Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis vs Ulcerative Colitis

Intro:

My name is David. I’m 32 years old. I’ve always had a lots of bowel movements growing up. I would also have to go right after I ate. I also have a nervous stomach. For example I would go to a high school party when I was young and I would get nervous. It would tear my stomach up and I would go to the bathroom and be fine right after that. So I’m no stranger to bowel movements often, 3 to 4 daily growing up. I just figured my digestive systems worked well.

Some more about me:

Mountain biking, hiking, etc…

Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis vs Ulcerative Colitis

Around 25 years old I had very bright red blood on stools. My stools were also hard. I went to the doctor and had sigmoidoscopy done. I was told I have an anal fissure. The Dr. said to take stool softener and it should heal up. So I moved on from there and it did clear up. Fast forward to approximately two years ago and my bowel movements changed. They were looser, thin, and I noticed mucus and some blood. I wasn’t real concerned because of my previous experience with blood in my stool. I also don’t like all the prodding with my butt-hole. So for about 6 months I had these abnormal stools and up to 10 movements in one day, but not every single day. I’ve always worked out on and off since I was 21 years old. I started getting slack and felt like I was getting chubby. So I started to workout 4 days a week, plus cardio and I started a diet. It was my own mad up diet I guess you could say. Breakfast consisted of chobani greek yogurt , banana, nature valley granola bar, and water. Lunch varied but it was always a big lunch with a lot of carbs. I rarely packed my lunch, so it was either Chinese takeout(hunan chicken or beef & broccoli) or chicken sandwich with fries(bojangles or chickfila)(sometimes no fries) or subway mostly. I would drink water throughout the day. Dinner consisted of usually a chobani greek yogurt & banana and then I would go to the gym and not eat anything else until morning. I didn’t take any supplements. I lost about 5 to 8 lbs and my body fat was around 10%. During that 6 months my bowel movements became completely normal.

Shortly after that is when I met my girlfriend who I love and adore. It was around the Holidays and of course I indulged and slacked on my diet and the gym. My diet went down hill and also my gym schedule in the following months. Eventually my bowel movements starting getting strange again. I’m stubborn and it takes a lot for me to go see a Dr.

Basically my bowel movements were like this:

• Every 3rd day I would go 10+times and then for two days no bowel movements hardly.
• Rinse and repeat.
• The 1st 2 to 3 movements there would be a lot of thin stools then the last movements were like tiny bits and pieces(mucos, blood).

Finally my girlfriend and and family convinced me to go to the Dr. last month 01/2014 (2years since 1st symptoms(w/ 6months remission?).

I had a colonoscopy done and was just told I have Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis. I was prescribed to Balsalazide (Colazal) 9 pills a day. Been on it for around 2.5 weeks. I’ve tried to clean up my diet but haven’t been strict enough. My gym/cardio activity hasn’t been to a good level yet either. This cold wet weather hurts that,(mountain biking, hiking, etc). I was perscribed the colozal the day of my colonoscopy and was told by the Dr. it looks like UC and he would be in contact. It was two weeks before I got a phone call. So i’ve been fighting blind. The person who called me was like a secretary and couldn’t answer any of my question. Like what is the difference in Ulecrative Colitis and Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis or are they the same? She schedule me for a follow up visit a week from now. So hopefully I can get some guidance and answers.

I’m scared & confused, especially after reading some of the story’s about complications with UC.

Thanks for reading my story!

written by David L

Ask Adam

“Will Ulcerative Proctosigmoiditis automatically lead to Ulcerative colits? Or what?

Should I notice big improvements with 2.5 weeks of colozal? Seems like what I eat affects it more than anything. I still have some blood and mucus.

I’ve starting taking align probiotic, its that good stuff?”

Hi David,

Some things I’d like you to read:

Study Abstract #1: Long-term prognosis for patients with ulcerative proctosigmoiditis (ulcerative colitis confirmed to the rectum and sigmoid colon).  There’s some good info you might want to catch up regarding the topic.

Also, (and other’s please correct me if I’m wrong here), “proctosigmoiditis” is very similar to ulcerative colitis.  In-fact, depending on exactly who you talk to, some GI doctors or expert butt probers with microscope might sum it up as inflammation to the sigmoid region of the large intestine.  You see, ulcerative colitis is a broad term for a disease that can cause inflammation anywhere within the colon (beginning to end).  what you’re talking about is more along the lines of:  “patients with ulcerative colitis confined to the rectum and sigmoid colon”.  That’s a quote from this study which you might want to read as well:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1419374/?page=1

So, don’t trip my man.  I was diagnosed with UC back in Oct. 2008 and my whole dang pipe was severely inflammed.  It looked like some dirty carpenter went inside there with 80 grit sandpaper and rubbed away.  What you may be dealing with is a much more confined part of your colon that’s inflammed right now.  (I wish that was me back in 2008 instead of the whole thing right:)

As for Colazal helping and how fast, when, how much…Great questions and the answers are always going to be different for everyone.  There is a pretty sweet page I created along with the help of UC’ers all over the world with reviews of different medications.  YOU SHOULD READ THEM!.  Lots of good info there.  I myself don’t take any medications to treat my UC, but many people still do and you all should give a read up on what other’s experiences are.  Here’s the link to those pages: https://www.ihaveuc.com/category/medication-reviews/

(The Asacol reviews page is probably going to be most similar to the med you are using since Colazal and Asacol (I call it CRAPacol) are both 5-ASA meds which basically means they are living in the same neighborhood or are in the same gang, family, church whatnot.  Your doctor will have a hard time explaining anything that’s actually too different about those medications other than what the drug reps tell them in terms of maybe their release, or some other patent related bogus difference that allows for big pharma to throw out another option to MD’s.)

Enough on the ramble, let’s get down to your other questions…probiotics…???

I don’t take those in pill form, I get that stuff from things like raw sauerkraut (read more on my story here: https://www.ihaveuc.com/the-whats-up-with-sauerkraut-and-digestion/  ).  BUT, there’s several pribiotic guru’s here on the site.  How can I not mention our Beloved Bev (shouldn’t that be her new name folks…:???, I think so.)  Anyways, Bev is Canadian, a Vancouverite, god bless her and her rotten hockey team, but she has a pretty long trackrecord of some good success with a probiotic called Renewlife Critical Care…  the link to that review is here – Renew life review page.  And, if you want to get to know Bev, here’s her page to get you started:  https://www.ihaveuc.com/author/bev/

Diet diet diet.  I could go on and on about this topic because I know it and use it and  live it daily.  5 years now.  (Damn that’s a long time to be watching what you eat right?)  But anyways, yeah, I think it plays a part.  Cutting out certain carbs are key.  I follow the SCD diet most of the time with variations to some degree as the years have gone by and my colon is starting to tolerate other stuff I used to consider “off limits”.  Diet’s work for alot of us, not everyone, but for me personally…I don’t leave home without it.

Best to you David, and keep us posted. (and good luck on the golf course!)

Adam Scheuer