• Welcome to Crohn's Forum, a support group for people with all forms of IBD. While this community is not a substitute for doctor's advice and we cannot treat or diagnose, we find being able to communicate with others who have IBD is invaluable as we navigate our struggles and celebrate our successes. We invite you to join us.

New here - I think I might have UC - Feedback greatly appreciated

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site. I decided to join up because I'm afraid I might have IBD, more specifically UC. I have a number of questions and I would greatly appreciate any feedback. I guess before I jump into the questions I'll give you a little background and how this all started and the symptoms I am experiencing.

So my gut issues all started about 2 months ago when I got a bout of diarrhea that last about 2 days and then went away. I thought nothing of it since it was a very short bout. About a month later a got another bout of diarrhea. This time I thought maybe I'd help my situation out by taking some imodium. Only after I did I ended up being constipated for about 5 days. After the second day I started pumping myself full of nothing but fiber and bran which didn't help the situation, but eventually I started pooping a bit, but still not like my regular self so after about two weeks of this mild constipation I decided to visit the dr so brushed me off as just being constipated and told me to take some Metamucil. Well, I insisted on at least a blood test, which she provided but nothing useful. Just WBC, hemoglobin, potassium etc which all came back normal.

Anyways after this is when my symptoms started getting worse as I continued to eat a lot of fiber. I started noticing a very small amount of mucus in my stool. Usually just one tiny little strand that you wouldn't notice unless you looked carefully. I also started getting stomach pains/cramps from time to time and constant bloating. When I would get bowel movement I'd always get nausea before hand that went away after passing a bowel.

Finally I decided to do a little research and I stopped eating the high fiber foods, and started taking some metamucile and fish oil suppliments after reading up about IBD. The mucus dissapeared at this point, but I didn't see much change in the rest of the symptoms until about 10 days ago when I cut out all gluten and foods with insoluble fiber and started juicing twice a day (spinach, carrots, apples, blueberrys, and bananas mix) and eating chickpeas and other low fat foods the other times. After a couple of days I saw some big results in terms of bloating and nausea, but the pain was still present so after doing more research I found smoking might help. So I started smoking half a cig a day. Fast forward 7 days my constipation is gone, bloating and pain is 95% gone, and nausea is all but gone as well. Now I'm not sure if my results are from the diet or from the cig, or a combination of the two. Infact the last 3 days I haven't had any symptoms at all except for a bit of nausea which came before passing 3 normal bowels the other day. Until today when I switched the chickpeas to beans and I got a bit of pain and bloating again, but that went away after 3 drags of a cig (weird I know).

Anyways my questions are:

1) I don't really have much mucus, would I have more mucus if this was UC?

2) I don't have any blood, would there be blood in my stool if this was UC?

3) Do my symptoms sound like UC?

I know you can't diagnose me, but until I get in to see a GI I would really appreciate any feedback what so ever since this thing is driving me nuts. I'm working on getting a GI appointment, but until then I'd really like to discuss this with others who are living with this disease and already have accrued a lot of information on it.
 

FullM3lt

Activate CB2
Location
Pacific NW
When I was diagnosed with UC (Pancolitis) I was having bad diarrhea, lots of mucus and lots of blood. That being said...all patients are different. If you are worried about it, I'd see a GI doc.

I also had flu like symptoms like extreme fatigue and mental symptoms like mood swings and depression/anxiety (our guts control a good portion of our serotonin production). Abdominal cramping was constant.

As for the normal blood work, that seems to be normal in a lot of UC/Crohns patients. I am flaring right now and my CBC, WBC, ESR and CRP were all completely normal.

As for the smoking thing...i've read multiple studies that show smoking cigs can help drastically. I've thought about trying it, but I don't care for the taste of cigs. I smoked/vaporized pot daily for a 3 year period and was in complete remission. Stopped for a month, and I flared up. Maybe there is a connection between inhaling plant matter and remission? I'm no doctor but smoking/vaporizing weed kept me in remission....but I think that is due to the anti inflammatory properties of THC and CBD. Who knows, maybe nicotine has a similar effect.

Sorry for rambling, but if you are really worried I'd get some specific blood tests and a colonoscopy done asap. Good luck :)
 
As for the smoking thing...i've read multiple studies that show smoking cigs can help drastically. I've thought about trying it, but I don't care for the taste of cigs. I smoked/vaporized pot daily for a 3 year period and was in complete remission. Stopped for a month, and I flared up. Maybe there is a connection between inhaling plant matter and remission? I'm no doctor but smoking/vaporizing weed kept me in remission....but I think that is due to the anti inflammatory properties of THC and CBD. Who knows, maybe nicotine has a similar effect.

Sorry for rambling, but if you are really worried I'd get some specific blood tests and a colonoscopy done asap. Good luck :)
Thank you so much for writing this post. You have no idea how glad I am I found these forums.

I was diagnosed with pancolitis today.

The reason I gasped at your post is because of the weed vaporizing part. I've been vaporizing daily since April. Before that, I used to vaporize once a week, on week-ends usually, to relax. Had nothing to do with my pain, more with stress, but it did help with the cramps and blood in stool.

In August I was getting worried the habit could affect certain cognitive abilities and decided to cut back for a month. It was my most devastating month, GI issues wise. I had severe pains, much more blood in stools and worse cramps. I even went to the ER one night because I was worried and still waiting for an appointment in endoscopy. I even thought the weed might be responsible for my health issues, somehow.

It had never occurred to me that I might had been self medicating instead. The correlation is certainly plausible, even highly possible. Two cases clearly isn't enough to make a solid case, though.

I was even more surprised when I realized my GI issues started a few months after starting an Acutane treatment (second in six years). According to some pubmed papers I've read (following a comment I saw on a pamphlet the doctor gave me), some research have suggested Accutane ca be responsible for the onset of both Crohn's and UC.

Anyway. I'll definitely talk to my GI doc about it all. I just don't want to vaporize for the rest of my life, because then my cognitive abilities will SURELY be affected.
 
Last edited:
My UC initially flared when i quit smoking (after being a 15 yr smoker) 3 years ago and has never gone into remission since. The symptoms are better when i smoke but dont completely dissapear. I have since quit again and smoke e-cigs which although they have nicotine in them have no effect on my UC. I don't bleed alot even tho i have pancolitis also and only have a few times since initial flare up, think it is always worthwhile seeing a specialist as GP's can tend to dismiss these symptoms too much as IBS
 

FullM3lt

Activate CB2
Location
Pacific NW
Thank you so much for writing this post. You have no idea how glad I am I found these forums.

I was diagnosed with pancolitis today.

The reason I gasped at your post is because of the weed vaporizing part. I've been vaporizing daily since April. Before that, I used to vaporize once a week, on week-ends usually, to relax. Had nothing to do with my pain, more with stress, but it did help with the cramps and blood in stool.

In August I was getting worried the habit could affect certain cognitive abilities and decided to cut back for a month. It was my most devastating month, GI issues wise. I had severe pains, much more blood in stools and worse cramps. I even went to the ER one night because I was worried and still waiting for an appointment in endoscopy. I even thought the weed might be responsible for my health issues, somehow.

It had never occurred to me that I might had been self medicating instead. The correlation is certainly plausible, even highly possible. Two cases clearly isn't enough to make a solid case, though.

I was even more surprised when I realized my GI issues started a few months after starting an Acutane treatment (second in six years). According to some pubmed papers I've read (following a comment I saw on a pamphlet the doctor gave me), some research have suggested Accutane ca be responsible for the onset of both Crohn's and UC.

Anyway. I'll definitely talk to my GI doc about it all. I just don't want to vaporize for the rest of my life, because then my cognitive abilities will SURELY be affected.

I know I already responded to your other post, Francis...but like I said, cognitive abilities will not be negatively affected. I used it every day for 3 years and those were the 3 best years of my life. It may vary from person to person, but I felt no different cognitively when I was using as opposed to not using. I actually felt sharper, probably because I wasn't flaring up.

I did well in school while using cannabis, held a job, became a scratch golfer, maintained good relationships, etc.....I did not feel like cannabis was negatively effecting me until I stopped and started flaring up. Just my two cents. This stuff can be utilized in a positive manner.
 
While I am waiting for a GI appointment can anyone shed some light on if my symptoms seem like UC or not? Or maybe someone who has UC with constipation can tell me their symptoms to compare, and how theirs first started.
 
Your symptoms are very different from mine. Its hard to jump to a diagnosis, especially with as short a time as you have been experiencing symptoms, I would stay off the internet, it will only worry you more. :ysmile: However, you could very well have a chronic bowel disease. My initial symptoms were constant diarrhea. When I do get constipated its not regular constipated, I get constipated with diarrhea at the same time. (It won't come out, but when it does its almost completely liquid) I also get severe pain in my gut within an hour or two of eating, in the beginning I also vomited several times a day. I also have joint pain similar to arthritis, and I have a skin condition called hidradenitis suppurativa which started around the same time as my bowel problems, and now I know that the two diseases are related.
 
hi Birnam,
not sure but ive been on these forms for a few years now and i havent heard of many uc'ers with constipation. its more a crohns thing IMO.
blood is a marker for uc. too much fibre is not good for any1 with IBD.
mucous is a big signal for IBS but along with diarrhea.
the 1st symptoms of my UC was blood. i only had ulcerative proctitis at the beginning then a year later it progressed to left sided colitis. i always bled and never had constipation.
ju
 
hi Birnam,
not sure but ive been on these forms for a few years now and i havent heard of many uc'ers with constipation. its more a crohns thing IMO.
blood is a marker for uc. too much fibre is not good for any1 with IBD.
mucous is a big signal for IBS but along with diarrhea.
the 1st symptoms of my UC was blood. i only had ulcerative proctitis at the beginning then a year later it progressed to left sided colitis. i always bled and never had constipation.
ju
I got diagnosed with proctisis... Is left side colitis worse??
 
proctitis on its own is bad enough. believe you me I know. I suffered with no let up for 21months until I got on remicade. my proctitis spread up the bowel by 50cm that's from the rectum up to the bend at the transverse colon. left sided was worse for me as I was going to the loo up to 16times a day with severe cramps and bloody diarrhoea, whereas my symptoms with proctitis were far milder, only going once with blood and mucous. some people have worse symptoms with it though? how's yours?
ju
 
Mines is extremely bad in the morning and let's up during the day. The have been bouts during the day though. But as a whole I am about 30mins in the toilet each morning. It's just not nice and it affects everyday life as you know. When I goto the park with my daughter I need to notice where the toilets are first! Also when I am out at a pub, their toilets are usually not fit to sit down in for a guy. It's just ruling my life at the moment. Been given meds just this week so going to ty them. Before I was on lomotil which apparently isn't for UC, but when they prescribed that, they didn't know I had UC/proctisis. The nurse explained I had proctisis but was more than likely UC. Biopsy results will confirm how far the inflammation going in I suppose lol
 

scottsma

Well-known member
Location
Tynemouth,
I empathise with you.I was diagnosed with Proctitis in 2006,but I'd had probs off and on for a few years beforehand.I bled for 4mnths while being diagnosed,with mucous and urgency everyday.I was prescribed Asacol tablets but they made me feel unwell so it was changed to suppositories.These calmed the inflamation quite quickly and stopped the bleeding.Unfortunately the urgency persists and I have a prescription for Loperimide which helps......I.B.D. is life changing,but with planning and good meds.you can get by.I have a feeling that I also have I.B.S or the I.B.D is travelling up my colon,as I have to be somewhat careful with my diet and stress levels.I also have moderate pain and feel sick occasionally.If I stop using my meds I have a flare within weeks.But apart from that I cope ok.I hope it all gets sorted for you soon and you start to improve.
 
Mines is extremely bad in the morning and let's up during the day. The have been bouts during the day though. But as a whole I am about 30mins in the toilet each morning. It's just not nice and it affects everyday life as you know. When I goto the park with my daughter I need to notice where the toilets are first! Also when I am out at a pub, their toilets are usually not fit to sit down in for a guy. It's just ruling my life at the moment. Been given meds just this week so going to ty them. Before I was on lomotil which apparently isn't for UC, but when they prescribed that, they didn't know I had UC/proctisis. The nurse explained I had proctisis but was more than likely UC. Biopsy results will confirm how far the inflammation going in I suppose lol
it'll take a while to get used to. it aint going away!
try using disabled toilets. they are usually cleaner and it can be quite noisy and embarrassing when your in cubicles. lol.
im called the pooter express in my house!
or if you've something important on in the morning try immodium.
some1 once suggested getting up earlier so its all over before leaving the house.
do you have a lot of diarrhea or is it blood and mucous?
what age is your lo?
enjoy yourself when you are feeling good. make it count. I have 2 kids and days I be lying on the couch in pain (I have another condition 2), but the days im feeling good I get lots done.

feel well
ju
 
it'll take a while to get used to. it aint going away!
try using disabled toilets. they are usually cleaner and it can be quite noisy and embarrassing when your in cubicles. lol.
im called the pooter express in my house!
or if you've something important on in the morning try immodium.
some1 once suggested getting up earlier so its all over before leaving the house.
do you have a lot of diarrhea or is it blood and mucous?
what age is your lo?
enjoy yourself when you are feeling good. make it count. I have 2 kids and days I be lying on the couch in pain (I have another condition 2), but the days im feeling good I get lots done.

feel well
ju
She's coming up for two. It makes me sad cos I feel I am holding back most of the time in case I get caught short.

I just have loose stools, not totally watery. Urgency is bad :-(

The problem I have with pub toilets is that we usually goto typical boozers. No disabled toilets the lol
 
shes too young to be giving you a hard time then. lol.
bring antibacterial wipes and bum wipes with you when you go drinking. your OH can put them in her bag or just put some in a ziplock.
urgency is down to the inflammation in your rectum. you basically cant hold anything in because of swelling. the enemas or suppositories will help that.
what did you say you were on again?
ju
 
Top