Don't get mad at me for asking....

But do you ever feel like sometimes being on this site can hurt as much as it helps? Don't get me wrong, I've learned sooooo much from you guys, and the support and everything is great. It's just that, well, it always seems like the worst of the worst come here to post. So, to me, new to all this (not even officially diagnosed) I read all this and figure this (the horror stories) is what my daily life will be from now on... And that makes me sad, angry etc....even though my current reality is quite good (compared to when this first started 5 months ago - not compared to a "normal" person). Does what I'm saying make sense to you? I know some of you are in remission and living quite normally, and you're here to help those suffering...it's just, reading about all the suffering gets to me I guess. I don't know what I hope to accomplish with this post, nothing really, just putting it out there. Maybe I'm the only one, too sensitive or what not.

I hear you

toomuchpoopin said...
But do you ever feel like sometimes being on this site can hurt as much as it helps? Don't get me wrong, I've learned sooooo much from you guys, and the support and everything is great. It's just that, well, it always seems like the worst of the worst come here to post. So, to me, new to all this (not even officially diagnosed) I read all this and figure this (the horror stories) is what my daily life will be from now on... And that makes me sad, angry etc....even though my current reality is quite good (compared to when this first started 5 months ago - not compared to a "normal" person). Does what I'm saying make sense to you? I know some of you are in remission and living quite normally, and you're here to help those suffering...it's just, reading about all the suffering gets to me I guess. I don't know what I hope to accomplish with this post, nothing really, just putting it out there. Maybe I'm the only one, too sensitive or what not.

Hmmm, I haven't been here in a while, been gaming and other stuff that is actually fun. But this post is gold standard so I had to reply.

This is exactly how I feel. But to emphasize. This place is like a hospital where in some cases is really helpful, in other times, you need to GTFO out of it asap before you get even sicker ..in a sense.

Thoreau then posted a great statement:

"Use the site for support, for research, and then give back when you can"

That's about what you should use this site for, nothing less, nothing more.

There's other negative statements here that annoys me to no end such as "Blah blah blah,,chronic disease for life...blah blah blah...SCD...blah blah blah...you know anything with a strict pessimistic ideology(strict diets, rituals). Anyways, find you own thing and never believe you're stuck with this forever, find the balance that YOU'll accept...not something that you read that others have accepted.

Having traveled the internet up and down, and spoke with LIVE people with this disease some went in decades of remission with virtually no diet changes and negligible medication. Heck, there's some on this board right here...

Anyways,right now, I'm using qing dai powder and other stuff. Eventually I'll be on the SSI...but really, what the **** does it matter what I'm on...really.

This site is a support and help forum. If you're in remission and you feel this makes it worse or makes you stressed take a break! Though remember you're welcome back anytime :)

Welcome back somedude your insight has been missed here. Without you it has been harder to keep soystud, gary, and others here in line lol.

You're right it's in the eye of the beholder so take with you what you will: someone feeling better, feeling worse, discussions of treatment options both new and old, etc. I don't like surprises, I'd rather prepare on a mental level for what can happen with uc. And so far a lot more of it has happened than I would have liked.

There was a thread here a while ago:

What the heck happened to somedude

That's probably the biggest reason that I stick around -- to hopefully show the newbies that there's a chance they'll be OK. I know that when I was first diagnosed, I was glad to see that there were people in remission, doing well. I also like keeping current on new/developing treatment options, just in case my regime quits working.

And yeah, you have to figure out what works for you, both physically and mentally, when it comes to dealing with this disease.

I completely agree with the OP... I actually quit for several months after I was diagnosed because reading the forum was giving me serious stress and fear for the future. I ended up being an unlucky one anyway and I think many here would now consider me to be the boogeyman that scares newbies so I don't have much to get upset about

I agree, I've found that the more time one spends on the forum, the more the UC is first & foremost in one's mind. You can easily get so overly concerned & focused on every blip your body does....This site has helped me tremendously over the years, but you do really need to be able to take a step back & say "Whoa, UC is not the end all/be/all!". I tend to browse more than post nowadays- am going to a surgical consult this afternoon, so have been posting far more on the ostomy forum. And once it gets to that point, where you actually have surgery, many posters on here almost get mad if you post about it, "This is a UC forum, not a surgery forum!", etc....

Everybody is making really good points on this thread. It is most excellent! I think we should make a forum motto, something like, "I am not UC!" to remind us that we are not our disease.

I am usually more of a lurker here, just reading a few posts without commenting because I don't have a lot of useful information to offer, but every time my disease returns I find myself drawn back on a daily basis. And during the times I don't even think to come to this site, its because I've forgotten all about UC.

I totally get where you're coming from...that said, it's a well known fact that too much of anything is not a good thing (hmm with the exception of too much money though lol cuz that's never a problem hahaha).

It's important to recognize how much is too much and everyone is different, some people rely heavily on support forums and that's ok to a point, while others just like to pop in once in a while (when maybe they should frequent it more often) bottom line, each person has to figure out for themselves when it's too much..or not enough...goes both ways really.

Thank you all for your kind words and support. I am not ready to give you guys up, I still really need you. I'm still trying to navigate through all this and having your support and wisdom is a huge help. I think it's the old "it's not you, it's me" I'm working with a psychologist regarding the anxiety this has caused. I feel like I'm constantly waiting for the shoe to drop, I can't just focus on today and that today I'm feeling "well" I just over analyze every little twitch or gurgle or four dump day and think the worst, that I'm going to be back to square one symptom wise...and I just don't think I can handle that. I think all the horror stories here just add ammunition to my anxiety and "what ifs". But, at the same time I feel like I really need you guys, who understand what this is like, to know the shame of crapping ones pants in public, etc. Siiiiigh. Sometimes I think the mental part of this is harder to fix than the inflammation itself.

I'm glad you're here, thank you.