Intro:
60 year old woman diagnosed with mild to moderate UC in October 2015. Up until a year before that I was in very good health, very active, a keen distance walker and swimmer. A minor accident causing a hip injury in November 2014 then diagnosed with C6/7 spinal compression mid 2015. Naproxen for the hip pain and amitriptyline for neck pain. No longer in pain from either of those but wondering if these drugs may have triggered UC.
Joy’s Story:
I was treated with 30mg pd Prednisolone and 4G pd Pentasa Mesalazine. Within a month the diarrhea and bleeding were under control and I was tapered off the steroids ending just before Christmas. I am still taking the Pentasa.
In mid-December I developed a very bad cold and cough. I rarely get colds, maybe one every few years and then they only last 3-4 days with no lingering effects. This was the worst I have ever had, a painful wet cough which lasted two weeks. Ever since then I have felt utterly exhausted and I am experiencing dizzy spells, aching bones and joints, numbness and tingling in hands and feet, blurred vision and generally feeling foggy and weepy. Hard to know if this is UC related or some post-viral malaise. I have been to see my GP, had bloods taken and awaiting results.
And now, today. I have started to experience what I can only describe as soreness and burning pains in the breast and shoulder areas both sides and traveling down towards my elbows. It feels like nerve pain. I’ve been searching online and can find one or two old medical research articles relating to IBD and nerve damage but l’ve struggled to find any forum posts about people’s experiences with symptoms like this so wondering if anyone here can throw light on this.
I’m struggling not to feel like a hypochondriac with all this going on but my body really does feel as though it’s in free-fall and dreading what other symptom is going to emerge next.
I realise that it’s very early days for me as my diagnosis was recent but I am worrying that the debilitating effects of Ulcerative Colitis are going to dominate my life.
I live alone and don’t have any surviving family so not having support is another issue. I have friends but they don’t seem to understand how serious this condition is or how ill it is making me feel even though the immediate symptoms of diarrhea and bleeding have subsided. So many people seem to think it’s the same as IBS and almost everyone seems to have that. My gastro consultant is pleasant but only seems concerned about the colonic aspects of the disease. All the other symptoms are given over to the GP to address and they have little time. So, I think what most concerns me is lack of support regarding related conditions.
Current Treatment:
I am eating a low fibre diet on the advice of my consultant. Not liking this much as I am used to exactly the opposite, a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. Wondering if this poor diet is contributing to my tiredness. I take a general multi-vit with iron but that’s all.
written by Job B
submitted in the colitis venting area
60 year old woman diagnosed with mild to moderate UC in October 2015. Up until a year before that I was in very good health, very active, a keen distance walker and swimmer.
