I'm a Newbie to the Forum!

Hey Everyone! I've been reading the board for a while and thought it was time to register and say hi!

My name is Ashley and I'm 19 years old. I was diagnosed with left-sided UC when I was 16 years old in October 2005. For about a year my doc had me on high doses of Prednisone but it wasn't getting me to a remission and he was afraid about compromising my organs with long-term steroid use so he had me try Remicade in August 2006. Since then I've felt pretty good. I only need Remicade every 8 weeks and I'm generally in a Remission. I still have bad days and anxiety. I'm prone to bathroom urges of course, but I'm a lot better. Before I went on Remicade my UC caused me to drop out of high school and finish my junior year through a home hospital teacher. After Remicade I was able to go back to school for Senior year and graduate on time. Now I'm attending college and just made it through my first year. I have minor flares every once and a while because I get really stressed out and overwork my body, but my college has a students with medical disabilities program that really helps me work with my professors so I can be in classes and not worry about UC related absences or bathroom visits during lectures. It's been really nice. As you all know the disease is incurable and lifelong, but I have hope that I'll be able to live my life as normally as possible. I'm coming coming up to my 3 year mark in October and I feel like this disease has made me grow up so fast.

Anyway. A big hello to everyone in the forum and I look forward to trying to give other fellow UC people advice from my experiences and enjoy reading what you all have to say so I can learn from you as well.

Sincerely,
Ashley O

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Female, Age, 19, DX w/Left sided UC October 2005
Present Meds: Remicade Infusion every 8 weeks since August 2006

Past Meds: Canasa Sups, 40 mg Prednisone Daily for 1 year, Miralax Daily, Ginger Supplements

Welcome to HealingWell, Ashley! Your story can be an inspiration to some of our other young members, I'm sure.

Isn't Remicade wonderful? It gave me my life back, too. I know it's inconvenient to take and there are possible side effects, but for a lot of us it's a great trade-off. Kudos to you for getting back in school and preparing for the wonderful life to come.

I think it's likely that a cure for UC will be found in your lifetime, so keep your hopes up, Ashley.

Hey, Ashley! Thanks for posting on my thread. I finished my first year of college as well! I also registered with the disabilities office and they helped me get good housing (single room, private bathroom!) for next year. I'm glad Remicade has worked for you!

Welcome, Ashely! As a mother of a 9 year old and a 16 (almost 17) year old who both have UC, your post gives me hope! Thank you for sharing! I'm so glad things are going well for you. My kiddos are both in remission and have been for almost a year (both since around Aug.), but I often worry what the future hold for them.

Again, thanks and welcome!

Welcome Ashley, and continued good luck with your studies.



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yuckygut

diagnosed 1998

now off prednisone and colazal

drink 1 Haldi daily

Thanks for the kind words again everyone!

Heather: Summer jobs in my small town are scarce this summer so I decided to take summer classes at the little junior college close by to speed up my General Ed. I'll be taking a Psychology and Speech class. Hopefully I'll continue to feel well because it's a 45 minute commute each way and car drives are my main cause for anxiety with UC. Thanks for asking

Ashley

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Female, Age, 19, DX w/Left sided UC October 2005
Present Meds: Remicade Infusion every 8 weeks since August 2006

Past Meds: Canasa Sups, 40 mg Prednisone Daily for 1 year, Miralax Daily, Ginger Supplements

Welcome Ashley, don't let anything hold you back..........you are doing great!!!!

I'm going back to school too, have my associates, now going for my bachelors.