A Long Overdue Update

Introduction:

I was diagnosed with UC 2 years ago. I’ve had to make some adjustments in my life, but it has helped me maintain remission. :)

Some more about me:

I work hard, play hard, and sleep hard. :)

Symptoms:

Blood
Slightly loose stools, but mostly solid

A Long Overdue Update

It’s been a while since I’ve given an update on how I’m doing. A lot has happened to me in the last few months…..

I’m still receiving my Remicade infusions. Something crazy happened on the second to last time of my appointment. I showed up to work (planned to work a half day) as usual. I went to my daily manager’s meeting, and our receptionist popped her head in. She said the 5 words that will make any healthcare manager spring into action, “STATE IS IN THE BUILDING.” Needless to say, we all jumped up to get our things together for our annual visit. I called the infusion center right away to see if I could change my appointment. Since this was one of the few times when I showed no symptoms at all, I was able to move it to a week later. Now during the course of that week, I ate all the foods I know I’m not supposed to eat and my symptoms definitely started to present itself. Our survey went well and then I went to my next Remicade appointment. I got close to being normal, but not quite like I was.

So the next thing that happens is I go to my 6 month checkup with my GI doctor. I told him about my last experience with the disruption of my infusion.

Overall, the appointment went well. He even told me that he wanted me to try to wean off my Apriso. Yay!!! My instructions were to continue 4 pills per day until my next infusion, and then drop to 2 pills for 2 weeks and then stop it. If my body couldn’t handle it, then I was told to get right back on it. My next colonoscopy will be in a year. I’m so happy with the good news I got, that I leave the appointment. So I get in my car and I plan to go get an oil change. I’m sitting at a red light and then POW! The next thing I know I’ve been kind of t-boned by a tow truck. My left arm is all bruised from the airbag and the car is eventually totaled. I’ve got neck issues from it and so now I’ve added a chiropractor to my life — 2-3 times per week. Such a fun day….. :/ I haven’t really noticed th at the chiropractor is doing anything to interfere with my UC symptoms, but then we’re focusing mostly on my neck.

 

I also was asked to interview for a promotion by our CEO. I did, along with a co-worker friend of mine. It got pretty close. In the end she got the job, and I still got a promotion to Assistant Administrator. I’m actually really ok with it, and now everything non-clinical goes through me.

I went to my next infusion and that got me pretty regular. I started the process of weaning off the pills. I noticed the changes in my body almost immediately. More blood and kind of loose stools. The day I officially stopped it, I got the pain, more blood, and loose stools. So I got right back on the Apriso. I seem to do ok with taking 2 pills per day. So I’m going to continue on that for a while with the hopes I can wean off of it completely.

Medications / Supplements

Apriso – 2 pills per day now
Remicade
Multi-Vitamin

written by Lara