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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/9/2015 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
I am just wondering how others deal with work, school, etc with UC flares????

I work part time at a hospital ( just Saturdays) I had to call out two Saturdays because of bloody D. My boss was not happy, but what could I do?? Can't imagine working full time with this.
Posted 1/9/2015 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
I was able to work but it was very hard and alot of times I had to be off at least one day a week due to exhaustion. Alot of times all I could do is work and come home to be in bed or in the bathroom. At work, I was free to go to the restroom whenever needed, but sometimes it was a mad rush to get there. Before I had my jpouch surgey last summer, my office moved to a different building. Our supervisor was showing us the floor plan and giving us a choice of cubicle we wanted. I told him the only thing I cared about was how close I was to the restroom. He said seriously. Believe me I was 100% serious.
Posted 1/9/2015 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
Everyone's situation is different. I remember when I was at my worst, going 15-20 times per day, I still worked. But, my situation makes it easier than most.
Posted 1/9/2015 4:14 AM (GMT 0)
I work full time and dice 2011 I have missed a couple days and left Early a couple times. Like others I just go when I need to go to the bathroom. There are days I come home, grab a heating pad and do nothing.

Lately the meds wake me up at 3:30 or 4:00 and somtimes there is no sleep, so I get up early early!

Meds, diet are important !

Good luck
Posted 1/9/2015 6:08 AM (GMT 0)
I find flares difficult to manage because I work in the operating room and can't leave unless a coworker physically comes in to replace me. Many of my coworkers know that I have UC and are very understanding but sometimes no one is immediately available to let me run out to the restroom. I am currently on a medical leave.

Tinabeans: You may already know this but I suggest you apply for intermittent FMLA so that anytime you call off for UC it doesn't count against you.
Posted 1/9/2015 1:53 PM (GMT 0)
It was one of the toughest things in the world for me, and I would never do it again if I could do things differently. I learned the stress and sitting from college/work screwed up my body on a deeper/subconscious level and it contributed a lot to my adrenal problems.
Posted 1/9/2015 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, so though. I happen to be able to reach a toilet no problem at anytime during work but still. The abdominal pains, and everything else that goes with it makes it not easy. This is not an easy disease by no means. Other co-workers often don't get what we are going through, and honestly, I don't expect them to. Hang in there, and if you are only working part-time like that tryyyyy and go to work, it will help you in knowing that you are able to do things while flaring in spite of how crappy you feel.
Posted 1/9/2015 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
I had a yearlong flare, you learn to adapt out of necessity, and I had no choice but to work through it as there's bills to pay. Worked for a small company without FLMA coverage. Luckily, the 20+ bms a day was only for 2 weeks or so until pred got me down to 5-6 times a day and that was manageable. I had urgency issues for a long while. I'm an office worker, so there was a bathroom a short sprint from my desk (about 25 feet away) and I made countless mad dashes to it. I had two accidents at work, a couple while driving, and some close calls while driving (basically stopped and ran in the woods to poop lol). We're creatures of adaptation and you do what's necessary in order to get by. It's a nightmare in retrospect, however with no other choice I did the best I could when it happened.

I'm in remission now, but I work at a large company that is extremely tech savvy and allows on demand work at home. Should I flare again I've got much better options.
Posted 1/9/2015 9:29 PM (GMT 0)
I was lucky to have a short commute and a bathroom nearby my office at work. I could not imagine working in construction, transportation or another career that keeps you away from the toilet. I have to get creative to make it through the day sometimes (thank God for a locking door and blinds in my office) but I still manage to be highly productive.

BeatUC-Sorry to hear that you are struggling so badly. I know you have been staunchly anti-surgery but what good is it having a colon with no quality of life? Have you changed your mind at all of surgery?
Posted 1/9/2015 9:30 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know how people do it. I work from home. When I used to work in the office, there is no way I could have made it to the toilet fast enough to avoid an accident. It was a far walk and I can have very little notice during a flare. Luckily I haven't been in the office while flaring lately. The times I was in the past, I always rushed to the toilet the second I felt the potential need. A lot of the time I didn't even have to go but you know how it is, any urge, better to run than to wait and have the worst happen.
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