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

at your haemoglobin chocol8 no wonder you feel tired.

Not impressed with the IBD nurse telling a vegetarian to eat red meat though.
Spinach and greens such as broccoli are best veggie foods for iron of course. Spinach quiche is nice. Orange juice does help the absorption. Quorn is reconstituted protein so wont have any iron but will be good for your calorie intake.

Are you anemic because you have lost loads of blood or because of the azathioprine or both? You need your rest while its that low. With a low HB people can feel a bit weepy too. In the old days I suppose you would have had a blood transfusion but they don't do that so much now.

Also Spinach, cheese and mushroom pancakes
Broccoli soup
Spinach and lentil lasagne
Rice with lemon, spinach and sweetcorn

etc etc

Chocol8 I am shocked that your Drs & the nurse don't seem worried about your HB level. I was told that anything under 8 needed an immediate transfusion and yours is 5!!!!. I've had 2 transfusions in the last year & my blood count was higher than yours (6.3 & 7.5). Both times I felt so much better afterwards. Its no wonder you have no energy.

The fact that you're veggie on a low residue diet makes it difficult to get your iron from your food cos most of the green veg with a high iron content isn't allowed - although spinach is & I always throw a handful of green cabbage in any soup I make.

You need regular blood tests while on the Azathioprine as it can affect your HB level and liver & kidney functions. I am fortnightly ones at the moment but it should drop to monthly soon. I'm back at the nurse on Friday& hopefully my blood will be ok. I'm managing to keep it at around 10.5 but only got it up to that after the last transfusion.

Hope you feel better soon

oldbag its very tempting to put one's own steroids up. However that means the side effects kick in and the adrenal suppression becomes harder to overcome so getting off them completely in the longer term will be harder.So its probably not a good idea without discussing it with your doctor first. I thought the azathioprine was supposed to start before the steroids tailed down so that people didnt get a relapse. Also I think the pentasa can go up if you are having a flare up but its always best to ask your consultant and/or IBD nurse as they know your history and our currents doses and their plans are in your notes.
20mg a day is still quite a lot of steroids btw.
Wishing you better.

I am upset actually. DS has gone back to uni and DD is about to go so I have now got headachy/lethargy/abdo pain and....you guessed it....bloody stool. I am going to hide under the duvet.

Funny I also thought you were supposed to start the Azathioprine before reducing the steroids dose. At least that is what my drs told me - if I can remember correctly (my time in hospital is still a bit of a blur unfortunately) they didn't start reducing my steroids until my CRP level was stable & that was about 2-3 weeks after starting the azathioprine. In fact I've only just stopped taking my steroids today.

Has anyone else had hair problems while on the Aza? Mine seems to be falling out!!!! I lose quite a bit everyday anyway but for the ast few weeks it just seems to be loads - I don't want to end up bald as well!!!! Oh well at least my tache & beard are looking fine - good thing I'm blonde & so they're not that noticable.

MrsPinot - I've lost loads and loads of hair, but it's not falling out so much now and I have definite regrowth. It looks hideous though - I have a mini-mohican of new short hair all along my parting and a sort of mullet thing going on at the sides, but I can't quite bring myself to cut it all short and start again (it was waist length :( ) I'm taking a herbal supplement called Horsetails which seems to have helped, and Jason Thick-to-Thin shampoo and conditioner makes it feel a lot less wispy, but it's still a state. I think mine was anaemia-related but it might also be something called telogen effluvium, which happens about 3 months after a serious illness. Am very very self conscious about it at the moment though :( Going to try that Fat Hair shampoo as well because I don't like using the same one all the time.

Chocol8 a HB of 5 is scary low!! I had transfusions at higher than that and they wouldn't even let me leave hospital until it was stable at over 9. I'm veggie too and am going through tons of Quorn. I saw a specialist dietician in hospital who said that vegetarians often do better with IBD once they're in remission because red meat is quite hard work for the gut to digest.

Apart from my crappy hair I'm still in full remission, thankfully!

have definitely got flare up. feeling really glum and not brave. have to get courage up somehow.

Oh Funny I am sorry - fingers crossed its a mild one. What do you do when you have a flare up? Just realised that I have not asked Drs this question (being overly optimistic or just niave) so I have no idea what I would do if it happens to me. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Re my hair - it just seems to be loads in the plughole when I wash it. Asked my sister this morning & she said that it doesn't look or feel any thinner but I am a little paranoid. I had the same problem last year due to anaemia & it sorted itself out quite quickly so am hoping that this is the same problem. In the meantime I am using a volumising shampoo & conditioner. Spider Where can I get the Horse Tails from? I tried googling it but couldn't find anything.

I got mine from Amazon but most health food shops should have it - this is the one I'm using but you can also get it as teabags or tincture. Might try this as well.

I have the most awful craving for Shredded Wheat!

Funnyperson, I hope it's not a biggie :(

I get warning of a flare up - I feel tired and headachy and get a temperature and just when I'm thinking perhaps its not a flare up, I get an abdominal twinge and I know to put up my pentasa and not wait till I am ill. So I put up my pentasa to three times a day and drink loads of fizzy water and eat no wheat and slow down my life. Generally that stops it progressing and after a week or so everything calms down and I dont need to take any time off sick even though I do go to the loo more often (esp at night) and have a bit of pain but nothing too dreadful.
If I'm silly and ignore the first signs it all tends to get a bit out of hand and I end up ill and off sick but that hasn't happened for a while. In the first two years I was in and out of hospital a lot and in between was ill a lot. Its so horrid being ill though that I am very conscientious about taking my meds.

I get warning of a flare up - I feel tired and headachy and get a temperature and just when I'm thinking perhaps its not a flare up, I get an abdominal twinge and I know to put up my pentasa and not wait till I am ill. So I put up my pentasa to three times a day and drink loads of fizzy water and eat no wheat and slow down my life. Generally that stops it progressing and after a week or so everything calms down and I dont need to take any time off sick even though I do go to the loo more often (esp at night) and have a bit of pain but nothing too dreadful.
If I'm silly and ignore the first signs it all tends to get a bit out of hand and I end up ill and off sick but that hasn't happened for a while. In the first two years I was in and out of hospital a lot and in between was ill a lot. Its so horrid being ill though that I am very conscientious about taking my meds.

sorry.

Spider I have ordered some of those tablets - thanks for the link. Hopefully they will help although there was less hair in the plughole yesterday so fingers crossed the loss is slowing down.

I finished my steroids on Thursday & have been feeling a bit 'unwell' since - I'm rather shaky & have a few gripey tummy pains although not bad enough to need painkillers. I'm hoping its because I've stopped the steroids but if I'm still the same at the end of the week I'll ring the IBD nurse & get some advice. I'm terrified of a flare up as I'm planning on going back to work in about 3 weeks.

Funny I hope you've managed to stop the flare up in its tracks & that you are getting some rest. Chocol8 & Oldbag hope you're both feeling better & have managed to get your meds sorted.

Hello there. Yes, the flare up is under control!
I am resting and not doing anything stressful but am now well enough to be able to potter so today I have cleaned out the fridge, planted 2 plants, mowed the lawn, washed the hall and kitchen floors and taken 5 bags of clothing to the charity church fete, bought an exercise bike and dropped DD off on the coach to university having cooked a very simple lunch. I got let off having to take her all the way there, and having to entertain guests at home.
I am now really really resting.

Funny!!!!
That would be a weeks work for me!!! I hope you're really feeling better and don't set yourself back!

I am bleeding again as of Friday night, groan. I also had a burst polyp on Saturday which was a bit painful. I called the IBD nurse but couldn't get hold of her cos my phone battery died so will call her tomorrow after clinic. Got bloods for checking Azathioprine tomorrow too.

How is everyone else today...

Old, Funny, Spider, Funny, MrsPinot, Katy, Bread, l4k, Cows, Prforone, Ava, Lisa, Julia, Lainey, Spring, Cardio, Unhappy, Cheese, Shuffle, Moaning, Nut, Euro, Bella, Shelley, Fuzzy, Holo, Book, Pink, Sparkly, Kayla, Piggle and Eighties...?

Oldbag, i hear you on the surgery front. I know it is not a decision to take lightly but prior to going in to hospital and rushing off urgently 40 times every day, i did seriously consider asking for surgery. It's about quality of life and whilst we're like this, there is very little.

I don't feel the Prednisilone work for me, but having said that, since i went down to 5mg on Friday or Saturday, the bleeding has started again. I am only taking them to reduce from the 400mg daily in hospital - which really did work well, but they were iv and worked very quickly.

Is it not possible to get you in any earlier than the 24th? My IBD nurse holds clinic in the mornings - certainly Mondays and Wednesdays - and can make an appt the following week usually, unless it's urgent and i think they will see you earlier.

Good luck for tomorrow at the museum - i'd maybe grab a map immediately you go in and check out where all the loos are before you start your tour. I do hope you have a good day hun.

How was your day at the museum OldBag? Was thinking of you.

OldBag i tried that Fat Hair shampoo and conditioner this morning. It's certainly done something - I now bear a startling resemblance to Tim Minchin! :o Sorry you're feeling so lousy. It must be worse having felt a lot better and then it's all gone to shite again :(

Has anyone read about faecal transplantation? I don't think it's available on the NHS yet but it might be worth looking into if nothing else is working. It's a bit of a grim, grim concept, but I'd be willing to try it if it was that or surgery.

My brother told me about faecal transplant - or 'poo transplant' as he so delicately called it. It seems to have good results - despite sounding a bit hideous.

Loooove Tim Minchin! And his hair! Am gonna use it again tomorrow, so will let you know if it turns me in to Tim too.

Funny I'm not sure what you did on Sunday could be classed as 'pottering' but glad you're feeling a little better!!! However you should be resting ie feet up, watching property & food porn on Sky (says the woman who has just spent an hour cleaning the bedroom windows!!!!)!!!

Oldbag hope your museum trip went ok & I hope you manage to get sorted at your consultants appointment next week.

I'm feeling loads better after a really crap weekend - definately think it was the withdrawal from the steroids although I've had my first period since November (they stopped cos of the massive weight loss) so I don't suppose that helped.

Am I the only one who is absolutely terrified of surgery? I know taking the ulcertated/scarred parts can be necessary in some cases but I feel sick everytime anyone mentions the possibility. They told me that I had a 30% chance of needing surgery while I was in hospital but that they wouldn't know until I was eating properly. I'm hoping that that possibilty has dropped further now but won't know until I've seen consultant & had another CT. I am also absolutely terrified of needing a bag - I shouldn't have googled after my first diagnosis as I managed to scare the shit out of myself (pardon the pun) with the horror stories. Anyway in preparation for me going back to work I am going in for a visit tomorrow & to have lunch with my 2 friends - looking forward to that cos they both really cheer me up.

'Poo transplant' sounds horrendous (think I'll google it later though) but I have to confess I called the IBD nurse the 'poo nurse' when I was in hospital cos she asked me about my bowel movements every day & she'd introduced herself when I was off my face on morphine & so I couldn't remember her name. The name has now stuck with my family - poor woman, I hope she never finds out .

The hair loss has slowed down & I'm using Tresemme Volumising shampoo & conditioner & Mum said it looks thicker already. Still waiting for the horse tail to arrive - told ds (8) I'd ordered it & I think he expects me to appear with a mane!!!!

Wishing everyone better soon.