what started this for you?

I have a question for those who were diagnosed with UC in their late teens or later.

For me I wasn't diagnosed until i was about 18 1/2 yo (3 yrs ago). A few months before I was diagnosed I got in bad cut from working outside landscaping (cut my finger deep with an electric hedge saw) and I needed to go to the ER and get a Tetanus shot and stitches, etc.. A few weeks later... I began developing the symptoms of UC and then when it got to the point when I became too sick to be embarrassed about the diarrhea and blood I came out to my parents and doctor.

Now my question is did anyone who was recently diagnosed or anything remember any traumatic events that happened before you were diagnosed?


I read in an article a long time ago that people who have UC has always had the problem in their genetics but it takes something to spark it. I wish I could remember where I saw this article but it was when I was first diagnosed I was looking up everything.

--thanks

I am convinced that I developed UC because I used Accutane. The timing is just too suspect. Accutane of course kills the bacteria that causes acne...and apparently more. There have been at least two largement judgements against the manufacturer of Accutane because of this, and the litigation continues. I don't normally advocate suing drug companies, but looked into it. My case is too old (records are gone) to pursue a case. I was 25. No one in my family has ever had digestive or autoimmune issues.
My Naturopath says he is also noticing cases of men who have used baldness medication.

I think almost everyone can think of something to blame for the onset, but then that would be true of any disease. Just because two things are close in time doesn't necessarily mean one caused the other.

I can't think of anything terribly unusual, although I'd been having other autoimmune issues for some time.

The only thing I can think of is I had just started my first full time job after college. I absolutely hated it, was extremely stressed out, sleep deprived and depressed because of it. Although, I did notice the first slight spots of blood a couple weeks before I started the job, so I guess I had the beginning stages beforehand. I had also been drinking more than I ever had in the past (I'm not a real big drinker, but was drinking to the point of throwing up at least once or twice a week for about a month or two before seeing the blood), so I've always wondered if that played a role. I also had mold in my apartment bathroom for a year and a half before getting UC. I tried cleaning it off, but it always came back.

Back in May of '06, I developed a bacterial infection in my digestive tract. Through stool cultures, it was eventually dxed as a c diff infection. It took 2 rounds of flagyl, and two round of vancomycin to get rid of the infection. At the time, I was getting ready to complete a trade school program, and my plan was to move to another state immediately after graduation to a job I had lined up. Due to the infection, I ended up postponing leaving, and wound up hanging around being sick for a month. I pushed to get a c-scope, because I wanted to be sure there wasn't any underlying cause for the c diff infection. (Main causes for getting a c diff infection are being on antibiotics, being elderly and in a hospital/nursing home, or travelling out of the country). I fell into none of those categories. Well, my c-scope revealed that I had colitis, and I was imediately put on Asacol. Prior to the infection, I had had blood in my stool occassionaly, but I had never had anything even remotely resembling a full blown flare, and I always assumed the blood was hemmies. After the infection was cleared up, I was put on Asacol and a probiotic, which kept the UC under control to the point that I doubted I actually had it. Then I stopped the Asacol, and all doubt of my having UC was erased from my mind. Do I think the c diff brought on the UC? No. I think I was genetically predisposed to UC, and it needed a major upset to get going. 7 years earlier, I had giardia, that took 2 rounds of flagyl to eliminate, but I didn't notice any UC stuff after that. For me, it took a major imbalance (like an extremely hard to eliminate infection) to get things revving up, and once it happened, there is no going back. Now I'm trying to get back into remission, and I have an appreciation of what a flare feels like. I will be more carfeul in the future to do what is necessary to prevent a flare.  And I avoid antibiotics unless it is absolutely a last alternative.

Lots and lots of anitbiotics because I was always sick and my hubbys gma's poisonous turkey (food poisoning) is what I believed to have triggered mine.

Stress at work (the emotion of fear) binge drinking, taking advil sinus and cold all the time, getting married and not wanting to be   I hope this isn't the middle finger he's waving, it looks like it. I don't mean it to be :)

I was on accutaine in the 80' for a short while and I too believe its what caused my UC...I too do not have UC etc in my family.  I called the attorneys that are handling the class action and they said my case was too old etc...great, no zits on my face but ulcers throughout my colon!!!

Peety said...
I am convinced that I developed UC because I used Accutane. The timing is just too suspect. Accutane of course kills the bacteria that causes acne...and apparently more. There have been at least two largement judgements against the manufacturer of Accutane because of this, and the litigation continues. I don't normally advocate suing drug companies, but looked into it. My case is too old (records are gone) to pursue a case. I was 25. No one in my family has ever had digestive or autoimmune issues.
My Naturopath says he is also noticing cases of men who have used baldness medication.

I have dealt with anxiety my whole life (runs in the family). I was extremely shy as a child and my parents constantly moved us around, I was always the new kid in school, very stressful for me. I took a lot of antibiotics growing up. I think what set off my first flare in 2000 was that I was engaged but knew I did not want to marry the man. Spent months stressing about it, finally broke it off and moved far away but then felt guilty. When I met my now husband my symptoms disappeared! I had minor blips here and there and no official diagnosis until 2008. I'm pretty sure what set off my flare in the summer of 2007 was that my wonderful (ha!) Mother in Law would constantly visit every 2 weeks for 4 months straight. (We usually didn't see her THAT often). I DREAD her visits, they are very stressful to me. Her constant visits combined with me taking Alli for a short time sent me into a flair I'm pretty sure. Now I'm pregnant and I think the pregnancy hormones along with a short stint on pred for poison oak has put me in remission - thank you Lord!

I smoked cigars until I developed a really bad case of bronchitis in 1997, which helped me to quit them. However, I remember taking a bunch of antibiotics for the bronchitis at the time. Anyway, I was dx'ed with UC in 1999 and I'm sure it was a direct result of quitting smoking.

Funny thing is, smoking cigars gives some UCers some relief from the disease, according to my PCP.

As the stress in my life reached exponential levels I developed UC, and when my stress levels get back up there the flares return and increasing in reoccurances and duration...Stress and UC don't mix!

I quit smoking in january symptoms started in march and dx in may so i am convinced that giving up smoking was partly to blame.

One of the most stressful times of my life (getting rejected to Ph.D. programs I thought I would certainly get into + pressure from my then fiancee to move) and a bad night of food poisoning or some kind of bacterial infection. Immediately after the stomach bug disappeared I had UC.

My Dad, who has Crohn's, also was diagnosed with his condition while he was going through a divorce and right after a bout with a stomach bug.

As an incredibly analytical, skeptical, and scientific person I find these "coincidences" to edge closer and closer to causality the more I hear of similar situations.