# Crohn's Disease



## spartan1 (Jan 10, 2014)

Hey guys,

I have severe crohn's disease i was diagnosed a year ago. I then underwent a 10 hour surgery that removed my ilium and created an anastmosis as my dueodenum was strictured to the size of a pencil eraser. I wanted to created this thread for anyone suffering from this terrible disease to talk freely about symptoms, treatments and medications.


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## tonynyc (Jan 11, 2014)

Hope each day is getting better for you - if you haven't done so also reach out to the support groups in your area (this is also a good source)


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## RayJay25101956 (Feb 12, 2014)

I find the trick is to keep your stress levels down and your diet healthy in a way that matches you. I'm terrible with grains but I have a friend with more severe crohns than me that can handle granola with no problem.

Watch for early flare up signs and try get on meds when they're needed. 

Get second opinions if it's affordable to do so. And if you're in Europe (and I'm not joking here), Get hook worms <==== gross I know. BUT, they are prescribed in Germany and by some gastros in France. They are not human worms but pig worms so die off naturally if not replenished. They locally surpress your immune responses in the gut hence have less side effects than neoral etc.

Just stay positive


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## moore2me (May 15, 2014)

Ray Jay,

I understand that the French are a unique population of people. I thank them for their women's clothing, fine wines, fabulous art, and cooking skills. However, I would probably draw the line at the hookworm thingy. For years in the south, we fought against children going barefoot in poor areas where their family raised pigs (or had feral pigs) due to the kids getting hookworms, etc. The worms stole the kids nutrients and decreased the little ones quality of life. Nowadays, most of our pigs are raised on concrete or in barns and do not wander around people's homes - so the historic pig/worm transmission is not as common. But understand, that a statement about consuming hookworms should be followed by a warning of what can happen to people who do not have Crohn's and are on a narrow food supply.

Plus, a statement like ". . . .They are not human worms but pig worms so die off naturally if not replenished" (snipped) it a little too broad in scope. The reason is pigs (again especially feral ones, or free range pigs) can carry a range of other parasites in addition to hookworms. A few common one that is easily transmitted between species are intestinal tapeworms, anal pinworms, and nematodes. There are also flukes, protozoans, amoebas, and disease causing bacteria, plus pigs have nasty mouths with vicious teeth and a bite can transmit all kinds of creepy crawlies and inject them directly into your bloodstream.

And on the far side of pig health problems are infectious diseases. Pigs can be a vector or a transmission host between people and another animal like bats. Bats carry a disease, they drop feces around pigs, pigs eat anything, and human eat the pig meat. It is possible that by consuming the worms of a pig, you could also contact any contagious disease the pig was carrying. Remember swine flu or the movie "Contagion" with Gwyneth Paltrow?


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