New here - Colonoscopy diagnosis of UC this afternoon

I am so sorry about the inflammation - but welcome to HW. I am happy you've found us. I think the way this ticked up so quickly is certainly surprising, but it's not completely uncommon. Mine came on slowly, with just blood on wiping, but over time, I ignored that, assuming it was hemorrhoids, and eventually I was in the same shoes you are. I try to think back and remember if I was prone to gut issues when I was younger, and I really don't feel like I was. Sure I got diarrhea once or twice, but no more than any other person I don't think, in fact, I think I was less prone. Anyway, my point is, we will never know. Maybe we had small flare ups in the past that were mild and a precursor, or maybe it came on later, but what matters is that we have options for treating it, and you can get your life back. Hormones from pregnancy certainly impact people differently. Some people find that pregnancy makes their UC go into remission, others it goes completely haywire.

Did the GI take stool samples to test? Did they start you on anything to help the symptoms?

Keep me updated.

I didn't know what it was either until I was diagnosed. That's how i ended up here too, a long time ago. Mine started in my late-20s. It was horrible, but I've had a lot of periods where it went into remission, and I felt okay. You will find a treatment that works for you and you will get back to your normal life quickly. That's how the majority of UC cases are. When you read here, you see a lot of people who struggle with finding medication that works for them, but there are SO many members who have taken off, they found what worked for them and they check in here or there, or don't even check in anymore. It's smart to wait and see the results. Maybe they will be good news, like all you need is a course of antibiotics! Fingers crossed for good news.

I feel your pain! I was diagnosed at 38 and other than having had bronchitis 3 months earlier , I was a healthy person. UC hit me like a ton of bricks. I also had two little ones, although at least mine were 6 and 3 at the time. It is hard but once your meds start working you being to feel life slowly creep back to “normal” although I have to say that it is a new version of normal now. Everyone here is so helpful and amazing, glad you found us but sorry you have to join the club.

Welcome to the forum but sorry you suffer from bowel issues as we do. Take a big, deep breath. You will be fine, thrive, return to your normal life despite whatever they found!

If you have an infectious-colitis, then they will give you a one-time treatment of antibiotics that will clear it up and you'll be back to your normal within a few weeks and then move on with the rest of your life without worrying about it again.

If you have an Ulcerative Colitis then the goal is to get you into what's known as a remission. During a remission, we are essentially normal, like we were pre-diagnosis. They will give you medications to treat your symptoms and you will heal over a series of weeks and months until you achieve a remission. They often give us temporary steroids, which are rocketship fast in healing us, while our other long-term maintenance medications are given time to work.

The cause of UC is currently unknown, so I would not beat-yourself up on the why's. Most of us were young, healthy, and had no health troubles at all and then *wham* a UC diagnosis seemingly out of nowhere. A lot of us are diagnosed in our 20's or 30's. I was diagnosed at 34 and am 6 years into a UC diagnosis. My life is mostly normal, despite the occasional flareups of my UC (UC goes through periods of remissions and flares). Despite UC we have successful careers, wonderful family lives, and enjoy our hobbies and interests. A UC diagnosis is anything but the end of happiness, but just a bump in the road, a temporary inconvenience that you will get over. I know when we're awaiting a diagnosis we tend to assume the absolute worst-case scenario, human nature and all, but that instinct is often wholly wrong and is just needless anxiety/stress/worry.

"Erosion, edema (reddened tissue), and ulceration" are all consistent with an UC diagnosis. Nothing you said screams infectious causes. Not sure if the doctor saw something else that makes him think it very well could be an infection (thinking, yes he might have or else he would have said UC). Although some doctors are inherently cautious and want to see all of the data points before stating a diagnosis (could be him). As a diagnosis is composed of three tests: a stool test negative for infections (nothing wrong with multiple of those tests), a colonoscopy report, and a biopsy report. I guess the doctor said nothing about chronic architectural changes, and that IS needed for an IBD/UC diagnosis.

No meds???

Welcome
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Hi EMR81. I can really relate, I was just diagnosed (back in June). I have 2 boys and was in the bathroom upwards of 30 times a day. I couldn't do ANYTHING! I couldn't eat anything and ended up losing 10 lbs in one week. The upside of being in the bathroom so much is it gives you excessive time to Google the disease, research, panic and research more. Lol. All joking side, since starting medicine, it took me a little over a month but I'm starting to feel semi-normal.. Getting the diagnosis is step one, take your meds is 2, figuring out the foods that agree with you and the supplements you need is 3 and 4 and endure a little longer is 5. It doesn't feel like it now, but you ARE on the road to recovery and you WILL feel better soon. Look at it like the third trimester of your pregnancy... Always seems to be the longest. Soon you will be able to snuggle your sweet little ones without jumping up to make what my 2 year old lovingly refers to as "stinty"! You got this!

Hi there, I'm sort of in the same boat. Incredibly healthy 36 year old, really into running and looking after myself etc. I literally noticed some mucus in my BMs, and within a fortnight I was really sick. I've never had a lot of blood, but lots of mucus, weight loss, tiredness. The mucus freaks me out, and I guess anxiety takes over then too. I've got 2 little girls, and this whole diagnosis has rocked me to the core. I feel so sad and worried about the future, and it's bloody awful having to do enemas and take daily medication. For me, the thought of having something that will never go away is terrifying. Anyway, I guess I write this to say that I feel the same and can relate.
Good luck- hopefully you will feel better soon. I was feeling much better within a fortnight of taking nightly pentasa enemas. x