Crohn's Disease

The last few years have been hard for me, health wise, and I feel obligated to share some incredible products with you that have helped to change our lives. I have had Crohn's Disease since I was sixteen years old. Crohn'sDisease is a disease that attacks the digestive system of the body and can infect anywhere from the mouth to the anus. I had been quite lucky with it until a few years ago when I suffered from complications of the diseaseresulting in removal of 32 inches of my small intestine with Laposcoptic surgery, and the repair of an abscess fistula. It would take me pages to explain what it has been like for me living with this disease so all I willsay is that my body, especially my rectum, seem to be slowly deteriorating. There is not much we know on how you get this disease, but it may be hereditary. My bowel movements are frequent and usually in the form ofdiarrhea. I was somewhat of a hermit for fear of leaving my house with my daughter, being in the car or in the middle of the mall, and having to rush to a bathroom, which has happened many times.My pregnancy to Christina was wonderful and there were no complications at all. In fact, I felt wonderful the entire pregnancy, the best I had felt since I got this disease. She is very healthy and we thank God for our angel.It is hard to believe she is almost 18 months old now. Time goes by so quickly and these moments are so precious.Anyway, during the pregnancy I found out that I have Hepatitis C. (Christina has been tested negative for this virus which we again thank God for.) This virus enters your blood and is mostly transmitted blood to blood. It is rarefor a baby to contract the virus while in delivery, and is rarely transmitted sexually. (Erik was tested and negative, also.) In 1985, I had to have a blood transfusion due to my first real attack from the Crohn's Disease. I must have contracted it then because they did not know about Hepatitis C at that time. This virus can stay dormant for years without being detected. The only way to know if you have it is to be tested specifically for Hepatitis C.This virus can cause cancer and/or cirrhosis of the liver if left untreated. I did have a liver biopsy and some other liver tests and I have neither at this time. In October of 1999, I began a six-month to one-year treatment thathas a 20-30% chance of curing the virus. This treatment is called REBETRON Combination Therapy and has some nasty side effects such as flu-like symptoms including nausea, excessive fatigue, headaches, depression, body aches,fever, loss of appetite, mood swings, memory loss, etc. and has affected my entire family. We thank God for our wonderful family and friends that have been extra supportive and helpful. In May of 1999, I was introduced to a product by a couple I met that go to the same church as we do, called Isotonix OPC-3. I started taking it rightaway along with the Isotonix vitamins. After the first month, I did not think I noticed a difference until I stopped taking the OPC-3 and vitamins. After a week or so, I started to feel fatigued all the time, which I had felt sincethe birth of Christina and before the pregnancy, so I decided to start taking both again. Within a few days, I noticed that I had more energy and within the next six weeks, I really started to feel good most of the time. I hadeven gained some weight. People were actually telling me how good I was looking. I was also taking Ultimate Aloe for less than a month before starting my treatment. I am now drinking Ultimate Aloe. About two weeks afterending my Hepatitis C treatment, my bowel movements went from anywhere from 4-12 daily to 2 daily.The Hepatitis C no longer showed up in my system after the first three months of treatment. I did experience some of the side effects listed above, especially fatigue, due to the medication since October. I believe with all my heart that if I was not taking the Isotonix OPC-3 and Isotonix vitamins that my symptoms would have been more severe than they were from other people I have talked with. Since completing my treatment, I feel absolutely incredible and everyone keeps telling me how wonderful I look. Thank God for Market America and their wonderful products. If you have any questions or concerns, or just want to talk, please contactme. We wish you much happiness and good health.Best Wishes