Hi My name is Chris (Christine)
I was first diagnosed with UC in 2006. Something I had struggled with for several years before but was told it was food allergies. It all first started when I was in my mid-twenties.
A Little More About Me:
I live in Albuquerque NM but went to high School in Durango, CO. I have recently retired from the power company here and worked for them 37 year all outside work. I am also a massage therapist and love the work.
I have done my best to hide my UC from everyone only a few close people know I have it. Most of which only know due to embarrassing events on my part.
I divorced in 1988 and have stayed single.
Symptoms:
I started having another flare about 4 months ago and with the work I was in it was most difficult because I worked outside and moved around alot. bathrooms were not always near where I was. I retired the first of November this year. But I have been off work sense the first week of September.
The flare has gotten better for the past week.
My UC Story:
I SPENT MANY YEARS SUFFERING from the early stages of what I now believe to be UC. Going to Doctors and reading for myself I came to the conclusion I was dealing with food allergies.
My doctor sent me for a colonoscopy in 2006 and I was told I had Ulcerative Colitis. When I ask the Doctor what it was he yelled at me and said “it’s the diarreah ok!” he gave me some kind of medication and I don’t know what it was now but it didn’t work for me and he changed it and he was still rude to me and, I just stopped going to him.
In September of that year I went through Gastric by pass surgery for weight loss. This Doctor told me if I did that he would not be my Doctor. My thought was “no problem I don’t like you any how!” After my surgery things got much better with the UC. After reading Adam’s book, I know know why it got better, because I had to eat pretty much like the SCD. I moved my mom in with me to care for her and in came the breads and sugars and with it the UC. With this flare I had to find a new Doctor and a friend I worked with told me about him. He did another colonoscopy and found 3 ulcers on my small intestine. At this point he is checking me for Crohn’s and I haven’t gotten the test results yet. He gave me Balsalazide, I have been on it for 4 days now.
Due to the gastric by-pass I do not absorb like most people and so I get low on vitamin D a lot and also get Low on iron. I have to take vitamins everyday because of it.
My sister and both brothers deal with it but have not been to Doctors as of yet. I have told my sister about the SCD and I hope she goes on it with me.
I am most concerned about the drugs they put you on and don’t wish to go there, so the diet is my choice and I have been reading alot about it. I found that one of my favorite things is not on the list and almost went into withdraw just thinking about it. I eat beans and eggs with green chili every morning and have sense my surgery. My Mom’s favorite saying is “In our house we eat beans and eggs or eggs and beans“. Not all is lost as I see I can still some kinds of beans just not pintos. I will be finding the ones best for me.
My Doctor works with those who have had Bariatric surgery and I am very thankful he is very aware of what goes on wit it.
Medications:
I am on the first medication and I haven’t been on it long enough to comment on it but I know if I watch what I eat things get better for me.
written by Chris
submitted in the colitis venting area
I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2006
