Battling Ulcerative Colitis from My Teens to My Thirties

I have decided to tackle a subject here that can be hard for many to talk about,ulcerative colitis. This effects many Americans and can actually cause many lives to just stand still. The effects of ulcerative colitis can be embarrassing, and can keep many from doing everyday things. Ulcerative colitis is important to be diagnosed, before further damages are done to the intestines, or your body in general.

Back when I was a teenager, I started experiencing problems with my stomach. Eating became more of something I needed to do, not what I wanted to do. My mom thought I was just being picky. Then, more symptoms started appearing. At one point due to depression, I actually was overweight, but it was noticed I was losing weight. My doctor who had performed major back surgery on me was thrilled because he had wanted me to lose my access weight. I had kept to myself at this point the fact I was feeling quite ill.

Then, things progressed, and it seemed 2 or 3 times a day I was experiencing diarrhea. My mom would give me Pepto Bismol, but all that seemed to do was cause me to have more cramps and further diarrhea. The left side of my body was on fire, and laying down at night was so hard. My nights were spent squirming around and calling for mom to let me get up. My mom of course would just move me around in bed, and I would sleep for a few more hours. The difficult part, I was tired all day once I was up in my wheelchair because my nights were so disturbed.

Having to attend school seemed the worst. During the day I had a care provider who fed me lunch, wrote for me in class and put me to the bathroom during the day. Sometimes I would not make it to the bathroom. My cramps would overwhelm me, and the urgency to go was worse. Before my care giver could get me on the toilet, it was too late. I feared this happening, I knew my mom would be very upset. I knew it was another day I needed to go home early. And, I was always right, my mom was very angry. I knew that I needed her to understand it was not my fault. I needed her to understand that it was bad enough I was disabled and trying to fit in, but now I was messing myself in school. The fear of everyone knowing was disturbing.

It was time for my mom to really start realizing that something was wrong. I was taken to the doctor a few days later. I had to lay all my symptoms out there, my mom did not even know how bad I was feeling. My body was exhausted, I was constantly tired, the cramps in my left side were unbearable, and the urge to relieve myself was sometimes foremost on my mind. My mom was extremely concerned about the rectal bleeding that was starting.

My doctor decided to run some tests and my anxiety was growing. Blood tests were taken to test for anemia, and to check my white cell blood count. Then I needed to undergo a barium enema. I had to allow a contrast dye to be administered into my rectal area. I was quite upset about that, and cried so hard I actually made myself sick. Unfortunately, the test needed to proceed to see if my colon was inflamed. All I wanted was to get off that table and go home.

Later, it was confirmed... I had ulcerative colitis. So, I had a diagnosis, but the frustration was just about to get worse. I spent days with diarrhea and bleeding, cramps and sleeplessness only to be told that there is no cure or really no medication that could stop it. I could try anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat arthritis, and I could wait for remission. My first thought was "Why did I put myself through this?" I had a reason for my illness, but I'm still going to live with hoping I could make it through a day without messing my clothes.

To this day, from my teens to my thirties, I'm still battling this disease. I'm still on anti-inflammatory drugs, and still relish my times of remission. The hard part is waking up when I have attacks and needing to be put to the bathroom right away. Sometimes going away is not easy either. I tend to worry if I go out will I need to hurry home because I need to use the bathroom.

I have changed my diet in the hopes of gaining relief. During flare-ups I rely on bland foods. Other than that, I try and eat a balanced diet, avoiding raw vegetables. A body looses nutrients and it's highly important to keep your body replenished.

Now, there are 4 different types of ulcerative colitis. However, everything I discussed here today describes my type of ulcerative colitis: Proctosigmoiditis.

If your story sounds at all like mine, please make sure to see your doctor. The complications of ulcerative colitis are something you really hoping to avoid. These complications can include blood loss, especially if you have a more severe case. Colon rupture can occur if the colon dialates during an episode and does not resume normal shape. Colon cancer can also occur, but you are at higher risk if colon cancer is hereditary. Other complications can include arthritis, which I suffer from. These are just a few of the complications that can be experienced. Your doctor can give you the best answers to your questions.