Hi Everyone!
I have been thinking lateley about surgery, and I am starting to consider it. If you want to share any advice, opinion, or experience it would be greatly appreciated. I am a 27 years old woman, and I've had ulcerative colitis since I was 22. The first year after my diagnosis I was very well controled with Salofalk (5 ASA), but after taking antibiotics for a sinus infection, I flared up again, and I have not had a complete remission ever since (for 4 years). I was prescribed immuran, but I felt awful on that drug, and it did'nt seem to work for me. After a massive flare-up in november 2010, I started remicade infusions in the hospital. It helped tremendously with the symptoms, but I still have some bleeding from time to time, and daily (mild) pains in my gut. I know that I have the option the take the double dose of remicade, but I feel that I am just delaying the inevitable surgery. Also, in november it will be 2 years for me on remicade, and I have never been completely comfortable with puting that drug in my body. I can't imagine myself taking that drug for the next 10 years (if it ever worked that long !). I also feel very fatigued all the time, have a very low ferritin count, and I have side effects from the remicade (chills and sweats), headaches , etc.
I have tried many alternative medicines, many different diets, and countless supplements, some of them helped me , but nothing allowed me to be symptom free.
Thanks for listening and sharing your experiences with me :)