stress and UC

Hello. I'm a second year optometry school student. I am on Lialda. It's been almost a year (about 11 months since I was diagnosed with UC). I notice my symptoms get worse when I have exams coming up. I have 8 finals coming up in the next 2 weeks. Today I had severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and chills which lasted for about 15 minutes. The stomach cramps were the worst I've ever had. I seriously felt like crying. I heard that UC gets worse with stress. Is that really true? Is there anything that can help get rid of the symptoms (besides medication)? I also notice that my stomach grumbles alot even when I'm not hungry. Is this also normal with UC? I watch my diet (I try to avoid dairy). But it's hard to avoid caffeine. This past week I've had 2 or 3 cups of coffee/ day because I need to be up late to study. I put soy milk in my coffee. I also notice that I'm extremely weak even if I get 8 hrs of sleep the night before. Is fatigue also normal with UC?

Thanks!

For a long time I wasn't sure stress influenced me, and in fact family or personal "crises" don't seem to affect my UC - but dull ongoing stress does, like the kind of seasonal stress you're going through.

And lucasj - LOL, Christmas IS a big part of my stress because of where I work!

I find that meditation helps. If I take 10 minutes a day and just sit and "notice my breathing", inhale, exhale... it gets my mind to turn away from the stress a few minutes and helps. There have been studies to show that meditation can help BP and heart-related stress issues, too!

But, as lucas said - to even take a few minutes to think of a time beyond the stress... next summer...? I sometimes put myself in my favorite vacation spot and feel my midsection relax...?

And try to eat as healthy as you can, to balance out the caffeine and all.

I'm rooting for you!

Oh yeah, after a period of deep emotional distress, I'm pretty sure I'll be flaring. It's usually, however, while I'm on maintenance rectal meds, .... if I upped them, maybe I'd get through it better,

There's the plug to request rectal meds...lol.

Oh, it's usually the calm after the storm too.

q

Yep, stress can affect the immune system. You may want to try some relaxation techniques, or take a break when you start getting really anxious from whatever you're doing. And fatigue is common and my stomach grumbles, even in remission. I use a heating pad for cramps. Coffee/caffeine can make your digestive system crazy, so try to avoid it. Maybe try some tea instead? I think it's easier for the gut to handle than coffee.

Yoga is a great way to reduce stress. When I say yoga, I'm not just talking about a yoga class at the local gym. That's a small part of it. I'm talking about living a yogic way of life. There are many programs available that offer classes in meditation, breathing exercises (pranayama), yoga philosophy, and restorative yoga (yoga asanas for de-stressing). Search the Internet to find programs in your area.

before my symptoms became manageable, during stressful times I practiced some aromatherapy. I doused a handkerchief in a relaxing scent like lavender, lemon balm, peppermint or rosemary and when I felt a bit of a panic or stress, I inhaled the scent deeply, concentrating on diaphramatic breathing. It' s not a cure-all but it does draw your immediate attention away from whatever is causing stress. Music was also escape ...