Calling all those with experience: I need your opinion

I've been dealing with intestinal problems for the past 15 years (I'm a 48 year old male). Initially, my family doctor diagnosed me with Ulcerative Colitis. She performed a Sigmoidoscopy (sp?) back then and said she saw red sores in my intestine and put me on a medication, that I can't remember the name of it now, that was a large yellow tablet and it turned my urine bright yellow. The medicine was for the symptoms of UC. I was on it for about a year with not a lot of improvement. I finally went to a GI doctor who performed a Colonoscopy (sp? again) who saw nothing and said my problem was just IBS and told me to eat a lot of fiber which I did and it seemed to help.

Throughout the last several years, even though I've stopped taking the fiber supplement, I lived a fairly normal life in terms of somewhat normal bowel movements. There have been plenty of times, though, where I would go through bouts of abdominal cramping associated with diarrhea that I know was not associated with having the flu.

Lately, for about the last two weeks, I have had watery diarrhea. There is not a lot of cramping prior to the diarrhea, just a very sudden urge to relieve myself which means I need to get to a bathroom very fast. I get anywhere from 2-4 of these attacks per day. I went to the doctor last week and as he felt around I felt considerable pain in my lower left side of my abdomen (a little pain on my lower right side as well but mostly on the left side). The doctor thought it might be Diverticulitis and did a CT scan of my gut which came out negative.

I'm at a point where I don't know what to do. I was reading some of the symptoms of UC on the internet and realized I have been dealing with many of them over the years. Here are some of my symptoms and you tell me if you think if what I am dealing with is UC:

- Watery diarrhea: (no blood that I can tell) for the past two weeks with 2-4 episodes per day. Over the counter medicines have not even phased it.

- Eye problems: Blurred vision. Light sensitivity. Sores in my eyes causing all of this that an ophthalmologist diagnosed 3 years ago as Thygeson's Disease/Superficial Punctate Keratitis. I have to use a steroid eye drop (FML Forte) daily to keep it in check.

- Rash: Red, itchy welt-like rashes around my waist area that manifest themselves usually in the cold weather months. My doctor diagnosed it as Eczema and I use a steroid cream to treat the affected areas. I had this problem for about 12 years.

- Joint pain in both knees: Especially the left knee. I only feel it every once in a while especially walking down stairs, but it's there and it's persistent. I've had this problem for about 10 years.

Does any of this fit into what might be deemed as symptoms of UC?

Thank you in advance for your advice.

Quincy,

Thank you for replying. It was the family doctor that I go to that felt like the rash was Eczema. I probably should go to a dermatologist for that just so they know. I believe the family doctor was just guessing that it was Eczema because I don't believe Eczema doesn't manifest itself in a welt-like rash. Maybe it does, I don't know for sure.

I am trying to get into a GI specialist to go over things with her (Ugh! Another women doctor looking under my hood!). How embarrassing. Now I know what a women must feel like when a male OBGYN does a pelvic exam.

LOL...yeah, eventually it doesn't matter whether the doc is male or female if he or she has our best interests at heart and is open to some discussion about care.

Eczema can look like a welt-like rash with dry skin...but yours could possibly be caused by an allergy or just irritation where your clothes rub? I get that around my torso in winter..keeping the area well moisturised helps a lot. It's not continuous, however....they are spots in areas, and cortisone works quickly to get them down.

A dermatologist would be the best bet...there are creams that could work more efficiently for eczema than cortisone. There are also different cortisone creams that work better in certain areas than others.

I've also found some moisturisers work better than others to keep the inflammation at bay.

Also, what you use in the laundry for cleaning and softening might be a culprit in winter. Once the skin is raw...anything will bother it unless it's got something soothe it.

Keep us posted as to what's going on with you regardless.
It's scary when so many things happen to us at the same time. As well, the mind/body connection sometimes can take over it becomes a vicious cycle when trying to deal. Definitive diagnosis is always a relief, sometimes no matter how serious the problem.
quincy

Thank you all.

I was able to set up an appt. with a GI doctor for 10-1. It's a ways down the road but it will be nice to finally talk to someone who can give me a correct diagnosis. In the mean time I am going to get back on taking a fiber supplement each day, eating better, and exercising more. It is very possible that the gut problems and pain, eye problems, skin rash and joint pain are all separate issues and not the result of a core problem. But when I started reading the symptoms of UC I thought, "wow that's me, maybe I have UC or CD." So, I thought I'd get your feedback and it's really helped.

   Hi...just so you are not feeling alone...I have TSPK also. Thygeson's Superficial Punctate Keratitis has caused so many problems and I don't think my steriod eye drops are holdling it at bay anymore. I use Lotemax, or FML My last flare wouldn't clear up at all with the meds. I'm currently in another flare and am leary of using the drops because I suspect they are making  the TSPK worse. Like you I have photosensitivity, gritty feeling in eyes, discomfort and blurry vision.  I am not seeing well with my brand new glasses and the doc is telling me the script is as good as he can get it for me. Now what?

I also have another corneal disease which was diagnosed several years prior to TSPK. It's EBMD, Epithialial Basement Membrane Dystrophy. Do you have that too?

I have multiple medical issues....including GI. Good luck with all your medical issues. I hope we all feel better.