A patient smiled after receiving a diagnosis of Crohn’s disease, a chronic condition she will manage for the rest of her life. The diagnosis came after months of unexplained pain and multiple doctor visits where her symptoms were attributed to stress.
The patient first felt a sharp pain on the lower right side of her abdomen. Believing it might be appendicitis, she sought medical help. The first doctor asked if she was under pressure. She said yes, and he advised her to relax and travel for a few months. She traveled for three months, but the pain worsened.
A second doctor gave the same answer: stress. He recommended exercise, less work, and more rest. She followed the advice but still woke up in the middle of the night with abdominal pain. A third doctor also said the pain was caused by stress.
This time, the patient pushed back. She told the doctor something was really wrong. The doctor ordered a CT scan, which showed an issue in her lower intestine. A GI specialist performed a colonoscopy and a biopsy. The results confirmed Crohn’s disease.
Crohn’s is a chronic condition where the immune system attacks the digestive tract, causing inflammation and pain. The specialist told the patient she would need to manage the disease for life, including changing her diet and lifestyle to avoid surgery. She learned that her triggers included alcohol, spicy food, orange juice, greasy fast food, and coffee. It took about two years to identify these triggers.
A friend told her she was lucky to have the disease because it would force her to take her health seriously. At the time, the patient did not agree. Fifteen years later, she sees the point. She eliminated the foods that caused pain and has gone a long time without a flare-up. The discipline required to manage the disease changed how she treats her body overall.
The patient advises others to trust their bodies and keep advocating for themselves. She stresses that if something feels wrong, people should not stop asking for answers. She also notes that a difficult diagnosis can force changes that people may have been avoiding. Silver linings, she says, are often not visible during the difficult moment itself.
