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Long time listener, first time caller...some insight needed

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/4/2008 4:13 AM (GMT 0)
     I'll start off by saying this forum has been of great help to my dealings with UC over the past 3 years of being stuck with the disease. I've had it since 18, now 21, and tried basically every medicine through my GI. His forms of helping really have been no help, prednisone was horrible help except to leave a thank you note attatched to leaving 82pounds on my body, I V's of remicade have made no help either. Asacol, MP6, nothing helps. To make a short story, I have not been back to him for just over a year, and been trying to find ways to go around a normal life.

    Currently I have the sinus/cold bug going around that everyone around here seems to have, and its made my colitis worse. It made my stomach upset at first, kind of like the rough day you get every once and awhile but now has progressed worse. Now I go once ever hour, no exaggerations. No bleeding, some abdominal cramping when I get the signal its time for a bathroom stop. I have not had much to eat due to lost of appetite since being sick. Just curious if anyone has had this happen to them and what made them get out of their little flare. Much help is appreciated, thanks for your time on reading this!

Tyler

Posted 3/4/2008 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
Dear Tyler,

Sorry to hear you're not feeling too well. During my husband's severe flare...the doctor suggested for him to not have any kind of dairy, have as bland food as possible to rest your gut. Soups are good, check the ingredients though. A drink that helped my husband regain his strength and made sure he was getting his vitamins, is a drink called Enlive. No salads too. Basically, the main thing to remember is to rest your gut...give it a chance to heal. Try to force yourself to eat light meals more often, so that you don't lose your energy. Everyone reacts differently to foods, but I hope this helps a little. Hope you are feeling better soon.
Posted 3/4/2008 6:22 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the reply! I am definitely going to look into Enlive and see where I can find it. Right now I am taking a natural aloe vera juice and some salmon oil, started this today and going to see if I can get some luck going my way and change this around.

Tyler
Posted 3/4/2008 12:55 PM (GMT 0)
You haven't seen your GI in a year? Sounds like you need to give him/her a call!

Have you considered seeing a nutritionist to get your eating/weight back on track?

Oh and I forgot to Welcome you! Sorry you are suffering but we are glad to have you here:)
Posted 3/4/2008 1:44 PM (GMT 0)
Can you go to a different GI doc?  My doc has a nutritionist on staff and if you don't feel well, you give him a call and he tweeks my meds.  That way you are not constantly in his office.  And he always reassures me and makes me feel better.  Also, I am trying bee propolis, it is suppose to help with ulcers and inflammation.  I have read about it on this site.  I have only been taking it for 2 days, but am hopeful.  You might want to try that.  But I would urge you to get into see a doc soon.  Take care of yourself and I hope you feel better soon.

Posted 3/4/2008 1:47 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to posting on the board. It sounds like your last doctor wasn't successful in getting things under control. Perhaps you should try to find a different GI. Once you find someone you can work with, it's great. (I prefer doctors who will also encourage any alternative treatment and not tell me that it's just a coincidence that something worked!)

For now, you could try the bland food diet. Also, have you ever tried any rectal meds? I find they are good for getting the urgency under control. I also like a drug called Levsin that stops the spasms that make you run every hour. Better than Immodium for me.
If you don't want ot go back to your GI, you could ask your general physician for advice just for now. Sometimes they are pretty helpful but it dependso n how much they know about UC.
Posted 3/4/2008 2:20 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to HW! Glad you decided to post :)

Are you taking any meds for your cold? I've found that most of them will set off gut problems. Especially if I take Sudafed for more than a day...

I also agree that you need to see a GI. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find the right GI for you. Rectal meds are also good - the treat the inflammation at it's source.

Have you tried any probiotics to re-populate the healthy bacteria in your guts?
Posted 3/4/2008 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
Frequent doses of Natren's non-dairy Bifido Factor powder might help you kick the bug. It worked great when I caught a stomach bug right after Christmas.
Posted 3/4/2008 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
Dang, thanks for all the replies!

Currently I am getting over the hump of the cold, was taking Tylenol sinus/cold for the first few days with no help, then mucinex the past 2 with a ton of help. about the GI, my mom has been helping me a lot in the past few days since this has happend to get everything together to change GI's, and get someone to help with UC. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their ideas and leads, I am having good faith at turning this around.

Tyler

Edit- about the weight, 2 weeks ago i decided to change everything around and change my diet....No fast food, red meats, fried food, low on dairy, no soda pop or sugar drinks, basically changed everything around. Before getting sick and bringing more excersise back into my life I was down 6 pounds, but more importantly feeling healthy again.

Post Edited (Carguy86) : 3/4/2008 12:13:19 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 3/4/2008 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Keep us up to date with what the new GI says. I hope things continue to be well for you.
Posted 3/9/2008 10:21 AM (GMT 0)
Figured I would toss up a quick update and a question at the end, we are working on establishing medical insurance for me right now as I do not have any(left Lowe's and have not started r.e. school), so we are doing what we can. Its gotten better, but still constant b.m's in the 2hour seperation between each. Taking probiotics daily via organic yogurt and DanActive in the morning. We were able to get Levsin, is this taken as needed or consistantly to feel effect? Been on it 2 days and have not felt a difference being on it. Thanks for everyone's help, it definitely helps so much.

Tyler
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