UC Woman's Survival Guide: How to Hide Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms

Hiding ulcerative colitis from friends, family and co-workers is sometimes necessary. I have had to deal with this situation many times. I usually hide my condition from people who will be less than understanding or who may even make fun of me.

Sometimes, it is hard to hide ulcerative colitis from people especially when you are in close quarters or constant contact with them. There are some ways to disguise the condition, as long as you are not in the middle of a major flare-up.

Women have a few advantages over men when trying to hide ulcerative colitis from people. Women can carry purses with vital gear to hide ulcerative colitis.

Before my ulcerative colitis was in remission, I would always carry a few items in my purse that I called my flare-up survival kit. I put baby wipes, baby powder, a change of underwear, a few pads, spray deodorant and stain remover in a Ziploc bag.

I would keep 10 to 15 baby wipes in a Ziploc bag so that I could easily clean up after an accident. With 10 to 15 baby wipes, you can fold them up small enough to fit in a snack-sized Ziploc bag.

I would use the baby powder and spray deodorant to help me to smell fresh after every trip to the bathroom, regardless of the purpose of the trip. By doing this, no one would think anything if I smelled good after a trip to the bathroom.

I always made sure that I had an extra set of underwear and a stain remover stick just in case I had a bad accident. Any stains on my pants could be removed with a swipe of a baby wipe and a stain remover treatment.

Any time that I was out with people who did not know about my ulcerative colitis, I would try to go to a restaurant with which I was familiar. I could then ask to be seated close to the bathroom by simply asking to sit at a specific table or booth.

I came up with many crafty ways to go to the bathroom, often when I was out with people who did not know about my ulcerative colitis. Each trip, I would have a different purpose. I would often have to "fix my makeup," "check my hair" or "brush my teeth."

If anyone who was with me came into the bathroom at the same time as I did, I would often speak in a louder than normal voice to cover up what was going on. If I had used an excuse to make it to the bathroom, I would usually just comment that I might as well use the facilities while I was in there.

Sometimes, depending on whom I was with, I would not offer any excuse for my trips to the bathroom at all. I would just figure out if an excuse would even make a difference before I would offer one. I am sure that some people thought that I was obsessed with the bathroom or that I was really vain. That was better than them knowing the truth.

If I was in the middle of a flare-up, and I had an event that I could not get out of, I would often wear biking shorts or neoprene shorts under my clothes. I would buy them as tight as I could stand. If I had an accident, the mess would be confined to the shorts and was easier to clean up. The shorts would also contain some of the smell.

When I dressed in business attire that required pantyhose or stockings, I would always wear either knee-high or thigh-high pantyhose or stockings. If I had an accident, the pantyhose or stockings would not be affected.

On business trips or other trips with people who did not know, I would ask for stops often for drinks, snacks or to fill the car up if we were driving. At every stop, I would say that I might as well go to the bathroom while we were stopped. Sometimes, I would suggest stops to stretch my legs.

In some cases, it is possible to take an anti-diarrhea medicine before a long trip. You have to ask your health care provider if it is OK to take this type of medicine.

If you know that you have a trip coming up, try to remember to eat a bland diet for two to three days before the trip to lessen the chance of a flare-up. You have to eat the same bland diet during the entire trip so that you can have a safe trip without a flare-up.

If all else fails, you can always blame your episodes on a stomach virus. This will only work occasionally if you are always with the same group of people. You can also claim that something you ate did not agree with you.

Some of the people around you may figure out what is really going on with you. If that is the case, it may be easier to just admit the issue.

Keep in mind that ulcerative colitis is nothing to be ashamed of. There is nothing that you can do to make it go away. Hold your head up high and know that you are perfect just the way you are!