'I had my intestine removed but I'm not ashamed of my ileostomy bag': Bride, 25, with Crohn's disease says surgery was one of the best decisions she's ever made

Lauren Henderson was diagnosed with Crohn's disease aged 21

Condition causes the lining of the digestive system to become inflamed

Was told at 25 she needed surgery to remove her large intestine and an ileostomy bag fitted to collect waste - but struggled with the decision



Now says having the surgery means she is pain-free for first time in years

In a bid to raise awareness of condition, wore her 'bag' with bikini on holiday



A young bride has spoken of the huge dilemma she faced over whether to have her large intestine removed, meaning she would need an ileostomy bag for the rest of her life.

Lauren Henderson was just 25 when doctors said she would need surgery to treat Crohn's disease, which causes the lining of the digestive system to become inflamed.

Her condition had become so bad that doctors said she would need surgery to relieve pressure on the large intestine, instead fitting her with a bag to collect solid digestive waste.



Brave: Lauren Henderson (on her wedding day earlier this year) was told she would need surgery to remove her large intestine and replace it with an ilesotomy bag

She said: 'I debated whether to get the surgery. I kept turning over in my mind whether it would change my image.

'I feared the unknown - what people would think, whether my relationships would change.'

She eventually decided to go ahead with the surgery and, far from hiding from the consequences of her illness, wore her ileostomy bag on honeymoon as proof that she survived her life-changing Crohn’s disease diagnosis.



She said: 'A fter everything, it’s been perfectly manageable and I’m so glad I had the surgery. I can’t believe I went for so long being in such pain.'

Mrs Henderson, who has a three-year-old son, Teddy, was diagnosed with the condition four years ago.

She said: 'At first, I thought my upset tummy was due to food poisoning. It started getting particularly bad during my final year of university. I was so ill that I was crying in front my tutor.

Happy: Mrs Henderson, pictured with husband Kieran and son Teddy, was diagnosed with the digestive disorder Crohn's disease when she was 21

Support: Mrs Henderson's condition causes the lining of the digestive system to become inflamed. It became so bad that doctors said she would need surgery to relieve pressure on the large intestine, instead fitting her with a bag

'It felt like there was a hot stone bouncing around in my lower abdomen. It was mortifying to have to run to the loo so frequently, sometimes mid-conversation.

'When the diagnosis finally came I was relieved I didn’t have cancer, but for a while I was in denial about how I would need to deal with Crohn’s for the rest of my life.'

Mrs Henderson, a drama teacher, met her husband Kieran, an IT specialist, on a plane to Benidorm in August 2011.

In the first few weeks of their relationship, Mrs Henderson, now 26, hesitated from informing her new partner about the full extent of her incurable condition.



Awareness: Far from hiding from the consequences of her illness, Mrs Henderson wore her ileostomy bag on honeymoon as proof that she survived her life-changing Crohn’s disease diagnosis



She said: 'I tried to hide what was going on, but it became increasingly difficult.



'Exhaustion made my life a misery. Things came to a head one day when we were sat in the car and all I could think about was how desperate I was for the loo.

'Kieran already had an inkling from talking to my mum, but I decided to tell him everything.



WHAT IS CROHN'S DISEASE?

Crohn’s disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system. Inflammation can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the back passage, but most commonly occurs in the last section of the small intestine (ileum) or the large intestine (colon).

Symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fatigue and weight loss and, in the long term, the inflammation can result in additional complications, such as narrowing of the colon.

It isn’t fully understood what causes it but genes, a faulty immune system and previous infection may play a role.

There is no cure but there are medications to help control symptoms. In up to 75 per cent of cases, surgery will be needed to repair damaged parts of the digestive system.

here are currently at least 115,000 people living with Crohn’s disease in the UK.

Crohn's disease can affect people of all ages, including children. However, most cases first develop between the ages of 16 and 30 .



'He was completely unphased. He simply told me how brave I was, and how he’d always support me.'

Mr Henderson, 22, proposed in January 2012, the day before Mrs Henderson decided to go ahead with the surgery to separate her large intestine from her small intestine.



The operation in June 2012 resulted in her being fitted with an ileostomy bag, which collects all solid digestive waste. In December, the change was made permanent when surgeons removed her large intestine.



Despite the life-changing surgery, Mrs Henderson refused to let the modification to her body stop her from enjoying life to the full.



She said her wedding in March 2013 and her subsequent honeymoon to Jamaica helped to restore her confidence.

She said: 'I had picked out the perfect wedding dress, and I was worried how whether the surgery would stop me from wearing it. As it turned out, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. Quite the opposite.



'I attended my brother’s wedding as a bridesmaid before the surgery and that occasion was utterly ruined by the symptoms after I ate something which didn’t agree with me.

'The surgery allowed me to enjoy my wedding to the full. I could eat what I wanted and was free to be myself. It was absolutely wonderful.

Together: Mr Henderson, 22, proposed in January 2012, the day before Mrs Henderson decided to go ahead with the surgery to separate her large intestine from her small intestine. The couple married in March this year



'I found the perfect bikini for our honeymoon - a nice two-piece. At first I thought I couldn’t wear it because of the ileostomy bag but Kieran told me to buy it if I liked it.



'I wore it on honeymoon and I didn’t care in the slightest what people thought. We had a wonderful time.'

Mrs Henderson, of Kidderminster, has now started connecting with people online who are considering whether to go through with bowel surgery.

Plight: Mrs Henderson has now started connecting with people online who are considering whether to go through with bowel surgery

She said: 'I spoke to one young woman who was in a similar situation to me. I was able to reassure her and she’s had her surgery now. She’s doing fine.



'I’ve been contacted by several people - mostly women, but some men - who have found it useful to hear about my experiences.



'If I can help to make anyone feel less anxious about their decision, then I think that’s wonderful.'

Anyone interested in joining Mrs Henderson's support group can find it online by searching “Support Young People With Crohn’s - Become Aware!” on Facebook.