My Crohn’s disease testimony:
I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 1996. Crohn’s
disease can affect any part of your digestive tract from you esophagus on down.
It causes inflammation and narrowing of affected area and causes extreme pain
when trying to eat or have a bowel movement. Fun, huh?
Well that is the simple definition. It is an auto-immune
disease which means your body is attacking itself as the “enemy”. I am certain
that I have has this since I was 16 because I have been having these symptoms
since then but was never diagnosed.
Since my diagnosis I was put on steroids (yuck) 1 year
and 8 months. After being on them that long I was still having trouble but my
doctor (I no longer have him, YEA) would only tell me to “up” the dosage. So
for 2 weeks I took the prescribed amount. I have always had low blood pressure
and have hypoglycemia (the opposite of diabetes). Well, the higher dose was
causing me to have high blood pressure and go into diabetes. Needless to say I
didn’t want either to continue, so with my husbands and the Lord’s permission I
started going off the steroids slowly.
I felt so much better! I was in pain from the Crohn’s but
it wasn’t any different on or off the steroids. This was in October 1998. By
January, I started getting an infection that they assumed was my Appendix.
After an emergency room visit and several tests (which required me to drink
something, most of which ended up on the emergency room floor) they discovered
that it was not my appendix but that I had an infection so they put me on
antibiotics.
Long story, short after 6 emergency room visits and 3
hospital stays (one, in which I was given 2 of the strongest antibiotics and
one where they gave me a new drug for Crohn’s, Remicaid) they finally decided
to do surgery and I got me a new Gastroenterologist (Tummy Doctor. Yea!!)
After the surgery I felt 100% better!!! What they
discovered was the Crohn’s disease had fistulized (broke out) and attached
itself to my bladder, thus all the infections they could not control. So they
took out 1 inch of my intestine, removed my Appendix, and removed the Crohn’s
disease from my bladder. Whew!!!
So from May 1999 to September 1999 I felt really great
and went on with life, home schooling my two kids ages, 11 and 8. Well, in September, I starting feeling the Cronh’s
pain again and I don’t mind telling you I was scared! I had had enough of
doctors, needles and medicines and that usually didn’t work. So I said nothing
to anyone about the pain and just endured.
In October 1999 my sister called me and asked me how I
was doing and told me about this lady she knew who was a Godly, christian woman
who had helped some people with Crohn’s disease and could she have her call me.
I trusted my sister but I reluctantly said yes. The lady called me and let me
decide when and where I wanted to try Shaklee vitamins. What she didn’t know is
that when I was diagnosed with Crohn’s I went to the local GNC store and found
what they recommended to help me. I tried their products but they either hurt
or went through whole (I know it’s gross)!
So when Becky suggested that I take lots of vitamins and
especially B vitamins I was leery and didn’t believe her at first. I waited a
month looking up the company called Shaklee and investigating their products
and praying.
In November when Becky called back the pain was worse and
I needed help and I started on the Basics Vita Lea, B, C, E and the Soy
protein.
All I can say now is WOW! What a difference! One of the
things Crohn’s does is it causes you to not be able to digest anything. Well, I
could digest the Shaklee vitamins and they really do break down to the cellular
level and boy, did that feel good!!!
In years past, because my immune system was so low, I got
everything! Flu, colds etc.. Well, in the year 2000 I didn’t get anything! Even
when my kids got sick, I didn’t! What an amazing difference!
Since then I have tried different combinations of things
with the Shaklee vitamins and this is what I now daily use:
2 Vita Lea with iron 6 - 10 Alfalfa 1 Optiflora pill 1 Fiber tablet
6 B 6
Lecithin 1
Mindworks 1 CoQ heart
1 C 3 Omega
guard 2 Vivix
1 E 3
GLA 2
Menopause
7 Osteomatrix 2 Carotomax 3 Stress Relief Complex
I also drink the new Shaklee Life Protein smoothee.
I am so glad my sister called me and told me about
Shaklee! She is in heaven with Jesus, but I am still so very grateful to her! I
am also very grateful to Becky who has stuck with me all these years and helps
so many people! I want to be like her when I grow up! LOL!!
Sherry
