Hello, Is there anybody out there that can help 2 solve my problems?

Question

I'm 17 and I have Crohn's disease 4 about a year.My Dr said that Asian peoples especially Malaysian like me are rarely get this illness.I feel so isolated as I there is no one like me around me that I can share my problem with.everytime I tell people about my illness they must be pondering abut it and I have 2 explain 2 them.Sometimes they will say that it is stress problem as I have 2 go in and out of the toilet 4 many times-up 2 15 times per day and it characteristic by cramping abdominal pain, pr bleeding loss weigth asI lost my appetite.but my Dr said thet stress never coz this illness.i feel miserable and hopeless. I'm looking 4 a support group 4 people like me in Malaysia but I failed 2.Do U know sometin' about it.i really hope 2 get advices especially from the specialist.Please kindly email me if U have sometin' 2 say about this.

Answer 1

I was diagnosed with Crohn's around the same age as you. Even though it is a fairly common disease among Caucasians in Canada, none of my friends or teachers knew what it was either. One thing that helped was a nurse from the hospital where I was treated, she came to my school and gave a presentation to my biology class about Crohn's disease.

You might like support groups on the internet where you can ask questions and make friends (www.crohnszone.org is a good one). Maybe you can start a local support group of your own, by using http://crohns.meetup.com/ or advertising in the local newspaper. It is likely that there are other people in your area who have Crohn's who feel equally isolated and alone.

Keep a positive attitude and learn everything you can about your condition. For most people, it is harder to deal with in the first couple years but it gets much better. You will learn if certain foods or stressful situations make you feel worse, and adapt. Crohn's is not caused by stress, but even healthy people are negatively affected when they don't eat properly, exercise, get enough sleep, etc. Don't be afraid to teach people about Crohn's, maybe you will help someone else who gets diagnosed and needs support.

Answer 2

Check with your local hospital to see if there is a support group for people with Chrohn's disease. Most people don't understand what you are going through because they've never heard of it.

I'm sure you can locate a support group either through your local hospital, or through on line organizations. Good luck.