I was diagnosed with UC in April of 2009, but my gastro commented that my inflammation was so bad that it had to have been this way for years. I finally went to a doctor on my grandmother’s recommendation– my grandfather had UC and had his intestine removed, and because I was frequently using the restroom for years, she thought I should be checked. I honestly thought I had IBS because I didn’t have the bloody diarrhea that many people with UC tend to have. In fact, my lack of that symptom was the reason I tried to treat myself– I thought for sure that I didn’t have UC. My doctor did a number of tests before the colonoscopy and could not definitively tell if I had UC, IBS, or something else. That test finally gave my symptoms a name, and I began treatments. I’ve yet to go into remission, but I’m currently on Colazal and Rowasa, as well as fish oil and probiotics. It’s certainly a long road to wellness.
Medications:
The first medication I was put on was Lialda, and it honestly did nothing for me. I took it for 7 months with no improvement, so my doctor put my on my current meds: Colazal (the generic version) and Rowasa suppositories. When I am consistent and take my 9 pills a day and do my nightly suppositories, I tend to feel better, though never 100% better. I have not gone into remission yet, but this combo of meds seems to make me feel well, although I admit I fall off the wagon sometimes (sometimes out of frustration and feeling like I’ll never get better).
My Question:
I’m wondering if anyone else is on this combination of meds and has gone into remission. Actually– since I haven’t felt well for at least 7 years, what is remission LIKE? How do you know if you’re in remission? Are your symptoms completely gone? And how do other people cope with UC? I basically tell everyone in my life that I have this disease so they understand when I need to cancel plans and be home, or why I don’t like going places where there’s no restroom. I find that when people know, they’re always sympathetic and understanding, which takes a lot of stress off me. When I’m worried about getting sick and I know the people I’m with don’t know I have UC, I get anxious and that can actually trigger an attack. I also try to drink a lot of water and do yoga to stay relaxed, but man… it’s tough. Especially when you feel like you’ll never be normal again.
