What do you do at work? (when it comes to your UC)

I feel for you because I too have the same issues. I work in a high rise so I go to different floors so the same people won't see me going to the bathroom each time. I have diverticulitis and have had my gall bladder removed which causes food to go straight through me without digesting. Sometimes I have now warning and don't even make it to the bathroom. I always have a change of clothes with me. Very embarassing. I don't have any advice for you just letting you know you are not alone.

At work, only 4 other people know my exact situation, but not because I am selective with information (as those 3 lucky people who work in my same office space know :) ) just because no one has ever asked. I work in the accounting office within our company. My immediate boss is my sister, one of my coworkers has been a close friend for years before I started working there, and our newest accounting coworker is 60 years old and suffers with IBS, so they know when I am suffering. Our office is literally 5 feet from the women's restroom. Many, MANY days I have to run in there every five minutes. I worry more about someone coming into the bathroom when I am in there than other people knowing how frequently I visit it. There is one coworker next door whose desk faces the ladies' restroom. She no doubt has seen how many times I go in there, and her face always looks sympathetic when I come out. If it came up in conversation I would tell her.

I feel like that with UC and all of the invasive tests and questioning we go through, I have no room left to be modest. And my coworkers have actually helped me many times. I am severly lactose intolerant and per doctor's orders, I am on a low/no fiber diet. When I contemplate eating things for lunch, if we go out or order in, they instantly spot the hidden dangers and warn me of them. I feel like I have a whole crew looking out for me. And the days that UC wins, they know I am seriously feeling ill, and not just taking a day off.

I was a teacher for five years. Thankfully, my worst flare didn't come until this year while working in a mortgage office in accounting. I was laid off due to budget cuts, and though I truly hope to get back into teaching, I am very grateful that my worst flare came while at a desk job and with my sister as a boss.

I did however have issues with urgency while teaching. If I needed to use the restroom while teaching, I had to call the front office (and try to whisper my need...kids have big ears!). It would then take as long as 10-15 minutes for someone to come from the office to my classroom (we had a big campus). Which was agonizing, not only dealing with the urgency, but still having to keep a group of 36 4th graders on track.

The absolute worst came during state testing. Some of the teachers in our K-8 school had proctors...ie...another adult who came into the classroom during testing and monitored. I wasn't lucky enough to get one. Our testing consisted of 2 &1/2 hours of straight testing in the morning. We were told that no one would be in the office because all of our support staff would be procturing. My stomach was in knots just thinking of this. Fortunately, one of my coworkers (a 50 year old woman) was my best friend at the school. Her classroom was separated from mine by a small classroom/office space. We both had windows in our doors that faced each other's classroom. She got a proctor for this exam, and with my permission, she let the person know of my situation. So, every five minutes of the 2 & 1/2 hour test, her proctor would stand near the window in the door and look for me. I was able to give her a thumbs up each and every time throughout the weeklong testing schedule. I am sure if I didn't have this outlet, I probably would have been in trouble.

So, sometimes letting coworkers in on your digestive issues can actually be beneficial.

i got really lucky!! i just started my new job a couple of weeks ago and my new boss has UC too so if i end up starting a plan and start going to the bathroom alot hell understand cause hes ben through the same thing!! so im not too worried about work.

I work in an elementary school within the library section. I have my pick of 4 bathrooms and on bad days I rotate them. I have hidden little goodies in each bathroom in drawers or cupboards such as a plastic bag (in case I get sick or need to change clothes), air freshener and baby wipes. I also keep Zofran in every pocket of anything I wear that has pockets. I can't tell you how many times I will be in the potty and a wave of nausea comes over me. My Zofran really is my best friend.

For the last 4 years I have worked for a veterinarian running his doggy daycare business.  I am all alone with a bunch of dogs and my own private bathroom!!  Lucky me.  I only make $8.00 an hour, but I wouldn't trade this job for anything.  I flared pretty badly last Feb. through May and didn't miss a day or work.  The commute was touch and go, though.    I've mentioned in passing that I have UC, mainly because they noticed my 30 pound weight loss last Spring.

My previous job, at $17.00 an hour, was as a school crossing guard.  Standing on a street corner is NOT the place you want to be when that urge comes over you.  I did that for 11 years and luckily the only bad flare-up I had was during summer vacation in 2001.....whew.

I have worked in an office while having UC and I did switch up bathroom alot.

 

Thanks for all of the replys. Of course, no one has asked me directly, but I'm sure the secretaries wonder where I go each time I pass them. You can kind of tell where I'm going because the bathroom is in one particular direction. I'm about to change office locations and I know the new place is going to be worse (only one way in and out to get to the bathroom). I must say from hearing all of the horrible pains/symptoms you guys are all going through, I am probably on the milder end of things (no pun intended). I give all of you lots and lots of credit, especially the moms out there. I know how strong my wife is and how well she cares for our kids. To have UC and do that takes a super superwoman, so I salute you. I guess I'll deal with the situation and hopefully I can control my eating/bowel movements so that I don't have to go as often.