Having Ulcerative Colitis and How I Deal with It

I was in my mid-20's when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Because UC is not a much talked-about disease, I had no idea what it was or what was going to happen to me. I had spent several years with stomach pain, spasms in my colon, bouts of bloody diarrhea, etc. I had always thought I had a "sensitive" stomach, allergies, and a problem with my gall bladder. Stomach pain and bowel problems can be caused by so many things, that it ended up being a relief that I had a name for my symptoms. Once I knew what it was, and read up a little about it, I found a way to live normally and not be embarrassed with my problem.

When I was out, I found that I had to use the bathroom all the time. It's pretty embarrassing when you are in a public bathroom and dealing with an unexpected bout of diarrhea. I was always afraid to come out of the stall and have someone else in there look at me and know that the smell was because of me. When I finally was diagnosed, I had been to the emergency room from a really bad flare-up and terribly scared. I had been unable to stop having diarrhea and I had found blood in the toilet. I was dehydrated, nauseous, and afraid of what was happening to me. I had several tests in the past, with no definitive results. When I finally had a doctor tell me that it is a disease and it can be controlled, I felt much of my stress go away. I finally realized that I didn't need to feel ashamed. I looked at it from an outside perspective. What would I think if someone told me this was their problem? Would I make fun of them? Absolutely not! It can be hard sometimes, but that is my mantra when I start to feel the shame come back.

There are many different kinds of colitis, and I am pretty lucky that mine is what I deem "mild." UC is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the intestine and colon. I have looked on several different websites and have yet to find a definite cause for it. It doesn't seem to affect everyone in the same way. Someone tried to "educate" me once, and told me that when I refer to my stomach problems, that I wasn't talking about UC. I was very upset. ALL of the articles that I researched have said that abdominal cramping can be one of the symptoms. Maybe some people don't have as much abdominal cramping like I do, but that doesn't make my situation any better or worse. I have learned that I don't need approval from others, and that what I have is a disease and not just a headache that is going to go away with some medicine.

It was hard at first trying to change some of the things that I eat. I simply cannot eat pizza. Pretty much every get-together that I have been to (excluding major holidays) people order pizza. It's a little frustrating when people yell "What?! How can you not eat pizza?!" This is usually my queue to explain my disease and that just because I am not going to die from it, I put just as much importance on it as someone that might have diabetes. I explain that it doesn't just go away, and if I eat something that I know is going to cause me a flare-up, I could possibly go to the hospital. When you explain the disease in those terms, most people will understand and try not to make a big deal out of it.

One of the most important things, I have found, is explaining it to your family. Getting them involved will help when it comes to family meals, and they can help when eating out. Having UC might make some unable to eat certain things, but by trial and error, lots of food still can be enjoyed. I spent many days with cramping and diarrhea in the beginning, but now I am pretty confident when I am out. I would try certain foods when I knew I was going to be at home, and checked to see how they would affect me. Raw veggies are not so great, but if I steam them they are less irritating. I miss bananas, but I like not crying in pain more! Of course, there are still times when a flare up is inevitable, but having my medicine handy helps. I make sure I do a "check" before I leave the house. I try to assess how I am feeling, and if I am afraid that I might have to rush to a bathroom, I might take some anti-inflammatory medication first. If I have someplace important to go and I know ahead of time, I will be careful of what I eat the day before. Sometimes when I know I have nothing planned, I will treat myself to some fast food and just take some gas pills, some pepto bismol, etc. and relax at home.

There are many websites out there that will explain UC, and will have suggestions on how to deal with it. Letting go of the shame and embarrassment was one of the best things I could do. I have found several different "coping" skills and I have been able to live normally, and not be afraid to leave my house.