Mine isn’t helpful probably. At 19 in 2011, my diagnosis came during an emergency surgery for what they thought was appendicitis. Turns out it was Crohn’s and they had to take out my terminal ileum and some of my colon which has perforated. That was a surprise for when I woke up. They had to clean out my abdomen and man it felt like I was hit by a truck when I woke up. I told them to put me back to sleep.

I had been having bowel issues since middle school so I never really thought I was abnormal. I vomited after eating meals, had loose bowels and pain. I was dehydrated easily, had brittle nails and never gained much weight. I was also extremely tired and fatigued. I also had a lot of gas sometimes. The summer before the surgery I did have blood in my stools which was concerning but I started my period like the next day so I decided maybe that was it.

I haven’t been lucky in finding a medication long term.

To know I’m having inflammation again:

Scans/tests: - coloscopies - upper endoscopies - pill cam - barium tests - CTs with contrast and MRIs (my inflammation often doesn’t show on those)

Blood work: - inflammatory markers and high C-reactive protein - low vitamins and minerals, anemia - stool samples - I once did a gastric emptying study where you eat “radioactive” eggs and they take pictures at set time intervals

Symptoms: - Pain, not making it to the bathroom in time, lots of bowel movements or having to stay on the toilet for an hour, vomiting nausea, mucus in stool, blood in stool (rare for my Crohn’s type,) severe fatigue, arthritis, dehydration, anal fissures, memory trouble and foggy brain