Life with Ulcerative Colitis

Sixth Major Flare-Up

2011-07-10T20:52:00.000-07:00

I am not sure you could call this a "major" flare-up, but it definitely hit me hard and fast this time around. It's been nearly two years since my last flare-up, and I'm not sure I even want to count this one.

But, a flare-up is a flare-up, correct? Oh well, I guess so...

This flare-up most likely originated from me taking large amounts of whey protein over a 4 week period. Read my experience on Ulcerative Colitis and P90X to learn more about what I went through.

In fact, to tell you the truth, I don't think it was just the whey protein. I started eating really healthy, which included loads of raw fruits and vegetables, in addition to some nutrient-packed nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and peanuts.

While I feel the whey protein was the main culprit, the other foods probably only worsened my condition.

Sixth Major Flare-Up

The UC flare-up hit right around the end of my fourth week of P90X. I felt some small crampings, which I thought were associated with bowel movements. The next day, the cramps went from light and infrequent to moderately painful and frequent. The third day, I was doubled over and cramping every 30 minutes or so.

I spent one day trying to rest under these flare-up conditions, then said enough is enough. I went to my local emergency room, where they immediately drew my blood and hooked me up to some IV fluids, steroids, nausea medicine, cramping medicine, and a small pain reliever.

I was offered morphine, but I refused. Morphine is awesome ladies and gentlemen, but it should only be used in worst case scenarios. I knew I wasn't as bad as I had been in the past, so I passed on the morphine, and they gave me an IV version of Vicodin instead.

After almost 3 hours in the ER, I was a brand new man with 3 prescriptions to help me through the flare-up.

Diet Changes

I completely changed my diet to my normal ulcerative colitis diet, which consisted of:

chicken noodle soup
chicken and rice soup
saltine crackers
toast
jello
gatorade
water

That was all I had for almost 3 straight days. As my stomach started feeling better and stronger, I slowly started integrating more foods, such as turkey, cooked veggies, wheat bread, etc.

Now, I am back to my normal diet, except I have completely abandoned the whey protein. I truly feel that was the main reason my flare-up was triggered, and ever since I stopped taking it, my UC has completely gone back into remission.

Doc Visit

Have to visit my doc this week, and I am pretty much betting on him scheduling me for a colonoscopy. Love the meds I get for the scoping, but HATE the prep needed the night before. I don't think I've ever met a person who enjoys chugging all that Go-Litely. No matter what I mix it with, it still tastes like cat-you-know-what.

Hope everyone out there with UC is doing well! Take care of your bodies, mind what your stomach tells you, and keep those stress levels low!

Thanks for reading, and thanks for visiting my blog!

P90x and Ulcerative Colitis

2011-07-10T20:27:00.000-07:00

I bet that's the last two words you would expect to see together, right? Well, your truly decided to take P90x for a spin, and I love it! I am on week 9, and have shed weight, as well as built some pretty strong muscle!

Now, before I get all worked up, let me say I was not overweight to begin with, but I was losing definition in just about every way possible. Being a newbie 30-year old, it's really time to start taking care of my body to the best of my ability!

I weighed in on day 1 at 170 pounds. As of this writing, I have held steady at around 158 pounds, thank to great eating and lots of P90x.

What is P90X?

Don't worry, I'm not trying to sell you some P90X (it's great though). All P90X is about is high intensity interval training that never lets you body rest. It contains phases of muscle confusion that never lets your body plateau, or stop gaining strength and muscle.

It also consists of some strict, but extremely healthy dieting. IN my case, I was trying to lose weight, but gain muscle. So, my diet included lots of protein. To help add more protein to my diet, I decided to add whey protein, which is a by-product of cheese, aka a milk product. See where I am going with this?

Whey Protein and a Flare-up

After about 4 weeks of P90X and taking whey protein almost every day, a very decent ulcerative colitis flare-up started to hit me. This flare-up didn't creep in like ones in the past have. This one hit me FULL FORCE. I was doubled over in a couple of days, with severe cramping and stool changes that usually take weeks or months.

I almost thought I had food poisoning. But as fate would have it, and an emergency room visit confirmed, a UC flare-up was raging. After a heavy dose of IV fluids, some steroids, and a cocktail of pain relievers and cramping reducers, I was feeling much better.

I stopped my workouts immediately (because I couldn't do them without stomach pain), and changed my diet to the awesome chicken noodle soup and toast plan. I mixed in some jello as well, in addition to some flavor-packed saltine crackers. I was thrilled. Sarcasm about here, folks.

Anyways, I was more upset that I was getting thrown of my P90X plan than I was about the dumb UC flare-up.

After a week of rest, my flare-up subsided tremendously, and I was almost back to normal. I started integrating my normal diet back into my meal plans, and came to some conclusions.

No more WHEY PROTEIN. This was what I suspect was the main culprit behind the flare-up, especially given the amount I was consuming each day.
Reduction of raw fruits and vegetable intake by about half.
No more healthy nuts (peanuts, walnuts, almonds) until flare-up was completely gone for a week.

After my adjustments, I have not had one single flare-up symptom, and I feel better than ever. I have continued my P90X routine, albeit one week behind schedule, and have never felt better.

I replaced the whey protein with more chicken and turkey, and have incorporated more cooked beans for the raw fruits and veggies. Nuts have come back into my diet recently, but only a handful a day.

My stomach has melted away, and I can see my little six-pack again! My scrappy and undefined chest now has some great definition! I am working hard on my shoulders, and while progress is slower in that area, I'm still trying very hard!

Does P90X work with Ulcerative Colitis?

Absolutely, I'd recommend it in a heartbeat! Here are my words of caution, or wisdom if you prefer. Diet is just as important, if not more important than working out. Diet doesn't necessarily mean eating less to lose weight, but rather eating RIGHT...eating HEALTHY.

When choosing your diet, make sure to be very careful of UC forbidden foods. Small amounts of these foods may be okay while in remission, but don't chance it if your colitis is active or flaring-up.

Oh, and the workouts? Pure awesome. They are hard as anythin you've ever done, but pure awesome.

June and Remission!

2010-06-20T07:10:00.001-07:00

It is mid-June now, and I can comfortably say I am back in remission! Ulcerative Colitis, stay the hell away! The blood has finally disappeared, and everything is seemingly back to normal. Of course, now that I have blogged about it, I'm sure it will come raging back any day now. Perfect way to jinx myself.

The road to remission was a long one, though it could have been worse. In the past, I have gone up to a year trying to get my colon back to normal. My regimine included: eating a healthy diet, working out regularly, and making sure I got enough sleep to allow my body to rest and recover.

I didn't go quite as hardcore on the diet as I could have. I included fiber regularly (yes, I ate salads and raw fruits), and even splurged with a soft drink every now and then. I didn't avoid dairy this time either, keeping yogurt and cheese a regular part of my meals. Luckily, I cannot stomach milk by itself, so I never drink milk straight. Not that I would anyways, with this whole ulcerative colitis thing and all.

Baby on the Way

The due date for our second child is getting closer, and the last hing I want is for my UC to flare up again. Hopefully I have remedied my latest flare-up, so I can be a healthy daddy come delivery day!

I think it's important for me to re-emphasize how important getting rest and keeping your body in shape is to recovery from flare-ups. Far too often in society today, we tend to let ourselves slip into an ongoing state of laziness and convenience. Ulcerative colitis feeds of these, and manifests itself into a monster we unleash on our colon.

To fight towards remission, and to maintain remission, working out regularly and getting enough sleep are vital pieces of the puzzle. The body needs to be healthy, and it knows when it needs its rest. Every aspect is a key component to a healthier ulcerative colitis lifestyle!

Weaning Steroids

2010-03-18T00:30:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to my GI doc and gave him my 6 week ulcerative colitis update: bowel movements back to normal, occasional blood and mucus, but not too much. With the good news, he has started weaning me off my prednisone, downing my 20mg per day to 15mg per day. I am to wean 5mg every week until I am not taking the steroids any longer.

I still have to stay on my 3 Lialda daily, whereas I was at 2 daily prior to my UC flare-up. Funny thing last week was that my doc mentioned a colonoscopy 6 weeks ago, but not at my most recent appointment. It's strange I am actually going to have to request a colonoscopy. Whugh.

Anyways, next doc appointment is 6 months away, barring any further flare-ups. I have a hunch that the appointment then will yield a colonoscopy scheduling regardless if I call sooner or not. We will see.

Ulcerative Colitis and Caffeine

2010-03-14T15:09:00.001-07:00

How does caffeine affect ulcerative colitis? We know that caffeine does not cause ulcerative colitis, but we do know that caffeine can worsen symptoms of a flare-up. This can mean increased irritability of the bowels, passing more blood in stools, and further worsening abdominal cramping.

I love my caffeinated drinks, especially soft drinks. Even energy drinks have been my friend from time to time. I have completely omitted these drinks from my diet on many occasions, only to have them creep back into my life in some way or form. While one soft drink isn't likely to cause my body to throw itself into another UC flare-up, continuing to drink them makes them become a part of my daily routine, which can put me at higher risk for active ulcerative colitis.

So, how exactly does caffeine worsen UC symptoms?

Caffeine increases certain hormone levels in the body, including cortisol and epinephrine. These hormones can increase heart rate and alertness. Have you ever seen a medical TV show where a person is dying and the doctors call out for "Epi" STAT! This is epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), and is commonly used in medical emergencies to help prepare the body for critical situations by directing blood to the brain and muscles. By doing so, blood bypasses other body systems, such as the digestive system. This can lead to indigestion, which can irritate ulcerative colitis smptoms.
Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it will make a person void, or urinate. By forcing liquid from the kidneys, too much caffeine can essentially cause dehydration. The digestive tract requires a healthy amount of water to function normally, and if the body is dehydrated, it can produce harder stools, which can lead to consitpation. Constipation can irritate or worsen ulcerative colitis symptoms.
Caffeine can interfere with a process called GABA metabolism. GABA is short for gamma-aminobutyric acid, and is is a neurotransmitter that is made by the digestive tract and the brain. GABA is unique because it essentially creates a calming effect for the digestive system. Caffeine acts to block GABA with their repective receptors, thus disrupting any calming effect on the gastrointestinal tract. For people with active ulcerative colitis, the lack of this calming mechanism can further worsen UC symptoms.

The simple recommendation for people with ulcerative colitis would be to avoid caffeine entirely, as the risks far outweigh the benefits. Of course, I am not a doctor, so you should always check with your physician for advice of this sort.

Personally, my goal is to completely remove caffeine from my diet. Though I am not a coffee drinker, my soft drink cravings could make this difficult. To start weaning, I will be drinking non-caffeinated soft drinks, such as root beer. Sprite and 7-up are good options too, but after mixing those with my go-litely and other nasty UC drinks, I can't even stomach the lemon-lime taste anymore. It's a work in progress, but I will get there.

Information and facts from this article were pulled from "Effects of Caffeine and Coffee on
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, & Colitis" [Source].

Ulcerative Colitis and Breastfeeding

2010-03-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

Does breastfeeding help keep ulcerative colitis in remission? Does breastfeeding prevent ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in an infant? These are questions commonly asked by mothers with ulcerative colitis, as breastfeeding can play a crucial role in the development of an infant. While there have been several studies conducted on the theory that breastfeeding can help keep ulcerative colitis at bay, there is no conclusive evidence that supports this as fact. The good news is that these studies HAVE shown a reduced incidence of UC, and other IBDs as well.

I have combed through several medical journals and websites looking for information in regards to the effects of breastfeeding and ulcerative colitis. My caution to people out there doing the same thing is to be aware of forums and blogs with content from mothers and women who are sharing their breastfeeding experiences online. While these can be great resources and offer support and encouragement, unless they are a doctor or PhD, or Nurse Practitioner, take what they say with a grain of salt. If it is fact you are looking for, look for websites and journals that have documented studies and research on the subject of breastfeeding and ulcerative colitis.

Why is Ulcerative Colitis less likely when breastfed?

Breast milk offers infants a very rich source of antibodies, giving their weak immune systems a strong source of vitamins, proteins, and fats. Breastfeeding has already been shown to protect against several immune system related diseases, including: bronchial asthma, atopicdermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and type 1 diabetesmellitus. Because of this, it is possible that breastfeeding will offer protection against ulcerative colitis as well.

Here is the research and review from the above information: [Source]

The conclusion of the research was that the theory that breastfeeding helps reduce instances of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's is supported, but not conclusive. This offers a beacon of hope for mothers and families with a history of UC, and other IBDs as well.

Can breastfeeding reduce a mother's risk of UC flare-ups?

The simple answer is...possibly. Again, there is a large amount of evidence supporting this theory, but again, nothing conclusive has been agreed upon. Of the reports I looked at, I found this one to be the most helpful, given that a large percentage of women who breastfed with ulcerative colitis did not experience a flare-up.

For mothers with ulcerative colitis who breastfed, 29% had a flare-up, while 44% of those who did not breastfeed experienced a flare-up. That is a noticeable increase for non-breastfeeding mothers.

The report done by Dr. Dana Moffatt can be found here: [Source]

Breastfeeding is Beneficial to Mom and Baby

I am a strong advocate for breastfeeding. Why? Because of the many benefits it brings to baby and mother. Breast milk is packed with antibodies, and provides nutrients that formula simply cannot duplicate. The bonding experience between mother and baby is second to none, and an incredibly rewarding experience for mothers.

Does that mean I am anti-formula? Of course not. Working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, I see great things from formula. There are many different kinds used to help in a variety of ways, also offering an alternative for mothers who are unable to breastfeed.

Formula is an excellent alternative to breastfeeding, I just believe that breastfeeding is second to none! I have an article on NeonatalICU.com about breastfeeding benefits if you would care to read more about the benefits of breastfeeding: Infant Breastfeeding Benefits.

I Spy Blood

2010-03-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

It has been five weeks since increasing my meds for my most recent ulcerative colitis flare-up. While my bowel movements have returned to normal, and I have been without any pain for almost the full duration of the five weeks, I still am spotting random blood here and there. Not with every bowel movement, but occasionalyl I still see the red on my toilet paper.

This seems to be a common trend whenever I am on prednisone. The steroid always seems to make the blood last a bit longer, and when I go off, or taper off, the blood usually goes away. I am one week away from the beginning of being tapered off my ulcerative colitis steroids, so here's crossing my fingers to the blood going away with it.

I also have seen some random mucus as well, though that is much more rare than the blood. Looks like a colonoscopy is in my near future!

Following up with my ravenous appetite, the prednisone continues so make me hunt for food. My energy level is also abnormally high, so there are times when I go a bit stir crazy. Luckily, I have some very nice outlets to burn off some of that bountiful hyperness. My wieght has stayed the same fortunately, though I'm not quite sure if my face has not gotten a little more cheekiness to it in the past five weeks or so!

If I do get my colonoscopy sometime in the near future, I will definitely be posting pics! Fair warning to those who read this! Hah!

Ulcerative Colitis and Family Genes

2010-02-24T08:56:00.000-08:00

Ulcerative colitis cannot be spread or caught. It is a hereditary disorder. Whatever the weakness or inability my body has with this disease, there is a chance I could pass it down to my kids, or that they could pass it down to their kids. I hope not, but it's always a possibility.

Ulcerative colitis does not run in my family, but IBS does. With several of my mom's immediate family having IBS and IBS symptoms, it's not a surprise that I have UC. No Crohn's, no colon cancer, no UC for anyone...just me and my ulcerative colitis luckily.

I have a daughter and another baby on they way. I can only pray that whatever condition I have is/was not passed on to them. Sure, it's a manageable disorder, but I would rather them not have to face the hardships of adjusting their life around ulcerative colitis, or anything similar.

I am fortunate in that I do not get embarrassed by my condition. I can talk about it freely with complete strangers, and I can take my urgent bathroom breaks without fearing people will hear or know what I am doing. It's a part of my life, and generally, people sympathize and understand. But, I know not everyone is as comfortable as I am.

For many people with ulcerative colitis, the symptoms that come along with active UC and flare-ups are very embarrassing. If any of my kids or eventual grandkids were to suffer embarrassment from this condition that were passed on from me, it would break my heart. Learning to cope and deal with ulcerative colitis is a hard task. Sharing it with those you love is difficult, and educating other friends and family can be even tougher. I would spare my kids this difficulty if I had the choice.

Only time will tell, though both of my kids will be at risk. It is something they will have to pay attention to their whole lives, because uclerative colitis and and IBD can present at any time.

I love my daughter, and my love is growing for my baby on the way with each passing day. As a father, I want to protect them from all harm, and would gladly take any amount of pain and suffering to prevent them from going through what I have gone through. Let's hope they have their mother's genes and can skip this inherited disease.

Ulcerative Colitis and Soft Drinks

2010-02-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

When having an ulcerative colitis flare-up, one thing you want to avoid is soft drinks. There are several reasons for this, including the problems caffeine, sugar, and corn syrup can have on some people experiencing ulcerative symptoms. The simple fact is, soft drinks can make ulcerative colitis worse.

While soft drinks cannot cause ulcerative colitis, they do have the ability to make symptoms worse, preventing the body from healing as it needs to. Caffeine alone can stimulate the intestines, worsening symtpoms such as gas, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and cramping.

Sugars and corn syrup also can worsen diarrhea associated with ulcerative colitis.

For these reasons alone, soft drinks should be avoided during a UC flare-up. If this information isn't motivation enough, soft drinks are also one of the leading convenience foods associated with obesity. The extraordinary sugar content in soft drinks can put unnecessary stress on the body.

For more information on ulcerative colitis and soft drinks, see this chart: St. John's Crohn's and UC Nutrition Therapy.
Also, interesting reading on sulfites and ulcerative colitis. Sulfites can be found in some soft drinks. See the study here: Associations between diet and disease activity in ulcerative colitis patients using a novel method of data analysis

Ulcerative Colitis - Lialda and Prednisone

2010-02-20T09:37:00.000-08:00

My current ulcerative colitis meds: Lialda and Prednisone. Lialda is a beacon of hope in my ulcerative colitis quest for remission. It is a delayed release mesalamine tablet, at a whopping 1.2 grams per tablet. The beauty of Lialda is that I only take it once a day.

Prednisone, the menacing steroid, threatening to cause my face to explode in chubbiness, continues to fester and strengthen my hunger. I am never full, never satisfied. I have stared this beast in the face before, and it is a very hard battle to fight.

I did an awful thing the last couple days. Twice I have been to McDonald's and indulged myself in 2 McDoubles. Whugh. Not only is the Prednisone causing me to eat more, it's causing me to eat more crap as well.

I guess I should fess up to the fact that my resistance to junk food is heavily strained, thanks to my current ulcerative colitis meds. I still try and stick to a good ulcerative colitis foods, but those $1 burgers have recently broken my willpower.

On a brighter note, it has been almost 3 years since I have had to take ulcerative colitis medications more than once a day. I take my 7 pills (3 Lialda, 4 Prednisone) all in the morning, and then I am done.

My biggest flaw taking previous UC meds was that I would miss doses becasue of how often I needed to take them during the day. When I was on sulfasalazine and asacol, I was taking those 3 times daily. Often, I would miss doses becasue of my schedule. No good excuses there, but it's the truth.

Thankfully, Lialda cures all. So long as it keeps me in remission, taking meds has become that much easier.

The Battle of Ulcerative Colitis Dieting

2010-02-17T07:06:00.000-08:00

First, let me start by saying I cleared up my commenting problem...feel free to comment at will! Thanks Rich, for letting me know it was an issue!

With my recent ulcerative colitis flare-up, I previously mentioned I had to go back onto the ultra-bland foods. You guys know the drill, no raw fibers, nuts, seeds, popcorn, etc. Lots of easy foods like soups, chicken, turkey, eggs, etc.

I have two problems with this type of dieting. First, for the last couple years I have been on a health food kick, meaning I have been eating just about as much 'natural food' as I can. This included lots of veggies and fruits, especially raw. With Lialda controlling my ulcerative colitis, I have been remarkably capable of tolerating these superfoods. I have even been able to eat walnuts, almonds, and peanuts in moderation.

With my current higher calorie intake (thanks prednisone), my system is readjusting to lots of foods my body is not used to taking. Sure, I still get stewed veggies and the like, but a change in diet is something my body is letting me know about. It's much harder counting those claories for sure.

The second problem I have is that my wife needs all sorts of crazy foods since she is pregnant. My grocery bills can skyrocket with her odd requests. This leaves me to try to adjust to her menu items as well, creating a very difficult balancing act. We have ice cream, crab cakes, lots of chocolate, fresh peaches, meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, Honey Bunches of Oats, and Tag Along Girl Scout cookies topping our list at the moment. OF all that, I thik the meatloaf and macaroni are the best items, and we know how slimming both of those can be!

Because my symptoms are still not back to normal (aka blood still spotted occasionally), I cannot start drifting back to my normal foods. Even then, I usually give my ulcerative colitis a good month of remission before I start changing foods anyways.

Let's hope the prednisone doesn't start catching up with me. The combination of increased appetite and higher calorie foods is a formidable enemy. Stay tuned!

Ulcerative Colitis Blogging and Update

2010-02-14T07:51:00.000-08:00

Hello, Ulcerative Colitis World! I am just now joining the ulcerative colitis online community, and I hope to entrench myself in this blogging adventure for years to come. I am no stranger to blogging, having been a blogger for the last 2 years or so. This, however, marks my first step into the ulcerative colitis blogging world.

I started out blogging about my wife's first pregnancy, and eventually, she took over that blog, while I started a new one about being a dad. Those two blogs taught me so much in terms of coding, content, and updating. That dad blog eventually died due to a busy schedule, though it lives on in another side family blog, which is also hosted here on Blogger.

My next venture was a gaming blog, a hobby I happened to pick up after my uclerative coltiis flare-ups. Gaming allows me to enjoy something while staying at home, and being available to my family. I can even interact with my friends on these games, so going out is not a necessary option. The perfect hobby for a family man! Nerdy or geeky? Maybe. But at least I can focus on what's important in my life, and still get time to myself.

My next blog was a site dedicated to providing information to parents who have babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. Since I work in the NICU, I was able to pool together some informational resources and create NeonatalICU.com.

Now, I venture into blogging about my ulcerative colitis. I have seen many blogs from women affected by UC, and that doesn't surprise me at all. Nearly 75% or so of consistent bloggers happen to be female. So, here's another male voice to toss into the mix.

With my most recent flare-up having been almost 3 weeks ago, I am almost completely back to normal. I noticed a tiny amount of blood the other day, but it has since disappeared. My 20mg of prednisone seems to be helping in combination with my Lialda dosage.

I've had to watch what I eat pretty carefully, but I have been able to tolerate some oranges and other fiber foods in small quantities. I've been pushing the vitamin C in juice form as well, devouring cranberry and orange juices for the last 2 weeks. I just so happened to catch a nasty cold about 4 days after my UC flare-up. Convenient, right?

You know what's funny? How my grocery list changed overnight. Healthy fresh fruits and veggies, whole wheat products, dairy...all gone. Instead, lots of soups, jello, white bread, chicken and turkey. The more bland the better.

Three more weeks until my check-up, and then I find out when my next colonoscopy will be. Talk about a fun blogging event!

Fifth Major Flare Up - Age 28

2010-02-13T14:44:00.000-08:00

My most recent ulcerative colitis flare-up was at age 28, which so happens to be 2.5 weeks ago at the time of this post. A number of contributing factors led to the flare-up, where I have had absolutely ZERO symptoms over the last 2 years under the medication, Lialda.

My wife switched jobs at the beginning of the year, and thus my primary insurance went from 2 primaries to just my own from my own job. We had been using both for all my medications, but this time around it was all on mine. Since my deductible had not been met at the beginning of the year, my payment due for my Lialda was a whopping $130 or so. Normally it is $25. After long discussions with my pharmacy, and with my insurance company, I indeed had to pay the $130.

These discussions took place over a two week period, in which I was taking no medication at all. Factor in some work-related stress, and my ulcerative colitis was a ticking bomb. I saw blood in my stool, and that quickly turned into diarrhea and more blood over the next couple days. Surprisingly, I was not cramping, but I did have nausea set in.

I quickly went to my gastroenterologist and he wanted to make sure I didn't have a virus or infection, which I didn't. He upped my Lialda from 2 a day to 3 a day, and put me on 20mg of prednisone. I am to be on this dose of meds for 6 weeks, and then I will head back to my doc's office to check up, and schedule my annual colonoscopy.

I took a week off from work to rest and get better. The only problem this time around, was that I have a 17 month old daughter, and a wife with extreme morning sickness. I still had to do as much as I could to keep our household running. Such is the life of marriage and parenthood! My rest was not the best it could be, but I tried my hardest to make sure and give my body time to heal.

The blood went away after about 3 days on the meds, and my bowel movements returned to normal after about a week. I occasionalyl see blood here and there, but everything else has pretty much returned to normal.

I am much better at recognizing and repsonding to my ulcerative colitis flare-ups the older I get. Taking care of myself and my body is top priority. I will continue this blog from this point on with updates and everything related to my ulcerative colitis. THanks for reading, and I hope you keep comnig back!

Fourth Major Flare Up - Age 26

2010-02-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

My fourth major ulcerative colitis flare-up came when I was 26 years old. This time around, I knew exactly how to handle myself. I was on 3 Asacol a day, 3 times a day. I was not on any steroids or other medications at the time. Asacol had managed my ulcerative colitis fairly well.

I noticed blood in my stool, which always seems to be the first symptom for me. I quickly changed my diet to my ulcerative colitis diet. No nuts, seeds, spicy foods, or raw fiber. Soft drinks were out as well.

About a week after I saw the symptoms, my uclerative colitis started acting up, and I got the cramping. The cramping actually progressed rapidly over a period of 3 days. I had called my doctor the day I noticed blood, and he told me to watch it for a couple days, increasing my Asacol at the same time. We were trying to avoid steroids if possible. We were going to try the new diet first. But with the cramping, I went in for a visit, scheduled a colonoscopy, and was put on steroids.

My colonoscopy revealed very active ulcerative colitis, and a polyp was removed as well. No cancer as it turned out. Regardless, my doctor wanted me to try a newer ulcerative colitis medication called Lialda.

Lialda is a whopping 1.2 GRAM tablet that I was taking 2 of, once a day. What makes this so special is the ability to take the med once a day. Most other ulcerative colitis anti-inflammatory meds were multiple times daily. Lialda also stayed concentrated longer, passing further into the intestines, where it could reach further inflammation.

The Lialda seemed like a cure-all. I was weaned from the steroids in about 8 weeks, and for the next two years, under Lialda, I never saw a hint of a a symptom of ulcerative colitis. No blood, mucus...NOTHING!

My wife and I had been dating for over a year at this point, and she was able to learn how serious this condition is. I had to educate her on ulcerative colitis very quickly. It's one thing to tell someone about UC, but it's another thing entirely to have them go through it. Nonetheless, she was a strong support for me, allowed me to rest and heal, and was a wonderful woman!

My next flare-up would be two and a half years later, and very much my own fault.

Third Major Flare Up - Age 20

2010-02-13T12:46:00.000-08:00

My third major ulcerative colitis flare-up occurred when I was 20, and I was in my fall semester of college. Long hours and late nights led to rapid progression of some ulcerative colitis symptoms I was having, in addition to forgetting to take some of my medications.

I drove home after bloody stools turned into cramping. I was determined not to go to the hospital this time. I saw my doctor the day I got back, and he upped my dosage of Asacol. He also scheduled me for my very first Remicade appointment.

Remicade is an anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressant IV drug. The remicade infusions were great, and cleared up my symptoms very quickly. I was having them every 3 months, and they lasted about 2 hours each. I remember being in the doctor's office for my treatment, watching movies or sleeping. Very relaxing.

It took a week off from school to get back into enough health to go back. I was on Remicade for a little more than a year.

For the next 6 years I had minor on and off ulcerative colitis flare-ups, noticing blood here, a little mucus there. During this time I met my wife, who was able to experience ulcerative colitis first hand for the very first time when I turned 26.

Second Major Flare Up - Age 20

2010-02-13T10:53:00.001-08:00

My second major ulcerative colitis flare-up was the worst. I was in the hospital for nearly two and a half weeks as my doctor tried to do everything possible to prevent me from having surgery. My ulcerative colitis symptoms were the worst they had ever been.

Working as a restaurant manager, I was pulling 72 hours a week, working 6 days minimum. The weight of the world was on my shoulders as I was a 20 year old interim general manager. It took my restaurant 3 months to find a permanent GM, where I was placed back into an assistant manager position. Nevertheless, the job had taken its toll on me.

Factor in as well that I was nearing the end of a very ugly 2 year relationship, that ultimately ended with some domestic violence...from her. It wasn't anything too serious, but I put an immediate stop to that the first time I was swung at.

Needless to say, stress and exhaustion ultimately spun my ulcerative colitis symptoms out of control. After 3 weeks of symptoms, they drastically got worse, and about 5 days later I was in the hospital.

Much like my first flare-up, my ulcerative colitis symptoms consisted of:

Extremely bloody stools. Blood in the water as well. Much more blood than my previous flare-up.
Diarrhea
Frequent bowel movements, approximately every 20 minutes. Very little stool with actual bowel movements, but lots of blood. Often I would just stay curled up on the bathroom floor waiting for my next urge to hit.
Extreme nausea. Vomiting every hour or so. Was so dehydrated at this point that it was lots of gagging and very little substance actually coming back up.
Inability to eat. Could not keep anything on my stomach. Couldn't even keep water down.
Extreme cramping, causing large amounts of abdominal pain. On a scale of 1 to 10, my pain was a 10.
Extreme exhaustion. I wanted to sleep, but my body wouldn't let me.
Extreme difficulty walking, due to the pain I was in.

I was driven to the ER, and this time, we knew what I was suffering from. I was very quickly given an IV, in addition to blood work and a suppository. The suppository stayed in for maybe 5 minutes. I told them it wasn't going to work, but they insisted.

As I was hurling from the side of my bed into a trash can, they decided to take me and have me stand up for an x-ray. Bad idea. It was once interrupted for an emergency bowel movement, and then again after another bout of nausea. I did manage to summon every bit of strength I had to stand up straight so they could get their images afterwards.

My pain was so intense that they actually gave me morphine in the ER. The morphine worked so fast, that in moments the pain subsided. It truly is a miracle pain drug. I might have lasted 10 minutes before I fell asleep in the ER, exhausted, and finally free of pain...for the moment.

When I woke up, I was still in the ER, but they were moving me to a private room. More nausea and bowel movements followed throughout the night, and thus ended day one.

Day 2

Morphine was a consistent part of my treatment throughout the next week and a half. I wasn't on a pump, so I had to call for it when my pain got really bad. They increased the dosage after two days, then started weaning me off a couple days after that. The best sleep I had was with Morphine.

When your body is constantly wracked with cramps and abdominal pain, any temporary relief is a blessing. Ulcerative colitis can plague your intestines with so much ulceration and inflammation that it tears you apart from the inside out.

Day two saw my vomiting subside, but the pain was still there. I was constantly lying in my bed on my side, in a fetal position. My parents were at my side night and day.

Day 2 has me scheduled for a PICC line placement in my upper left arm. This was to help feed my body nutrients from a TPN. A TPN is basically liquid food. Since my stomach and GI tract couldn't handle anything at all, nutrients would be delivered to my body through my bloodstream, via PICC line.

They tried to place the PICC line 3 times. I was given a local anesthetic, but I could still feel the doctor digging around in my arm. It was a dull pain that made me grind my teeth. Ultimately, the PICC line failed, because I was so dehydrated that my veins were collapsing every time they tried to insert the line. I still carry a scar on my arm where they tried to insert the line.

Finally, they had to resort to a central line, which was placed on my chest, just above my heart. This fed everything straight into my system, circulating very rapidly. The morphine was given to me in my central line in this point as well, and it was instant relief. I'm telling you, as soon as they started pushing the med through, I felt the pain ebb.

The central line was removed a couple days before I was discharged, so I had it for just about my entire hospital stay.

Days 3-7

My body was not healing during this time period. My nausea was gone, but the cramping was still very intense, and the pain was still about an 8 on a scale of 10. I had a CT scan done, as well as an abdominal sonogram. No colonoscopy had been done yet. I was also on a healthy dose of IV prednisone. Whatever other medications I was on, it is difficult for me to remember.

Days 8-10 and the NG Tube

Days 8 through 10 were the absolute worst days of my experience with ulcerative colitis. My condition had gotten so bad that they decided to put an NG tube down my nose and into my stomach. This would continuously pump out the contents of my stomach in an effort to give my intestines much needed relief. This was a last resort before surgery.

I prayed harder than I ever have. I realized surgery may rid me of this problem forever, but I also realized the extent of the surgery could leave me with an internal pouch, or worse, a colostomy bag. I was 20 years old, and wasn't ready for that outcome yet.

The inserted the tube down my nose while I was awake, having me sit upright and tilt my head back. Using KY jelly to help lubricate the passage down, they inserted the tube down my right nostril, only to fail. They then attempted my left nostril, with success. I remember gagging several times, and the feeling brought tears to my eyes. As bad as it was for me, I felt sorrier for the nurses having to do that to someone.

Container after container filled with brownish, gunky sludge. For 3 days I had that awful tube down my nose. Every time I even turned my head slightly, I could feel the tube against my throat. It made me want to gag. My throat was dry, and I could only have a few ice chips every 30 minutes or so. Luckily, my parents helped regulate my ice chips, because I definitely would have eaten more than I was allowed.

For three days I suffered through the NG tube, my ulcerative colitis FINALLY coming under control. On the second and third day, my patience was growing very, very thin. I couldn't talk, eat, drink, or move. Sleeping was near impossible. It felt like I was always choking on something in the back of my throat. My dad said he had never seen anyone scream and yell on paper, but apparently I accomplished that feat, because that's the only way I could communicate.

The NG tube came out at the end of the third day, with my ulcerative colitis finally subsiding.

The Final Week

After the NG tube experience, I was finally able to start eating chicken broth and jello. I asked my doctor if I could have Gatorade as well, and I was allowed 2 per day. During this time, my pain meds went from morphine to Vicodin. They barely worked. I wanted the morphine back, and it made me realize very quickly how pain medications can become so addictive. Nevertheless, Vicodin it was from there on out.

I had been receiving prednisone via IV for so long now, that I started having severe arthritis pains in my ankle and knee joints. Sitting still and lying down was unbearable at times. I was finally able to walk around, so sometimes at night, even at 3am and 4am, I would get up with my IV pole and walk around the floor.

FYI, hospitals are usually very cold, so bring pajama pants, or sleep pants. Something to help keep warm!

About 3 days before I was eventually discharged, I was finally able to eat. My first meal was 1 scrambled egg, 1 biscuit, and a cup of jello. I devoured my food, only to throw it up about 20 minutes later. My stomach wasn't used to having food again. Lunch came and I kept all that down.

I was finally discharged around noon on my 16th day in the hospital. I was determined to walk out on my own, and I had barely made it. I had been lying in bed for over 2 weeks, and it was like I had forgotten how to walk. When I got home, I walked up to my bedroom upstairs, and almost didn't make it. My leg muscles were useless.

I went home on a very heavy dose of prednisone, 6-MP, and this time, Asacol as my anti-inflammatory.

At this point, I realized my life would have to change. Career, relationships, mindset, lifestyle...everything. I had lost over 30 pounds when I was in the hospital. I went from 165 to 135.

After I got home, I started eating everything in sight. The steroids were making me very, very hungry. I ate, and ate, and ate. Couldn't help it. I rapidly gained all my weight back, and then some. My cheeks were chubby and fat, and I even started getting a chubby stomach, where I had a six pack before. Beware the prednisone and the ensuing appetite that follows!

My next flare-up would occur about 6 months later. I relapsed while at college, and was put on a brand new treatment. Luckily, no hospital this time around.

My First Major Flare Up - Age 18

2010-02-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

My first major ulcerative colitis flare-up put me in very critical condition. Because my ulcerative colitis was undiagnosed, I had no idea how serious my condition was. I was living away from home, so I was relying upon myself to get better. Big mistake. Headstrong and stubborn, I was determined to rest and get better.

I had been having ulcerative colitis symptoms on and off for the previous 6 months, but the final two weeks of that period was what put me in very critical condition. As my symptoms got worse, so did my health.

After finally calling my parents, they came and got me and took me to the hospital, where I was admitted to the emergency room.

Here is a list of symptoms I was having:

Extremely bloody stools. Blood in the water as well.
Diarrhea
Frequent bowel movements, approximately every 30 minutes. Very little stool with actual bowel movements, but lots of blood.
Extreme nausea. Vomiting every hour or so.
Inability to eat. Could not keep anything on my stomach. Couldn't even keep water down.
Extreme cramping, causing large amounts of abdominal pain. On a scale of 1 to 10, my pain was a 9.
Extreme exhaustion. I wanted to sleep, but my body wouldn't let me.

When I got to the hospital, they immediately put me on some IV fluids in the ER, drew lots of blood work, and attempted to put in a suppository. The suppository was quickly ejected with my next bowel movement. I had an abdominal x-ray in the ER as well. The ER physicians were pressing on my stomach, trying to feel for swelling I am sure. I told them when it hurt when they pressed on certain areas.

That day I was moved into my own room as an inpatient. I was not able to eat any food, and my bowel movements continued frequently. For whatever reason, my nausea and vomiting subsided that night. Maybe it was the IV fluids.

Day 2

Day two had me getting an abdominal sonogram and CT scan. A colonoscopy was also on the agenda. For my CT, I had to drink some very nasty barium liquid to coat the insides of my digestive tract. It was white and chalky tasting, and I have absolutely no idea how I got it all down.

The CT scan was very painful, because I had to lie flat and still the whole time. Not only could I not use the restroom if I needed, but I couldn't curl up in a fetal position, which is just about the only comfortable position when you are suffering from ulcerative colitis cramping and abdominal pains.

I think I may have been allowed to eat chicken stock that night.

Day 3

Day 3 was the colonoscopy, and I had to drink that nasty Golytely "go lightly" junk. It was awful. I had to drink all of it within 2 hours. I think it took me 4 hours to get it all down. Nevertheless, my colon was definitely cleansed.

During the actual colonoscopy, I actually 'woke up' and remember clearly that I was looking at the video screen as they were scoping my colon. I started asking apparently coherent questions and my gastroenterologist asked me to remember a few key words, "pizza" and "soft drinks". Then I assume he had the anesthesiologist turn up my anesthesia because I don't remember anything past that. I do remember him talking her though.

In the recovery room, my doc came to me and asked me if I remembered the words he said, which I did. More anesthesia to knock me out next time!

Day 3 ended with me eating more chicken broth, water, and a special treat of jello. Clear liquid diet is what I had been put on.

That day we found out I had ulcerative colitis. With my diagnosis confirmed, I was placed on prednisone and 6-MP, and sulfasalazine as well.

I was released from the hospital the next day, and I spent the next week at home recovering. It took me nearly 2 months to completely get rid of all my symptoms. I was on the prednisone for 4 months, and the 6-MP for 2 months.

The next flare up would be two years later, and it would be much, much worse.

First Onset of Ulcerative Colitis

2010-02-11T23:14:00.000-08:00

The very first time I noticed symptoms of ulcerative colitis, I was 17 years old. I was in my senior year of high school, and I had noticed small amount of bright red blood in my stools. Being young, and thinking I was invincible, I just shrugged it off. But a couple days of bloody stools turned into weeks, and weeks turned into 6 months.

I noticed no other changes. My bowel movements were normal, and I had no cramping. I went to 2 different doctors, both telling me I probably had a rectal tear or fissure. No bloodwork was done on me, and I simply took their advice.

I graduated high school early, and spent the last semester of 'school' with my girlfriend. Come two weeks before prom, I started getting very, very sick. The blood in my stools went from bright red to dark red, and I started seeing lots of mucus. I started having cramps, and my bowel movements started happening frequently.

In my mind, I thought I was just having a bad stomach virus. I locked myself away in my room for almost a week and a half. I didn't tell anyone the severity of my symptoms, part of me afraid there was something much worse that was wrong.

Finally, the day before my senior prom, I was severely dehydrated, having bowel movements every 30 minutes or so, usually producing very little stool. I was so sick I started throwing up, and couldn't keep any food down at all. I had lost almost 15 pounds by then. I finally caved in and told my parents everything, and they rushed over and came and got me.

Oh, did I mention I wasn't living at home? I was living with my friend so I could be closer to my girldfriend. My family had moved during my senior year, and I decided to go back for the summer to spend with my girlfriend before I had to go to college. My parents came and picked me up and drove me straight to the hospital. I could barely walk. Needless to say, I missed my senior prom.

I spent 3 and a half days in the hospital for my first severe ulcerative colitis flare-up. With IVs running, they diagnosed me on my second day, after an ultrasound, colonoscopy, and CT scan. It was then that first realized that the rest of my life was going to be different.

After that, I went home and rested for a week. I was placed on 3 medications: sulfasalazine, prednisone and 6-MP. Sulfasalazine is an anti-inflammatory, prednisone is a steroid, and 6-MP is an immunosuppressant. Quite a heavy dose of medications to be on.

I was then 18 years old. My next serious flare-up would happen 2 years later.

About Me

2010-02-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

My name is Charlie, and I have had ulcerative colitis for over 10 years now. I cannot pinpoint the exact time at which I first started noticing the symptoms, but I know it was sometime during age 17. I am now 28 years old, married to my beautiful wife for 3 years now, and have a gorgeous 17 month old daughter. We are expecting our 2nd child this year!

I work in a neonatal intensive care unit, which is the ICU for sick and premature babies. I have been doing this work for the last 8 years now, and I love it. Not only is working with parents and babies great work, but I have a full time schedule working only 3 days a week. This gives me 4 days a week at home with my daughter, in addition to letting me rest when I need to. I'll be honest, it's an easy work schedule, and that's a great thing for my ulcerative colitis.

When I first found out I had ulcerative colitis, I figured that once I was better and in remission, I could continue on life as normal, and I did...until my second major flare-up put me in the hospital again for two and a half weeks. I was in an extremely stressful relationship, in addition to working as a restaurant manager. My lifestyle was a busy one, always on the move, going out with friends, and your general young adult happenings.

After my second hospitalization, I realized that my life needed a major overhaul. I ended my relationship, quit my job in the restaurant business, and started focusing more on worrying less and reducing other stresses in my life. My personality evolved from a high-strung, people pleasing, worrisome attitude to a more laid-back, enjoy life kind of attitude. I still hung out with friends, but limited it to only once a week (if that). I still dated, but kept my hours reasonably early. Not staying out too late. My body needed rest, and I obliged.

I went 5 years without another major flare-up, meeting my wife when I was 24 along the way. We dated for two years, and at the age of 25, I had another flare-up. She was able to experience first-hand what life would be like with my flare-ups. She was an angel, and I feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful woman at my side.

At 26, I married my love, and went another 2 solid years without a hint of ulcerative colitis. A series of random occurrences contributed to my most recent flare-up...at the time of this writing, 3 weeks ago. I am now recovering and slipping back into remission.

I am starting this blog with the intention of sharing my life with ulcerative colitis. I know there is a large UC community out there, and thousands of people are diagnosed with ulcerative colitis every week. Maybe this will be a resource for them. I know I could have used someone to relate to when I first started out with UC.

Ulcerative colitis is a serious chronic condition that we must live with for the rest of our lives. Come share my journey, and maybe I can join yours as well!

Thank you for visiting, reading, and enjoying my blog! If you feel like checking back, make sure to favorite or bookmark this site!

Charlie

Living with Ulcerative Colitis

2010-02-10T15:33:00.001-08:00

Living with Ulcerative Colitis

Hello everyone, my name is Charlie, and I have been living with ulcerative colitis for the last 10 years. Believe me when I say I have seen the worst of flare-ups, and have gone through hell and back with this awful chronic disease! Whether you are recently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, are a UC veteran, or simply have stumbled your way onto my site, I invite you to stay, read my blog, and learn more about the lifestyle changes that revolve around ulcerative colitis.

The one thing that I cannot emphasize enough is that ulcerative colitis is a very serious chronic illness. Chronic simply means that the condition never goes away. If you do not take care of yourself, then UC has ways of devastating your body, to the point of permanent changes.

If you have ulcerative colitis, then your body is telling you a lifestyle change may be in order. In fact, a lifestyle change is necessary. Every aspect of life is affected, including diet, exercise, family, relationships, treatments, career, and overall quality of life. How you handle yourself can determine how quickly ulcerative colitis heals, and how long you stay in remission.

Diet

Keeping a healthy diet is very important for people with ulcerative colitis. Personally, I try to stick with natural foods as much as possible. If it is a man-made, or processed food, I tend to stay away. That's not to say I don't let myself splurge or anything, because I do enjoy my greasy potato chips, but for the most part I tend to eat foods that help strengthen my body.

When I am in remission and completely healthy, I can eat just about anything I want. I can cook all assortments of food, even spicy! I get good amounts of fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole wheat products. Lean protein comes from fish and chicken or turkey.

I tend to avoid soft drinks for several reasons. One, they are loaded with sugar, and can cause obesity. That alone is enough to make me shun them! But factor in that soft drinks can make ulcerative colitis symptoms worse, well...that's an no-brainer. Caffeine can stimulate intestines, so when a flare-up occurs, say nay to the caffeinated drinks! Also, carbonation does not help relieve gas...it may intensify it instead.

Eating 5 meals a day is also something I try to practice. Not only is it good for keeping high metabolism, but it puts less stress on your digestive system.

When it comes to alcoholic drinks, I was blessed early on to never have developed a strong taste for them. I do enjoy an occasional glass of wine, and when in remission, I am perfectly okay to enjoy my favorite glass of Chardonnay or Merlot. Drinking heavily is never good, especially with ulcerative colitis. Always be careful and smart when drinking, but take that one step further and try to avoid them at all costs during ulcerative colitis flare-ups.

Exercise

Being physically fit, reducing obesity by losing weight, and staying active is important to body health, especially when suffering from a chronic disease such as ulcerative colitis. One thing you may notice, especially when on certain medications, such as Prednisone, is that you gain weight easier. Appetite is increased, and you always seem hungry.

I gained over 25 pounds while on some heavy doses of steroids. This pushed me past the point of "overweight" for my age and height, and I rapidly got myself onto a workout program that helped me shed the pounds. Now, I maintain a body weight of around 160 to 165 pounds at 5'11" and 28 years fo age. Not too shabby at all!

Family and Relationships

Having your family close by during an ulcerative colitis episode can be a great comfort. It also helps them understand the seriousness of your condition by seeing what it does to you firsthand. I know when my first serious uclerative colitis flare-ups occurred, I wound up in the hospital both times, with my family at my side. After CT scans, ultrasounds, NG tubes, IVs, PICC lines, central lines, and luckily no surgery, they went through the ordeal just as much as I did.

Dating and eventually marriage can be tough for people with ulcerative colitis, because the fear of 'needing to go' can cause some people to be leery about revealing their disorder. Plus, even when a significant other knows about your ulcerative colitis, they may not fully understand the seriousness of your condition. This can lead to a rapid education for your special someone when a flare-up happens.

It is important for those in relationships with someone who has ulcerative colitis to remember that when that person has a flare-up, they need to focus as much energy as they can on getting better. This means lots of rest, careful dieting, and as little amounts of stress as possible. And understanding companion can make this process easier, and an impatient one can make it worse.

For those of us with ulcerative colitis, I have found it is best to ease knowledge onto those you date. For girls I dated seriously, I would simply tell them I have a condition where I get ulcers in my colon occasionally. Then, if they wanted to ask questions, I was an open book, but careful not to be too dusgusting with the details. And let's face it...ulcerative colitis is no fairy tale illness when it comes to the...occurrences that happen.

When I met my wife, I knew I had found someone incredibly special. When I told her about my ulcerative colitis, she was concerned and asked questions. My first real flare-up happened after around 6 months of dating, and she got her first taste of the ugly truth that ulcerative colitis is. Her adaptation was fast, and ever since then she has been an angel for me when I have needed my time to recuperate.

Now, not all relationships are pretty and perfect for people with ulcerative colitis. Often times things don't work out, and special someone's never fully understand. As hard as it may be, remember that self-preservation is very important. By this, I mean that your body can only handle so much. You MUST take care of yourself when it comes down to it. If you have ulcerative colitis, you have to stand up for yourself, and make sure that your body is given the rest it needs to recover, heal, and slip back into remission.

Treatments

There are many, many types of treatment for ulcerative colitis. Ranging from diet changes and medications, to procedures and surgery, you are likely to find yourself on several different treatment options throughout your life.

Oral medications are the most common. There are many different types. I myself started with Sulfasalizine, then switched to Asacol, and finally have wound up with Lialda, which has been a miracle drug for me. Lialda has kept me in remission for 3+ years now. Prednisone, a steroid, is no stranger to me, and I have been on that for just about every flare-up. Twice I have been on an immunosuppresant drug, called 6-MP.

For a period of time I was also on an IV medication called Remicade. Remicade is an extremely strong medication, but it possesses the ability to heal the intestine as well. Fair warning: Remicade treatments are usually very expensive. Trust me.

If you are hospitalized, you may find yourself on IVs, PICC lines, or even central lines, to help keep your body hydrated. The constant bowel movements and diarrhea can lead to dehydration in ulcerative colitis patients, thus hydration via IV may be necessary. Also, medications may be delivered via IV as well.

I was so dehydrated for one of my flare-ups, in addition to the inability to keep anything down, that they had to try to insert a PICC line in my arm. My veins were so dehydrated that that method failed, so they inserted a central line into my chest. This fed me and hydrated me for over a week and a half.

My stomach was in such poor shape that they had to stick a tube down my nose and into my stomach to continuously suction out the crap that was being created by my system. This allowed my digestive system a chance to rest and heal. This last measure is what saved me from surgery. I was literally 24 hours away from a colectomy.

For others, they may not be as lucky as me, and surgery may be necessary. Removing part or all of the colon can 'cure' a person of ulcerative colitis, because UC only affects the large intestine (colon). Depending on the severity of the disease, a pouch can be made from the small intestine to store waste, allowing for stools to continually to pass fairly normally within the body. In more severe cases, a colostomy may be needed, where waste is passed from a tube in the intestines to a bag outside the body. This can either be temporary or permanent.

Needless to say, there are a variety of treatment options out there for ulcerative colitis. Your life will change in someway or another, whether it be adapting to an oral medication schedule, or adapting to life after surgery. It is up to you to find the calm balance of living in remission and keeping flare-ups at bay for as long as possible.

Career

One of the hardest things for people with ulcerative colitis to balance is their careers. Often, careers are our livelihood, and many things revolve around our jobs. Ulcerative colitis doesn't see it that way, and manages to creep into our lives, entangling itself in our everyday activities, even digging its roots into what we do for a living.

Frequent bowel movements, discomfort, and pain can create all sorts of distractions and issues in our careers. In jobs revolving around customer service and establsihing client relations, as well as many others, ulcerative colitis can be a severe detriment during a flare-up, when bowel movements and cramps come and go at will.

Stressful jobs also can play a hand in making an ulcerative colitis flare-up worse. They key to managing ulcerative colitis and continuing with a successful career, with as little hindrance from UC, is to keep your job as stress-free as possible, and to keep your body rested and healthy.

Personally. I switched careers from restaurant management (high stress environment) to a coordinator position in an intensive care unit. While I am still in a critical care environment, I switched from working 6 days a week, at times reaching 72 hours or more, to 3 days a week at 36 hours. Yes, I am making less money than before, but I have only had 2 serious flare-ups in the span of 8 years since my career change, whereas I had 4 serious flare-ups in the span of 2 years of restaurant management.

In a role-reversal home environment, I am the stay-at-home parent, where my wife has become the breadwinner. I do work full-time, but my schedule allows me to be home with my daughter when my wife is at work. We are both very happy with our current lifestyle.

Lifestyle Changes

Ulcerative colitis requires lifestyle changes. When your body gives in to an ulcerative colitis flare-up, that is your body telling you to slow down. Changing your lifestyle only during a flare-up is only a temporary fix. Lifestyle changes must be permanent to help keep ulcerative colitis at bay!

For myself, I am a stay-at-home dad, who works full-time (a delicate balancing act). I have a beautiful wife and one gorgeous daughter with another little one on the way! We are financially sound, and trying our best to keep ulcerative colitis a distant stranger. Sure, I will get a flare-up again at some point, but my goal is to keep my periods of remission for as long as possible.

What lifestyle changes have you made since being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis?

Contact Information

2010-02-10T15:03:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone, my name is Charlie, and I have had ulcerative colitis for 10 years now. At the ripe old age of 28, I was first diagnosed with UC at the age of 18, though I suspect symptoms started creeping up around 17. If you wish to contact me, you can do so at the following email:

LivingWithUC@gmail.com

Helpful Ulcerative Colitis Websites

2010-02-10T14:49:00.001-08:00

Here are some helpful sites about ulerative colitis. This website here is my blog aimed at sharing my life with ulcerative colitis. There are many blogs and UC communities out there, so don't hesitate to dive into some of them! The UC community is strong, and we have a vast wealth of knowledge and experience to pass on to one another.

One thing to keep in mind when looking up ulcerative colitis online is that nothing you find online can replace the information and advice you will get from a physician. Consider online resources such as this one educational and informational only. For actual medical advice, please call your dcotor!

With that said, here are the ulcerative colitis websites I find most helpful:

Ulcerative Colitis and Colon Cancer

2010-02-10T13:29:00.001-08:00

Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine, also called the colon. Colon cancer begins as small clumps of cells called polyps, which can eventually evolve into colon cancer.

Because polyps may not present any symtpoms themselves, people with ulcerative colitis are recommended to have a colonoscopy every year or two. This allows for the gastroenterologist to examine the intestines with a camera, searching for active uclerative colitis and additional polyps that may have formed. Often, any polyps discovered will be removed and biopsied to test for cancer.

People affected by ulcerative colitis are at greater risk for colon cancer. The two main reasons for this are the increased risk of developing colon cancer after 8 to 10 years following the onset of the disease, and the area of colon affected. Colon cancer is a greater risk for people who suffer from complete ulcerative colitis, where the disease affects the entire colon.

Less than 10% of people diangosed with an IBD, including ulcerative colitis, actually develop colon cancer.

Symptoms of colon cancer present themselves in very similar fashion to those of ulcerative colitis. These can inlcude:

Rectal bleeding
Bloody stools
Mucus in stools
Abdominal pain
Diarrhea
Weight Loss
Nausea
Vomiting (in severe cases)
Loss of Appetite
Fever
Exhaustion or Lethargy

Colon Cancer Treatments

Colon cancer treatment usually requires some form of surgery. For colon cancer in the earliest stages, the disease may be isolated to a single polyp, in which case the polyps can be removed during a colonsocopy, if the cancer has not spread to the base.

Laparoscopic surgery may be necessary to remove larger polyps. In this form of surgery, small incisions are made in the abdominal wall, and small tube-like intstruments, armed with tiny cameras, are inserted to remove the polyps. It is common for surrounding lymph nodes to be removed and biopsied as well.

For colon cancer that has spread to the intenstinal wall, the affected section is often removed in a colectomy. This may remove part of the colon, or the entire colon itself. For precautionary measures, normal tissues and lymph nodes near the cancer may also be removed, to prevent further colon cancer growth.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can be used after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.

Ulcerative Colitis vs Crohn's Disease

2010-02-10T12:51:00.000-08:00

What is the difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease? Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are the two most common types of infammatory bowel disease, or IBD. The symptoms for both generally tend to be the same, with a few small differences.

First, ulcerative colitis affects only the large intestine, or colon, whereas Crohn's disease has the capability to affect the entire intestinal tract. To that degree, ulcerative colitis presents itself as continuous inflamed bowel, where there are no healthy areas of intestine in between. Crohn's disease can appear patchy, and diseased sections of the bowels may 'skip', leaving healthy segments of intestine between diseased areas.

Ulcerative colitis only affects the inner lining of the intestines, while Crohn's disease possesses the ability to affect all layers of the intestines. This simply means that in ulcerative colitis, the mucus lining of the colon, or large intestine, becomes inflamed, but does not penetrate deeper than that. In Crohn's disease, the ulcerations can penetrate all layers of the bowel wall.

Fissures, Fistulas, and Strictures

Fissures, fistulas, and strictures are all common complications seen in Crohn's disease, but are less frequent in people with ulcerative colitis.

Fissure - An ulcer, or tear, in the lining of the rectum.
Fistula - An abnormal tube, or tunnel, connecting two body cavities. In Crohn's, this presents as pockets of stool, which can prevent healing. Fistulas can eventually break, leaking its contents into other areas of the body.
Stricture - Abnormal narrowing of a body opening.

Surgical Treatment

The surgical treatments for both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease differ in that what is done to 'cure' ulcerative colitis, cannot be done for Crohn's. In ulcerative colitis, a colectomy is done, which is removing the entire section of large intestine. It is uncommon to remove only affected areas of the colon, because people with ulcerative colitis risk further flare-ups of the disease in the remaining healthy section. After a colectomy, an ileostomy may be done, or a procedure to make a pouch out of healthy small intestine can be performed as well.

In Crohn's disease, diseased sections of the bowel may be surciacally removed. In the instances where a colectomy must be performed, pouches are not created, as in ulcerative colitis, due to the risk of Crohn's affecting the pouch itself, ptentially requiring further surgery.

When to Call a Doctor About Ulcerative Colitis

2010-02-09T12:59:00.000-08:00

When should I call my doctor about ulcerative colitis? Before answering that question, we should separate this into two categories. First, there are people with diagnosed and/or active ulcerative colitis, and second, there are people with symptoms of ulcerative colitis, but have yet to be diagnosed.

Diagnosed and Active Ulcerative Colitis

If you are affected by ulcerative colitis, and have been diagnosed with the chronic disease, then chances are you are already very good at recognizing the symptoms straight away. You should call a doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:

Rectal bleeding
Bloody stools
Mucus in stools
Abdominal pain

Calling your doctor quickly is crucial to helping treat the flare-up as quickly as possible. Waiting longer risks the chance of making the colitis episode worse. Be sure to include all symptoms. It is important not to leave anything out. You may also be experiencing the following symptoms in addition to those mentioned above:

Diarrhea
Weight Loss
Nausea
Vomiting (in severe cases)
Loss of Appetite
Fever
Exhaustion or Lethargy

Common questions asked by your gastroenterologist or nurse may include:

Are you having bloody stools?
Is there mucus present in your stools?
How many bowel movements are you having a day?
What is the consistency of your stool? Is it diarrhea?
How much are you stooling with each bowel movement?
Are you running a fever?
Have you lost any weight?
How long have the symtpoms been occurring?

People Not Diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, or Any Form of IBD

For people not currently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, seeing blood or mucus in your stools may be the first warning you receive. This can be a scary event. Uncertainty and fear take hold when something liek this happens. It is important not to panic, and when talking to your physician, remember to be very detailed in the information you are given. Remember, there are a number of conditions that can have these symptoms as well...some better and some worse. For instance, if you notice blood on your stool ,you may simply have a rectal tear. It is important not to jump to any immediate conclusions.

Who to Call?

For people not diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, you will want to call your family physician first. While desiring to talk to a gastroenterologist would seem the smart thing to do, in most cases, specialists require referrals from family physicians. Your family physician can also help you make a step in the right direction of getting an accurate diagnosis of your symptoms.

See the list of ulcerative colitis symptoms above to see what occurrences you should call your doctor about.

Blood and mucus in stools is nothing to mess around with, so your doctor may want to see you right away. Be aware that blood tests may be done to help determine any deficiencies your blood may have due to these symptoms.

If your family physician deems it necessary to send you to a GI specialist, then at that point you can take their suggestion, or ask for a preferred physician of choice. Some people know others who have an IBD illness, such as ulcerative colitis, and may want to use their doctor based on others' experiences. As a patient, you have thatright to choose a specific doctor or specialist if you so choose.