Ask an ill person

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Is Chron's manageable or is it progressive?

It is very unpredictable. It can get worse, or go dormant. Most of my life it has been managed with medication to a degree, but with me still having to endure a lot of pain. I’ve required two surgeries so far when medication has no longer been able to control the symptoms, and I could have eventually died if I didn’t have the second one, due to blockages.

My first surgery involved removing a 30cm piece of bowel which contained the disease and which had become compromised, but sadly it has a high risk of reoccurring, which it did with me. In extreme cases people have to have their whole bowels removed.

It is pot luck what kind of specialist you get. I’ve had some awful ones, some okay ones, and some amazing ones. Luckily I’m currently seeing the latter.