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College vs. IBD PLEASE HELP!!!

Wed, September 14, 2011 2:24 PM

hi. my name is aliyah. this is my very first post on this forum. i didn't know where else to turn. currently i am experiencing upper gi issues (constant nausea, my acid reflux/gerd is really bad, stomach pain, d, black stools, no appetite). this past weekend i was hospitalized and nothing was found.

despite the fact that upon my arrival and during my 18 hours in the er (they were trying to figure out to admit me under gi or ob/gyn) i asked them to call the gi on call from the practice i go to. i learned saturday afternoon that they never did. i finally saw someone from gi for 2 minutes or less on sunday saying i was being discharged b/c nothing showed up on my cat scan (it rarely does!) and i was being discharged. i tried to put up a fight, but it didn't go well at all and eventually caved and left feeling exactly the same as i did when i arrived.

monday i had an emergency appointment with my gi's pa. she started me on a new medication for acid reflux and scheduled me for an endoscopy (which i haven't had in 2 years or so). she wrote me a note excusing me from class all week. i go to college and most of my classes are discussion based. i emailed all my professors and spoke to disability services about what was going on and i never heard back from any of my profs.

now the reason i'm here:
this week (except for monday b/c i was at the gi's office) i have struggled with going to class and staying at home and resting. i am a commuter (it's a 20 mile drive that takes 20-30 minutes) and i have class everyday. again, my classes are very discussion based rather than anything else. i hate that i'm missing school. today i tried to go to class, but i could barely make it to the gas station 2 miles from my house without feeling like total *** . so, i decided to go home. i'm a type a personality. being 27 i have learned that you have to go to class in order to do well in class. i'm just so torn between my health and my schooling that i don't know what to do. please help!!

mibutterflywing
Joined Sep 14, 2011

Wed, September 28, 2011 1:01 PM

Reply posted for alanschachter.

Thank you for the info., it has been helpful for me. I have mentally been able to cope with what I have, but the whole diet part is still an unknown. I really appreciate the help.

Eric

urbas006
Joined Apr 19, 2011

Fri, September 23, 2011 1:11 PM

Reply posted for MiButterflyWing.

Hi, my name is Eric. This is also my 1st post on this forum, but I hope I can help you out with the schooling issue. I am 22 years old and am in my last year of college. I was diagnosed with Crohns disease when I was 16 so I kinda had a head start to get ready for college.

Starting college definitely was stressful and I missed many classes my Freshman year due to flare-ups. I have also had 5 separate surgeries since I was 16 which has caused many missed school and even had to take a semester off to recover.

The things that has worked best for me in school to relieve the stress which then relieves the flare-ups is to not take back to back classes, take a smaller load of credits, and if possible try to take classes only 3 or 4 days a week. Having those few extra days off to relax and catch up on homework relieves that stress point so much. I also commute 20+ minutes each way so having just 3 days of classes a week lowers that stress.

One last thing, try not to worry so much about what is going to happen next semester or next month even. Go day by day or week by week and relax. The medications one takes can only work so much, accepting what you have and being mentally stable to handle it will help you so much.

Good luck with everything and I hope these few things can help you out in the long run. Just dont stress about the short-term stuff because with Crohns, Colitis, and IBD there really is no way to stop it, all you can do is deal with it the smart/right way.

Eric