How to FInd the Easiest Way to Deal with Your Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms

There are several different types of Ulcerative Colitis, and trying to find the best way to deal with having it will be different for every person. Trying to research UC can be daunting, but I found the best way for me was trial and error. I have been told that when I am talking about my UC, and I describe stomach pain, that I don't have UC, that I have IBS. This is very upsetting because I DO have UC and I DO have stomach pain often.

UC is an inflammatory bowel disease,and many research websites have said that stomach pain can be one of the symptoms. This is one of the worst symptoms for me. When I have flare-ups and my stomach starts cramping, I know that I am going to have diarrhea for several hours. This can be my worst problem especially if I have appointments that I cannot cancel.

Bloating, gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and depression because of these problems are just a few of the things I deal with on a daily basis. Thinking about how I will get through my day without an accident causes some stress, which doesn't help the situation. In the beginning, it was very difficult, but now after 3 years I have found a way to push that stress to the back of my mind by trial and error. I experimented with food, to see what would be the least irritating. This takes time, and when you have too many things to do it may seem too hard. The nice thing is, when you find what you can eat that won't bother you, it makes going out to dinner much easier. I just picked times that I was home, and ate what I would normally eat, and I would see how I reacted to it. I found that raw fruits and vegetables caused me severe pain, but if I steamed or cooked them, I was o.k. Of course, this isn't the same as trial and error when eating outside the home. To do that, I would be very careful what I put into my mouth if I wasn't going to be home for a while. This isn't an exact science, so finding out where the bathrooms are is of the utmost importance! I always made sure that if I was leaving the house, I would have some type of medication on hand just in case. I would try fast food on my way home, to see how bad it would affect me. I wouldn't eat out first, I would always make that my last stop.

When I researched UC, I found that dairy, raw fruits and veggies, "gassy foods" such as popcorn and broccoli were just a few things that might irritate my colon. I did find that those things did bother me, but only if they were in large quantities. I try not to eat big salads, and I will nibble on popcorn when I am at the movies. One website said to talk to my doctor about multivitamins, but for me, I cannot take multivitamins because they really make my stomach cramp.

When I find I am having really bad cramps, I will try to take some over the counter anti-gas medicine and some anti-inflammatory medicine. Sometimes I will try and lay down and try to relax. Being stressed about the pain only makes it worse. The cramping usually precedes diarrhea for me. I can usually tell when this will happen, so I will try to drink a lot of fluids and take some anti-diarrheal pills also. I have gotten medication from my doctor in the past, but it isn't the usual prescribed pills for UC. I take a stomach relaxer for the spasms. I believe that I have a pretty mild form of UC compared to others, so I haven't pursued the stronger medication. I prefer to deal with it without taking too many prescribed pills, until I am forced to do otherwise.

The easiest thing I have found so far with dealing with my disease, is the stress part. In the beginning that might have not been the case, but after a few years it becomes easier predicting when I might have a "flare-up." Explaining my disease to those closest to me, and asking for understanding made it much easier to deal with. When I go out, I will make sure I know where the bathroom is, and I will indulge only if I know I won't be out for too long. Getting over the initial embarrassment, and changing some "bad" habits helped alleviate some of the stress. I found that if I can get my anxiety and breathing under control, I can make it through the pain and get on with my day.