Introduction:
I am 47 years old, and have had UC for 22 years approximately. I usually will suffer 2-3 flareups per year. Currently, I teach at the college (very close to the bathroom, unless the damn cleaning lady is cleaning it), and I have a traveling Mechanical Repair business (not such a great career choice for bathroom locations). I have a post-graduate degree, and a son, who I pray can avoid this “offal” condition.
Current Colitis Symptoms:
The usual…
My Story:
Year 22, Flareup # 45 maybe?? I’ve lost count. It seems like it is flare to flare, though I have had several longer term remissions.
Currently, I am flared with the usual toilet of blood, fatigue, 20+ bowel movements often with nothing more than blood. One day there will be little more than blood and straining, the next day is blood plus more loose crap than I would think possible from a cow.
My ankles and calves are swelling, especially in the morning. Is this normal? Normal for UCers?
I recently (within the last month) completed a prednisone taper. Now it’s back.
Does anyone who lives in a colder climate like Canada,
notice a relief of symptoms in warmer climates?
Like during a vacation to Cuba, Mexico, Florida, etc.??
Every year at or around Christmas, I flare bad, for a long time like 3-5 months. But if I go on a vacation, the flare stops, or goes into a time-out. Sometimes, I’ll move the bowels 2-4 times in the airport, board the plane, and not have the need till our destination. Then all is normal, until the return to Toronto.
As for Doctors, ….
I just read Adam’s book. It sounded like my life story, but for 20+ years instead of 2. But where I live, there is one GI Doctor. If you don’t like him (I don’t) then it is 2 hours away to the next one. About 5 years ago, I asked my family doc for a referral to another GI doc for a second opinion. My family doc said that I should think very carefully about that as the only local GI Doc would be pissed that I wanted a second opinion, and that he may drop me. Unbelievable!
So I suck it up and always know where the closest washroom is. But, as some may know, and I have experienced several embarrassing times, a 15 minute drive between washrooms is about 7 minutes too long.
I’m glad I found this site. I have been telling my GI Doc about stress and eating certain foods but he doesn’t believe in the correlation.
and believe it or not, have never heard of the correlation between alcohol and symptoms. (or maybe just blanked it out, lol) It always seemed a good way to drown the misery.
Thank you for the help, I’ll drop the drinking WAY down to a vodka once in a while, and start the diet asap.
Where I’d Like to Be in 1 Year:
Eric relaxing it on the beach in a few more months!
4 or 5 months later, I had a nasty flareup. My body ached along with the other “normal” symptoms of blood, frequent …. you know. So I took an Oxycotin left over in the medicine cabinet. Pain went away, and no bowel movements. That was the easiest flareup ever. The bad side of the Oxycotins, I found out much later is that they can be highly addictive. They didn’t bother me in the slightest for addiction luckily, but they did work very well for the symptoms.
written by Eric
submitted in the Colitis Venting Area —add your story too
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Bio: I am 47 years old, and have had UC for 22 years approximately. I usually will suffer 2-3 flareups per year. Currently, I teach at the college (very close to the bathroom, unless the damn cleaning lady is cleaning it), and I have a traveling Mechanical Repair business (not such a great career choice for bathroom locations). I have a post-graduate degree, and a son, who I pray can avoid this “offal” condition.
