My name is Divya and I'm 32 years old. I have been living with IBD over the last 3+ years. I would like to share my journey of how my life changed after I was diagnosed. My entire life is divided in 2 parts- before and after my diagnosis. I was always a carefree girl, who enjoyed food and lived a stress-free life. But I used to have an upset stomach and pain frequently for a few years. Four years ago, in Sep2020 I had a vomiting incident followed by a severe stomach ache. This is the first time I was admitted to the hospital for my condition. All this happened just one month before my wedding. Post that, I was having abdominal pain on a regular basis and I vomited whenever I ate. I had gone through multiple blood tests but all test reports were normal. The doctors were not able to diagnose the root cause of the pain. They suggested I get treatment for Gastritis and stop taking so much stress for the wedding preparations. They had prescribed me some medicines and I used to get discharged after 2 days. After a few months after my marriage the same pains and vomiting started again. This time I opted to take Homeopathic treatment. The Homeopathic doctor suggested that there was no major issue, and that it can be cured. I regretted taking that advice, although I got relief in my pain but that was all temporary. I still had to rush to the hospital to get a pain killer injection every time I got abdominal pain while eating a normal meal. I was not getting a satisfying treatment anywhere. On September 6th, 2021 I was in severe pain and my condition was very critical as I vomited 6-7 times. I was in a semi conscious state and was admitted to Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi in the emergency ward. My case had been referred to Dr. Yogesh Batra, Sr. Consultant Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology in Apollo Hospital. By now I had already received 2-3 pain killer injections but still I didn’t get any relief. Again, I went through multiple blood tests and ultrasound but all reports came back normal. Dr. Batra suggested getting a CT abdomen done to find out the reason for the pain. Finally they found something! Then I was sent for a Colonoscopy where they found that there was swelling near the small and large intestine and fistula. After reviewing all the reports, I was diagnosed with Chron’s disease named Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Although I didn’t have major symptoms of IBD but this was still an IBD case. I found myself fortunate that my case was referred to Dr. Yogesh Batra and I finally found the reason for the pain. Being a married girl, it was a really difficult phase for me and for my family. Dr. Batra suggested the biological Injection treatment for my case and with my family’s consent, the treatment started. On 10th September,2023 I got first biological injection named, Infleximab. At first, I got the injection three times in three months and then every two months I needed to take the injection. During the 2 years of this treatment, I faced some side effects of the injection but I never gave up. My family and the team of doctors and nurses were extremely supportive, and kept pushing me. Dr. Yogesh Batra recommended I start working out and go to the Gym, try Yoga or any exercise. This played a great role in improving my health and revived my body’s strength while I went through the treatment. It's been 6 months now since physical exercise has become part of my daily routine and I feel so much better. The instances of severe pain and hospital runs are almost negligible. My latest CT reports show around 40-50% improvement in my intestine. I have overcome the side effects which I was facing and my medicine dosage has been reduced. I’ll be forever grateful to Dr. Batra who has supported me at every step and helped me regain my health. I still have a long way to go, I still need to take my medicines regularly and I follow strict dietary restrictions. But I can definitely say that for the first time in years I feel fit and healthy, both physically and mentally. I will end my story by saying that do not lose hope if you are also fighting a daily battle with IBD like me. With some lifestyle changes, medication and dedication you can get back to living a healthy, happy life without feeling scared of having your next meal.
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-Divya Bhatia
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