In your opinion, what is the worst symptom of Crohn's or colitis?
What is the number one symptom you wish would just instantly disappear?
It's a toss up for me - excruciating abdomnial pain or crippling fatigue. Both invisible, difficult to explain, or get help with.
Great question! 
it has to be the abdominal pain for sure. i have to stop in my track, take medication for it, and sit down to wait for it to kick in. 
Hi
. Mind if I ask what you take to deal with the abdominal pain? I also want to share with you this article from our patient leader Matt on four unconventional methods he has for dealing with it: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/unconventional-abdominal-pain-treatment. Best, Richard (Team Member)
I’m with Amanda. It’s the fatigue for me too. Nothing worse than being bed ridden.
, You've got that right! Thanks for sharing - Pam (team member) 
Amen to that. Being bedridden can be so depressing. I've been there too, many times. I hope you are feeling okay lately. Hugs, Elizabeth (team member)
, The number one symptom I wish would just instantly disappear is the lack of will to survive or, do anything I'm passionate about. It's almost as if I've been fluoridated, like I am a prisoner in a Nazi encampment, and the will to fight and survive is not even in my nature any longer.
The best "big-pharma" commercial for an UC/Crohn's medication is one in which a young lady goes on stage to perform with her band. She picks up the microphone and then abruptly puts it back in the mic stand and walks off stage, holding her lower abdomen - as the band stops playing and looks at each-other, as if to be saying, "WTF???"So true. I work in a hospital so I get constant reminders that my shitty (pun intended) isolated life of pain could be worse 
OMG. I just had my first ostomy after my small bowel resection and I was pretty bummed out about it until I started talking to my roomie. He was a 65 year old man who had toxic mega colon and it exploded inside of him and almost killed him. He also has had Crohn's for 20 years. When they opened him up they found he had colon cancer too. He had his entire colon and rectum removed a couple days before I arrived. He couldn't even sit up because of the stitches in his backside. It really put my problems into perspective. He was such a joy. He played music and was always joking and laughing with people on the phone or razzing the nurses. I still think about him alot. He turned me onto George Harrison as a solo artist. I'll forever remember him for that.
It is just as much, an affliction - of the mind, as it is - of the gut.
amen! 
I agree! The gut-brain connection is for real! If you missed it, here's an article about that topic: https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/brain-gut-connection . Thanks for sharing your insight. I hope you're doing well today. --Traci, UC-IBD Team Member
