Could this be Ulcerative Colitis?

[Chocol8]

Sorry this is gross, but i am worried and looked online (prob not the best of ideas) and found that most of my symptoms seem to fit UC: different coloured stools which frequently changes but is mostly very loose.
Blood in stools (a lot), if i pass wind, i can pass pure blood but usually mess myself (very unpleasant), stomach churns constantly.
Being sent (eventually) for a colonoscopy to have a look see. Does anyone know what else this could be please? x

Thanks anyway

I'm on a very limited diet, not too bad in the am but by about 3 I'm in agony

Not rushing to the loo, but def not constipated......still squishy (TMI)

I'm keeping track of what I eat here

Sorry to hear you're not feeling any better, KatyMac. I've been away from this thread, as my asthma suddenly got much, much worse in the middle of last week, so I could barely function, but owing to lots of meds, I am now feeling much more human. My colitis promptly cleared up too - thanks to being able to sleep again, as lack of sleep is one factor that does bring on my colitis. That said, other than when v v sleep deprived or under extreme stress, I do basically control my colitis through diet alone.

FWIW, the original advice I got on diet and colitis was from a Chinese medical practitioner (in training) whose advice was really spot on for me in terms of what I could and couldn't eat - maybe worth a try? I do think that Chinese medicine is particularly strong in chronic conditions like this where western medicine doesn't really have any answers.

Following this thread, I've been having a go at the diet recommended above on this thread for the last few days and actually, so far it does seem to be having a v good effect on my digestion. Though whether I could deal with nuts etc whilst in mid-attack is another matter.

It's good to have a thread like this - problems with poos are one of the last great taboos, in that though we all poo, it's just not something we can talk about even with close friends.

Hope Chocol8 et al are feeling better too.

Sorry you've had a bad patch - hope it calms down

Oldbag, you might well be pleasantly surprised, and I can almost guarantee you'll feel a lot better very quickly. The weight gain is definitely not a given, and as I said, it tends to be because they can make you feel hungry. If you manage that with stuff that won't make you gain weight then job's a good 'un :)

Seriously hope you feel much better soon - I've just heard that I might very well get to start my new meds this Friday which is very exciting!

Could I please ask those of you with more steroid experience whether they had a major effect on your periods? I didn't have a period for three months when I was really ill, then had one when my pred got down to about 10mg and going by the date of that one, I'm now a week late. I had what felt like PMT and my usual sugar cravings and migraines, but no period. Is it likely to be the steroids, anaemia and/or the fact that I'm still recovering from the bad bad flare-up, or do I need to be peeing on a stick? It's vanishingly unlikely that I'm pregnant, but then I said that once before and he's now nearly 5!

(I should add that I finished my pred on 20th November. Last period stared on 3rd November and I'm usually 26-29 days)

Sorry i have been away from MN for a while, my sister had to go to hospital for her appendix out so there's been all the usual phone calls, stress, organising people etc etc.

I'm must say that i'm not actually feeling a lot better on the steroids and the steroid foam (friends call it my foam party, lol). Still, i have a consultants appt on Monday and i know he'll take a peek to see what's going on then.

Spider, not that it has anything to do with the steroids right now, but i sometimes have everything (tension, pain, cravings, rages etc) but the blood every so often. If anything it is worse like that as i'd rather see the blood iykwim. I will see if i have a period when i'm due just before Christmas day.

Welcome Sparkly, Old Bag and Pink - how are you ladies today?

Bread, how is the diet going? Still working ok? I must admit that i can eat cashews - in fact i kind of crave them...! I am going to make a curry over the weekend - with everything peeled - and put in some turmeric, which i was reading has healing properties. I can seem to handle hot food and i crave it because everything else is so bland and plain. Fried food really hurts though.

Still so tired and had massive stomach ache today followed by huge amounts of diahorra
Just need to hang out till 21st and then I might finally get an answer.
Hope your all holding up ok, how you today Katy?

Hi there, well had all my hopes up for the polyp to be removed at the colonoscopy/sigmiodoscopy on Wed, however it is too large. I have to go in for keyhole surgery Monday morning with the bowel surgeon who is apparently very good. I have been hoping for some news on whether it is ulcerative colitis too but this polyp seems to be the main problem at the moment. I am only mid-30s and the idea of it being cancer scares me (although they say they're pretty sure it's benign, but very rare to have such a large polyp at a young age.)

Anyway it will be such a relief to have it gone, I permanently feel like I'm constipated and want to push it put, I can't really eat anything so the GP has got me some kind of meal replacement drinks which are like milkshakes.

Good luck to everyone else going through these things, it's horrible isn't it. Especially when at this time of year you miss hings like the nativity play because you aren't well enough

Hi Pink, wow, that'll be a massive relief to get the polyp removed on Monday - thank goodness they're not making you wait even longer for the op. Let us know how you get on.

Sorry to hear you're still feeling so bad Lisad. Roll on the 21st.

I am a bit worried that since last night, although i feel very constipated, i am only passing dark blood. I don't understand why the steroids aren't working - it's been nearly 2 weeks.

Poor you, Chocol8. Do try adjusting your diet, as well as obvious things like enough sleep, and trying (not easy I know) not to worry - I know how much colitis is related to stress and lack of sleep in my case, and think that's quite common. I know spicy food would bring on an attack immediately for me! but we're all different.

I've fallen a bit off the healthy diet waggon - been a bit busy - but will try to get back on it. Afraid I need my choc, cakes and processed foods on occasion...

Have you been given a number to ring for a specialist IBD nurse, Chocol8? I needed 8 days of IV steroids to really stop my bleeding.

(Talking of which, no peeing on sticks will be necessary this month - I think the pred has just thrown my cycle out of whack a bit)

Hi ladies, how are you all doing today? Pink, how did the surgery go on Monday? Do you feel any better now the polyp is out?

Strangely Spider, I was back at the hospital on Monday for another check up and the consultant said that if i am not well by next Monday, they will take me in to hospital (miles away) and give me a week's worth of IV steroids. I really don't want to be in over Christmas, miles away from my family!

When did you have that done Spider - and did the bleeding stop completely from then on? Did it blow you up? And if so, did it take a long to get back to normal?

I'll soon see if my cycle is screwed up with the Pred, as am due next Thursday. I have been given 6 Asacol tablets a day for 'the rest of my life' and Asacol foam suppository for morning with Pred foam in the evening. Plus still on the steroids which still don't seem to be working.

Oh dear Chocol8 that doesn't sound good

I've been dairy free since my procedure & I had a cream cake last night; I think we can safely say I need to be dairy free pretty firmly

Oh dear Katy - but well done for doing 'the science bit' and discovering that!

I am trying to eat as normal a diet as possible as i was told by the consultant that none had to be followed. Really overdid it today shopping all day and supporting my sick sister. Think i will sleep well tonight (which will make a nice change). Still bleeding. :-(

Back from relaxing break with family. Raring to go for appointment on weds. Is it worth taking list and just seeing what they say? Do I need to push for anything? I would rather a scan than a scope, especially as I'm still not sure of its bowels or woman's parts causing the trouble. I currently look 7 months pregnant and feeling very tired but can't sleep.
How's everyone?

Glad you're back ok and hope you had a lovely relaxing time Lisa. I took a list of symptoms with me and found it useful, as i forget easily if i don't write it down. It proved to be very useful.
I am in hospital again tomorrow so will make a list of problems i had on the meds i was taking until Friday.
I know the tiredness and not being able to sleep thing. I'm sometimes not sure how i stand up some days and others, like today, my arms don't want to work.
Really hoping they don't send me to hospital for the IV steroids, or at least until after Christmas, but i am no better and still bleeding a lot.
What time is your appt on Wed Lisa?

i hope you manage to stay out ofhospital too
My appointment is 10.30am, and going alone.My friend offered to come but shes having the girls for me. Im sure they arent likely to do anything other than ask loads of questions,so cant see how i will get any answers.

Hope you've not to go in, Chocol8! I had my IV steroids while I was in hospital for 12 days and yes, the bleeding and joint pain stopped completely within a day or so of starting the IV steroids and the diarrhoea a couple of days later. They made my face really puffy but that was all - didn't put on any weight while I was on them. If they do have to take you in, they'll hopefully try to let you out for Christmas. I was allowed home during the days towards the end of the course.

Lisa, best of luck for Wednesday.

I've got an appointment at the IBD clinic tomorrow. They talked last time about starting me on azathioprine, but hopefully the clear colonoscopy and complete absence of any symptoms whatsoever will have shelved that idea!

Lisa, my consultant asked lots of questions and then had a look-see, right there and then and diagnosed me. At the appt the week after the biopsies proved i had UC.

After this morning's appt, i am now back up to 6 steroids a day along with 6 Colazide 750mg capsules a day (Balsalazide). The Asacol MR really didn't work for me, was having really bad side effects such as palpitations, shakiness and it felt like i was having a panic attack everytime i took them, 3 times a day.

Ahh Spider, the IV steroids obviously work well then. I was told i'd look like a hamster for a while but i can cope with that if it means i'm not feeling like this anymore. I have my next appt on 9th Jan and he will organise for me to go in hospital then. At least my son will be back at school so he will stay with my Dad.

Been up since 5am with very bad pain but over the last month, 5am seems to be the time i wake up everyday. Gonna give meditating a try again to see if that eases the pain and stress.

Good luck with your appt tomorrow Spider, let us know how you get on.

Glad you're not going to be in over Christmas and New Year! IV steroids are fab - stingy when they go in but they work FAST! I was desperate not to go into hospital but in retrospect it was by far the best option for me because they got me well and truly sorted within a couple of weeks with no faffing about on waiting lists.

Hello all, just read through this thread. I have had Crohns for (blimey) about 17 years now and am not v. well atm . Am on anti-inflammatories and methotrexate (strong, nasty drugs, but the only thing that keeps me functional).

On the funny side, my 7 y o ds wrote a story today and called his hero 'Indiana Crohns.' Maybe I should change my MN username!

Indiana Crohn's - love it!! Sorry you're not well though :(

Back from IBD clinic - they've halved my Pentasa and apparently my colon is 'very impressive' to be doing so well so soon after such a huge flare :) They don't want to see me again for four months, which is good!