Am I Overreacting?

I am definitely guilty of falling into the category of Crohn's disease patients who think "Should I call my doctor, or am I overreacting"? I don't know why, but being seen as an "overreactor" is worse than whatever could be wrong within my body.

Chills with diarrhea for 3 days? Probably just a stomach bug.

Chronic pain in my lower right side? Probably just a pulled muscle.

Aches and pains with a fever? Just a really bad cold.

Justifying symptoms and hesitation to call the doctor

I can honestly come up with a reason why I shouldn't call my GI about any Crohn's-related symptom and have justified my symptoms to a dangerous level out of fear that it would be nothing and I would be the "Little Girl Who Cried Crohn's."

But, that is a BIG MISTAKE.

Taking signs and symptoms seriously with Crohn's

As Crohn's patients, we have to take every single little thing that seems "off" with our bodies seriously. Please, take it from someone who learned this the hard way.

But, if you are someone like me who is afraid to be the patient who is calling his/her doctor over any minor issue that truly is nothing, consider the following steps:

The steps to take when something seems wrong with Crohn's

1. Give it a day or two

I always wait a couple of days to see if my symptoms go away with OTC meds or on their own. Sometimes we just eat something that doesn't agree with us, which will pass in a few days. Unless you are in excruciating pain and/or see blood in your stool, wait it out a day or two before jumping to conclusions.

2. Do NOT Google symptoms!

Going on WebMD or any form of diagnostic site will only cause more anxiety and stress and have you thinking the worst, which will only exasperate your symptoms. Avoid the internet as much as possible with any medical questions, especially when it comes to your Crohn's.

3. Write symptoms down

I like writing down my symptoms, the time of day that I feel them, and what I had to eat that day so that I can see if there is any trend or pattern.  For example, I was suffering from chest pain and extreme production of saliva after eating most foods so I wrote down what I ate and drank from the time I woke up until I went to bed and when the pain started.

After doing this for 3 days, I felt that it could have been acid reflux so I cut out my morning cup of coffee and started taking Tums. After two days, my symptoms subsided, and I stopped drinking coffee on an empty stomach going forward.

4. Don't care what anyone thinks about Crohn's symptoms

If, after waiting a day or two and making changes you think would help to no avail, please call your GI. Maybe it is nothing, but what if it is something that needs to be addressed?

The downside of not treating a symptom is much worse than looking like a "liar" should it not be anything at all. Who cares if you call your doctor asking for an appointment, only to be told everything looks ok?

Who cares if you say you are feeling extremely fatigued and ask for blood work to check your iron levels, only to find that they are normal? 

Just ask. We, as patients, have all endured too much pain and trauma with this disease to let anything go undetected.

It's better to be safe than sorry with Crohn's

So, if you are afraid that your current symptoms may be nothing, and that you are overreacting to something that does not require immediate attention, walk yourself through the above steps, and if you cannot wait any longer or would feel more comfortable speaking to a doctor, act on it.

Make a phone call, send a message through your patient portal, or visit your nearest urgent care/ER because we all know that it is much better to be safe than sick.