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Does UC ever end up killing anyone?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/24/2007 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
Just wondering since it sounds like it might be hard to get life insurance with it.
Posted 9/24/2007 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
I imagine if someone lets it go enough with no medication or medical help then it can. Maybe not the Uc itself but from dehydration or anemia. Then of course, we have the risk of colon cancer and toxic megacolon but those can be very rare.
Posted 9/24/2007 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
when i was in the hospital last month, the Dr told me "people use to die from this, then they discovered steroids, and people use to swell up like pumkins, and now we have all these new drugs" So, to me it sounded like people dont die from it anymore.
Posted 9/24/2007 6:58 PM (GMT 0)
Might be hard to get life insurance with it??? You must be new to this disease. Not only are you not going to get life insurance, unless you have access to group insurance, you are not going to even be considered for health insurance.
Posted 9/24/2007 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, good luck getting private health insurance. I can't get it. I haven't even tried to get life insurance. I bet you could get it though, but with a nasty premium.
Posted 9/24/2007 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
You can try getting your GI to write a note to the Insurance companies.... I think part of the problem is the meds that we use (but we do not use them in the doses that organ transplant or other types of patients) the other problem is that we are at a higher risk for other diseases too.

I wonder if we are cured by surgery then we would be able to pick up life-insurance easier.

--Keith
Posted 9/24/2007 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
I had to sign up with high risk pool - I know that I will be having several test done with the new GI - so I went with the $500.00 deductible- then the first $10,000 is 80/20 then they pay 100% - oh and there is not a co pay for doc visits - you pay deductible then 80/20 - our premium is $775.00 per month for just me.

After the first of the year I am going to go on the $2000.00 deductible - then it will be $450.00 per month.

my husband and 2 kids only pay $184.00 per month with BCBS
Posted 9/24/2007 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
My uncle's wife (my aunt by marriage) had a brother who died because he did not seek treatment for his UC. I only know this much because she briefly mentioned it shortly after I was dx'd.

I haven't heard of anyone that has died while being treated.
Posted 9/25/2007 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
I have had no problem getting any kind of life insurance and I have had UC for 16 years and switched insurance several times.
Posted 9/25/2007 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
I just had a top GI specialist tell me that people do die from complications related to UC nowadays- it's not all that rare. He was mainly referring to infections & such that people get when their immune systems are severely compromised, which most of us ours, due to the illness itself, the heavy duty immune suppressors we're on, & the fact that a lot of us are underweight which taxes the immune system. So yeah, people can die.

Posted 9/25/2007 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
on a strange and somewhat related note--apparently theres a theory running around that beethoven died from UC or crohns. well, not directly, but from lead poisoning that derived from lead poultices that were attempts to relieve some 'chronic bowel issue' that they suspect might have been uc/c.

theres odd trivia for you.

but yeah..id imagine dehydration and simply withering away could do the trick, if you were untreated..
Posted 9/26/2007 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
Hello...my first post here :)

I have my own business and have group insurance for 4 people including myself. I didnt have any problems getting it because it was a group plan, and at the time I didnt have active symptoms for over a year... My premium is around $185 / mo.

I also have life insurance... I am 33 and when I got married I got a 1mm dollar 20 year term life insurance policy for my wife...the premium is $130 a month. Nurse even came for bloodwork.

I have been rejected insurance however. Before I started my corporation I tried for individual insurance and was denied.

Great site - glad I found it!!
Posted 9/26/2007 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
Life insurance probably wouldn't be as difficult to get as private/individual health insurance. However, long-term care insurance is probably REALLY difficult to get as well, due to the possibility of lengthy hospitalization/recovery if surgery is necessary in the future.
Posted 9/26/2007 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
So...I just joined this forum and I have to say this thread has me a bit nervous. I was diagnosed in June of this year after a nasty 4-week flare up (when I was still covered by student health insurance) and am currently uninsured and untreated. With the exception of a 5-day sample of Asacol I received immediately following the June colonoscopy, I have not received any treatment.

For some reason, I thought that going without treatment just meant that I would have to deal with the pain and discomfort of my symptoms. I didn't think going without treatment had the potential to be fatal (with the exception of the apparently rare toxic megacolon). Also, I was unaware that this could affect my ability to get health insurance. Could someone elaborate on the difficulties in private vs. group? I'm assuming group insurance is the kind you get through an employer? I am currently employed through a temp agency and not yet eligible for their health benefits (which I probably couldn't afford on my wage anyway). I am in the process of applying for insurance through the state of Massachusetts - does anyone have experience with that? Also, they asked me to fill out the packet on disabilities - can I qualify for diability benefits with UC?

On the topic of death...Since I am uninsured and untreated, what are the warning signs I should keep an eye out for? That is, what symptoms justify a trip to the E.R. for someone without health insurance? I am really concerned about this, especially since my symptoms have shifted from one extreme (frequent bloody diarrhea, 10-12x daily) to another (extreme bloating and constipation, to the point of looking pregnant). How would I know if I had some kind of blockage or, God forbid, toxic megacolon? And are there other risks I should be attentive to while disconnected from medical care?

Thanks in advance for reading/responding!
Posted 9/26/2007 4:36 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Birunji......welcome to Healingwell! :) I think it all depends on how severe your Uc is as to whether or not any hospitalization is required, complications etc. I've never heard of Uc itself killing anyone due to ulceration because the ulcers only penetrate to the mucousal level however all the symptoms that come with Uc such as bleeding, D, etc can be deadly if not treated. Severe anemia can cause death in some people because it can cause complications with the heart as well as other organs. But I think that if someone gets to that point they would definately know that something is not right with them and would seek help regardless of the cost. There are different severities of Uc all of which should be treated in some form or another. There is the medicinal route, herb/supplements, and/or diet. If you can't afford Asacol and can tolerate Sulfa, then I recommend you try Sulfasalazine to keep your symptoms in check. It's pretty cheap compared to the other meds out there. Sulfasalazine runs about $15-30 (It's been a while since I've been on this) for a 30 day supply as opposed to Asacol which is around $350. As for going to the hospital when your symptoms are severe enough, that is up to you because "severe" has different meanings to all of us. Only you will know when is the right time to go if you have to.

Private insurance is where you seek out insurance without the aid of an employer. This can get rather costly especially with any health concerns. Group insurance is plans thru your employer. My hubby works for Ford Motor Company and I am covered under the group health plan and I didn't have any "probation" period at all. I think it depends on the company and what they have to offer and what they're coverages etc are.
Posted 9/26/2007 7:13 PM (GMT 0)

Birunji said...
Also, I was unaware that this could affect my ability to get health insurance. Could someone elaborate on the difficulties in private vs. group? I'm assuming group insurance is the kind you get through an employer? I am currently employed through a temp agency and not yet eligible for their health benefits (which I probably couldn't afford on my wage anyway). I am in the process of applying for insurance through the state of Massachusetts - does anyone have experience with that? Also, they asked me to fill out the packet on disabilities - can I qualify for diability benefits with UC?

Thanks in advance for reading/responding!

Getting health insurance privately will be just about impossible with UC. Group health insurance, you'll have coverage, but it won't cover "pre-existing conditions" like UC, unless you have constantly held health insurance beforehand. (Then they're required to cover your pre-existing condition by law) If you had no coverage before, your new group health insurance plan might make you wait a year or so before paying for your pre-existing condition.

However, since you're in Massachusetts, this might all be completely different.
Posted 9/27/2007 1:03 PM (GMT 0)

UC since'76 said...
Might be hard to get life insurance with it??? You must be new to this disease. Not only are you not going to get life insurance, unless you have access to group insurance, you are not going to even be considered for health insurance.

*buzzzzzz* WRONG.


I just got $300,000 worth at $54 a month. UC well documented.
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