Crohn’s Flare or Flu

Crohn’s Flare or Flu?

The last three days I’ve been down and out. Nothing like feeling you are in a Crohn’s flare or is it the Flu? Crohn’s Flare or Flu? That is the question.

Sunday started slow and achy but that’s normal. I ate 1/2 bowl of cereal and immediately came right back up. Ostomy output was ridiculous all day but no fever, no severe gut pain. I was more tired then usual but hadn’t slept a wink night before.  Nauseous and no appetite were the big indicators that something was up!

After posting on Facebook that I wasn’t sure if flare or flu, several friends replied that the flu was going around. 7-10 days, can’t keep anything down, no fever, sleeping constantly. At that point I immediately began to take 3-4 capsules a day of Thieves essential oil, diffusing Purification and rubbing DiGize & Peppermint on my gut. I was NEVER falling for the essential oil craze but did like the smells so was defusing them. After a year or so, gradually (and very skeptically), I started using them for sore joints, tooth ache, etc. Once I set my pride aside that perhaps I’d prejudged, I began to admit they were actually working for me. Now oils are my ‘go-to’ where in the past it was Tramadol or oxicodine and years of dilaudid. Once again reinforcing the never say never!

Monday more sleep, crackers and did some coloring in my new bible.

Although I felt nauseous, I managed to throw cubed steak, some mushroom and french onion soup, water and a package of beef gravy with lots of garlic in the crockpot. Along with some rice and roasted veggies, I felt accomplished for the day. Mark would have been content with making himself a PB&J but I hadn’t made him a ‘real meal’ in weeks. I managed to eat some of the super tender meat and rice but came out faster then I got it down. At that moment I was very thankful for ‘Betsy’ aka ostomy. Although my supper came out almost immediately, there was no running to the bathroom and no butt burning ring of fire. For that, I’ll forever be grateful!

Last night was filled with more gas then I’ve ever experienced before and that’s a LOT. Can’t imagine life without the cool valves my husband located and he adds to my bags. They are called Osto-Ez Vents from KEM Enterprises. No more getting out of bed to release the gas, just open the valve, let it out and go back to sleep! They have absolutely changed my life.

We laugh, ok we laugh a lot about everything, but I can now walk through Walmart and ‘fart’! Just slide my hand under my shirt and valve the sits just under my pant waistline, open valve, release the gas and move on. Typically I find an abandoned isle to do so, unlike other ‘normal’ people who just let it rip and the smell has folks running for fresh air!! LOL!

Thanks to another favorite of mine, Devron. Devom is an all natural ingredient, banana flavored tablet that reduce the smell to the point there is often no odor at all (don’t have to have an ostomy to take them either). Living in the south we thrive on fish, industrial quantities of garlic & onions, as well as eggs. Until Mark located Devrom I avoided eating everything that made the eye burning odor worse. Now, I’m back to eating them as often as I want!

Today its raining (again,) but I’m feeling well enough to have toast for breakfast and I’m blogging while enjoying my honey’s recliner chair in my pjs. Believing those oils are helping kick this whatever it is to the curb quicker then I could on my way.

Praying y’all have a healthy, happy day!

How do you detect whether you are in a flare or just the flu? Let me know in the comments.