Introduction:
I was diagnosed early February with UC. I am from Peabody, Massachusetts. I am 19 years old and currently a nursing student. UC has greatly changed my life.
Symptoms:
Currently I have stomach pain, knee pain, loose stool
I have recently been diagnosed with UC and had no symptoms of even having the condition.
I am a 19 years old Nursing student from Massachusetts. I was at work getting ready to go back to school when all of a sudden my stomach started bothering me. I went to the doctors after a few days and they were really unsure of what it was, so they had me do a few stool samples for testing and still couldn’t find anything. After another week of being really sick-i could barely get out of bed and was always in the bathroom, I finally got an appointment with a G.I doctor.
After I told the G.I doctor what was going on he told me to go the hospital immediately and get a sigmoidoscopy(similar to a colonoscopy but they don’t go up as far). After getting that done, he said that I was really sick-but still did not give my condition a name. After leaving the hospital, they sent me home with prednisone and Aprisa. After being on those medications for a week I was STILL not better. I had really loose stool that was very very bloody.
Then we decided after 3 weeks of being sick to go to the hospital. My body was so dehydrated that they had a horrible time getting the iv in. At first they said I would only be in the hospital over night, well I ended up being there 12 long days. I was getting all different kinds of meds through the iv and my body just wasnt responding to them. Finally after getting out of the hospital on Valentines Day,I am still not feeling better. The doctor has me on Remicade trying to put my case of UC in remission. I have had two infusions so far and still not feeling better. I will say I dont know what I would have done without the support of my family and friends to help me get through this. It is really hard to try and figure out what I’m supposed to eat because of the weird diet that they have me on.
HELP Meagan out, she’s trying to raise money for the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America: DETAILS HERE
written by Meagan
Submitted in the Colitis Venting Area
Diagnosed in early February of 2012 with ulcerative colitis at the age of 19 years old.
Hi Meagan,
Your story has really inspired me this morning, thank you for telling it. For me talking about what’s going on with me has usually proved quite helpful emotionaly, which I figure can’t hurt my condition.
I relate mostly to your experience of medication not working. I was in the hospital getting 60mg of steroids through my IV, and the doctors were telling me after a week that since it hadn’t worked yet, I was “non reactive” to them, and my only option left was surgery. I’m glad so far they have been incorrect. I have been on a very slow prednisone taper since then (chrismas time) and have slowly been getting better.(not in a completely straight line graph, I have had some minor ups and downs). I am currently @ 10mg a day prednisone, and 4 lialda pills. I use the bathroom average twice a day (in the morning) and usually have little or no blood(such a good feeling not to see red). I have adopted a basic version of the SCD diet (basicly the intro) and have felt it to be helpful (though not a sudden miracle), I would highly suggest it over the low residue diet doctors want me on.
Of course everyone has to find what works for them. Remember to believe in your ability to heal. Try to listen to your body and your heart. Have some patience when things get tough, others have been where you are, and continue to find their way. Best of luck to you…..oh, smile when u can!
Hey Meagan,
I’m so sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I am writing you this because my symptoms hit me the exact same way as they have hit you. Here are all of my stories https://ihaveuc.com/author/curtis/
I don’t want to scare you but I went from being diagnosed on January 14, 2011 to having my whole colon removed on February 26. 2011 prednisone, remicade and any other medication didn’t work. I hope you read my story and you can send me an email if you’re in need of some information or have some questions. cmarcikic@gmail.com
Best,
Curtis
Hi Meagan, thanks for sharing your story. I was diagnosed with UC 17 years ago. I recently graduated nursing school in December, it is possible. I was on prednisone for five years straight, everytime they tried to taper me off I got sick. I was finally able to get off the steriods by including Imuran. The steriods took a toll on my body, I doubled my weight in two months from being on such a large dose. I told my gastro i will never take them again unless its life or death. Luckily i have not had any surgeries but i do go every two years for a colonoscopy and my last one showed new polyp growth, and I am going in a couple weeks for another scope. If you need someone to talk to please contact me.
Best wishes,
Tena
Hello Tena! Thanks for your response! Yea this is very hard… Currently after being diagnosed for 2 and half months, my symptoms have came back- bloody stool, stomach pain etc.. and ive also also had 3 infusions of remicade. Im still on pregnisone and slowly weing off –right now im on 10mg and next week ill be down to 5 mg. Next week im having a colonscopy so well see how that goes.
Thanks
Meagan
Went back to gastro today. Back on prednisone 40 mg and tapering by 5 for the next 8 weeks. Did u gain a lot of wt from ur prednisone? I gained 80 pounds last time I took them. I gotta make sure I force my self to exercise while I am on them so that does not happen again.
Tena i suprisingly havent gained a lot of weight.. from being sick I lost about 15 pounds but have gained probably about 10 of it back but that is really it.
Hi Megan. I think I know you. Don’t want to get personal on here but do you know Nicole Rose from Brooklyn. If so I’m her mom and have your same issue for over 30 years and have done lots of research and have been suffering. Email me at njr319@aol.com and I’ll give u my number and we can text. I was also switched from UC to Crohns. Penni
Hey! My name is Janelle. I’m also 19 at the moment and I have a lot of symptoms like you. I’ve been dealing with these bed written pains for 2 years. I went back and forth from New York to California to Florida trying different hospitals to see if anyone could help me. I can’t get up at all withought feeling like I’m gonna puke and the constant stomach pain is unbearable. I’m at my wits end and constantly thinking “life is not worth living with this”. I feel so excluded from all my social life because I’m stuck in my house all day. Even the medications that they have me on don’t help much. I’m due to have a Colonoscopy and endoscopy in may but I can’t deal with the pain. I’m even sleeping upright now. If anybody has any advice, please help me.