Diagnosed Yesterday with UC – New UK Sufferer to This Game

Meet Lynne:

Hi, I just had a colonoscopy yesterday. I was diagnosed with UC, didn’t know much about this disease until I googled it OH BOY! It’s not very nice!. Going to GP this morning to get medication called pentasa? I have had 3 colonoscopys in the last 12 yrs or so all with some symptoms of ulcerative colitis? But told each time nothing wrong with me except an internal bleeding hemorrhoid. But not until now having been diagnosed with colitis so don’t know if I have had it all these years undetected.

Some more about me:

Am a 48 yr old female have 2 children 23 and 26 have been married for nearly 29 yrs, and am a gran to a cute 1 year old grandson. I am from Midlothian Scotland UK. My hobbies are reading, gardening and I love cats. I have 5 lol and 2 guinea pigs, yes it sounds like a farm I have but really its a 3 bed semi. I work in a local hospital in the neonatal unit have been there for nearly 9 years. I am a very chatty person sometimes i cant shut up but nobody complains,well not to my face lol.

Current Colitis Symptoms:

The symptoms I have now for the last 3 months is cramps, lots of mucus and blood, and bad pus. I didn’t know it was pus until a few days ago when I googled it, thought i had an inflamed hemorrhoid. WAS I SO WRONG. Have been going to work with this for the last 3 months but will be having a rest till symptoms get better now I know what it is.

Diagnosed Yesterday with Colitis

Having been diagnosed with UC yesterday, I have read a bit about it and found it a bit scarey, I suppose thats only natural. In fact am really really really scared. I have been diagnosed with osteo arthritis in spine 7 years ago but had it for about 12 yrs(doctors forgot to tell me?). I read on a site that ulcerative colitis can make it more painful is this correct?. I have had a few bad spells in the last 10 + yrs with lots of pains in spine, but having a mri last yr showed normal arthritis for my age? I felt like a fake complaining of severe pain for all these years but now think after reading on the net that it can flare up arthritis quite badly I AM NOT A FAKER..If anyone has any facts about this it would be of great help to me.

Also having had 2 other colonoscopys in the last 12 yrs, first colonoscopy was because i had loads of mucus in poo every time I went to loo this lasted for about 10 wks this was my first symptom but was told they could not see anything wrong with me. Thinking back now it probably was mild uc or just colitis?, also had severe cramping in gut for years before this but again nothing found in swab tests when sent to hospital after I got sterilized they even went back in side me to see if nerves were tied up when they sterilized me but nothing showed up again. This sounds to me like I have had uc or something like uc for a long time while being un-diagnosed?.

The second colonoscopy was about 4 yrs ago. Symptoms that time loads of blood and cramps when going to loo. This went on for about 8 weeks and again nothing showed up except an internal pile, I was under a lot of stress before this happened due to death of my mum. Then yesterday my third unlucky for some colonoscopy dignosed probable uc. At last my mystery is solved, they took 12 biopsies yesterday, get results in 2 to 3 weeks. Think this is just standard?. They said on my notes that the UC is probable in section E and D of colon.

Medications:

I have a letter for my gp after being diagnosed yesterday for medication for pentasa? has anyone else had this if so does it work.Also i take naprosyn for the arthritis i have and amitriptyline i have read that the pentasa and naprosyn don’t mix very well will ask GP today because i need the naprosyn or pains gets severe in spine.

written by Lynne

submitted in the colitis venting area