Kerry's Story, Part I

I had been out of college for a year, and I finally found a full-time job. I'd been there about five months when I started feeling tired. I'd work a full day, and I'd fall asleep on the couch immediately upon sitting down after work.

Around the same time, I started having diarrhea all the time, which eventually became filled with blood. I'd no more take a bite of a meal before I'd have to run to the bathroom. This was accompanied by persistent cramping and a fever. It wasn't long after that I started having severe joint pain, starting in my hands and wrists and expanding to my ankles and knees.

One day, I was sitting on the couch with my mother, and I noticed a large knot in my calf. It was warm, too. Within a few days, it was red and painful. Within a few weeks, I had 3-4 knots in both legs.

When I went to the doctor, he said it was spastic colon. But that didn't explain the knots in my legs or the bloody diarrhea. So I went to my mother's doctor, who said I had blood clots from taking birth control pills. By then, I had severe edema in my arms and legs, which were turning purple. I couldn't lift my arms high enough to put on a shirt and needed my mother's help to dress. I voted in that year's presidential election on crutches because my legs hurt so bad I could barely walk.

At that point, I became convinced I was going to die. I didn't want to die alone in my sleep, so my mother slept in my room every night until the day I was diagnosed.

At this point I couldn't eat anything; my meals consisted of crackers and water, which still made me sick. I'd lost 20 pounds so far, and I'd lose another 10 before I was diagnosed. The worst part: for a while I was happy I was losing weight because I'd always been heavy.

Finally, I went to my OB/GYN to see what he thought about the birth control hypothesis. He thought it was bullshit. I'll never forget what he said: "There's something really wrong with you, and I'm going to send you to someone who'll find out what." He made me an appointment with an internist the next day.

Comments

[Zoot]

I can NOT imagine anything as scary as fearing dying in your sleep and not knowing whats wrong with you...

[Ivy]

I'm glad you kept goign to doctors until you found one to help you!

[FTS]

Oh my...

[Karin]

How scary, but good for your ob/gyn for having a brain and getting you help.

[Zoots Mom]

Good grief girl.. It is very good that you have a good OB/GYN Dr..

[bunzol]

When my brother was 19 years old he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease as well. He is 6 feet tall and only weighed 150lbs at the time. Within a month he dropped down to 90lbs before the doctor's did anything. For a 1 1/2 years they had misdiagnosed him as having cancer and removed a portion of his large intestine. After the "cancer" came back they realized that it was really Chrohn's disease and removed the rest of his intestine. I was in eigth grade at the time and thought my big brother was going to die and leave me but luckily he came through it. He's now 34 years old and has a beautiful daughter. You are doing a great job. I send you my prayers.

[Michelle]

Not knowing and feeling so out of control of your body and what was happening must have been a terrible feeling. I am glad your OB/GYN had the sense to send you to a specialist. I hope to read more as you post it.