Community Forum

Does anyone find their IBD causes them to get depression?  For me, I work in the Management field.  I am on FMLA, which I use only for Doctor's visits and flare ups, but even though my Crohn's is fairly stable, it causes so many sideline problems.  For instance, now I am off three days of work for my Gastroenterologist to figure out why I haven't had a bowel movement in a week and my colon is distended.  Just a couple of months ago, I was hospitalized with paralytic Ileus and missed a week of work.  Others have to cover for me and that gets them upset, which gets me down.  I feel like my reliability factor is zero!

The funny thing is, once these issues resolve, I feel great until I get some other thing like an upper respority infection from the meds!  It's like a vicious circle.  How do others cope with this?  I would really like to know.  This last incident has be a little down.

 Reply posted for JeffG63.

Jeff,  You can't help what your body is doing. People these days seem to only care for #1.  You seem like you have a responsible tone but are just having illness issues.......your co-workers are unsympathetic because they don't have your shoes!  This is a very stressful illness, and most people have NO CLUE how hard it can be.

Take care of yourself, and try not to worry, they ARE getting paid to cover for you...:)

I wish you well

T.

 Reply posted for JeffG63.

I am on FMLA too and recently used 8 of my 12 weeks because I ended up having surgery. I was diagnosed with Crohn's Jan 2007 but was having flares about every 6 weeks for at least a year prior to that and my doctor feels like I was suffering for even longer. I was the person who never missed work-worked no matter if I was sick or not. As I got sicker I had to start missing work and have been hospitalized 3 times in the last year and a half. Unfortunately my boss is the type that trys to act like he cares but is truly only concerned with how my absences affect him. He asks me tons of medical questions every time I miss work, have an appt, etc.. He even told me he did research himself so he could understand my disease better! He makes me feel like I have to justify being sick!! Any time anyone else calls in sick he complains about them (they aren't that sick, etc..) and of course he has never called in the couple of years we have worked together. I can only imagine what he says behind my back! I just returned to work 2 weeks ago since my surgery and had to come home yesterday because I was hurting and feeling horrible. He thinks surgery "cured" me and I told him this was NOT a cure. I'm tired of feeling guilty and being made to feel like I don't value my job. He had the nerve to ask me if I was "bleeding" when I told him I needed to go home (I had a bad episode at work one time and I told one of the other ladies about the bleeding because I was really embarrassed and needed to leave asap-she ended up telling him!)!!! Does anyone else have to deal with this at work?? I've tried "cutting him off" when he starts the twenty questions but that hasn't worked. I feel bad enough I can't physically do some things at work I used to be able to do and I have also been battling with depression so the guilt trips don't help. Any suggestions on how to deal with this???

 Reply posted for JeffG63.

Hello all.
   Just joined tonight.  I have been diagnosed with Crohns since 95. The battle with depression has been a on going thing.  I have found that staying busy is the best thing.  I know, oh how I know that it's hard to get out of bed some days. Forcing my self to do things is the only way I stay sane.  It doesn't matter what, even if I have to take frequent breaks. Moving makes me feel better.  Get out side feel the sun.  Even if it's just out side your door.  Good Luck, and always keep in mind.  You have Crohns, Crohns doen't have you.
   

 Reply posted for JeffG63.

Lately I've been trying to keep a much more positive outlook, but sometimes it's just very hard. Before it was diagnosed it was depressing when people just dismissed my symptoms as me being nervous about starting college. I was in real pain and there was a real problem, but nobody would believe me. My mom did for a long time but people even really tried to convince her that I was fine. After the diagnosis it was hard to accept that I was going to have to miss out on a lot of fun things, but I got through it by thinking about how great it would be to do other things once I felt somewhat better. And it does. Just try to hang in there and definitely talk and let out your feelings, because that's what has helped me more than anything else.

 Reply posted for JudyT.

Im right there with everyone. I was diagnosed a couple of years ago but have lived with it since I was in middle school. My mom always thought that I was getting sick because I was depressed about going to school. I think she was in denial. But since then I've been on every medicine you could think of. I dont think the depression is something that will ever go away. I think its just one of the side effects that some of us so called lucky ones have to deal with. I havent had a really bad episode for a while but as soon as I start to feel the pain of it all it kicks me into really bad depression and I just want to crawl in my bed and cry. I've found that watching sad movies & disney movies kinda cheer me up. Also my bf decided to get me a dog to keep me company when I'm alone, she helps me from getting really sad sometimes. I hope everyone can be happy! I hate being depressed. Well I just wanted to let you know your not alone at all. Also wanted to share my experience with depression. Hope you feel better soon!

 Reply posted for JeffG63.

I'm in my worst depression state right now.  I take cymbalta 60 mg daily. Can't get out of this dark hole.  The doc wants me to try lithium to boost the cymbalta.  Also, I take narcotic  pain meds(possible neck fusion surgery coming).  Anyway, she said its a fighting battle to combat depression when taking narcotics.  I believe her, my personally has changed to much.  But, I'm darned if I do or don't. 

 Reply posted for JudyT.

Boy did you hit it on the head, I've been feeling bad for almost 3 years. Had CD since 72, went thru a bad time required surgery, then another 5 years later. After that I was OK until 2005. Doc's said it was flaring although only symptom I had was multiple BM per day. No pain or cramping. Started to feel really bad. used different meds then it went away. Still felt bad. Now I am on an antideressant/anti anxiety med and I feel the same, sick most of the time. I know my body. Doc is best in this town but maybe he's missing something, Just waiting. But being sick all the time will bring you down. I know it was happening to me, even though it never did before.

Hang in there

 Reply posted for ErinD.

As I lay here crying reading all your posts; I'm so thankful I joined and found people that know my daily heart-ache.

The depression is an ongoing battle; the feelings of hopelessness that it's never going to end, it's never going to get better. The constant bathroom trips, the lack of a full nights sleep, the inability to pass gas, the ocd of having to find every restroom when you walk into a store, the chore that becomes getting out of bed for work in the morning, the lack of sex drive and the stress that puts on your marriage, the stomach pain, the lower back pain, the "bottom end" pain, lack of appetite....I could go on and on.

Things I wish for on a daily basis....

- A full nights sleep, less than 3 bathroom trips, the ability to pass gas and not worry, a day without pain without the aid of narcotics.

 Reply posted for wolfman712001.

that would be awesome if there was a chat room...ppl who don't have IBD don't completly understand what it's like.

 Reply posted for dogsaremysanity.

this has been a bad yr for me too...in january my boyfriend was diagnosed with UC (i had been diagnosed in college).  this was a huge shock for me because i would never wish this disease on, especially someone i care so deeply about.  we kind of got through that, but he was still sick when i got sick and was in the hospital for 10 days. they couldn't figure out why i was so sick, loaded me full of drugs, and i'm still trying to get off the steroid (started having adrenal gland problems), then in april he was back in the hospital and after three days of not being allowed to eat or drink the drs finally decided to take out his appendix.  i'm still fighting to get back to normal and we are just hoping to have some healthy months in the future...i totally commisserate with you and hope things turn around soon!!!

 Reply posted for dogsaremysanity.

Hello All,

This is my first post on any site like this.  I was diagnosed with Crohn's in 2000.  My illness is in the moderate to severe cateegory.  With being on 6-mp, Pentasa and Remecade since then, the flares are not as bad as when I first was diagnosed. But...I feel so horrible sometimes that I just cry.  The dr. says "well, it can't be Crohn's that is making you feel so bad, because you are on Remecade, and you don't have a lot of diarrhea now."  He and three other drs. have looked for other things like lupus, A. Spondylytis, etc. but no one can come up with anything.  They just send me away like it's all in my head.  I get so frustrated and depressed because I feel so horrible but no one knows why or what to do about it.  I am ALWAYS fatigued and feverish.  I just don't feel good.  I'm sure that you fellow sufferers can relate.  I tried anti-depressants but they make me more depressed and jittery.  I thank God in heaven for my wonderful husband.  He is the reason that I keep pluggin' along.

Sorry that I don't have a solution for anyone out there.  I just wanted to commiserate with those that really can understand how I feel.

 Reply posted for JeffG63.

I'm with you. Since the beginning of the year I've been stuck in an endless cycle... Flare... get depressed... take prednisone... get more depressed... get better for a couple weeks, repeat. My work is suffering, I need counseling and can't afford it, the drugs don't seem to work anymore. I'm at my wit's end and can only hope it goes away soon.

 Reply posted for JeffG63.

I know how you feel jeff.  the constant pain, diarea, and everything can get you down.  I'm having the same trouble with depression right now.  I am currently off of work right now because i am having a flare up.  sometimes i just wish the crohn's would go away, but it won't.  just send me an e-mail at wolfman712001@yahoo.com if you want to talk. i could use som people to talk to as well.  i wish i could find a chat room where all of us can talk about our problems.  thanks,  David

 Reply posted for JeffG63.

Hi Jeff,

I have UC and when i am in a bad flare i find i get depressed as well.  I think its only natural to feel that way because you are feeling so sick, you can't do your everyday activities, it affects your work, your family life, your friends, etc which then makes you feel guilty.  It's a big catch-22 i think.  Once i am on the mend, my depression lifts immediately.  I know a lot of people will take an antidepressant to help them through the tough times.  I tried them but they made my UC worse.  If that happens to you maybe you could find a support group in your area or a therapist who specializes in chronic illnesses?