Me and my Ulcerative Colitis

Just wanted to say hello to everyone and kind of you a little bit about myself. I'm 25 years old and from Philadelphia. I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2003.

I was 17 years old and in my senior year of high school. I got very sick for about 2 weeks. I kept going to the drs because I wasn't getting any better. They at first thought I had Mono because I was so run down, then they thought I might have ecoli. Well after back and forth at the drs, we couldn't come up with and answer as to why I couldn't keep anythin down. Everytime I ate, me and the bathroom were best buds. One night I was so sick I was taken to the hospital. Even there no one knew what was going on. Finally after a week in the hospital and a million test ran ,I was told I had Ulcerative Colitis. I even lost 31 lbs in the month.

After everything went back to normal. Haven't had a flare up since. I recently quit smoking, trying to do something good for myself and 3 months later I am having a flare up. I'm in pain and always in the bathroom. I've cut everything out of my diet and have been watching everything I eat. I currently lost my medical insurance because I was laid off from my job. I applied for another insurance and was denied because of my height vs my weight. I had to go to the drs to get some type of meds. Finally got them , now just waiting for them to start working. Praying that it doesn't end up with me in the hospital bc I can not afford it without medical insurance.

Thanks for listening. Hopefully I can find some support here and talk with people who know and understand what I am gong thru.

Hi Arv726 and welcome to the forum. I was told yesterday i have ulcerative colitis also. Can i ask what medication they gave you? I am currently on Asacol 800mg 3 x per day. I know how it feels to be constantly to the bathroom and sorry things got so bad for you. People here are very friendly and understanding and the forums are a wealth of information

Hi there, neighbor! I am so sorry your UC is back in high gear. I have read several people have a flare up after quitting smoking. I am glad you are meds now, though, and I hope they start working soon.

I hope you can find employment and get insurance soon. Doesn't our health care system stink! I look forward to seeing you around the forum!

Hi Arv and welcome!

Who do you see in Philly? I go to Presbyterian and see Dr. Osterman. He is young and cool and very aggressive when it comes to treating IBD.

I was first DX with UC when I was 27. ALL of my flares came after I quit smoking, which I did several times and ended up flaring each and every time. I would never advocate smoking, but would recommend tapering off ciggies very slowly for any UC patient.

I was always able to get my flares under control with either Rowasa enemas, cortisone enemas or cortifoam. This coupled with the fact that I always went back to smoking got my flares under control.

My "big flare" - the one that did me in - came after my son was born and I had quit smoking for 9 months.

Some UC patients have used the nicotine patch successfully to control flare ups.

Good luck with the meds and the new insurance. I hope you can get things under control and stay well.

- Amy

Hi Arv! Welcome

Insurance hassles can be so annoying. Hopefully some of the suggestions Amy gave you will be able to help out on top of the medications you are on. At least until you can get some insurance and peace of mind.

Glad you found the forum!

I'm baffled about the smoking thing - I quit smoking using e-cigarettes - so I get plenty of nicotine, just no smoke - but sure enough, 1 year after I switched to e-cigs, had a colonoscopy and was told I have UC. My doctor commented that something in cigarettes seemed to protect against UC. I dunno - but then there is a lot about this I don't know.

I've heard that something in the nicotine helps with flares. But it's like a catch 22. I don't want to start smoking again but I don't want to have a flare up anymore. Lol

Really disheartening to hear about possible connection between quitting smoking and having a flare. I read a few articles over 5 years ago stating that UC sufferers ran a high risk of flaring if/when they quit smoking. There was even a study that included nicotine therapy for non smoking UC sufferers that i had stumbled upon. It was a major reason that i remained a smoker for so many years. I am happy to say that I have been smoke free since Jan 2012! However its 8/2012...and im in the worst flare Ive had in years