Half Marathon Plodder

When I started blogging, someone once asked me if I minded that my main topic was my Crohn's - I guess meant in a way of did I want to write more about me, without the obvious affiliation to my disease. And I didn't really know how to answer it?

The older I've got the more I've realised that it is part of me; whether I like it or not it has an effect on all areas of my life, both good and bad. And the fact of the matter is, I am my Crohn's and my Crohn's is me. Of course there are days when I begrudge the seeming unfairness of it all - especially when I was younger and I was spending more time in hospital waiting rooms than I was at university. And in more recent times realising I really don't have a choice at all in how my body behaves. But my body has also fascinated me by pretty much pretending Crohn's is gone when I've been pregnant with my boys, and it's allowed me to go on and have two very healthy, wonderful pregnancies. Swings and roundabouts, etc.

I had my post-op colonscopy on the weekend and (surprise, surprise), there's still signs of active disease which means upping my dose and frequency of my biologic meds. So yes, it can still get me down. I'm doing as I'm told, I'm taking my medicine... I'm doing all the things the doctors advise AND YET we don't ever really seem to get ahead of the disease.

But despite all of the monotony of a chronic illness and pain, I got my Crohnsy arse in gear and I managed to complete my pledged half marathon distance for Crohn's & Colitis UK. Well done me. 

I aimed to do 7 miles walking as I was waaaaaay below on my iron - normal healthy person optimum iron ~40, I came in with a strong 4. So I packed my backpack and off I went into the wilderness of the westcountry with only my headphones and the cows to keep me company. My main concern was literally shitting in the woods, but alas, no Paula Radcliffe this time round. I found that the walking itself wasn't too bad and I think because of how crap last year was, there was definitely that drive to plod on and keep going. To see donations coming in as I walked was so encouraging (shed a tear by some sheep in a field because I'm a mess?) But it really did spur me on. So much so, that my aim of 7 miles came and went and lo and behold these little tired legs completed the half marathon in one stint. 

I really am proud of myself because I really didn't think I'd manage it. And I did my 13.21 miles in 4hr 23m. Because of my shameless pride I have no qualms in saying the Walk It fundraising campaign ends on 30 June so this is my final call to anyone who would like to donate to Crohn's & Colitis UK.

https://www.mywalkit.org.uk/fundraising/harriets-walking 

I'm going to try and put some videos up of me rambling whilst I rambled. But just want to say a massive thanks to everyone that has donated so far. It means so much to me, as I imagine this is a charity that I will need to lean on many more times in the future.

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All the Things

Not really sure how to start these posts now, when it’s more of a current health update, as opposed to the woes of yesteryear (NB: 2020). But if I’m going to ramble on about certain IBD situs, then I guess I might as well keep you informed with the now...

Had my appointment with Gastro on Monday. Essentially my bloods say I’m anaemic again and I need another iron infusion; they want to get up my arse with another colonoscopy to assess post-op if my 12 weekly home injections of biologic meds needs increasing to every 8 weeks instead; to try not to lift my sons due to the abdominal hernias and then could I please shit in a pot for a stool sample (my words, not theirs). All this before pending surgery, if covid deadlines allow. So that’s a barrel of laughs ahead!

And whilst I’m dreading any letter that arrives with a hospital postmark in case it’s my kidney operation date, I had one arrive this week for the eye hospital because *spoiler alert* apparently Crohn’s can also affect your eyeballs and get inflamed there too. Specsavers weren’t too sure what was going on in my left eye and thought it best I got referred to the eye specialists. Lovely time.

I mean, I’d be lying if I said I’m ok with the volume of things that seem to be happening in one go? So as a distraction I’m going to try and complete my half marathon walk this coming week. Ideally in one day, but, you know, I’m a little bit broken inside ha. Plus it’s also very warm at the moment - don’t want to be chafing as I stride up a hill with a big stick.

Will let you know when I’ve walked my walk and whether I can stand up by the end of it. For now though, I plan on sitting in my garden in the sunshine and listen to my children play. Make the most of the fleeting British summertime.

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My JustGiving page 

Journey to Bump

The road to pregnancy was an odd one for me. Not that there's a normal route to being preggers, mind. But before you read on, I don't want you thinking that this post is about the birds and the bees. It's more...the birds, the bees and the bowels? Bowels being the key part.

Having Crohn's and knowing that at some point in my life I wanted to have a baby, was a combination that I'd worried about since I was first diagnosed; I was advised to look at freezing my eggs (as fertility in Crohn's patients wasn't the best). The thing is, the thought of actually having children was so far away in my mind at the time, that it was strange to potentially make that decision at the end of my teen years. Who knew how I'd feel in five, ten years time?

I decided not to freeze my eggs. I felt that if having a family naturally was something that I was supposed to do, then it would happen. If not, then so be it. I'm a strong believer in a family being a family regardless of its set up and how you all got there.

When I got to an age and stage in my relationship where talking about having a baby was a real thing, I had so many questions for my consultants...Can I have children? If I am fortunate enough to have children, are they going to get my Crohn's? How would Crohn's effect my pregnancy? Will I be able to have a natural labour due to all my previous operations?

In a nutshell...I'm pregnant. So it seems that in the first instance, yes I am able to have children (well at least conceive). Whether this baby that I'm currently growing gets my Crohn's? That I don't yet know. Crohn's & Colitis UK's info on Pregnancy and IBD says that "5 out of 100 children born to couples where one parent has Crohn's might be expected to develop IBD. Even with genetic predisposition, other additional factors are probably needed to trigger IBD." We will just have to wait and see and hope that our baby is as healthy as can be.

With regards to Crohn's during my pregnancy - this has been a complete turn up for the books! It seems being with child is the best medicine! Who knew pregnancy would be so beneficial to my bowel?! As it stands my Crohn's has calmed down immensely; for the first time in years all my levels are settled and I'm not worried if I sneeze, I'll poo. If anything, it's quite the opposite. It's like my body has forgotten how to go to the toilet-toilet and that's the oddest sensation for someone that has, on average, probably shat 10-15 times a day for the last 7 years. If TMI, sorry. But, you know...Crohn's.

Fiancé and I are in the midst of talking to the antenatal team about my staying on Azathioprine and whether we go back on Humira. As unlike Aza, they're not yet sure on the use of Humira in the third trimester (although if urgent/required then they'll let you. Pros and cons, etc.) But it looks like I may not need Humira after all if things stay the way they are!

Then that leads me to the last question in my little list of worries: labour. The grand finale to this whole musical that is pregnancy. Actually getting the miniature person out of me. Gosh.

I won't be allowed to do any pushing as - to quote my Crohn's surgeon - "my arse would fall out" and I for one am not ok with that and neither are they. We're all also keen to make sure that me and baby are safe, however that needs to be done. So elective cesarean it is. Scary thing is, is that our c-section date is already booked in! I now know categorically that I'll have babe in arms at 38 + 4.

Unless the little human makes an early arrival.

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It's only been 2 years

And my hasn't it flown by?!

A brief update wouldn't go amiss, otherwise you're probably wondering why do I even need to start reading this blog? Who even is this rambling person that just pops up online after a two year hiatus?

Well that person be me, my friend. Harriet, off of Harriet's Got Crohn's that has now decided to be called Hattie online. Sure. Let me try it out. See if it fits. And so far, I'm quite the fan.

It would be easy to say I don't know where to begin, but then that doesn't really help much with an 'update' per se. So maybe it's best I do a quick run through on the Crohn's to get the medical bit out the way and then we can talk about all the fun things that have happened and are happening!

So...

Can't remember what operation number I was on when I last blogged, but I've now had 14. Most recent being another pain in the ass one in December 2015. Care still under the Gastro team at Guys & St Thomas' which is hands down one of the best hospitals I have ever had the experience of being looked after by. They couldn't be more aware of what's going on with me individually and when I'm there I don't feel like just another hospital number. I feel like a person.

To be honest, that's probably why I haven't felt the need to blog for such a long time as - although I haven't been well - I've had a much better support system from the people qualified to help me when I'm ill. And it took me moving hospitals countless times to realise that it shouldn't be an unusual feeling; to feel like you're being looked after when you need it, by the professionals who are there to help you. So yes. Still very much team Guys & St Thomas'.

Meds-wise, I still struggle with the whole Humira injections and have been told off many a time for bad adherence. So we're currently on hold with that whilst they see if Azathioprine can do the job on its own for a while. If it can, ace! No more spring-loaded pens into the abs of steel (ha! Who am I kidding?! No steel here) Will make sure I keep you in the loop with that one. Meds, not my six pack development as that is totally not a thing.

Talking all things body...you may recall a post or 9 about the weight gain from all the medicines I've had over the years. Well the heaviest I got to was 75kg. Now at only 160cm it doesn't take a genius to work out that I was past the point of plump. Then the fickle finger of fate stepped in and through another flare up I went back down to my natural weight of 53kg. Only problem was that it was in a period of three months - so all eyes on me from a medicinal point of view. Doctors everywhere. All the tests. But since coming off the multitude of meds my weight has plateaued and we're doing ok!

No remission officially as of yet, but hey, it's already been 7 years since diagnosis and no remission. What's another 7 or so!?

I think that covers it from a health point of view. I'm sure if it hasn't I'll be blogging about it now I have definitely got the blogging bug back whilst typing this *excitable scream*

Hmm. Now what else has happened since I've blogged last. Oh I don't know. OH YEAH. I GOT ENGAGED.

Officially a grown up. A Mrs-to-be.

All very exciting. All very romantic. Many things to plan. Many things to think about. So many wonderful things to look forward to over the next year.

And that's where the glamour of Crohn's brings you straight back down to earth; when you look at wedding dresses online and consider the ease in which you can go to the toilet toilet. What a bride I'll be.

But now you'll all be there as part of the journey, too.

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Junk = Rubbish

I genuinely do not even know where to begin:


rambling
adj

1. straggling or sprawling haphazardly; unplanned: a rambling old house
2. (of speech or writing) lacking a coherent plan; diffuse and disconnected
3. (Botany) (of a plant, esp a rose) profusely climbing and straggling

No, I haven't suddenly become a plant or an old house. But I can sense this post will lack a coherent plan, for want of a better phrase. So apologies in advance, dear reader, as this post will contain a disorganised rant about what I saw on BBC Breakfast this morning (18th June). Mainly because I'm still super peeved by some of the content.

For all you IBDers in the UK, I'm sure you would have heard about the segment that appeared on National breakfast television this morning. And if you're still not aware, let me tell you a bit about the ridiculousness that is Dr Sally Mitton...

"If you have a lot of junk food in your diet before your diagnosis, it actually makes you more likely to develop Crohn's disease...a lot of antibiotics - particularly in younger life - seem to be more likely to develop this condition."

Yep. Ignore everything you've ever been told/read/researched. We all ate bad food as a child, and lo and behold...CROHN'S DISEASE. FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

Lets look at the stats first - as I found this really quite concerning. In the year 2003/04 there were 4937 reported cases of young people being admitted to hospital with Crohn's disease. In the year 2013/14 that number had quadrupled to 19,405. In a decade?!!

Obviously I am all for raising awareness of IBDs in the public domain. If I wasn't, I wouldn't blog, tweet, post on Facebook, Instagram and do every other world wide web option. Let alone be as vocal as I am about with my peers. However, the most important thing to remember is that if you're going to put it on a platform accessible by many, i.e. BBC Breakfast, then perhaps make sure that the information being given is correct? And if it isn't correct (because you don't know), don't suggest or assume things. It only compounds and makes it a hell of a lot harder for us to clear it up.

For a gastroenterologist to make such a sweeping statement as she did? I was genuinely dumbfounded. Granted I had not been awake long and was still sleepy. But when I saw her talk I shouted at my TV and immediately burst into tears. Lord.

I just couldn't believe what I was watching?! I tweeted about it and since then, my Twitter has gone nuts. It really has struck a chord with a lot of people.

And I think (unfortunately) that although Crohn's and Colitis UK went on BBC Breakfast to raise awareness, they're now going to have to help us IBDers in the real world, clarify exactly what we go through. Don't tell me that at the age of 26, something that I ate when I was 7 has given me this disease.

I'm not having that. Not at all. If that was the case, there wouldn't be any bloody junk food available for the fear of people developing Crohn's. Utter shite. All of it *slaps keyboard*

Look at me when I was 18. That is not the body of someone who's eaten all things junk food. That is the body of someone who's intestines have gone mental and started attacking itself. But the beauty of hindsight is that I was ever so blissfully unaware. Although in a weird way it's something to marvel at, for all the wrong reasons...I just look really odd; all mouth with a small head and a skinny little bod.

As David Barker of Crohn's and Colitis UK said;

"We need to do more research into these areas to better the understanding of the disease."

And when the suggestion of junk food and antibiotics was brought up again, he verbally slapped it down with what we all were thinking, in that "the reality is, we don't know."

If you missed the news this morning, or want to get riled up again (like I have most definitely been guilty of this afternoon) you can see the full clip here: Crohn's on the BBC

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I'm on FIRE

I know I've always had a little moan about CONSTANTLY BEING HOT/early menopausal, etc. but recently I've noticed the palms of my hands are on fire. All the time?!

I had a browse on the internet (as obviously I like to do a spot of research) and stumbled across a post on the Healing Well forum:

Ok this has to be one of the weirdest feelings ever. My hands feel like they are being slow roasted over a fire. They aren't hot to the touch, but they are burning, especially in the palm area and where my finger joints are. Sometimes they also tingle, but the burning sensation is the strongest by far. There is no rash and my hands are not swollen.

This is me! Except it's not me, it's a user called Viteka and this was posted in 2009. But this is exactly what I'm experiencing!

Some other users suggested a B12 deficiency, some people replied saying it was meds related, others saying it was related to other illnesses but not Crohn's as far as they were aware.

Obviously I will bring it up in clinic next, but that's not for a while yet.

Does anyone else experience the ol' burning palms??

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Model Material

I've just read an article (albeit on the Daily Mail online - don't judge) that Sam Faiers who was recently diagnosed with Crohn's and since left TOWIE, has been signed to Elite Models.

This sits uneasy with me.

Not because she's making the most of her opportunities since leaving TOWIE like previous castmates, etc. But because she lost so much weight through ill-health, I feel it's a skewed view on what is deemed attractive...borderline glamourising her new smaller frame. Also the fact that her recent weight loss is unlikely to be sustainable - and it shouldn't be a weight she looks to maintain.

From personal experience, I've always been advised that an IBD patient is better to stay on the plump side (if possible) due to the speed in which you can lose weight during a flare up. Plus there's the other side of it being the speed in which you can also gain weight on a cocktail of meds. But I'm also aware that being thinner, through no fault of your own, is not particularly something you like to bring attention to. Classic examples of what not to say to a Crohn's patient include:

"You're so lucky, you can eat anything and stay skinny!"

"You've lost weight! You look great!"

The full list, which puts the phrases in context, can be found here: What not to say

If she does gain weight due to meds working and making her better, I worry she will only be forcing herself to stay thinner due to her new modelling contract. And if her previous size was ok with regards to the modelling world, why wasn't she signed before?

Just seems completely non-sensical and it makes me kinda sad.

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New person?

Almost feeling back to normal. If normal was a thing.

All the symptoms that caused me to feel like a bag of broken marbles have disappeared... now it's just a case of powering through the remaining weeks of Pred! Also have the dietician on 14th and then catch up with my consultant in about a month to see how things are.

I'm not a fan of steroids as I feel it gives a false sense of security; it giveth with one hand and taketh away with the other *puts away rose tinted glasses* However, if it's patching bits up that don't make sense - even if it is only for a number of weeks - then that's a hell of a lot better than continually feeling AWFUL. And at least I'm back at work now!

And I've also joined a gym! I know. I am basically a new person. Went to Zumba Step on Wednesday...almost died. But if you pardon the pun, I am one step closer to have an ass like Shakira Shakiraaaaaa. Might as well try and turn the rapid weight gain into something that resembles a bootay instead of a Teletubby.

But yes, as I've been in this relatively normal state for a week or so now, it's let me plan and do some wonderful things! 'Twas the other half's birthday last week which meant we could have a countryside escape for the weekend. Visited a National Trust village called Lacock (oh matron) and relaxed in a converted cottage in Devizes. Simply scrumptious. Makes me want to go all Cath Kidston, put on my wellingtons, bake a pie and leave it on the window sill of my thatched cottage.

 

And now to this weekend where I will be exploring Winchester with some old girlfriends. Many giggles to be had with these two lovelies... 

And I can't bloody wait.

Catch up soon amigos!

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Hair we go again!

As my regular readers will know, I like to change my hair when my Crohn's gets all up in my space; yesterday was another one of those days.

I decided it would be a good idea to get my hair dyed dark. Haven't been dark for a while, and it should hopefully make my hair look glossy and healthy and thick. And also (maybe?) make me look a bit healthier. Add to the facade of the invisible illness haha.

But as I don't do normal things with my hair, as in my hair was blue/green (or as I like to call it, MERMAID HAIR), I ended up having it cleansed and now I have an unintentional ombré... Might leave it like this for a while though? As John Lennon once said 'Let It Be'.

Thing is, since I've been back on Azathioprine, I've noticed my hair is falling out again (happened first time round too) Hurumph indeed. It's not like clumps, but if I ran my fingers through my hair, there's too many ending up in my hand for my own comfort.

However I did check whether my hair falling out was due to my dying it; it's not the hair breaking. It's whole strands coming out from the roots. Not ideal, eh?

Is this a medicinal thing or a Crohn's thing? I've seen a few posts on the internet recently asking the same kind of questions. As always in the IBD community, if I can take comfort in anything, it's that I'm not the only one! 

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BLOODY Hell

So my late night ramblings were due to the fact I couldn't sleep. At all. As in fell asleep after 4am.

When I woke up this morning, needless to say I was a tad groggy - but hey ho it's SATURDAY. IT'S THE WEEKEND. REJOICE!

Until I went to the toilet and seemed to have left behind a gallon of blood.

Erm....?!

Could this be down to my meds? Prednisolone, Azathioprine, Humira? Has my blood thinned and just fallen out my arse?!

And this is why sometimes the weekends suck; in a medical sense. As now I'm just left wondering if this is going to happen everytime I go to la toilette...

Bloody hell, indeed.

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Flare Mare

It's been a while...and boy had I forgotten how much it sucks when flaring up!

I'm grateful that is has been a number of months since my last flare up. But the symptoms have a very sneaky way of suddenly wiping you out;

Extremely tired, nauseous, heavy limbs, excessive toilet trips, and oh the PAIN.

Back on Prednisolone, 6/day for two weeks *awaits the moonface* ohhh such fun.

And talking of 'such fun', I went to see Miranda Hart at the O2 last week. Many lols to be had! (Pluuuunge. Gallop. Moist)

But there was a particular sketch which fits nicely into this post...

She was on a first date, dancing at a club and suddenly buckled in pain. An ambulance was called, she thought she had appendicitis and her date was naturally panicked. As she recoiled to try and keep the pain away, she pulled her body tighter and tighter into a ball. And then... a massive trump. All the pain had been caused by trapped wind. That's all it was - wind. Needless to say, she made a swift exit!

Oh but what I would have given for my pain to disappear by trumping. Trumpity, trump, trump. But no. Crohn's doesn't work like that unfortunately.

So it's working from home for a bit, staying on top of my meds and hoping that the flare up calms the bloody hell down so I can get back to normal. Not asking for much haha.

In the meantime, here's two wind-related Miranda clips: Candle and Curtsey. This particular clip is about 2 seconds long, so please (if you have a moment) scroll to 0:35 for it hahaha Sausage Meat. Always make me laugh!

But remember, all you IBDers out there...

Ciao for now
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PS: Thanks to Louise for sharing the top photo on Facebook, which was via Christina Matthies of The Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Diaries

Bad News for Crohn's Sufferers

The lovely Louise shared this article earlier on today.

Makes for an interesting read! Unfortunately haha.

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The Joys of the Unpredictable

Well this morning didn't go as planned!

Didn't eat anything new/different last night...body seemed to do its normal thing of eat, toilet, toilet, bed. Yet this morning - jeewhizz. No fun at all, my friends.

Stomach was bloated and a tad painful (nothing new there), went to the toilet as per the usual morning routine. But the nausea that came with it! And the physical need to want to actually be sick! Uhh indeed.

45 mins later, got dressed - whilst sweating like it was 130 degrees - and left to get the tube. Until the overwhelming urge to both go to the toilet and vom came back. Cue a mad dash back down my road and straight into the bathroom.

It's so draining though. And then it makes me cry. And I was still really hot so sat on my bathroom floor to cool down (totally normal). Rang my manager, explaining my mini escapade and that I was running more than a little behind. Fortunately he was understanding and just told me to calm down, see how I feel and let him know...

At work now though. Still feeling a tad on the unstable side (body, not mind this time!) with my stinging post-cry eyes, but I shall power through as only one can. Until tomorrow anyway!

So yes. That was my morning and it's fair to say I wasn't expecting the first few hours of today to result in me essentially hugging the toilet and crying.

I still don't know why my body did this? Could it be the Azathioprine being all weird as I'm only one full week in?

You have to laugh though. It's all so bloody unpredictable.

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What a week!

I don't even know where to begin - but this last week has been one I do not wish to repeat anytime soon!!

When I last posted, it was Thursday and I had been feeling rather odd. And now I shall divulge more as to why...

I had the first part of my Cat Scan on Monday (mmm radiation) but I also went to my GP that day.

If you follow me on Twitter you may have seen I posted about a rogue mole playing up the other week, so off I trotted to the GP last Monday. Basically I got referred to a Skin Cancer Clinic which totally knocked my brain. Yes, my GP was following procedure, I know a lot of the treatments IBD patients have are also related to cancer, and Humira can make your body do strange things. But no one had ever said the C word to me. It has quite the effect.

Anyway, I'm happier to talk about that now as I had the appointment today and tis benign. YAY for one part of my body doing the right thing!

However on the advice of the senior doctor I am booked in to have it removed as they don't want it to potentially cause more problems/worries in the future - especially whilst I'm on Humira.

To top off what was a pretty shitty Thursday [see here for my ramblings on that day] I got called into my office at work that afternoon. And well, I lost my job.

The magazine I was working on wasn't doing too well (I checked if it was down to me and was assured it was a problem with the product), and I was the only salesperson on it (the other staff being editorial for other mags too) so by default goodbye to Harriet. What a shit day.

What was more annoying about it was they moved my probation period due to my op, and so I was still in it when they let me go. No redundancy pay for me! Just more stress and worry about what the bloody hell I'm going to do with my life!

Naturally, I have since wondered whether it was an indirect way of getting rid of me without saying it was because of my Crohn's. I let them know in my interview you see and although it's quite a grey area, I understand legally they can't get rid of me solely on that basis.

Does make the mind play tricks on you though. And it also makes me panic that I'm going to have to go through the same thing all over again with a new employer. Any of you reading this that have an IBD, will know the difficulty in getting teachers/lecturers/tutors/employers to understand what it's like living with a chronic disease.

Just feel incredibly lost at the moment, like the rug has been pulled from under me and now I have to get myself back to normality with no clue of what I want to do.

On that note, I shall leave you with some info from the Crohn's & Colitis webpage:

Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis can affect young people during their education, or as they become established in their career. Most sufferers can be maintained in remission for most of the time, and are able to lead a full working life. Unfortunately, some who have severe disease do not achieve their educational and career potential.

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What took me so long?

I had an appointment yesterday and all I can say is: why in the world did it take me so long to move hospitals?!

To start with I was amazed by the waiting area - it was like an airport in the year 3013. I loved it...

• You check yourself in by either scanning your letter, or putting in your details on a machine
• When that's done you plonk yourself down on a chair - anywhere - as there are screens all over the shop
• Your name will then appear on screen when you're ready to be seen, accompanied by a gate and a room number
• BOOM BABY! Off you trot to your appointment

Nifty little check in machines

Waiting area (main part)

Coffee whilst you wait?

Initial technological excitement to one side, I was actually very impressed with everything at St Thomas'.

The doctor I saw clearly loved his job and seemed knowledgeable about everything gastro. 

He pointed out that there were multiple things he wanted to check out, and to be honest, I'm a little bit miffed my old hospital didn't bother doing any of the following...

1. Check my B12 levels; as after a resection it's apparently important to keep an eye on this
2. Book me in for a colonoscopy; as St Thomas' have a rule that 6 months after intestinal surgery things should be checked to see all is well
3. Check my enzyme levels; as it's not advisable to be on Humira on its own, so checking to see if I can go back on Azathioprine too
4. Have another MRI; as he isn't convinced what they were looking for in my most recent one was the correct investigation
5. Check my thyroid; as I explained the weight gain issue (as in never lose any despite eating little and exercising)

All in all, he spoke to me like I was a human. He also didn't just assume that the bloat was my fault, unlike my previous consultant. And he said I will hear from a dietitian within a matter of weeks for additional advice.

AND he gave me a card for the IBD Team so - and I quote - I never have to feel like I don't know what's going on again. 

He also said that he sees a few other patients who are always super bloated. All of the time. Yet not all of them have an IBD. Interesting.

That in itself was a relief because it meant I knew I'd hopefully get somewhere with the ol' flamonge.

So I have a lot of investigation coming up, but that fact that he is so keen to find out what's happening with my Crohn's, my bloat and me makes me one happy Crohnie.

I now have a rejuvenated excitement for the future (again!)

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Early Menopause?

I'm going to say no.

But jeewhizz I cannot cope with these  hot flushes!

I constantly feel like my body is on fire. Even getting dressed in a morning is beginning to stress me out (clothes/bloat issue aside)...

I have a shower, have a sloosh, wash my hair. Get out, get dry and get dressed.

And oh! Might as well start all over again as suddenly it's like I've been walking through a desert on the hottest day of all time.

I can hover my hand over my scalp and the heat radiating out of my head?! It's like the heating is on full blast. It's very odd.

But now, even at nighttime my bodily functions are going haywire. Waking up multiple times for the obvious IBD symptom, but also because I am too darned hot. And not in like a hey, sexy lady kinda way. JUST VERY CLAMMY.

I tweeted about this issue the other day, as I am curious to know if it's a general Crohn's thing, or if it's related to my Humira. General response seems to be a meds issue - woop to the side effects, once more.

I'm off to throw some water on my face...

Until next time!

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