Dealing with Crohn's

Yesterday, I probably should of went to the emergency room. It all started after an especially stressful Sunday, where I gave my all in support of my family. However, it left me spent and I laid down to rest early after dinner and dishes were taken care of. However, I fell quickly asleep and didn't wake until my wife came to bed around 10:00 pm. It struck me as unusual that I had slept so soundly without the aid of any medication and so I just slipped out of my clothes and continued sleeping.

It was a fitful night of sleep, and near the morning I woke up with the urge to evacuate. Upon waking to help everyone to get out the door in the morning, I must have went to the bathroom like 5 or 6 times. After they were gone, I had my morning coffee and a small snack, but I kept having the urge to go to the bathroom until I developed a small ache in my bowels. Not feeling well, I went back to bed, and again, abnormally I was able to fall deeply asleep.

Awaking later in the morning I tried to get up and get my day going, but I couldn't stop going to the bathroom. All the while my energy level was crashing and I was having trouble regulating my internal temperature. I would be hot, so I would turn on the fan, only to begin freezing, so I would put on a jacket, only to start sweating. Finally after an urgent BM where I didn't quite make it to the bathroom on time, I surrendered to my exhaustion and went back to bed.

By that time, I had already been to the bathroom about 15 times, unable to sleep, freezing while I lay covered with blankets I begin to wonder how serious my symptoms might be. I made the decision that if I had anymore BMs, then I would have to make a trip to the VA emergency clinic. My doctor always cautions me about these types of situations. Since my digestive system is already compromised and my immune system suppressed, I'm at greater risk to bacterial infection than most people.

Luckily, around 1:00 pm, my internal temperature begin to stabilize and my diarrhea stopped. I was able to eat something and my energy level started to recover. Thankfully, by the time the family got home, I was already starting to feel "normal" and was able to make it through the rest of the night without any additional symptoms.

I've become much more suspicious of the dramatic impact that moderate levels of stress may play on my symptoms. Now I can't really explain my malfunctioning internal temperature system, but perhaps it is related to a stress-related flair-up of my Crohn's. I hope that's not the case, because things tend to get melodramatic living with a bunch of control freaks.