An unpleasant gut feeling

By Sarah RaparoliLex Kleren Switch to German for original article

Abdominal pain and the constant urge to go to the toilet are part of everyday life for many people with Crohn's disease. Two people with Crohn's disease tell the Lëtzebuerger Journal about their different experiences with the chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

A normal bus ride, a cosy dinner with colleagues, the birthday party of your best friend. These are situations that may be commonplace but that many people still look forward to with anticipation. For people with Crohn's disease, however, they are always a great challenge. "Questions like 'Do I really have to go there?', 'Am I having a good day or a bad day?' or 'Maybe it's better to stay at home' went through my mind a lot in the beginning", Isa Kemp explains. The 26-year-old has Crohn's disease and is now doing quite well again, as she says herself. "However, it took a good two years before I knew what was wrong." A long and demanding process that took a toll on her.

It all started around 2013. She suffered from stomach cramps and spent a lot of time on the toilet. Before she knew why she was in such pain, it was very difficult, she says. "No matter what I ate, I ended up with severe abdominal pain and cramps. And as silly as it may sound, no matter where I was, I always made sure there was a toilet in the area, – in case I had a reaction to something again." Within three to four months, she said, she had lost 20 kilos because she could no longer stomach her food. "My body wasn't absorbing anything anymore." However, she said, the people closest to her were suffering too. "It was hard for my family, especially for my mother. She sat next to me on the bed and cried because I was in so much pain and she didn't know how to help me."

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