Other S. Africans? Cape Townians?

How is the weather down there this time of year?

Zippy123 said...
How is the weather down there this time of year?

Usually there is plenty of rain this time of the year but the weather during the last fews days was sunny

hehe yeah I was wondering what kind of winter you have down there, sounds like it is fairly warm all year round. One great thing about the internet is talking to people half way across with world :)

Cape Town Colitis said...
Hi Mudua!

Wow, I didn't think there'd be anyone from South Africa here, let alone Cape Town. Well, nice to know I'm not the only one. Do you know if there is some kind of support group going here?

Zippy123, Mudua said it. We've had a pretty nice winter; some cold rainy days but plenty lovely sunny days too - great for the soccer!

Cheers for now

Hi Cape Town Colitis

There is absolutely no support group in Cape Town. My first doctor who diagnosed me with UC was an American doctor and my present doctor is Indian who practised in the USA for 11 years.

I am living in Melkbosstand. What part of Cape Town are you living in?

Hi there!  I see this has been posted quite some time back.  I haven't been on this site in ages.

Anyway, I am from Cape Town.  I can't really be counted amongst those with UC anymore as I have a JPOUCH (step 1 Oct 2008 and step 2 May 2009) 

I used to use Asacol medication and suppositories twice a day whilst I had the UC (before my JPOUCH) and I used other meds as well during my flare ups.

I knew for a fact that I wasn't the only one with UC or now with a JPOUCH in Cape Town or South Africa LOL, because everytime I went in to hospital for either surgery or a sigmiodoscopy or being booked in for a flare up or to get my colostomy bags and other stuff (when I still used them) I would hear of "oh there is another patient being operated on at this very moment" or one day when I went to fetch my things the nurse said "I hope you don't mind, we had to use your paste so long for this patient in ICU. We have ordered another tube for you".  So ja, it's like there are so many people around with UC or that had their colon or part of it removed, yet nobody seems to want to talk about it around here.  I must say, there are many more support groups overseas, but here it's totally dead.

I went through a lot with my UC - didn't have it for long, but it was very servere and nearly cost me my life in 2006, but thank God for His mercy and people all over praying for me that I pulled through and that I am a living testimony now. I might not have a colon anymore, but I am healthy and totally medication free and I can only thank the Lord for that.

Take care!

B

Hi there Mudua

 

So sorry to hear about you having lost your job, because of the UC.  It seems so unfair, but then again this colitis really have a nasty way of interfering with a persons' day to day activities.

 

When I became ill in August 2006, I was very, very ill as I have mentioned before.  The doctor only saw me fit to return to work in July of 2007 and also then I was very underweight and weak still.  I remember when I returned to work I could only wear tracksuites and tackies, because atleast the tracksuites had a drawstring.  I don't like tracksuites, but I had no choice....LOL - imagine you walk into an office and the secretary wears a tracksuit.  I am so grateful that they were patient with me though (luckilly I work for a large company so they would have been in deep trouble had they treated me differently)

 

Anyways, I asked my surgeon if he thinks that the company would ever consider boarding me and his opinion was that they shouldn't, because after the op (that time they were still thinking about reversal surgery and not the JPOUCH) I would probably be much better and be able to perform my duties as I would have before.

 

I'm telling you with this JPOUCH I can continue as I did before I became ill (if not more) because I have started taking up dancing lessons too (I just came from my dance class a while ago) and I still do a lot of things as fast as I used to (I'm very hyperactive LOL).....so the JPOUCH doesn't interfere with my daily activities.....OKay, I do have my days where it doesn't go to well like when I get but burn especially after a runny tummy or I get yeast infection in my bum (Yes in my bum EINA!) but that's nothing compared to what I have been with and it doesn't happen all the time. Everything is working wonderfully and I really only have God to thank.

 

So ja, you should consider your options carefully and prayerfully, but whatever you decide on I sure hope that the quality of your life improves and I really hope and pray for you to find strength to perform at you peak at a job.

 

Praying for you.

 

B

Hi

That's good to hear. I am so happy for you. At least there are some people with a heart.

May it go well with you at your new job.

I believe Crohns disease is so much worse. I know very little about it.

Enjoy your public holiday tomorrow.

take care

B

Hi guys, here I am - Cape Town Colitis!

Happy New year to you! Apologies for the delayed reply. I was away in Durban for work and I have been away from this site for quite a while as I was in remission. When I'm in remission I feel carefree and don't like to think about UC at all. But alas, I have it again... I'm so fed up as it came back a few days before leaving to work in Durban. Do you believe it's stress-related? I was so happy when I went into remission. Everytime I think I will never get it again so I felt extremely disappointed to see that after only a mere 7 months it had flared up once again. I have it in the rectum only but it causes me endless suffering. I constantly feel an ache in the rectum and a pulling sensation in the front vaginal area, as if my bladder is always full and of course going to the loo is not nice with the bleeding etc...

Bionic B, I am glad you are happy and well. I can imagine how many people have this disease here in CT. I have met quite a few of them. Who is your Dr?

Mudua, I'm sorry to hear you're flaring again. At the moment I'm using prednisone enemas and the asacol suppositories. I'm scared to use asacol tablets as i'm convinced they made my hair fall out. I'm into my second week on the enemas with no improvement so going to see the doc and I suppose i'll go onto cortizone tabs.

I really hate this disease. It gets me down and depresses me but i suppose there are worse things in life.

Let's pray they find a cure one day!
Go well.
Bev xx

Thanks B, your positivity is an inspiration. I'm sorry you had to go through so much but at least that is over - and it's great to hear that the J-pouch works so well and life goes on as per usual.

Mudua, I just reread your post and just to say, that ex - boss of yours sounds like a real tosser - I would actually go to the CCMA for unfair dismissal. I am sure you would win. You can't just fire someone for going to the loo too much.

Anyway, I really sorry to hear that your normal meds aren't working. I thought the cortizone enemas would work for me as that's what got me right the last time, but also not. By the way, I don't know if you know about the generic of the enema, Endocort? It's less than half the price - called Predsol. You have to get it direct from the company - pharmacies don't stock it. My GI orders it for me and then I pay the company direct. It's also easier and quicker to use - takes 10 minutes max as opposed to the Endocort which took me about 45 min - i found it very difficult to get the solution out. So, just in case you wanted to try it, thought I'd let you know.

Get better soon!

And nice chatting Bionic B

CTC

It's 38 degrees celcius in Cape Town today and whenever it gets so hot than I start flarring again

A whale fell on a boat here? ! I need to keep up with the news. Yes, this is possibly the most beautiful place on earth! Or at least one of them. But today and yesterday, being nearly 40deg C makes it a bit difficult to enjoy + having UC to deal with....

I'm still flaring too Mudua. Going to the dr next week. What gets me down is that even if we get better - eventually we flare again. The thought of living the rest of my life like this fills me with fear and sadness. How is it that some people haven't flared in 20 years or more. I wish I knew the secret...

I would also like to know how people feel about being in a relationship with this disease. Are your partners understanding and supportive? I'm single and would love to meet someone but am afraid this will lessen my chances.

Anyway, sorry for the tangent. These things go through my mind all the time.
Wishing you a comfortable day! xx

I became ill with UC in 2006 and had already broken up with my then bf in 2005, so by the time I became ill I was single anyway. Anyways during 2006 and 2009 I wasn't involved in a relationship at all, because I was too critically ill and after I was discharged from a hospital stay of 2 months in 2006, the only thing I could really concentrate on was getting better and when I eventually went back to work after almost 11 months the only thing I could think about in addition to getting better, was to be able to cope at work, which was a big challenge for me.

Anyways, after returning to work, all I could think about still was getting better, especially the times that I flared up and the times that I had to wait for the results to say whether I could go ahead with the Jpouch or not.

Then the Jpouch followed and eventually in November 2009, the doctor gave me a clean bill of health so to speak. At that time, I still did not have anybody in my life as yet.

I still don't, because shortly after the clean bill of health the doctor gave me, my mother passed away (Dec 2009) so I still had to adjust with that and all the emotions that went along with it....so I still didn't have a partner.

Up until today I am still single, although I had a few flings (nothing serious) last year, but that was it...just flings, not a boyfriend.....and yeah, I do long to be able to go out with somebody and to have somebody call me and pick me up after work and we go somewhere and all that, but I don't have the energy for all the drama will go with it, having to explain the scars and why I go to the toilet so much (I go approx 5-6 times a day to empty my pouch) and why I can't eat certain foods and so on and so on. What I'm saying is that it really needs to be a very special man that would be my partner.

I'm not really interested in marriage or children and it's not because I had UC , it's been like that even before I became ill, but if God puts somebody that's made for me on my path, I won't say "no". It just has to be somebody special and I know somebody like that exists. It does get lonely at times and I'm not getting younger.

As for the whale story, lol, it does sound familiar. I will go onto the link later to check it out, because now I am curious.

It's going to be another scorcher tomorrow too, but just imagine how hot it must be in Paarl at this very moment LOL...shame!