Introduction:
Hello, I’m a 29 year old girl from Massachusetts. I was diagnosed with UC in September of 2010. Hobbies include playing the piano/guitar and mapping out public restrooms on my commute.
My Symptoms:
Bleeding, 15ish trips to the bathroom, problems with having accidents (yikes!). This week I’ve had problems keeping my food down, acid reflux, and the chills/ache/headache “colitis flu”.
My Story:
UC is kicking the shit out of me. Literally. I have had UC for about 2 years, and after being put on Asacol and enemas had a year of moderate remission. Until this past December, when I started a slowly progressing flare of increased bowel movements and bleeding.
I still felt like I had it under control until about 2 months ago, when one morning, my roommate took a shower. In our only bathroom. Even though I had already gone 3 times that morning, I really, really, needed to go again. I managed to grab some plastic trash bags and tissues and get over the disgust of going the bathroom in my bedroom.
Until it happened another morning. And again. (About 10 times in the last month. I’ve even started to keep the trash bags in there to be safe.)
Since then, my UC has been kicking my butt. I’ve called my doctor’s office but can’t get an appointment until the end of August, and my voicemails and emails have gone unanswered. I even trekked to the ER last night for dehydration, but because my blood levels were normal they sent me home after a refreshing IV, and told me to get in touch with my GI doctor.
Also, I have a secret confession: I’ve had 4 public accidents this month, 3 just within the last two days. After searching for the elusive SCD dry curd cottage cheese at the grocery store this morning, and having to bolt back to my car because of yet another accident, I have had enough. I spent 10 minutes sniffling in my driveway before coming in to write this post and leave another message at the hospital.
It is so horrifying to be in your 20’s and wondering if you need to buy some Depends to run to the grocery store. I also can’t seem to keep the enemas in for more than a minute or two, which was the ER recommendation for treatment.
So people that have been through this-HELP! Has my Asacol stopped working? I’ve been taking 12 pills a day. Should I keep going through the enemas until I can keep one in?
Any advice on my missing in action doctor?
And what the heck do you eat? The last 2 days I’ve been living on ripe bananas, chicken broth, and scrambled eggs while I try to take back my bowels. So far the blood is less but I’m still lacking control.
Thanks for the ventfest.
Where I’d like to be in 1 year:
Not breaking out in cold sweat everytime I’m in public and not near a public bathroom.
Medications:
Currently taking Asacol. Trying my damnedest with the cort. enemas but can’t keep them in anymore.
written by Court
submitted in the colitis venting area
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Hello, I’m a 29 year old girl from Massachusetts. I was diagnosed with UC in September of 2010. Hobbies include playing the piano/guitar and mapping out public restrooms on my commute.
