The UC curse!

My UC could be genetic, but my ancestry is 99.9% Irish/Scottish/English. On my dad’s side of the family my grandfather had IBS with unexplained bleeding whenever he stopped smoking. (Sound like UC to me.) I also have a cousin on that side of the family with a child who has Crohn’s disease. On my mother’s side, my great grandfather died of “bleeding ulcers” and my grandmother, his daughter, had 2 small bowel surgeries for an obstruction and structures in her 40’s and lost her colon in her 70’s due to ulcers and diverticular disease. Could be genetic, but between my 9 aunts and uncles and 30 plus cousins and so far I am the only one in my generation with any form of IBD.

Faithmac,

Yes I have read that too. Did you have a genetics test to determine? Just wondering...

My German Grandmother was a sticker about what and when she ate because she would get really ill when she was lax about it. I remember she would have periods when she'd get so frustrated at people because she could not eat. My uncle's never understood--they thought it was a choice. She would chase us out of her house screeching I'd eat if I could you fools... I can't eat. Then my Mom went thru a period like that, refused to see the doctor, started going to the bathroom right after she ate, and eventually started taking laxatives every day for over 20 years--because she could not "go go" without them. I was healthy-never sick until I got food poisoning. Then aggressive severe Crohn's dx. My doctor's are always asking me "are you sure you are not Jewish" I always wondered why.

I'd never even heard of UC or ever even beeb sick until I was diagnosed at 37. I'd heard of Chrons cos a girl in my office had it but I didn't really know what it was only that it had something to do with the digestive tract.
My Dad had stomach ulcers when I was young, I don’t know if that counts?
Anyway 2 years after I was diagnosed my nephew was diagnosed with UC also, it was like lightening striking twice after having no one in the family with the disease to all of a sudden having 2.
So is there a genetic link, I don’t know but I hope for my kids sake there isn't.

There definitely is a genetic link. Come to think of it on my Mothers side too many to count that have some type of intestinal issues. My mother’s sister lives on prunex. It’s a laxative. My Fathers side too, not as much.

Hi Faithmac, yes I have the genetic 'curse'! UC, AS and Psoriasis run in my wider family. It's interesting that the pattern of who develops one (or more) of these illnesses and who dodges the bullet isn't clear. I don't have Jewish heritage but I have inherited some 'crap genes' from one side of one side of my family (ie one Grandparent's line).

I don't feel particularly unlucky though because many people have illnesses that run in the family. I'd rather have UC than early onset dementia for example.

Faithmac, it doesn't surprise me a bit that your UC has been worse since you got ran over. Jeez, the injuries you sustained & the ongoing process of healing from them, you are strong woman. That put your body under a tremendous amount of stress.

AI's run in my family, my dad & sister both with RA, lost this sister recently to dementia. Heart problems & cancer on both sides of the family, sister had breast cancer, my mom died of lung cancer, dad died of a massive heart attack one day before he was to be released from the hospital. My brother died young of heart & lung issues. I've had 2 serious instances of it just wasn't my time yet, even when the drs said you may want to call any out of town family to come now. I sum up the family history as I come from the bad gene pool. I will be 68 in June, yes, it does seem like it gets harder to bounce back as we age when we get hit with something.

I will share something I saw several years ago. I was walking out of Home Depot one day, ahead of me was a young mom with 3 of the cutest kids. The oldest looked to be about 7 & the youngest was the cutest little blonde boy about 3 years old in a wheel chair. His siblings were on each side of the wheelchair pulling him along, they were all smiling & laughing, not a care in the world. It brought tears to my eyes, I got in my car & just bawled. I am not an emotional type of a person, but that sight struck me to my core. I thought to myself in spite of everything, things could be a lot worse for me. I have never seen a tiny wheelchair like that in my life. To this day, I can still see this image of the 3 kids. Even when I am at my worst, I always remind myself there is someone somewhere a lot worse off than me.

While things can always be worse,. (and tomorrow sometimes is) I never use others' suffering as a measuring stick for my own. I try to be empathetic and sympathetic. I'm grateful for what I don't have, and I hate what I do have ...I don't undermine my own reality. What I've inherited is overwhelming and expensive... adding in the other over and above stuff can definitely be mentally exhausting.

Faithmac...do your doctors know cancer and lupus runs in your family? I would push for some genetic testing that is in that direction of monitoring.

q

Sorry to read that you suffered auto accident injuries last year. That for sure would cause your body additional stress, then affect your UC, too. The most experienced IBD researchers & physicians think that Crohn's & UC develop by a combination of heredity AND environmental conditions. about 10 years ago two of them in the U.S. compiled a research hardback for medical education called The Changing World of IBD. It documents increasing incidence of IBD in countries and populations where it had never been DXed until recent decades, such as in India & Japan. I believe that to be true, and also agree with Quincy & Straydog's comments above. You may decide to pursue genetic testing. Would it alleviate your physical discomfort? *** Like Straydog, I had a story of childhood disability crop up that made me reassess my own personal physical trials. A neighbor of mine who is a psychologist doing education placement for kids & teens with life-threatening health conditions told me she was going to hospital visit with a 5 year-old boy awaiting radiation treatment for retinal cancer in his remaining eye. (The other eye had been removed due to retinal cancer when he was only 18 mo. old!) That story totally stopped me in my tracks!!!! His parents were trying to do the best for him, knowing that retinal cancer has a hereditary component. Thus far "pencil-beam" radiation administered in hospital stay to his good eye has saved his remaining sight for 6 years. That story always makes me feel very thankful for what I have in life. Wishing you steady improvement in recovery from your accident and UC set-backs. Take good care. / Old Hat (40+ yrs with left-sided UC; in remission taking Colazal)

Faithmac,

I am sorry you were ran over. Gosh how awful!!

When we go thru other "situations" our IBD can really flare and go crazy.

Be safe and take care!

Clo,

Lucky I’m alive! My Colitis has never been the same. Was in remission at the time. Broke my pelvis in two places. All the pain meds plus the trauma just screwed with my intestines.
On a positive note I think I might be feeling a little better on the Remicade. Headache seemed to be better today.

clo2014 said...

I think that genetically we may inherit the possibility of a disease. I believe we also inherit that fighting spirit and that sometimes remembering something that impacted us and touched our hearts can quiet our souls and tell us we can do this.

I love this, Clo.

I thought I was the only that freaked out about this. My father passed away due to colon cancer. I’m currently in a flare and constantly thinking the worst /: