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Good morning! Today I’m sharing Ashara Keyes story – living with Crohn’s Disease.

Sharing your stories is one of my fave things to do on this platform I’ve built. The stories allow me to introduce you to many incredible women, while forming a truly supportive community.

Meet Ashara Keyes. Today she is sharing some of her Crohn’s journey

Be sure to check her out on Instagram as well.

Living with Crohn’s Disease

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I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in May of 2010. I still in high school. Even though I was an A* student, I wasn’t able to sit on any exams because of my first flare up.

I was suffering for about 2 years prior with a mis-diagnosis of IBS. My symptoms were so severe before the diagnosis that at age 14 I had surgery to remove piles/hemorrhoids. The hospital assumed the bleeding was related to that rather than IBD. It wasn’t until I lost two stone in weight in a month and couldn’t hold any food down that the doctors really started paying attention.

I had an endoscopy, colonoscopy and was put on a liquid diet (Modulen). This was accompanied by a cocktail of drugs to take every morning; steroids and azathioprine. The drugs didn’t control it for long so in 2012 I started Remicade, which my body had difficulty adjusting to at first.

In 2015, I fell pregnant with my daughter. I stopped taking all medications and was fine! However, 2 days after I gave birth, I went into an extreme flare. No drugs worked.

I am finally on Entivyo (a biologic drug that I receive through the drip every month) after about 4 different bouts of steroids in the past year and a half and trying Humira.

I am still waiting to see if this drug (Entivyo) will work for me. In the meantime, I have changed my diet completely drinking smoothies every morning and eliminating wheat, gluten, lactose, meat, and yeast. 

Why I Am A Gutsy Girl

I am a Gutsy Girl because I am fearless. I still go for what I want in life even if it seems impossible or like too much work.

Before I was diagnosed I would go out to parties and events with friends and I was able to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I would go out for meals or stay in and pig out; pizza was my favourite.

I still got up to go to school from 8 till 4 everyday, and completed college even though it was a massive struggle.

Now I am a mother to a beautiful 3 year old girl. And I am currently doing a yoga teacher training course (I am nearly at the end).

I feel the best thing about me is that I am not afraid to talk about my condition or ask for help, be it physically or simply deadline extensions.

I cannot eat all the time, have to avoid gluten and wheat, and am often on liquid diets. But I am still smiling and surviving each day. And I’m constantly encouraging people in my situation or similar to love and embrace themselves while we all fight this battle for health together.

I want everyone to flourish, excel and fulfill their full potential regardless of what their limitations may be.

Thank YOU for sharing, Ashara! And remember, if you’d like to submit your OWN A Gutsy Girl story to share here, please contact me HERE (or email me direct at sarahkay at agutsygirl.com).

Xox,
SKH