Bio:
I am a 25 year old teacher from Minnesota. I was an athlete my whole life, played basketball for over 15 years. I’ve always had stomach/digestive problems but they started with extreme constipation. At one point when I was 17, I was constipated for roughly 2 1/2 months. Needless to say I ended up in the hospital. After my hospital stint my stomach didn’t give me too many problems for a few years. I graduated graduate school and started teaching in the Fall of 2009! I experienced my first symptoms the final month of school (June 2009). I had no idea what was going on with my body but I knew it wasn’t good. I was admitted to the hospital, for 10, LONG, days as they tried ruling out pretty much everything. I went through ultrasounds, colonoscopies, CAT scans, and even had exploratory surgery. I was finally released from the hospital. I missed the last 10 days of schools, my (first) last day of school with my students,and a family wedding. After that I felt very little symptoms with the occasional week long diarrhea’s but manageable pain.
My Symptoms:
I started at a new school this past fall, and the level of stress quadrupled overnight. I was back in the hospital the first Friday of school with unmanageable pain, and trips to the bathroom that left my throwing up and in even more pain- my fiancé brought me in. The doctors ran the usual tests and came to the conclusion that my colon was not happy. I started on Asacol in the fall after my stint in the ER, but it made me so incredibly nauseous that my doctor weaned me off of it. I ended back in the ER in December- same symptoms, same results. It is now the end of May and I just left the ER for the 3rd time. I am miserable. I’m having daily flares (amplified when I have my period) and nothing I eat seems to settle well. I’m down 5lbs in less then a week. I go see a new GI specialists in a few weeks, who specializes in UC. Constant stomach pain/cramping, urges all day, not able to eat anything without getting a stomach ache and feeling like I’m going to throwing up.
My UC Story:
I was a go with the flow, beer loving, cooking fanatic, with a MAJOR sweet tooth. I am now stuck in a food hating rut, that is causing me to get frustrated!! I am concerned that I can’t seem to find food that my UC will accept! I love to cook but I am struggling to find UC and Diabetic friendly recipes (my fiancé is a type 1 diabetic).
I have a HUGE sweet tooth and recently gave up soda, so that’s helped but what sweet treat ideas so people have!?
I love restaurant patios and being a Minnesotan, we are just coming into our summer months!
What cocktails/beers drinks
will I be able to enjoy this summer??
Beer is my absolute favorite drink, and I definitely slowed down but I enjoy a beer on a Saturday with friends, or with dinner on occasion. Any brands people are having better luck with?
I am also getting married in about a year and I’m worried about what I will be able to eat? What can we put on our menu that my body will energize and accept??
I am over being shy/embarrassed by doctors and what they have to do. I just wish they could figure out a plan to keep my comfortable and flare free.
My family doesn’t know a whole lot about UC and don’t ask many questions just if I’m ok, so my fiancé and I are figuring this out on our own. My mom had to bring me to the ER and spent half of my visit telling my doctor about how I internalize stress and I just need to have faith….I was ready to scream, more than I already was. My fiancé has been my rock and without him I’d be a puddle!
My fiancé and I are getting married next May and plan to have a family right away…I’m concerned that my UC is going cause complications because of my fluctuating diet and stress from UC. Anyone have advice??
Where I’d Like to be in 1 Year:
FLARE FREE, comfortable and with a good care plan in place. I want my wedding day to be everything we dreamed of without UC causing our day to get complicated quick. Happy, healthy and comfortable is all I ask!
Colitis Medications:
I was on Asacol but it caused extreme nausea, I go back to the GI to hopefully start a new plan in a few weeks!
written by Amy
submitted in the colitis venting area
I’m a 25 year old from Minnesota.
