severity of UC decreases with age???

I went to my acupuncturist guy a couple of days ago and we were talking about my symptoms and I told him that I think my symptoms are totally hormone related.  That my first symptoms started right after I started the pill.  He told me that you usually get UC in your teen years or during menopause years....(men too, early teens or around 55).  I agree with that, then he said that if you get it in your early teens the severity of the disease will decrease over time.  As your hormones decrease with age, so will your UC symptoms.  Has anyone ever heard of this?????  I would love to believe this is true, but I have never heard of such a thing.  Anyone????

It does seem reasonable that it is hormone related.  It would be interesting to have a poll on the age the disease started.  I know my symptoms are worse during my period than any other time. 

It would be interesting to find out if anybody's symptoms disappeared after having a full hysterectomy. 

As for symptoms decreasing over time.  Not sure about that, may depend on the individuals hormone levels as they age.

 

My GI doc told me the same thing.  I HOPE he's right!!!

My father, who also has ulcerative colitis, hasn't had much symptoms for the past 15-20 years or so.  He has what I'd call more chronic diareah, where he rarely has solid stools, but can control it well.  He took prednisone early on when he first flared but no other meds that I know of.  He still gets annual colonoscopy because he's had polyps removed several times.  He is 65 now. 

That's one person's opinion. I don't think an IBD gastro would ever believe or say such a thing-- because they recognize that there is tremendous variability among IBD patients as to symptoms, extent of disease, and response to treatment. / Old Hat (nearly 30 yrs with left-sided UC; currently on 3 Colazal daily for maintenance of remission)

Unfortunately it doesn't necessarily work that way...

In the past few yrs, advanced genetic techniques have allowed scientists to discover at least 9 different gene clusters that contribute to the development of IBD and DEFINE THE SEVERITY AND BEHAVIOR of the disease over time.

My mom got UC in her mid 60's and at that point is was somewhat managable, she's 80 now and for the last 9 yrs her UC has been horrible, I mean "accidents" 4-6 times a day while she's at home.

Everyone is different for sure, but according to science our genes are in control of the behavior and severity more then we likely are...but I'm a firm believer in diet, supplements and regular exercise in helping manage symptoms better.

:)

Since people who don't have UC can become fecally incontinent, it's always a risk with us as well....espcially if the rectum has become somewhat damaged from consistent inflammation. Hence my persistence of rectal meds.

I think your accupuncturist is spreading hopeful stories...not totally a bad thing, but maybe misguided....it can happen as the best case scenario....but reality is what rules, regardless.

I do believe that hormones and UC in women are connected. I had a hysterectomy a few years after diagnosis...still flared but in NO WAY as bad as my initial flare....so that didn't stop them. Life crisis/situations still happened on the way. I am on a small dosage of estrogen....when I stopped it last year, I did flare...with some bleeding which was a first in over 15 years. Shocked the socks off of me.

My flares did improve vastly the first and second year with the use of my meds....so, I can't say the hysterectomy was the major help in dealing with my flares...but it would definitely have helped with the monthly ups and downs...especially since I also had endometriosis. 

I believe that keeping the colon as quiet as possible with the least amount of meds as possible is helpful in creating a more hopeful future with the least amount of side effects. Again, best case scenario.
As we age, our stressors actually increase rather than decrease...getting older requires a lot more energy and change FASTER than one can even anticipate. Those changes create a lot of anxiety and grief from loss and change of one's self.

I believe in setting up support for ourselves will lessen those stressors and in turn lessen the UC flare-ups. That could include exercise, family/friend interaction, postive experiences, daily stress reduction through having viable options available, questioning medications where there are other options, massage, accupunctue, etc.....

Remember....we don't know what will happen to us as we age...having UC only can increase the stress rather than lessen it. We never only have UC to deal with...many of us has extraintestinal disease/disorders to deal with. Some fatal.

I do hope that by maintaining the status quo as I age will create a better butt environment. Having lots of options available with hopefully will make it much easier and less bothersome. For me, distress is truly a factor for my body's reactions...has always been. I can only change myself so much...I have to accept that I cannot change everything. I'll definitely have a lot to deal with as I age.

GI docs can't even agree on dealing with UC....don't know how your accupuncturist knows all unless he has it or knows somewhat sho has it.

I would take the opportunity to fill him in on the realities and question his resources before accepting his statements as fact.

quincy