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

Great stuff Spiderlight! Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Chocol8 - I couldn't cope with Asacol either; had it twice and same awful side-effects as you . Grim, isn't it?

I'm sure that meditation / mindfulness is hugely helpful. I have friends who are really into it, and I keep meaning to join them but haven't got round to it yet I know it sounds like a small thing, but I've also found gentle massage with lavender oil to be really soothing.

I've had a better day today. My dd (9) is v. aware of my illness and she keeps asking how I'm feeling, which is lovely, but of course I don't want her to worry about me. Does anyone else have this with their dc?

Welome Holo! Sorry you're not feeling well at the mo, yes my ds does worry when he sees me in pain like tonight, but doesn't seem to comprehend that stress makes me feel worse - though i have told him a million times. He is AS so maybe cannot understand unless he physically sees the effect.

My consultant said that he had not heard of my side effects before, but they were very real (as we have both had them). I have started the new meds and hoping they will do the trick.

Loving Indiana Crohhs!

Spider, that's brilliant news - get you with your 'very impressive' colon!!! And good news that they've halved your meds too. An inspiration!
I am resigned to having the IV steroids now but to be honest i am almost loking forward to them as the last few days have been so full of pain and accidents. I really do hope i only put weight on my face and not the rest of me - i find it hard to lose at my age.

Oldbag, you have the same symptoms as me - and i don't always make it - three times this week i have had accidents - 2 in bed so the washing machine has been on lots. I invested in a waterproof mattress cover yesterday topped with a towel (cos of course it's white!). It now feels like i am sleeping in a hotel bed!! Lol. Mind you, to sleep for a whole night would be wonderful!!!

How did you get on today Lisa? Been thinking about you.

Doctor has said he thinks it's all linked with the gall bladder removal a few years back. Thinks too much acid is flowing in and its not given enough time to digest I tend to agree. Have started new meds to bind acids and also now not allowed, beans, gum, brown bread, weetabix, anything with fibre and not too many green leafy veg
He will see me again in 8 weeks.
Hopefully his right but atleast he didn't fob me off with its IBS

OldBag, my joint pains were a bit different from that. It was sudden onset, very severe pain, usually in one joint at a time: mostly my shoulders. It started when my son was born and I thought it was some sort of repetitive strain from holding him all the time (he was totally unputdownable), but with the bad flare-up it came on overnight with no trigger and it was so bad that if I moved my arm or shoulder even a few millimetres I was literally screaming in pain. It then randomly moved to my left knee and then my right wrist and knuckles. IBD nurse said it was 'a colitis thing' and that about 10% of UC sufferers get it.

Lisa, glad you didn't get fobbed off. Fingers crossed that the dietary changes help.

Katy, how're you doing?

Relaxation technieuqes definitely help. I'm sure my flare-up was caused by stress and anxiety :/

Hi everyone, sorry to put my twopence worth in but I've had IBS for 6 ish years (sigmoidoscopy fine, biopsy fine, yet still have alternating symptoms). The only thing that has helped me slightly is seeing an NHS dietician from Guys and St Thomas's who specialises in gastro and following a strict food plan called FODMAPS. You can only see a dietician in London who it trained in this at the moment (I think) as it has come from Australia in the past few years (my sis is an NHS dietician in the NW and had no idea what I was talking about!). The food plan is about cutting out fermentable carbohydrates. This may be helpful for katy?

Sympathies for everyone who is ill as problems with the digestive system can be hideous.

Joint pain is grim . I've had it in various parts of my body, mostly in my legs and hips.

I am missing booze at the mo! I'm on too many meds to driink, and would so love a glass of champagne...need to think of non-alcoholic gorgeous drinks for Christmas!

How is everyone doing today?

I'm not too bad today, meds have given more pain than normal but no explosive diahorra so maybe on right track. Found a massive stock of old meds that I haven't used. Seems such a shame to bin them

Just wanted to say that I hope everyone here has a good day tomorrow and that the UC leaves you all alone to enjoy some nice Christmas treats.

Hey Holo, i'm missing alcohol too! Don't suppose i can take them along with 6 steroids and 6 Colazide a day sadly. I will have some Shloer and maybe some juice with Christmas dinner. My sister and i avoided eye contact with the Malibu in the supermarket yesterday, even though it was on special offer!

Along with Spider, i really hope we can all enjoy our day tomorrow to enjoy some treats, though gonna take some Rennies with me just in case.

Decisions, decisions, I was given a box of biscuits for Christmas. These are the biscuits that 'apparently' caused my bleeding

It's awfully tempting to eat one (half a one) at some point after Christmas to see what happens.....I won't; it would be foolish. I will forever onwards avoid coconut.

But you wonder don't you?

BTW I may be incommunicado for a week or so (it depends); I wish you all well and a happy New Year.

Be Healthy!

Katy, i hear ya, i was given a big box of Thorntons mint chocolates yesterday, but daren't open them cos i'll want to eat them all - and that won't do me any good.

Had a LOT of pain yesterday, along with a lot of blood, but i did overeat lunch. so self inflicted. Eyes bigger than tummy syndrome stupidly. I am still suffering today with tum, bum, headaches and weepy eyes...? No energy, feel utterly shite. Don't think the steroids or Colazide are doing me any good. I conveniently 'forgot' to take my meds last night and actually had nearly 9 hours sleep almost straight thru!!!! Absolute bliss after months of no more than 5 hours a night!

Do you think the steroids could be making me feel bad? I am shaky and quite jittery after i've taken them. I am no better after 4 months, in fact, am possibly worse, as the pain wasn't an issue before, but very much is now.

I hope you lovely ladies are feeling better.

Choc, so sorry to hear that you were poorly after Christmas lunch. It's an absolute bugger, this IBD.

Tell your doc how rubbish you are feeling. There might be something that she / he can do to help. I was on Prednisolone for quite a few years and it worked most of the time (in terms of controlling symptoms) but I had different side-effects every time I was on a course of it. One time I got really bad insomnia and other times I felt low / all over the place emotionally. I'm feeling much better now and am enjoying the dc being off school!

Hope everyone has a good end of 2011!

Hi Holo, i must say i am feeling a lot better off the Colazide today - almost 'normal' (for me!). Been at home pretty much every other day as been prob overdoing it on the other days but not much rushing to the loo today which has been a treat and....7 hours sleep, nearly straight through!! Marvellous.

It does surprise me that you have different side effects each time you are on a course - but i will see if it affects me the same way on my next course. I am back down to 5 daily, which due to insomnia (that is such a bummer) i now take in the morning after breakfast.

Glad you're enjoying time with your dc. My ds has been quite good, if a little demanding, but nothing new there. We have had a talk about how i feel and how his behaviour affects me, but think it just goes in one ear and out t'other.

I do have a docs appt tomorrow with a new doc who apparently specialises in bowel problems, i'll see what he can suggest, although i am happy to do as my lovely consultant says as he is marvellous. It would be good to try something so that i don't have to have the IV steroids. I really wanna avoid it for obvious reasons, besides a week in hospital and (i'm hoping) a possible interview.

Hope all you lovely ladies are feeling better and had a good Christmas.

How did you get on with the new doctor, Chocol8? I had terrible insomnia with the steroids so I sympathise.

Hi Spider, mmm, not so good. I know he was new to it, but he didn't offer much information, just did me a sick note for a month. I also completely forgot to ask for some more Colifoam, what an idiot!

I don't often get more than 5 hours sleep a night, which is often interuppted by running to the loo. Not had a bad day today, urgency-wise, but tonight is a different matter.

Also have a mahoosive pile - i never knew they could be so flippin painful!!! In absolute agony, constantly.

Wishing all you lovely MN'ers a Happy New Year....may it be filled with health, wealth and happiness. Thank you for your help and support on this thread. x

Oh Chocol8 - you're having a bit of a time of it, bless you :( Let's hope we all hiave shiny happy colons in 2012!

I had a relatively easy week away - 2 mistakes but they were over with within 2 hours (bit of a bloat afterwards but not too much pain)

Dairy is definitely a problem but something else is too.....not sure what

Ha ha, love it Spider, we will have shiny happy colons in 2012! Think i know a song about that...!!! Lol.

Interesting about dairy and something else Katy. Have you tried soya or other types of milk? I have been having soya on my cereal for years, love it, but it's trial and error as to which one as they are all so different. Alpro is very vanilla'ry which i don't like but some are quite creamy tasting.
Salt seems to start me off with a kind of stinging nettle pain in my upper abdomen, but i am sure there are other things. Have looked at the FODMAP diet, but will so miss sweetcorn and mushrooms!!!

Oh my NHS appointment (with a general surgeon) is next week

Should I still go to see them & see if they can sort out my pile? Or should I cancel it as I need a different sort of appointment for that?

Oh, you have a pile too Katie? Mine was agony when it popped out - couldn't believe the pain! Smaller and less painful a week later but difficult to poo. Have been using Anusol which has shrunk it a bit.

Good question about your appt. I cancelled mine - least i think i did!!! I'd better check that out. Maybe call your surgeon's secretary and ask?

It's going to pop [faints]

It only arrived in about Feb after taking loads of painkillers/muscle relaxants as I was in so much pain

Apparently my pet pile in addition to bleeding thin drippy bright red blood, also bleeds dark, plumish coloured, grainy, lumpy mucosy blood; now here's the clever bit - it does both at the same time

popping in to check on you all.
Doing quite well here, diahorra is no where near as bad, and neither is pain!! I started diet changes and proper diet aswell too, so hopefully weight loss will help too.
Only problem is i keep getting yucky headaches :(

Oh poor you

I started bleeding again today - & oddly my period started today; now I know what is coming from where but it's more similar looking than the bleeding from my pile iyswim

Oh no Katy! Poor you. Have you got something preventative to help the bleeding from the doctor? I definitely feel that my periods are worse during a flare up in pain and duration.

Lisa, howz it going with you? Still on the right path? And how are the headaches? I had my eyes tested last week cos it was getting worse (and i read that it could be to do with UC). They have deteriorated so got a new prescription.

I was told today that i am to go in to hospital (local to me thank goodness) for IV steroids this week. Will prob go in Wed or Thursday. I was given notes to give to A&E, which sound a bit scary, including "...mucosal biopsies show severe acute on chronic inflammation..." and "There is a moderate to severe degree of goblet cell depletion.".....????? No idea what these mean, but not liking severe and acute in the same sentence, lol.