that has gone on at various facilities and share and combine and put something together meaningful. The criteria for diagnosing and staging Alzheimer's and mild cognitive impairment is being reevaluated for the first time in years. When you think about it, this is crucial. There has been a certain way of diagnosing the disease definitely by looking at microscopic tissue under a microscope. That has not changed and we still can't do that on live human beings. However if there was a way to predict or even diagnose the disease much earlier, even before it starts to clinically show itself and manifest, this may have clinical implications for treatment, as well as prevention. Seemingly the earlier you can ... Caregiver Survival: I Hate Alzheimers blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3787112 Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:22:00 +0100 3787112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3499195&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fhow-is-your-crohns%2F Hello everyone!  In case you are new to the blog, I will explain the topic of today’s blog.  Every month I like to check in with everyone to see how you have been doing.  Everyone writes in and tells how they have been feeling and what has been going on with their Crohn’s or with anything else.  It is a great way for us to share and to vent.  It has been a little while since we last did this, so I am expecting lots of comments from everyone so that we can catch up! I have not been doing too well lately.  I guess that I should have seen it coming but, as always, I seem to miss the little subtle signs of an oncoming flare.  Since 2010 has started, it seems it has been one thing after another, but hopefully I will get it turned around soon.  After the strange pain that was in my l... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3499195 Thu, 22 Apr 2010 22:00:42 +0100 3499195 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429461&cid=t_196427_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2F9SvMo_Q8swY%2F HBV Some of the highest rates of hepatitis B are in alcoholics and addicts. Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The virus is carried in blood and body fluids. It can lead to serious liver damage, life-long infection, liver cancer, liver failure and even death. Fortunately, there is a vaccine that can protect you against HBV. Background HBV is one of a group of viruses that attacks the liver. Many hepatitis viruses have been identified but three – known as A, B, and C – cause about 90% of the acute hepatitis cases. HBV is the most common form of hepatitis virus in the world. It is easily transmitted and is significantly more infective than HIV. HBV is primarily transmitted from one person to another through blood or other body fluids, such as ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429461 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:39:00 +0100 3429461 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311835&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fsupport-the-ibd-research-and-awareness-act-for-crohn%25e2%2580%2599s-and-ulcerative-colitis%2F Last year, an important Act, The IBD Research and Awareness Act, was introduced to the House and Senate to expand research for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.  The legislation would enhance activities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis, as well as, expand biomedical research for IBD (Irritable Bowel Disease). You can help advocate for the passage of the IBD Research and Awareness Act with the help of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).  They have made this really great website where they make it easy for you to contact your legislators and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 2275 (House bill number) and S. 981 (Senate bill number). It is very easy to do.  Just click here. Then, scroll down to the ‘compose m... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311835 Thu, 25 Feb 2010 19:00:56 +0100 3311835 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3262759&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fwhat-kind-of-job-would-accomodate-crohns-disease%2F It seems that I may be looking at a change of careers very soon, or at the very least, a change of tasks.  I hope the impact is only a change of task, but I fear that it may be worse.  Last week I found out that the program that I have been working on is likely to be canceled.  I only say likely because there is still a small chance that Congress will vote against the President’s plan, but from what I am hearing, the outlook is not good.  No one knows what may happen or what the new “vision” really entails or how we in Houston will fit into the big picture.  I hope to stay with my current company but may be forced to look elsewhere or even into a whole new career path if nothing else is available. I really like my current employer and hope that there will be some task that I can... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3262759 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:47:11 +0100 3262759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3216729&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fis-my-pain-crohns-or-something-else%2F The mystery pain that I had back in Feb 2008 has returned.  Back then, I thought that I had a kidney stone, but the doctors were not so sure.  At the time, I had a lot of pain that felt very similar to a kidney stone – came and went, sharp sometimes and dull achy pain other times.  I did have a stone that was in my kidney but the urologists told me that I shouldn’t have pain with it there – it would only hurt when it made its way to the urethra.   My general doctor thought that it was the stone causing the pain so I never really had a clear answer since no one agreed. Since then, I have had bouts of pain that felt similar but not as severe and they would last only a few days.  Well, I started having pain again on Jan 16th and it got really severe this time.  I was hurting near... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3216729 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:23:51 +0100 3216729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2984927&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fa-crohns-book-club%2F I was thinking that we should start a book club.  I read a lot because of many reasons, one of which is that I have a lot of potty time available for my reading pleasure.   The other, is that I just love to read.  Or rather, I love to get lost in a story and forget my troubles and worries just for a little while.  I love it when I get so excited about a book, that I can’t stop thinking about it and can’t wait to get home to read it.  The last time that happened to me was when I read the Twilight series.  I could not put those books down.  I have read many authors across the spectrum of different genres and will read just about anything, except lately anything violent or dark.  I feel that there is enough bad in the world already and I would rather read something pleasant to ta... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2984927 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:12:02 +0100 2984927 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2851932&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fprednisone-sleepless-nights-and-wistful-thoughts%2F I have sleeping problems as I am sure that many of you have, especially those of you who are on prednisone.  I have been taking sleeping pills for years but I am trying to get off them.  So far it is going pretty slowly because I work full time and need sleep to function and to keep healthy.  I listen to this CD called sound healing to help me relax and have this whole unwinding routine that I try to do in order to get my mind and body relaxed enough to go to sleep. I was very anxious last night so I checked my blood pressure and it was 133/90 which I guess is not that bad but not perfect.  So, I was laying in our bedroom listening to my CD and thinking about the melody and how my interpretation of it changes each time that I listen to it.  Tonight I close my eyes and drift away in th... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2851932 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:25:32 +0100 2851932 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2838951&cid=t_196427_105_f&fid=39005&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.allkidney.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fnew-and-upcoming-treatments-for-polycystic-kidney-disease.html photo credit: euthman Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common genetic disease of the kidney. For many years the treatment of this condition has been at a relative standstill when compared to the advances in therapy in other kidney diseases. However exciting new developments are currently in the research pipeline. These may finally allow specific therapies aimed at reducing the progression of the underlying problem, which has always been the unrestricted almost exponential growth of cysts within the kidney leading to kidney failure. The main approach to the treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease has been good control of blood pressure. This has been shown to reduce the rate of progression of the disease to end stage. Patients with ADPKD hav... All Kidney News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2838951 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:31:09 +0100 2838951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2804107&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Ffinding-the-right-doctor-for-your-crohns-is-worth-it%2F Since so many of you responded to my blog about all the problems I was having with my rheumatologist and insurance company I thought that I would take the opportunity to say thank you and give you an update. A few weeks ago, I went to see my general doctor to get a referral for a new rheumatologist.  He seemed skeptical about how I would like her because he told me that she has a strange bedside manner.  I figured different sounded good to me at this moment and was willing to try her out.  I went to see her a few weeks back and I was really impressed.  Yes, she is a bit different, but I like her style and I like her so far.  Right away, she sent me for X-rays of my hips and bloodwork on my Vitamin D levels and a bunch of other stuff that my old doctor never did.  Plus, their office i... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2804107 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:30:01 +0100 2804107 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2800497&cid=t_196427_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FfESabF9lRA4%2F Some good news for people suffering from retinal vein occlusion of the eye. New research has indicated that steroid injections have been shown effective in treatment. This is a disease that affects many diabetics, and is often difficult to treat. In retinal vein occlusion, the “blood vessels in the retina become blocked” and cause a the patient to gradually lose vision. Currently there is no treatment for the main cause of this disease, which is the “central vein that provides blood to the eye.” The disease is usually treated by using lasers to unblock the tiny blood vessels of the eye. However, a new study done with steroids was shown effective. Patients of the study received a steroid injection every four months into the eye. After a year, “27 percent of t... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2800497 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:34:40 +0100 2800497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737945&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fhow-is-your-crohn%25e2%2580%2599s-today%2F We haven’t had a “How is your Crohn’s today” blog in a while and I think we are past due. I want to know how you are doing and how you are handling your disease. Since I am writing the post that means that I get to go first:) I have been doing pretty well lately.  I had my colonoscopy a few weeks ago with very good results.  He said that I had no active Crohn’s in my colon and that was the best news that I have heard in about 10 years - or more.   Since I had such good results, I decided to try lowering my prednisone (the Doctor concurred), and so I have gone from 8mg everyday to 8mg, 8mg, 7mg, 8mg, 8mg 7mg, ect… After I am sure that my body can adjust to this level I will go to 8mg, 7mg, 8mg, 7mg, etc… Doing my tapering this way keeps my body confused as ... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737945 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:32:31 +0100 2737945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512255&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fimportance-of-diet-in-crohns-disease%2F In the last blog, we touched on the subject of diet, but I want to go a little further with it this week.  What to eat and what not to eat is a really frustrating aspect of Crohn’s disease.  What we could really use is a manual that would tell us what foods to avoid instead of having to do the trial and error method that we all have to currently do.  There is no manual that is handed out once you obtain your diagnosis of Crohn’s disease that states: ‘if you eat this you will feel bad so avoid it at all costs’.  No, instead, they pretty much don’t tell you anything.  I think that the doctors purposely avoid the topic of diet because it is so different from patient to patient that there really isn’t a specific diet for Crohn’s disease that they can point you to.  But ther... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512255 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:29:40 +0100 2512255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442198&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Ffood-investigation-what-can-you-eat-for-ibd%2F Welcome back from the three day holiday.  I hope that you had a good Memorial Day.  We didn’t do anything special, just visited our family and hung around the house.  Our daughter spent the holiday at her friend’s pool which allowed my husband and I to have a “Lost-athon.”  We caught up on all of the TV episodes of Lost that we haven’t watched.  That was fun because we never watch three in a row.  This weekend was also great because my husband did most of the cooking (yay)!!  I am in a rut again with food.  I just don’t want to try too many different things because I like to feel good so I prefer to eat the foods that I know are safe. I have been trying this new protein antioxidant drink called Mix1 to see if it will be a good additional source o... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442198 Thu, 28 May 2009 22:26:38 +0100 2442198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441253&cid=t_196427_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Frare-disease-research-gets-nih-funding%2F Drug companies are always keen to get on the bandwagon when it comes to diseases that affect millions. Makes sense, I guess. After all, when you running a business, you want to create product that will be used by the masses. Unfortunately, that leaves a lot of rare and neglected diseases (around 6,000 according to the NIH) under researched and under treated because they only occur in a small percentage of the population. The National Institute of Health (NIH) is hoping to change this with a influx of funds - to the tune of $120 million over five years - through a new program called Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) This program has been set up to support and encourage researchers in government, academic, and companies to focus on the often called ‘orphan diseases.’ Bu... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441253 Thu, 28 May 2009 01:47:49 +0100 2441253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2442199&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fgreat-job-to-all-at-houstons-take-steps-for-crohns%2F This last Saturday I participated in the Houston Take Steps for Crohn’s and Colitis CCFA walk for the cure. I had a great time!  It was in a much better location than last year and I was impressed with the turn out. In case you didn’t know, each year the CCFA (Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America) holds a fund raising walk “Take Steps” to raise much needed money for the cure to these horrible digestive diseases.  You can check it out on the CCFA Web site.  Check to see if the walk has occurred in your city and if not you can sign up and begin raising money.  If it has already occurred, then you can start raising money for next year. This year, they had a lot of activities for the children before the walk started – like face painting, balloon making, and playground acti... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2442199 Wed, 20 May 2009 20:30:14 +0100 2442199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382671&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fapril-check-in-how-is-your-crohns-today%2F Hey everyone!  How are you today?  I hope well.  Today’s blog is devoted to you telling us how you are doing today.  This is something that I try to do at the end of each month in order for us all to know how everyone else in our Crohn’s community is doing with their illness and life in general. I’ll go first… I am tired but good.  I am lowering my prednisone dosage which is always tricky, but I am thinking positive (or trying to not think about it).  I don’t lower it very much (from 9 mg to 8.5 mg) and then in two weeks I will go to 8 mg.  Right now I am alternating 8mg then 9mg every other day.  This confuses my body so that it doesn’t know what is coming next which makes tapering easier.  I am really happy to be down to 8.5 mg and hope that I don’t jinx myself.  ... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382671 Fri, 01 May 2009 16:45:42 +0100 2382671 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2295065&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fmarch-check-in-how-is-your-crohns-today%2F Hello everyone!  In case you are new to my Crohn’s blog, I’ll explain the topic of today’s blog post.  Every month I like to check in with everyone to see how they have been doing with their Crohn’s disease.  It’s a nice place to congregate and share in the comment section. I will go first and tell you how I have been.   I am not too bad.  I have been sick for the last several weeks with a sinus infection but finally went to the doctor and started antibiotics.  I am feeling much better today.  I never know if I really have a sinus infection or not because my symptoms are never normal due to the prednisone I take for my Crohn’s disease which can mask the symptoms of infections and make it seem like it is less severe than it really is.  Sinus infections are very ... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2295065 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 16:20:53 +0100 2295065 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2295066&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fmanaging-crohns-disease-and-your-fear%2F There are so many things in this world to fear: the economy, terrorism, loss of job, house, or possessions, asteroids hitting the Earth!  It seems that every day there is something new reported in the news for us to panic about.  If you live with Crohn’s disease, the fear is compounded since the fear of the disease can be added to the already seemingly overwhelming list of fears.  Living with a chronic disease like Crohn’s disease means that fear is an unwanted companion that we are always trying to get rid of. For me, dealing with fear is a constant battle.  I made a decision long ago that I don’t want to live in fear and I am constantly reminding myself of this.  We all have fear and I think that’s normal.  I think what really matters is how you handle your fear.  It can e... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2295066 Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:03:30 +0100 2295066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2201193&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fkelly-building-a-crohns-disease-community%2Fmy-experience-taking-biologics-for-crohns-disease%2F There has been a lot of progress in the area of anti-TNF drugs which are usually referred to as “biologics.” In this blog post I will give you all the information that I have on each of the drugs, as well as, my experiences with the ones that I have taken.  Keep in mind that I am a mechanical engineer and not a doctor.  I also want to emphasize that these are my personal experiences with these medications.  Every person reacts to medication differently and you should always be in constant contact with your doctor before, during and after taking biologics for Crohn’s disease. A brief background: The anti-TNF drugs target a substance in the blood called the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha which is a cytokine (specialized protein that promotes inflammation in the intest... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2201193 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:27:31 +0100 2201193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1939860&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fcrohns-disease-and-cruises-a-recipe-for-love%2F We are back from our 10-year anniversary cruise, and we are so in love! Really, it was nice spending some quality time together and having no other responsibilities. We get along really well - especially when there are no chores to fight about. The cruise was okay. I was nauseous from the boat rocking - even with the patch on. The seas were not calm at all, and there was some bad weather every now and then. We had too many days at sea, and we are not really casino players or lay-in-the sun kind of people. We liked the shows at night, and I really liked the dinners. Before the cruise, I had contacted Carnival Cruise Lines asking if they could support my diet. They sent me some forms to fill out explaining my medical condition and my requirements. I wrote that I could not tolerate pepper or ... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1939860 Wed, 05 Nov 2008 23:20:14 +0100 1939860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1902233&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Foctober-check-in-how-is-your-crohns-today%2F Hello everyone! Hope you are feeling hopeful today. Today’s blog’s topic is our monthly tag-up to let each other know how we are doing and feeling. I hope that you write in, and I look forward to your comments! I will start by telling you how I have been doing this month. Awful!! Okay, it is not so bad, but still, I would not mark this month up as being one of the good ones. I have been in a really bad mood about everything lately. I am very tired from all of this hurricane business and just plain tired of everything. We finally got our power back – after two weeks – and moved back into our house (Yay!). We were staying with my in-laws because I had moved over there before the storm and there was really no reason to come back to an un-powered home when my husband finally returned.... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1902233 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 23:19:45 +0100 1902233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1802966&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fpreparing-for-hurricane-ike-during-a-storm-of-fears%2F Editor’s Note: Kelly wrote this post last week before Hurricane Ike hit her hometown of Houston. I was laying here trying to sleep, and I couldn’t help thinking about stress management. I am laying here thinking about stress management because I have been under a lot of stress this last week, and I am in need of some sort of stress management. Last Sunday, my husband left for Indonesia and since he is so far away (12 hours ahead) I have been a little anxious. He is also in a remote area, so it is not easy to get in touch with him. Before he left, hurricane Ike was still far away and forecasted to hit in Mexico. Now, on the Thursday night before Ike is to hit, he is projected to come right over us. They have evacuated my county and so my daughter and I are at my in-law’s h... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1802966 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:04:05 +0100 1802966 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1686621&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Faugust-check-in-how-is-your-crohns-today%2F I missed our July edition of “How is your Crohn’s Today?” The month of July just seemed to fly by so fast and now it is already August. I just don’t know where the time went. Before I know it, 2009 will be here and I will have to learn to write a new date on my checks (it took me months to write 2008 instead of 2007). So…how is your Crohn’s today? I hope well, or at least better than yesterday. As for me, I am doing better than last week. I think I have made it through the lowering of the prednisone and will stay at this level for another two weeks. Mostly because I have a class in Washington D.C. on the 18th and I don’t want to rock the boat until after that. I really don’t want to get up to go to the bathroom 100 times during the class (oka... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1686621 Thu, 07 Aug 2008 03:56:16 +0100 1686621 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1649368&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Ffacing-your-crohns-fears%2F I went to all of my doctor’s appointments last week and they agree that I am doing good, but I am still too high on the steroids. I have to go down really slowly because whenever I taper too quickly, I flare up again and end up starting all over. I refuse to start all over so I am going at a very slow pace. So far I have made it down to 12 mg of prednisone and hope to continue to get lower. Each time that I go to the doctor, I come away filled with anxiety over all the bad things that can go wrong. I get this sense of urgency to get off the prednisone (from my rheumatologist mainly) but I know that if I push too hard too fast that my body does not react kindly. I have been there several times already. My gastro doc understands this and tries to find other alternatives for me, but the... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1649368 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 22:47:31 +0100 1649368 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1631708&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fwhat-its-like-to-be-pregnant-with-crohns-disease%2F Since I was talking about my daughter last week, I thought that I would continue that theme this week and tell you about my pregnancy. We had only been married for three months and never planned to have a baby so quickly. In fact, we were going to wait two years to get accustomed to being married while we investigated the risks associated with having Crohn’s disease and being pregnant. The year of our wedding, I was really adamant about getting off the steroids and not being fat-faced for my wedding day. I had been recovering from a flare when he proposed and when he told me he wanted to get married in six months, the only thing I could think of was “how will I ever get low enough on the prednisone to look normal for my wedding?” But I did it! I managed to get down to 5 mg and wa... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1631708 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:55:20 +0100 1631708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1461316&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fpost-op-thoughts-can-invoke-intense-emotions%2F This weekend my aunt and uncle came to visit us and it was so nice to have them here. My uncle’s brother had bladder cancer and had to have his bladder removed last week so they came through Houston to spend some time with us while visiting him. They took my uncle’s brother’s bladder out and made what is called an Indiana pouch from his intestine. An Indiana pouch is a surgically-created urinary diversion used to create a way for the body to store and eliminate urine for patients who have had their urinary bladders removed. I really empathized with him because I can understand the trauma that he is going through, even though what I have had to deal with in terms of surgery are way less than what he is dealing with. A couple of years ago I had to have surgery to remove an abscess. The... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1461316 Wed, 21 May 2008 23:39:37 +0100 1461316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1410001&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fhow-is-your-crohns-today-3%2F I am going to start the “How is your Crohn’s today?” monthly installments again in order for all of us to keep up with how everyone else is doing. In case you are new to this blog, I stole this idea from the MS blogger Trevis Gleason because I thought that it was a great idea. The idea is that we each tell how we are feeling today. I will start by saying that I am generally good. I have decreased my prednisone to 15mg per day and the last couple of days I have been a little depressed and very tired. I know that it is my medicines that make me feel this way, but still, it doesn’t make the sadness go away or the irrational thoughts, joint pain and certainly doesn’t make my mind work faster. I just have to wait it out until I get balanced again. I was feeling really good bu... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1410001 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:24:52 +0100 1410001 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1378076&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fchicken-soup-for-crohns%2F I have been in a rut lately with cooking. I am just plain BORED with my food and I’m trying to find ways to make it more interesting without too much effort. I have been avoiding dairy, chocolate (with the occasional divulges), red meat, raw vegetables, raw fruit, and most breads. Some types of white bread seem to cause a lot of gas and I am not sure why some do and some don’t. I think that maybe it is gluten. I seem to tolerate the Hawaiian bread the best and it tastes really good. There are really not that many variations of what I cook because usually I need something easy to make that’s healthy. That’s the problem with Crohn’s; it is not like you can just pick something up at the store or get take out. Those places want to please the large majority of people and most people l... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1378076 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:05:13 +0100 1378076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1361282&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fan-important-crohns-webcast%2F Yesterday I had the great opportunity to be a guest speaker on the HealthTalk Crohn’s webcast called, “No one understands my pain.” This is such an important topic to me because I have a hard time getting people to understand me and being open enough for them to even do so. This blog will be short because I am pretty tired. I hope that you are pain free and are doing well. If not, I am praying for you! Below you will find last night’s webcast description and link to the replay. Enjoy! No One Understands My Pain: Communicating About Crohn’s Disease and Colitis Often when you’re suffering from painful Crohn’s or colitis symptoms, you may look healthy to others and they may assume you feel better than you do. So how do you ask for the support, understanding and help that you ne... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1361282 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:57:06 +0100 1361282 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1329240&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fim-going-to-do-what-i-wantregardless-of-my-crohns%2F This Thursday I am starting an oil painting class and I am pretty excited about it. I am also a little bit nervous. I love to paint for many reasons but mostly because I love the vivid colors of the oils and I love the freedom that I feel when I paint. I can do whatever I want with the colors and it is bliss to be free like that. It is also very relaxing. I also love dancing for the same reason. I spend most of my days being constrained by what I can’t do that I love the feeling of letting go, of being free from everything, even if only for a moment. I have never taken a formal painting class before; I have just messed around with oils at home. I am nervous about the class mostly because I worry that my Crohn’s will act up. It is impossible to predict how I am going to feel and I don�... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1329240 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:57:26 +0100 1329240 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1246711&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fwhat-is-it-like-for-men-with-crohns-disease%2F I would like to know what it is like for a man living with Crohn’s disease. I know what it is like for me but I don’t know anything about what it is like for a man. I wonder if you have the same fears and concerns as us women. Are you afraid to tell people that you have Crohn’s because maybe they will know what it is and judge you in a bad way? For women (at least for me), I never wanted to talk about anything related to bodily functions or the toilet. I mean, I tried to keep it a secret that I ever went #2 at all. It all seems so silly now, since everybody does it. I just didn’t feel that it was very lady like to mention such things. Now can you imagine having this kind of complex and then developing a disease that makes you go to the bathroom for #2 many times a day – with gas... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1246711 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:39:21 +0100 1246711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1230434&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fcrohns-disease-and-pain-management%2F Since I have been in a lot of pain the last few weeks, I figured that I would write about pain and pain management in this Crohn’s blog. For me, it is really hard to quantify pain. I hate it when people ask me to tell them out of 1-10 what level pain am I in. I never know. I mean, what if I am just being wimpy and am really only feeling a level 4 but think that it is a level 10? How do I know what a 10 feels like? I sit and stress about what level pain I am really feeling and comparing it to other pains that I know that I have had to try to come up with the correct answer. I also seem to forget pain easily. I mean, I remember that I was in pain but can not really recall exactly what the pain felt like. I know that the kidney stone pain is like there is a person inside with a knife ri... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1230434 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:37:53 +0100 1230434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1140226&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fworrying-about-complications-from-my-crohns%2F I hope that everyone has made it through the holiday season and didn’t eat too many things that were bad for you. I managed to maintain control of myself and seem to have made it through relatively okay, even if I did eat too much of my mother’s wonderful sweet potato casserole. It is just too heavy for me to eat a lot of and usually doesn’t sit well, but I ate it anyway because I only get it once per year (if that even). Usually when we go to parties, people have all this snack food that I can’t eat. So, I manage to eat less, which is good. But I can see how people could gain a lot of weight this time of year – there are so many yummy looking foods. I went back to my GI and rheumatologist on Wed. of last week. I don’t know why but I usually start feeling better just before I g... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1140226 Wed, 09 Jan 2008 23:09:16 +0100 1140226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1126516&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fmy-personal-ten-commandments-for-living-with-chrons-disease%2F Here we are, in a brand new year with a chance at a fresh start. I have decided to start again, but this time with some rules. Today in the tradition of New Year’s Resolutions I’m listing off some things that have been rattling around in my mind. I think I want to designate these as my personal, “Ten Commandments for Living with Crohn’s Disease.” Please send me your comments and we will update them as necessary. This is just my first draft. Thou shall not complain – even when you are justified in doing so. We shall hold our heads high and be strong and take the pain until it passes. We will do this, not only for ourselves but also, for our family and friends. Telling how we feel is not the same as complaining, it is okay to tell but not okay to whine and complain. Thou shall t... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1126516 Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:47:22 +0100 1126516 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1119389&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fhappy-holidays-dont-work-too-hard%2F This last week was one of the busiest weeks for me. At the beginning of the week the big boss recruited me for some help on a project, so I have been working late every night to try and catch up and be productive. They decided to have a work-a-thon on Thursday and didn’t really ask me if I wanted or could work late – they just said that we were and they would buy dinner. Like buying dinner is something that would make me say, “Yippie- let’s work all night!” Once they started talking about the work-a-thon, I started to worry. These were higher ranked bosses than the one that I told about my Crohn’s disease. These people don’t really work with me everyday and even if they did I probably wouldn’t tell them. I started to worry about how I was going to get out of this dinner thi... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1119389 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 22:32:15 +0100 1119389 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1106394&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fthe-spoon-theory-may-help-others-relate-to-your-crohns%2F I have never been able to explain to anyone what it is like to have Crohn’s. Not that too many people have ever asked me what it is like exactly. Most people don’t ask and I for sure don’t tell or go into details. For the last year, I have been really trying to open up more and share more (hence the blogging) and really trying to make my husband understand me. Not the ‘me’ that he thinks that I am but the me that I actually am. The me that includes Crohn’s. I have not been able to explain it to my husband well enough for him to really get where I’m coming from with that part of my life. On my last blog, a comment was made to check out the website and story on ButYouDontLookSick.com : The Spoon Theory, a personal story and analogy of what it is like to be sick. I read this sto... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1106394 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:49:46 +0100 1106394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1090709&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fhaving-chrons-makes-you-a-master-of-time-managemnt%2F On one of my performance evaluations at work I got called out for time management. I was really upset because I feel like I am the queen of time management. Don’t you feel like you are a king or queen of time management? When you have a chronic illness, you have to be really good at managing your time because there is just not enough time for everything. There is more work that you have to do and there are fewer resources (mostly energy). Good time management skills are critical to disease survival. When you have a disease, you have to be very stringent with your time because you need more rest than a healthy person. We need to make sure to get enough sleep at night (at least 5.5 hours in a row, which is really hard to do when on prednisone) and we need to make sure that we don’t stres... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1090709 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:10:43 +0100 1090709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1072511&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fout-of-the-closet-disclosing-your-crohns-disease%2F I have come out of the closet – so to speak. I told my boss that I have Crohn’s disease. He is not the boss that is in charge of my work, but the boss that is in charge of my pay raises. I have two bosses since I am a contractor – my company boss and my client boss. I disclosed my Crohn’s to my company boss. We went to lunch last week and I was tired of getting the same ham and cheese sandwich. I usually bring my lunch to avoid the whole situation of being too picky and causing a lot of unnecessary questions. But, lately I have not had enough time to make my lunch every evening because I am taking some Internet courses for work as well as managing my usual work load. The result is that I am always running late in the mornings. So last week I went with my boss to the cafeteria a... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1072511 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:20:14 +0100 1072511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1068761&cid=t_196427_105_f&fid=35563&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcvdforum.veinclinics.com%2Fresearch-studies%2Frestless-leg-syndrome-chronic-venous-disorders%2F A recent study of the occurrence of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) in patients evaluated in a phlebology practice, suggests that RLS appears to be a clinical syndrome that commonly overlaps in patients with venous insufficiency and chronic venous disorder (CVD). In total, 174 consecutive patients and 174 matched controls were included in the study. A prospective questionnaire and clinical evaluation were used. The International RLS Study Group (IRLSSG) 4-point criteria were used to objectively establish the diagnosis of RLS. The symptom severity of those who had RLS was assessed with the 10-point IRLSSG severity questionnaire. Detailed history, physical, and Duplex ultrasound evaluations were performed to establish the presence or absence of venous insufficiency (reflux > 0.5 seconds on comp... Chronic Venous Disorder Forum blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1068761 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 07:22:22 +0100 1068761 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1057558&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fcatering-to-your-crohns%2F I read the HealthTalk interview with Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready last night and was very inspired. I never think that anyone famous has Crohn’s disease. It is a hard disease and very difficult to hide sometimes. I have always liked Pearl Jam, and now I like them even better. I really like the way that his band seems to support him and accepts his disease. It’s so great! We all face the same obstacles, whether we are in a rock band, teaching a group of students or leading a meeting. When your bowels call, you have to answer. There are things that we can do to make sure that there are no catastrophes during an important event. When I know I have to lead a meeting, I eat a very bland diet during the days leading up to it. Usually, that diet consists of fish (or chicken) with rice and ... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1057558 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 02:25:21 +0100 1057558 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1030325&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fnovember-check-on-how-is-your-crohns-today%2F We haven’t had an installment of “How is your Crohn’s today?” in a while. I haven’t written one in a while because it doesn’t seem to generate a lot of comments for us Crohnies - it’s a huge success in the MS blog (which is why I decided to try it here). I’m not sure if we should keep it or discuss other things; what do you think? I have read in the comments that some of you are feeling depressed right now. It is really easy to let the depression in; but you have to fight it. Get up, go for a walk, make something, read something, build something, do a crossword, anything – do anything to take your mind off your troubles. Do anything except focus on your troubles. I try to keep myself as busy as I can because sometimes it can all be too much. The prednisone... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1030325 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:05:49 +0100 1030325 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1012549&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Ftoo-many-doctor-appointments%2F Last week, I was busy with Crohn’s treatments. I saw a colon-rectal surgeon, a rheumatologist, and then my gastro doc. The visit with the colon-rectal surgeon was humiliating, of course, but it was good that I had that exam. I am still pretty inflamed and the rectum is not good, but he said it was not bad enough to take the entire colon out yet. He did say that the removal of colon and rectum is the only thing that will fix my problems but that they seem pretty stable right now. He advised me to just manage the way I have been. He also gave me good news that I don’t have to have the seton put back in since this fistula is well-developed and should not close (the seton is placed to keep the fistula open so that abscesses don’t form). I was really happy about this news because I wasn�... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1012549 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:19:51 +0100 1012549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=995185&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fliving-with-crohns-disease-is-courageous%2F One night I was surfing the Internet and found an article titled “Living with Chronic Illness Builds Courage” by Pauline Salvucci from the Self Care Connection. It was an article that was telling me that I was courageous just by living my life and dealing with my disease. I had never thought of my Crohn’s disease that way before. I have just been living and dealing with things day by day. I never really thought about all the impacts my Crohn’s has on every decision that I make and every relationship that I have. I printed out the article and I carry it around in my purse. I will sometimes read it and think “yes, I am courageous.” I feel good knowing that someone has recognized how difficult it is and has written down what I deal with from day to day. It is a goo... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=995185 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:59:41 +0100 995185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=976578&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fdont-waste-your-healthy-time%2F Time. Let’s talk about time. Time is one of the most precious commodities. It is something that we cannot create more of, we all have equal amounts of and keeps on ticking no matter what we do. Something that you can always count on is the passing of time. It will pass, without fail. And this I depend on. This is how I make it through the pain. I depend on time. I know that if I just wait, the pain will pass – eventually it will pass. Nothing is forever. Just because I feel pain one minute does not mean that I will still feel pain the next. I have to wait and see what will come next. I have to be patient. I know that time will pass, and with time, things change. I don’t just use this philosophy for the pain, I use the same thought process when I am crazy from the prednisone and whack... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=976578 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 21:06:32 +0100 976578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=959068&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fhiring-a-new-crohns-disease-doctor%2F So I have met my new gastro doctor and am now wondering if I have made a mistake in switching doctors. As I said in my last blog, I decided to switch because I was not sure the first doctor knew what to do with me. This new doctor knew a lot and seemed to be willing to try new options. But I don’t think that I’m ready to try more new options. Every time that I’ve tried a new therapy, I end up worse off or back to where I started. This was the first visit, so I guess that I’ll have to wait and see how it goes. My old doctor’s office was more convenient. I could go see her before going into work and would not miss a lot of time on the job. This other one is in downtown Houston, and it takes me 45 minutes to drive there from work. My thought was that it is better to have... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=959068 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 23:10:45 +0100 959068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=942029&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Ffiring-my-crohns-disease-doctor%2F I have decided to switch gastroenterologists and will see my new doctor on Wednesday. I decided to switch because I just didn’t get the feeling that my last gastro doctor knew what to do with me. I am a complicated patient. I don’t respond well to any of the medications and am pretty much stuck on prednisone and Imuran (azathioprine). I hate to switch doctors. Once I have answered all of the embarrassing questions and filled out all of the appropriate forms, I am reluctant to do it again. It is my reluctance to start a new relationship that keeps me bound to not so efficient doctors. But this time, I have vowed not to do this. I liked my previous doctor as a person, but I just didn’t think that she had enough knowledge to deal with me. The first time I saw her, she seemed okay, but I... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=942029 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 01:04:10 +0100 942029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=925543&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fi-have-a-fistula%2F About ten years ago a doctor told me that I had a fistula. I know now that I had no idea back then of what a fistula actually was. I was young and didn’t ask a lot of questions and didn’t really concern myself with it. I didn’t really notice the fistula was all that different from the rest of my terrible bowels. When I moved to Texas, I told my doctor that I had a fistula (I still didn’t really understand what that meant) and she never denied it the entire time that I lived there. So, I am not really certain if she ever really saw a fistula or just took my word for it. Now that I have returned to Texas, I have decided to see a different specialist because I am not sure if my previous doctor ever really knew if I had a fistula or just took my word about it. I remember there were tim... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=925543 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:58:36 +0100 925543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=906331&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fwhy-is-passing-gas-so-embarrassing%2F I am so embarrassed. Today it happened. What I have been dreading and trying really hard to avoid has now come to pass. I passed gas in front of my colleagues and I am sure that they heard it. We had our little team meeting this morning and my insides were not feeling too good from the start. Then during the meeting I could feel them rumbling and knew that I was getting gassy. Usually when I know that I’m gassy I try not to move. Sometimes that can be a problem, especially when someone asks you to come over to their desk. What am I supposed to do? Should I say, “Um can you wait a minute until I am certain that I will not pass gas and embarrass myself?” This problem really stresses me out everyday. There are some days when I have no bloating gassy problems for a few hours but I can p... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=906331 Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:44:25 +0100 906331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=888905&cid=t_196427_129_f&fid=36036&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Flife-with-crohns%2Fkelly%2Fa-good-support-system-can-make-all-the-difference%2F I was never a healthy person. I think that I just came with some bad parts – mostly a bad immune system (and colon). I sometimes will joke and say that I got the used parts when they put me together. I was a colicky baby. I have had asthma since I was three and am allergic to what seems like everything. I was in and out of the hospital when I was little due to my asthma and then later due to my Crohn’s. My parents carted me back and forth to many doctor visits (including allergy shots three times per week) and never once complained or even made notice that it was an inconvenience to them. Once, they even drove all the way from Atlanta to Florida to pick me up because I became very sick during one of my spring break vacations. They never made me feel bad. They never once in my life told... Life with Crohn's blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=888905 Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:59:54 +0100 888905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=612574&cid=t_196427_105_f&fid=35563&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcvdforum.veinclinics.com%2Felt%2Felt-ultrasound-guided-sclerotherapy%2F I recently conducted a research study regarding the effectiveness of using Endovenous laser ablation (ELT), with ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy, for the treatment of GSV and SSV reflux. ELT is already known to be an effective treatment, and ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy is also becoming an increasingly accepted treatment for varicose vein disease. I’d like to share some of my results, and look forward to getting any of your feedback and questions. In this prospective, consecutive series of 503 patients, there were 157 men and 346 women (median age: 51, range: 18-83) that were treated. After informed consent was obtained, 391GSVs, 73 SSVs, 15 cranial extensions of the small saphenous vein, 27 anterior accessory great saphenous veins, 8 posterior accessory great saphenous ... Chronic Venous Disorder Forum blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=612574 Mon, 16 Apr 2007 23:07:21 +0100 612574