Crohn's Disease

Paarthurnax · 25-05-2015 10:36am

Hi Everyone! Long term patient here have had Crohns since 1988 when I was 14, I had all the Colon removed back then but adapted well apart from the occasional flare up. I was just wondering do other people notice if they have reduced urinary output due to passing so much fluid via the bowel. I does make sense that if water is not absorbed in the lower intestine that you will pee less but ive noticed recently that I might not pass any urine for days.

The_Conductor · 25-05-2015 10:44am

Hi Paarthurnax-

I've noticed reduced urinary output too- but not to the extent that you're not going to the toilet for several days on end.

Passing urine is a vital component of waste disposal in our bodies- and if you're not doing it for days on end- you really need to get it checked out.

If/when you're next in with your consultant- you really need to bring this up with them and have them follow it up.

Having reduced urine- where you'd only be pee'ing lesser amounts- is completely different from not passing urine for several days on end. It is something you need to have assessed.

Paarthurnax · 25-05-2015 10:54am

The_Conductor wrote: »

Hi Paarthurnax-

I've noticed reduced urinary output too- but not to the extent that you're not going to the toilet for several days on end.

Passing urine is a vital component of waste disposal in our bodies- and if you're not doing it for days on end- you really need to get it checked out.

If/when you're next in with your consultant- you really need to bring this up with them and have them follow it up.

Having reduced urine- where you'd only be pee'ing lesser amounts- is completely different from not passing urine for several days on end. It is something you need to have assessed.

Thanks for the quick response, I must get back to my consultant about it see what implications it has for my kidneys. I must start keeping a record of how much urine I am passing and how often for a clearer picture.

MsGiggles · 28-05-2015 3:29pm

Hello All

I am new to this forum, but thought I would say hello to all

I got diagnosed with Crohn's about a year ago, after having symptoms for about a year and losing about 6 stone (which actually did me some good lol)

I suppose I am still relatively new to everything Crohnsie, and its great to know that there is a forum of people here with a wealth of experience.

I am currently probably mid flare again, for some reason they just can't keep it at bay but I have to say my spirits are 100% better than this time last year when I think everyone thought I was exaggerating !

Glad to have found this place

MsGiggles · 29-05-2015 7:58pm

All,

As I am relatively new to Crohns can I ask if extreme tiredness is something that is common ? I come home from work some days and I can't explain the tiredness I feel.....I don't seem to be anaemic and am pretty much on top of my illness as much as I can be bit the tiredness really comes out of left field sometimes...

Riven_Sky · 29-05-2015 9:07pm

The_Conductor wrote: »

Anyone any idea how long it takes to get results back from a TB test?
Test was done 4 weeks ago- and I got a letter back to say its outstanding and could be some time? I'm guessing its some sort of culturing that takes ages- but just wondering am I looking at a couple more weeks- or months......?
Its a prelim to going on biologics- and the only outstanding test- so I'm hoping its clear.

TB is incredibly slow to grow in culture, so to be absolutely sure, they usually culture for 6-8 weeks. A mantoux +/- a chest xray would be a more usual screen before starting biologics, but the mantoux can be unreliable for a few reasons and better to be safe than sorry when TB and biologics are concerned.

Fingers-crossed you get the all clear soon.

MsGiggles wrote: »

All,

As I am relatively new to Crohns can I ask if extreme tiredness is something that is common ? I come home from work some days and I can't explain the tiredness I feel.....I don't seem to be anaemic and am pretty much on top of my illness as much as I can be bit the tiredness really comes out of left field sometimes...

Yes, tiredness seems to come with the territory, even if your disease is under control. Might be no harm to make sure they've checked your Vitamin B12 levels. That'll tire you out if it's low, even at the low end of the normal range. Vitamin D is another one that can play a role in fatigue. I definitely noticed a difference once I got both those sorted.

Otherwise, I think even the medications we're on can cause fatigue. Which is frustrating as I don't think it's always that well acknowledged by doctors. If all your blood tests come back normal, they tend to be a bit dismissive of it.

Trebor176 · 29-05-2015 9:12pm

MsGiggles wrote: »

Hello All

I am new to this forum, but thought I would say hello to all I got diagnosed with Crohn's about a year ago, after having symptoms for about a year and losing about 6 stone (which actually did me some good lol)

I suppose I am still relatively new to everything Crohnsie, and its great to know that there is a forum of people here with a wealth of experience.

I am currently probably mid flare again, for some reason they just can't keep it at bay but I have to say my spirits are 100% better than this time last year when I think everyone thought I was exaggerating !

Glad to have found this place

Welcome to the forum

I was diagnosed around 7 years ago, having felt unwell for a good while before, i.e. loss of appetite and feeling nauseous after eating a certain amount (but small) amount of food. I dropped to around 7 stone as well (I had been around 12 stone). I didn't get stomach pains, but there was some discomfort.

I'm grand at the moment overall, apart from a bit of pain passing stools, and often smallish traces of blood (a good amount is passed occasionally). I did have a colonoscopy recently, which came back fine, apart from a bit of narrowing in the small bowel.

Crohn's Disease does affect people in many ways, and there are those that are quite bad with it. Others can manage it, but there is always the risk of flare ups. There are always cases of somebody having certain things that are possibly Crohn's related that others may not have suffered with, so it's good to share these things in order for others to keep an eye out for.

I hope things ease for you MsGiggles. It's not pleasant having any flare up, but they can take time to manage.

MsGiggles wrote: »

All,

As I am relatively new to Crohns can I ask if extreme tiredness is something that is common ? I come home from work some days and I can't explain the tiredness I feel.....I don't seem to be anaemic and am pretty much on top of my illness as much as I can be bit the tiredness really comes out of left field sometimes...

I think tiredness is quite common with Crohn's. Well, it's certainly listed as a symptom. I guess Crohn's does get a lot of sufferers down, and reduces the energy levels. I do find myself getting quite tired, particularly in the evenings. I sometimes find it quite difficult getting to sleep at night.

shalalala · 29-05-2015 10:19pm

I am in remission (yay!) but I am still exhausted about 90% of the time. Exercise does help, just don't push yourself too far. Also, just take your multivits and probiotics.

MsGiggles · 29-05-2015 11:06pm

Trebor176 wrote: »

Welcome to the forum I was diagnosed around 7 years ago, having felt unwell for a good while before, i.e. loss of appetite and feeling nauseous after eating a certain amount (but small) amount of food. I dropped to around 7 stone as well (I had been around 12 stone). I didn't get stomach pains, but there was some discomfort.

I'm grand at the moment overall, apart from a bit of pain passing stools, and often smallish traces of blood (a good amount is passed occasionally). I did have a colonoscopy recently, which came back fine, apart from a bit of narrowing in the small bowel.

Crohn's Disease does affect people in many ways, and there are those that are quite bad with it. Others can manage it, but there is always the risk of flare ups. There are always cases of somebody having certain things that are possibly Crohn's related that others may not have suffered with, so it's good to share these things in order for others to keep an eye out for.

I hope things ease for you MsGiggles. It's not pleasant having any flare up, but they can take time to manage.

I think tiredness is quite common with Crohn's. Well, it's certainly listed as a symptom. I guess Crohn's does get a lot of sufferers down, and reduces the energy levels. I do find myself getting quite tired, particularly in the evenings. I sometimes find it quite difficult getting to sleep at night.

Thank you Trebor for taking the time to reply. I have to say its quite comforting having a space to talk where people know what your going through. Crohns is such a difficult disease to explain, people say oh that's the toilet thing eh....:( sadly a lot more to it. I have to say before I got diagnosed I actually thought I was losing my mind and the first consultant dismissed the possibility of Crohns. The 2nd consultant truly saved my sanity and helped me with my life. He listened , believed and took every step possible to diagnose me. It just takes one person to care for 5 minutes to change someone's life xx

OUTDOORLASS · 30-05-2015 8:28am

Hi all, Shalalala mentioned probiotics......are many of you taking them, and what are you taking. seems to be loads of
them around. I.m not talking about the stuff you get in the yogurts..... Prof Shanahan in Cork has done loads of
research on probiotics and various types of bowel disease. I saw the tale end of an article on the telly lately were a
lady had years of bad IBS, she was proscribed some kind of probiotics. She was very sceptical, but after a few weeks
she is a new woman. Anybody had any conversations with their Consultants.... I wonder would Locomotion have any
comments on this...
P.S. Happy Bank Holiday to all...

shalalala · 30-05-2015 8:56am

OUTDOORLASS wrote: »

Hi all, Shalalala mentioned probiotics......are many of you taking them, and what are you taking. seems to be loads of
them around. I.m not talking about the stuff you get in the yogurts..... Prof Shanahan in Cork has done loads of
research on probiotics and various types of bowel disease. I saw the tale end of an article on the telly lately were a
lady had years of bad IBS, she was proscribed some kind of probiotics. She was very sceptical, but after a few weeks
she is a new woman. Anybody had any conversations with their Consultants.... I wonder would Locomotion have any
comments on this...
P.S. Happy Bank Holiday to all...

No doctor recommended them, I did my own research and tbh, the speed of my remission vs my original diagnosis is a miracle and I cannot help but believe it is in part to the probiotics I take extra. I buy the ones on sale in nourish. I cannot remember the name now. Expensive but well well worth it

The_Conductor · 30-05-2015 10:42am

MsGiggles wrote: »

All,

As I am relatively new to Crohns can I ask if extreme tiredness is something that is common ? I come home from work some days and I can't explain the tiredness I feel.....I don't seem to be anaemic and am pretty much on top of my illness as much as I can be bit the tiredness really comes out of left field sometimes...

The exhaustion is quite indescribable to someone who hasn't encountered it themselves....... Unfortunately it is common- well, almost universal, with Crohns and Colitis.

As someone suggested above- doing a little light exercise does help- to a certain extent- however, you will find yourself dragging yourself around the place.

I find a little boost after my monthly B12 injection- however, thats after it makes me feel like vomitting for a day or two (the cyano suspension its in- is very hard on the system).

Lots of sleep- is the main thing that helps- constant sleep- sometimes a nap at lunch or in the afternoon- it really does make a difference (even if its only for 15-20 minutes).

MsGiggles · 30-05-2015 6:00pm

The_Conductor wrote: »

The exhaustion is quite indescribable to someone who hasn't encountered it themselves....... Unfortunately it is common- well, almost universal, with Crohns and Colitis.

As someone suggested above- doing a little light exercise does help- to a certain extent- however, you will find yourself dragging yourself around the place.

I find a little boost after my monthly B12 injection- however, thats after it makes me feel like vomitting for a day or two (the cyano suspension its in- is very hard on the system).

Lots of sleep- is the main thing that helps- constant sleep- sometimes a nap at lunch or in the afternoon- it really does make a difference (even if its only for 15-20 minutes).

Since my diagnosis one of the hardest things is making it to work in the morning ! I've been lucky that I can start whenever i want - within reason of course !! They have also allowed me work 4 days which has been a tremendous help ! I find I am totally zonked on Friday's.

bc dub · 07-06-2015 11:49am

OUTDOORLASS wrote: »

Hi all, Shalalala mentioned probiotics......are many of you taking them, and what are you taking. seems to be loads of
them around. I.m not talking about the stuff you get in the yogurts..... Prof Shanahan in Cork has done loads of
research on probiotics and various types of bowel disease. I saw the tale end of an article on the telly lately were a
lady had years of bad IBS, she was proscribed some kind of probiotics. She was very sceptical, but after a few weeks
she is a new woman. Anybody had any conversations with their Consultants.... I wonder would Locomotion have any
comments on this...
P.S. Happy Bank Holiday to all...

Udo's Choice Super 8 is a good one.

Each Udo's Choice Super 8 capsule guarantees 20 billion viable organisms of beneficial bacteria that are absolutely essential for proper digestion, strong immune function and over-all health. Specially formulated to be effective against the yeast overgrowth known as Candida, and very efficient at replacing the beneficial bacteria that is destroyed by taking pharmaceutical antibiotics, it can also be used for indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome. Super 8 works best if swallowed immediately after meals when the acidity of the gastric juices has been diluted by food.

Recommended Dose: Consume 1-3 capsules on a full tummy for best results, can be opened into juices or warm (not hot) foods or directly into the mouth.

Super 8: They are especially important for during/after antibiotic use, treating Candida, digestive disorders such as ‘LEAKY GUT’ syndrome. No one bacteria can repair and populate the gut alone, it’s the synergistic blend of 8 bacteria- Lactobacilli strains( living mainly in the small intestine) and Bifidobacteria (living mainly in the large intestines) that give optimum results. Particular strains are picked based on bacterial resistance to major antibiotics groups and resistance to stomach acid based on studies.

Did you know?
Super 8 Microbiotics contain 30 billion viable/ active cells (at the time of manufacture).Need to be refrigerated as they are live bacteria. However, they can be left unrefrigerated for short periods of time, making them convenient for travelling. They can also be frozen for up to a year. They are suitable from 5 years of age, also in pregnancy and breast feeding. Contained in a vegetable capsule they are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

EcoDophilus is also good.

EcoDophilus is a supplement that supplies a combination of four different strains of probiotic - live organisms known to confer benefit to the health of the digestive tract and to support the well being of the immune system. To ensure the viability of these very sensitive organisms, the probiotics are freeze-dried and then encapsulated and packed within a triple blister film that protects them from the damaging effects of oxygen and moisture right up to the moment they're consumed. Because of this, EcoDophilus does not need to be refrigerated. Kefir and Bulgaricus are the oldest-known probiotics, whilst Acidophilus and Bifido bacteria are amongst the most widely researched. The EcoDophilus combination has received wide acclaim from nutritionists and naturopaths alike.

The_Conductor · 07-06-2015 12:22pm

First of all- IBS and IBD- are not related to one another- and indeed really shouldn't be discussed in the same thread- as they are only confusing the issue.

With respect of IBD- the current consensus- is that probiotics- are a very good idea. Recent research has shown that those with Crohn's and Colitis- have a vastly different microbiotic intestinal load- than does a person who does is not afflicted with IBD.

Prof Shanahan- and the alimentary pharmabiotic centre- have done very good research on this- from the perspective of both humans and aminals (they have current research projects which are publicly funded on Johnnes Disease- which is the equivalent of Crohn's in Cattle.

From a human perspective- there are a number of evolving treatments- most notably in the UK- a recent coop effort to harvest faeces from healthy individuals- for colonic transfer to those with Crohn's and Colitis. It may sound a bit gross- but it has been shown to have excellent therapeutic value as a treatment.

Personally- I don't take probiotic tablets- I'm keeping with the youghurts etc for the time being- but I am about to embark on some of the biologic treatments (most probably a remicade/tysabri combo treatment- though I'm discussing this with the consultant next week).

The treatments coming out of the APC over the past 15 years- have been remarkable- and have evolved at a remarkable rate. I think we all owe Prof Shanahan a debt of gratitude- even those of us who have never met him.

The_Conductor · 12-06-2015 7:34pm

I think I should celebrate- just got put on Humira today.
4 doses for the first dose, 2 in two weeks time, and then 1 dose a forthnight thereafter..........
Hopefully I see a quick improvement.
Apparently- the nurse comes out to supervise the first two doses- and make sure I don't do anything dangerous, give me a box for sharps etc etc.
An interesting addition to all my wife's insulin in the fridge.
Thankyou to the consultant for writing a prescription for all my other meds too- I was too broke to pay for a GP visit too, and the pharmacy are hassling me about my prescriptions being out of date.

Riven_Sky · 13-06-2015 12:03am

The_Conductor wrote: »

I think I should celebrate- just got put on Humira today.
4 doses for the first dose, 2 in two weeks time, and then 1 dose a forthnight thereafter..........
Hopefully I see a quick improvement.
Apparently- the nurse comes out to supervise the first two doses- and make sure I don't do anything dangerous, give me a box for sharps etc etc.
An interesting addition to all my wife's insulin in the fridge.
Thankyou to the consultant for writing a prescription for all my other meds too- I was too broke to pay for a GP visit too, and the pharmacy are hassling me about my prescriptions being out of date.

Delighted for you about the humira. That was sound of your consultant to sort your prescription.

The humira nurses are great. They know all the tips and tricks when it comes to the injections and are at the other end of the phone if you ever have problems or questions. I was told most people see improvement within the first eight weeks or so. I saw a significant improvement in symptoms and blood results within four to five weeks.

Good luck with it, I hope you get a good result from it.

Northern Monkey · 13-06-2015 8:08am

I hope it works well for you. It might sound a bit over dramatic, but humira has completely changed my life for the better.

OUTDOORLASS · 14-06-2015 9:43am

Thats great news......hopefully it will settle the crohns..on an even better note....as they are in the high spec grade, they
come completly free once you have the prescription from a Consultant. ....as in they dont even go into the DPS category.....so in the long term, they will improve your symptoms, and save you a fortune on immodium....

Riven_Sky · 14-06-2015 3:25pm

OUTDOORLASS wrote: »

Thats great news......hopefully it will settle the crohns..on an even better note....as they are in the high spec grade, they
come completly free once you have the prescription from a Consultant. ....as in they dont even go into the DPS category.....so in the long term, they will improve your symptoms, and save you a fortune on immodium....

Actually, from my experience, hi-tech prescriptions do fall under the DPS scheme. At least my humira did and my simponi does now. There's a section on the hi-tech prescription itself where the doctor ticks what payment scheme you fall under. DPS is one, medical card is another.

It means you end up paying the full 144 a month, because the anti-TNF agents cost in the thousands. Maybe it has changed recently, but not to my knowledge. All the more reason why Crohn's and UC should be on the LTI scheme.

The_Conductor · 14-06-2015 4:42pm

The consultant said it was in the region of 5k a month- so I guess the 144 a month is as good as its going to cost. On the bright side- my 12 Imodium a day- will be 'free' (insofar as they'll be covered). Thankfully the consultant put them on a separate prescription- I'll ring the pharmacy tomorrow- they're going to love me for it..........

mcratsix · 14-06-2015 10:47pm

Hey, my first time posting here. I'm 19 and I've had UC for four years now, I'm currently going through my first bad flare up since I was diagnosed. Has anyone in here actually found a diet that has helped them significantly? Around the new year, I started getting bad symptoms (very bad stomach, no energy, bad acne breakout) and I was determined to get better without increasing drugs. Guess I was näive. I saw a nutritionist who reccomened a dairy and gluten free lifestyle, as well as cutting out all processed foods and increasing my fruit and veg intake (some of those suggestions were no brainers really). I stuck to the diet religiously, and initially I saw a big improvement. My stomach was much improved, skin cleared up, everything was great, but then slowly everything started to deteriorate again. It was pretty soul destroying really. I'd go a week where all Id eat is porridge with coconut milk and blueberries for breakfast, salads/salmon for lunch, oily fish/meat and loads of vegetables for dinner, and then in the evening if I was hungry I might have some fruit or maybe a gluten free sandwich. Drank nothing except water(I never really drank much alcohol so giving it up was no big deal.) And still my stomach would be reacting like I'd eaten nothing but kebabs and pizzas garnished with litres of coke.

Things kept on getting worse until eventually I succumbed and went to the doctor, got put on the usual dose of prednisone. Those little tablets are truly amazing. Within two days all my symptoms were gone, I had an avaricious appetite and tonnes of energy. I'm finished the steroids a couple of weeks now and things are slowly getting bad once more. I'm seeing my consultant tomorrow but I know he'll just up my meds.

I didn't mean to ramble on, but once I start it just all gushes out. Pardon the disgusting pun.
Is there anything people would reccomend to help that isn't a drug?

Riven_Sky · 15-06-2015 8:45am

mcratsix wrote: »

Hey, my first time posting here. I'm 19 and I've had UC for four years now, I'm currently going through my first bad flare up since I was diagnosed. Has anyone in here actually found a diet that has helped them significantly? Around the new year, I started getting bad symptoms (very bad stomach, no energy, bad acne breakout) and I was determined to get better without increasing drugs. Guess I was näive. I saw a nutritionist who reccomened a dairy and gluten free lifestyle, as well as cutting out all processed foods and increasing my fruit and veg intake (some of those suggestions were no brainers really). I stuck to the diet religiously, and initially I saw a big improvement. My stomach was much improved, skin cleared up, everything was great, but then slowly everything started to deteriorate again. It was pretty soul destroying really. I'd go a week where all Id eat is porridge with coconut milk and blueberries for breakfast, salads/salmon for lunch, oily fish/meat and loads of vegetables for dinner, and then in the evening if I was hungry I might have some fruit or maybe a gluten free sandwich. Drank nothing except water(I never really drank much alcohol so giving it up was no big deal.) And still my stomach would be reacting like I'd eaten nothing but kebabs and pizzas garnished with litres of coke.

Things kept on getting worse until eventually I succumbed and went to the doctor, got put on the usual dose of prednisone. Those little tablets are truly amazing. Within two days all my symptoms were gone, I had an avaricious appetite and tonnes of energy. I'm finished the steroids a couple of weeks now and things are slowly getting bad once more. I'm seeing my consultant tomorrow but I know he'll just up my meds.

I didn't mean to ramble on, but once I start it just all gushes out. Pardon the disgusting pun.
Is there anything people would reccomend to help that isn't a drug?

Sorry to hear you're having a tough time with it mcratsix. Your diet sounds great and I can see why you would feel frustrated that your symptoms don't reflect your healthy approach. The reason for that though is that it's your disease and not your diet causing you grief.

The initial improvement you saw is not uncommon when people make a big change in their diet, unfortunately neither is a return of symptoms. One theory about it is that you are altering the mix of bacteria in your bowel which has a positive, but temporary, effect.

I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but medication is what is going to keep this under control, preventing long term damage and decreasing your risk of surgery and complications. Your immune system is causing the inflammation in your gut meaning that no matter what you eat, your bowel can't handle it right. There's not much evidence that anything else really works. Probiotics (which were mentioned a few posts up) might be worth investigating, in addition to medication, but I'm not aware of the evidence for them when it comes to UC. There are other treatments being investigated for IBD (like site specific immunomodulation and antibiotic therapies) but mostly they're still in the trial stage.

mcratsix · 15-06-2015 10:59am

Riven_Sky wrote: »

Sorry to hear you're having a tough time with it mcratsix. Your diet sounds great and I can see why you would feel frustrated that your symptoms don't reflect your healthy approach. The reason for that though is that it's your disease and not your diet causing you grief.

The initial improvement you saw is not uncommon when people make a big change in their diet, unfortunately neither is a return of symptoms. One theory about it is that you are altering the mix of bacteria in your bowel which has a positive, but temporary, effect.

I know this isn't the answer you're looking for, but medication is what is going to keep this under control, preventing long term damage and decreasing your risk of surgery and complications. Your immune system is causing the inflammation in your gut meaning that no matter what you eat, your bowel can't handle it right. There's not much evidence that anything else really works. Probiotics (which were mentioned a few posts up) might be worth investigating, in addition to medication, but I'm not aware of the evidence for them when it comes to UC. There are other treatments being investigated for IBD (like site specific immunomodulation and antibiotic therapies) but mostly they're still in the trial stage.

Hey, thanks for the reply. It's interesting to know that lots of people see an initial improvement when they change the diet but then deteriorate again. I take probiotics every day. I'm probably just being stubborn but I still think I can control the disease long term with my diet. Long way to go yet!

Riven_Sky · 15-06-2015 3:56pm

mcratsix wrote: »

Hey, thanks for the reply. It's interesting to know that lots of people see an initial improvement when they change the diet but then deteriorate again. I take probiotics every day. I'm probably just being stubborn but I still think I can control the disease long term with my diet. Long way to go yet!

They do use what's called exclusive enteral nutrition for children with Crohn's disease as an alternative to steroids for achieving remission. It's basically a liquid diet of special formulas that contain essential nutrients and are easy to digest. They usually stay on it for 6-8 weeks. They've trialled it in adults too. It has been looked at as a maintenance therapy as well but compliance is a problem.

My hope is that they'll develop treatments that are either more targeted to the area of the immune system involved or more specific to the genetics of the individual patient. That should lead to better responses and reduced side effects. I think diet plays a part in recovery and staying well, but I don't think we have sufficient knowledge yet to say diet by itself will ever be enough.

Tony H · 17-06-2015 11:43am

Hi , getting my loading dose of humira in under an hour , just waiting for the nurse , really nervous .

The_Conductor · 17-06-2015 11:51am

Tony H wrote: »

Hi , getting my loading dose of humira in under an hour , just waiting for the nurse , really nervous .

Best of good luck!
Let us know how it goes.

Riven_Sky · 17-06-2015 12:23pm

Tony H wrote: »

Hi , getting my loading dose of humira in under an hour , just waiting for the nurse , really nervous .

Best of luck with it. It is really straightforward. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be fine.

It helps to have something cold to numb the injection sites a little - I don't know if they still give out the little freezeable gel cushion in the humira pack, but anything you could use as an ice pack will do. And taking the humira out of the fridge a little while before the nurse arrives to let it warm up a bit also helps.

Tony H · 17-06-2015 12:30pm

Riven_Sky wrote: »

Best of luck with it. It is really straightforward. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be fine.

It helps to have something cold to numb the injection sites a little - I don't know if they still give out the little freezeable gel cushion in the humira pack, but anything you could use as an ice pack will do. And taking the humira out of the fridge a little while before the nurse arrives to let it warm up a bit also helps.

I was wondering what that gel cushion pack was , just put it in the deep freeze .

Riven_Sky · 17-06-2015 12:41pm

Tony H wrote: »

I was wondering what that gel cushion pack was , just put it in the deep freeze .

Ha, yes, it's not the most obvious piece of equipment. I had my humira pack for six weeks before I actually started the injections so the gel cushion's purpose eventually came to me.

Crohn's Disease

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