Please Hold My UC Hand

Intro:

I previously held a high paced job, and since my UC flare I’m just thanking G-d that I can actually work at all (never mind at a low pay low paced , not my style stuff)

Some more about me:

I’m from the Sunny South…though currently live in the wintry north . I feel like I’m going through a mid-life crises even though I’m only in my twenties : ( I like to feel in control…and life has been outta control. I am strictly kosher.

Symptoms:

urgency, blood, unformed stool

Please Hold My UC Hand

Hi UC people! I need someone to hold my hand here please.

To make a long story short I’ve had UC since 17 years, (been on and off the meds) and now at age 27 I’ve been struggling to get over a big flare, for the past year.

While I was younger my UC seemed like nothing more then a fly on my shoulder. As I got older, and the extra-intestinal manifestations symptoms of UC started to kick in , my life turned onto some passive war. I don’t know whats coming to me next!

While the doctors have long threatened me with humira, I had been staying on the asacol/lialda and sticking to diets changes.

And with the help of some chinese herb called leigongteng (which should never be taken without the administration of a TCM doctor), I was able to taper off the prednisone pain free.

About a month ago, I started a mild flare – the third of this past year : (

The doctor then added 6mp to my regimen. ( I was on that stuff in the past and still flared on it)
And now, my ankles started swelling : ( Thank G-d its winter , so no one at work has to know about this! Thank G-d I have a pair of boots that still close! )

Is Humira really my only choice now???
I feel like my immune system is already so low- my whole system is especially out of wack around a week before my cycle)- will I always be sick on the humira? Will I not be able to work with children?

What about getting pregnant and nursing on this toxic stuff ?
I’m scared!

——————

ps- i’m super confused about the foods I should/n’t eat because I have heard from way too many differing “alternative” opinions. I do keep a food journal and still can’t figure it out.  I currently take iron, folic acid, zinc picolonate, coral calcium and green algea

written by Sarah B

Ask Adam:

“Please don’t post my email address, I am also changing my name . Thank you for your site!”

Hey Sarah,

Thank you for sharing your story and asking so many excellent questions.  Definitely you can rest assured that your email address is never posted to the site.  I request that all writers like yourself include your email address when you filled out the story, but that is only for me to use when setting up your account, and it allows you to automatically be emailed when someone posts a comment to your story.  And as for your name change, that’s fine too.  I’m sure many of the thousands of users of the site have used an alternative name for privacy reasons and that’s just fine.

To follow up on some of your questions, please take some time and read the “Pregnancy and Ulcerative Colitis Survey“.  Lots and lots of good info in there from 107 participants who’ve been there and done that.

Also, you might want to take a look at the medication reviews page.  There is a specific page for Humira you’ll see and several other reviews of medications which maybe you haven’t looked into yet.

And lastly, everyone knows I’m a huge personal fan of diet for treating my UC.  And although it for sure doesn’t work for everyone, it has allowed me to get off medications for the overwhelming majority of months since being diagnosed almost 6 years ago.  I eat mainly meats, vegetables, fruits and eggs.  Very very very little cheese, and never milk and quite a bit of honey.  For drinking, its mainly water and some coffee from time to time.  I’m in Atlanta, GA at the moment visiting family and last night we visited a Persian restaurant.  I ordered the chicken kabob and substituted the rice for grilled veggies.  OMG!  I think if there was just one meal to eat for the rest of my life, I could deal with that just fine.  Not sure of the spices they used, but YUM BIRD!

Good for you for journaling what you eat.  I know its hard to figure it out.  But its for sure possible.  You’ve got to be willing to cut out alot of food groups like grains and pretty much ALL processed foods.  And you’ve got to be willing to do alot of your own cooking.  But I think its been well worth it for me and a crap load of other UC’ers who have gone on the same diet plan.

best of luck to you Sarah!

-Adam