New here, and I come complete with questions.

Wow, I sure hate that I have UC, but it's conclusive. I'm 60, and 2 years ago, I quit smoking. That same spring I had an infected wisdom tooth, a bad case of bronchitis, and then right after that, suddenly got the symptoms of UC, the pancolitis variety. Severe cramping on eating, terrible gas & gas pains. Couldn't leave the house because of the severity of the diarrhea. Scared me to death, and required an immediate colonoscopy. 3 polyps were discovered. & removed. I was put on Asacol and Flagyl. Read online that UC can be triggered in older people by quitting smoking, and then came to find out that nicotine actually works as an anti-inflammatory in the colon. So I started smoking again, and all the symptoms went away, and I discontinued the Asacol and whatever else I'd been taking. I was an active outdoor person, and figured I'd be better off smoking. Probably dumb.

Flash forward 2 years, this spring, and one day I pass some blood and mucus stools. Man, I detest talking about this stuff. Got into see the GastroEnt doc right away. Was put back on Asacol 400mg. along with 2 weeks of Flagyl. Never had any diarrhea, no gas to speak of, and not even minor cramping after eating except for a couple of days. Any small pains have come from the transverse colon area and perhaps lower stomach. I'm guessing if the pain is in the transverse colon then it was the beginning of another pancolitis attack caught at the earliest stage. I've been told I need to take the Asacol timed release tablets for life.

My doc wants me to quit smoking again, and actually I want to too, but now I'm worried if I do, I will get a flare-up from hell.

1. I'd like to know, if in your experience, the flare-ups necessarily become more frequent?

2. Anyone here who smokes or got UC after quitting smoking?

3. Do pancolitis attacks from the beginning carry a worse prognosis?

4. Is it proven that taking these meds long term protects against colorectal cancer or is it hype from the drug companies?

5. If nonsoluable fiber is bad for the colon during flare ups, wouldn't it be bad for the colon anytime?

6. What foods have you elimated from your over all diet, and what foods have you added in more abundance?

7. Is it now accepted in medical circles that UC is caused by bacteria?

I guess what scares me most of all is the higher risk for colon cancer. I had an aunt that died from it.

Appreciate this forum being here, and hope to learn a lot from all of you.

I can't answer any of your questions about smoking because I've never been a smoker.

It has been clinically studied that staying on a regular regimen of Mesalamine not only reduces your chances of a flare-up but serves as a protectant against colon cancer.
Generally patient compliance is what makes UC most difficult to treat. I remained faithfully on Colazol for 4 years and never had a single symptom of a flare. I went off for 5 months and
now I am in the worst flare of my life.

They have not identified what causes UC. There is some genetic link and another link that it is triggered by allergies, but as for a solid cause, no one knows yet.

Pancolitis suffers generally have a higher risk of colon cancer, so just be more prudent in getting regular colonoscopies to check for dysplasia.

As for food, I am only bothered by fiber or trigger foods when I am flaring, but that works differently for many people. My grandmother who also suffered UC could never eat wheat bread, high fiber foods,
salads or dairy products. For me, when flaring, the worst possible food I can have is milk or cheese - pizza is a killer! I'm also very sensitive to barley and high fiber fruits and veggies.

I'll let the rest of the community fill you in on your other questions.

Welcome!

You mentioned developing an oral infection shortly before experiencing symptoms of ulcerative colitis, were you prescribed an antibiotic? If so, which compound?

Welcome

I was diagnosed in 1999 so in my 9-10 year experience I have found that my flares have not gotten much more frequent. However, I have had to use increasingly powerful drugs to get myself into remission when I do flare.....which is about once or twice per year. When I was first diagnosed, I went into remission using asacol alone. Then I required mesalamine enemas, then topical steriod enemas and now I am on prednisone for the first time.

I was also diagnosed after quitting smoking and immediately after taking an antibiotic for a gum/wisdom tooth infection infection - I think it was the broad spectrum antibiotic that triggered it for me.

3,4 and 5 have been pretty much answered by others

As for food elimination. I think it is very different for everyone. I have had allergy testing done (I did blood tests - an elimination diet is better but I was pregnant at the time) and I stuck religiously to the results of those tests.....and I still flared up. So I must say that for me I am not sure food is the issue. But I know when I am really flaring I cant eat veggies and fruit, especially raw.

Bacteria theories. Well, some research has shown that taking probiotics (friendly bacteria) reduces the symptoms of UC etc. It is thought by some that autoimmune diseases are a result of genetic factors interacting with environmental triggers. So bacterial changes in the gut may trigger an autoimmune reaction in a person who is genetically vulnerable. But really, no one knows yet. Wish they did.

jo

justhinkin, yes, I was diagnosed during my first flare. It started in November 20808, about 4 weeks after I had my son, then eased for a couple of weeks (maybe due to probiotics), but then it came back really, really badly again at the very first of January. I was having 15+ episodes of urgent diarrhea a day. I also have thyroid issues...I have nodules, but they don't seem to mess with my thyroid function.

Hi there

I was diagnosed with proctitis in 1995, just months into my pregnancy and after quitting smoking.

I started smoking again when i went back to work and managed my proctitis with salofalk suppositories for 13 years.

I quit smoking again in September 2006. Two months later I had a flare that was much worse than anything I had ever had. My GP gave me a prescription for salofalk enemas and I recovered after about 2 weeks.

In February of this year I got really sick and had a colonoscopy. This time it is UC and it got my entire colon.

Because I am having a flare right now, I am not supposed to eat any fiber (doctors advice after little improvement in 2 weeks). I am surviving on chicken, white rice, white potato, broth, ensure meal replacements, juice and tea. I am told that when I go into remission, I will need to turn that around and ensure that I am eating fiber every day to keep my colon healthy. I am really missing the vegetables and fruit. I had a very healthy diet before I got sick.

I welcome hearing all of your histories and experiences. Gives me things to think about or do or try. My 2nd flare came on this spring, and followed a spring allergy attack which I hadn't had in years. I previously lived in a rural area, and moved to a city, and am now wondering if change in environment was a contributing factor.

Jo,
I wouldn't eliminate soluble fiber from my usual diet, was just wondering about things like apple peels, potato skins, the insoluble forms of fiber, thinking they might irritate a colon already prone to UC flare ups. I continued eating cooked vegetables during my last flare, but then again this last flare was really wimpy. My first flare, it didn't matter what I ate or didn't eat, it all went right through me. I've found I can't drink decaffeinated, diet soda at all anymore.

subdued,
Thanks for the alert re kidney disease. That's really something for me to be aware of since my mother had kidney disease. But then again, if the meds protect one from cancer, that's also something to consider. I don't want either. I, too, was on antibiotics for years due to sinus infections that became secondary bacterial infections in me. I'm not sure whether it was menopause or moving to a rural area, but they stopped almost completely for 20 years.

fruitgirl,
15 episodes a day at least on my first flare as well. I don't know how you are managing to handle that plus a new baby. You poor girl.
Hope you have some help from relatives or friends.

Coprhead,

Sounds like you've had a time of it too. So sorry to hear that. I started my day with white rice mixed with tumeric powder. I found that to be very soothing to my colon. Also, sushi type pickled ginger. Now it does have some sweetener in it, but the two together had a positive effect on me. I ate the rice with tumeric about 3 times a day, and a couple of pieces of pickled ginger here and there seemed to provide pain relief. Glad you were able to quit smoking. I think that's a very good thing. My first flare was severe and very scary, and the meds weren't getting it under control. However, starting to smoke again abruptly ended the flare. I'm not advising you, just telling what worked for me. I want to quit smoking, and am now working on doing so with the nicotine gum. I have a feeling the gum chewing delivers nicotine more quickly to the colon. Just a thought.

AlliUC, hope you too, get past this flare. It's so hard to de-stress in the midst of a flare up, but if it was me, I'd just take a few moments of breathing deeply and slowly, and saying the word, "peace on exhaling. It can't hurt, and it might calm you a bit. UC isn't caused by stress, but the flare ups are quite stressful. I hear you loud and clear on missing the fruits and veggies!

Christine,

That wasn't smoking. LOL. I had to look up 6mp. I'm not familiar with a lot of the meds taken for UC, and am surprised there are so many. Good thing since individually they seem to stop working! Having to give up crabcakes. Now that's criminal. Got another question for you or anyone. Does your health insurance pay for colonoscopies every two years? I lost my husband 6 years ago, and my insurance as well. At the time my health was excellent so I decided to go bare, no ins. Now, because of the UC, I'm only elliegible for my state's assigned risk pool ins. which actually isn't as bad as some of the policies out there, but I have no idea once I'm passed the waiting period of a year for coverage of UC since it's a preexisting condition how often they will allow me to have a colonoscopy.

Again, I would like to thank all of you for responding to my questions. It's all very helpful and thought provoking.