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How do you deal with UC when your really old? 70's 80's ..?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/15/2013 6:36 PM (GMT 0)
And i mean when your in your 60's (not that that is really old) but 70's even 80's??? if i even live that long Hopefully by then there is some sort of cure...!!!. It seems like it would kill you, or you would just want to hang it up... if you had a really bad flare, are there senor citizens on this board that have this?
Posted 2/15/2013 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
Well I am getting close to 65,and just deal with it. But it is getting more difficult as the
years go by. You may notice my frantic research to find a solution,before my brain or colon gives out.
Old Mike
Posted 2/15/2013 6:58 PM (GMT 0)
Great question. I am almost 56. I am completey normal except for having about 8 - 12 bms per day, with half of them basically being just untrustworthy gas. I think about this a lot as I a handle it fairly well right now but can't imagine being like this in my 80's, especially if someone is taking care of me.
Posted 2/15/2013 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
I think this would be a good question for your GI. The GI-specific practice I go to seems to have patients of all ages, from kindergarten age children to people who appear to be in their 80's and 90's. I am not sure what most people are there for, but I am sure some are uc-people.

I know most of the clinical studies say the medicines are not geriatric medicine evaluated. I cannot imagine that the results would be any different though.
Posted 2/15/2013 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
When my son had his colon out,I would often have to change his pad and wipe him down,when there were not enough nurses around to do it. I thought to myself,Christ I did this when you were a baby
and I am doing it now when you are 21. I told him just make sure you do this for me,when/if the time comes.
Old Mike
Posted 2/15/2013 7:35 PM (GMT 0)
My mom didn't get UC until she was in her mid 60's, only used a rectal med once and was allergic to the oral meds they tried her on...she didn't alter her diet or do alternatives as much as I tried to get her to. In her late 70's-80's (she passed away at 82) she wore diapers a lot because she was getting c-diff a lot...she passed away from a brain aneurysm (nothing to do with her UC). Her UC was considered mild to moderate but mostly mild...completely untreated UC for close to 2 decades.
Posted 2/15/2013 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
I guess we'll find out. My goal is to still resume using the meds I am now.

q
Posted 2/15/2013 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
I'm hoping it will "burn" itself out by the time I reach that age! I've already has this beast for 21 years and I often wonder where I will be with it when I hit my 70's. who knows, maybe by then A) there will be a cure or B) I will be without my colon.
Posted 2/15/2013 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
In theory, medicine keeps getting more and more advanced. In practice though, they seem to just endlessly fine tune the same old garbage- 5ASAs, steroids (uceris), biologics (new "-abs"), bla bla. Hopefully we'll eventually see whole new classes of well tolerated (by 99.99% of patients, not 80-90 % since I am always in the 10-20% intolerants lol- guess I could still be in the 0.01%) side effect free / non toxic drugs eg super probiotics, worm derivatives or whatever. Not holding my breath.
Posted 2/15/2013 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
I was diagnosed at age 60, 3 years after I retired.
The first few years were very hard but there has been gradual improvement during the past 7 years.
Most improvements in symptoms happened since I found this forum just over a year ago.....which is very encouraging.

How do I deal with it?
-I've accepted that I have UC, an illness that (sometimes) dictates my choices. I take my meds faithfully and avoid things that are bad for me.
-I'm grateful that I can still enjoy life most of the time...things could be a lot worse.
-I've learned to live in the present. Don't worry about having this when I'm 80 or 90. Could get hit by a truck before then or be cured.
-I've become very open about having UC and do not feel embarrassed or ashamed about something over which I have no control.
-I've somehow managed to keep my sense of humor (my most valuable asset).

P.S. I think I resent the "really old" comment. Don't you know that 70 is the new 50?
:-)
Posted 2/15/2013 9:49 PM (GMT 0)
Aint that the truth IAS! I have a client who's 100, and I can barely get a hold of her (in the care home) because she's always at/doing something that's going on in there.

q
Posted 2/16/2013 4:53 PM (GMT 0)
Great post ItsAlwaysSomething...

Those are really good rules to live by for anyone with UC regardless of age.
Posted 2/16/2013 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
     I was 52 when diagnosed with ulcerative proctitis and almost 64 yrs when I had the total colectomy with end ileostomy.  My disease kept getting worse, remissions more scarce and I was prednisone dependent.  Having surgery was the best decision regarding my health that I ever made!
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