I suffered two nasty kidney stone attacks; one before I was diagnosed with UC and one after. I never sought medical treatment despite being in severe pain and vomiting for a few days. So much for my...
The first two years after I was diagnosed with UC, three specialists strongly recommended I start using immunosuppressants. I resisted and am glad I did. Your situation is likely very different from...
It may be true that exposure to cattle, hogs, chickens, and other livestock helps build an 'immunity' to chrons and UC. However, once an individual is exposed to critical triggers, the benefits of a...
A stool test I used earlier this year was with a company called Doctor's Data, Inc. located in St. Charles, Illinois. My test was their comprehensive parasitology test that measured bacteriology...
King, Thanks for the follow-up of your experience. My positive results with Qing Dai were similar; ongoing bleeding went away and the quality of stools improved. I did not take Qing Dai for an...
Several months ago I stumbled across MAP symptoms and wondered if my UC was due to acquiring it. Immediately before I was diagnosed with UC I had been helping my folks with their cow-calf operation...
Costco sells VSL #3 at their pharmacy. If you are a member or know one, you can get a bottle of capsules for around $45. It isn't cheap, but I haven't found a less expensive source. I agree with...
I can relate because my adventures with UC and proctitis began after a large dose of anti-biotics. It hasn't been fun, but I've learned a lot along the way. (1) Get tested for C. diff, other damaging...
Prior to my last colonoscopy I did the prep but wasn't sure I was 100 percent cleaned out. I mentioned this to one of the nurses preparing me for the procedure and was told not to worry; they have...
I'll be honest; I never noticed a warning about concurrent use of probiotics and prednisone. The medical specialists I worked with never cautioned me and they knew I was taking probiotics (VSL-3 and...
For two days (this is the second) I've used Qing Dai in an attempt to eliminate long term proctitis symptoms brought on by UC. There is a study on the Internet that demonstrated Qing Dai enemas help...
As a data head, I like tools and processes that help identify root causes to a problem. Since 2011 I've tracked my discrete UC symptoms, use of herbs, pharmaceutical products, etc. On a personal...
jess*- Thankfully I did not require any wound packing. I certainly understand why you need to avoid sitz baths until the wound packing days are over. That process can't be any fun. Best of luck....
I've had two perirectal abscesses. Treatment of the first triggered my Ulcerative Colitis. My first abscess was drained at my local clinic and the MD prescribed the anti-biotic that turned me from a...
I had a very difficult time with proctitis for nearly two years until I discovered the root cause behind it. To help ease my symptoms, physicians prescribed Rowasa enemas, suppositories, etc., but...
At my lowest point while fighting UC I looked into the Federal Disability claims process. Granted a lot of people legitimately need help, but the system is rigged against younger and better educated...
Judy2 has good advice. Naturally you are wondering about your options. In a former life I was an expert in Unemployment Insurance (UI) law and policy. Unless there is a collective bargaining...
I'll add my two cents to this long discussion on MMJ. It took me a few years of ongoing pain and bad symptoms before I tried MMJ. I was reluctant to go down this road because I threw away my bong...
The parasitology test I took was from a private company in Illinois with the name Doctor's Data. The Comprehensive Parasitology stool test cost me approximately $175. It provided results on...
If I remember correctly, I purchased mine from an eBay vendor. It's been a while so I don't recall the vendor's name. If nothing is available on eBay, you may have luck finding a product on Amazon....
In a prior life I conducted interview workshops, coached professionals seeking employment, and conducted hiring interviews. During that time I saw plenty of goofy mistakes. One of the key rules in an...
Remember the old saying; 'Don't fish off the company pier'? It's good advice. In today's business climate harassment claims come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Tread lightly, especially if your...
Yes, you can have pain and occasional stools that are normal with C. diff. I had over a year of misery because my G.I. specialist was more interested in pushing immunosuppresive drugs than...
Any good yogurt can be used as a starter. That said, the more probiotic strains you start with is better. To date, the best starter I've used is emptying a VSL#3 capsule into milk after sterilizing...
Could the stress be causing flare ups? Absolutely it could. Before retirement and being gifted with UC, I was a manager responsible for directing the work of an interesting cross-section of humanity....
In July 2011, I was diagnosed with UC and tested negative for C. diff. After a year and a half of pain, mucus, on and off again bleeding, and no consistent success with oral and rectal meds, I...
My two cents on the SCD diet; I tried it for six months with no improvement to my condition. I am sure that it is of value for some individuals, but it didn't help me. I finally gave up the SCD after...
When I was diagnosed with UC in my 50s, the medical community assured me that this was a hereditary issue. Genetics may have made me susceptible to UC, but it didn't CAUSE it. I was fine before a...
@Mr Natural - Was there anything specific that once you ate a few hours later or the next day you reacted and basically said wow... I'm not eating that again... That's sort of what I am looking for....
The power of numbers is here and something good may come of it. I'm all for the concept, but don't have anything specific to contribute. After 18 months maintaining a detailed food, herb, and vitamin...
I experienced the same problem shortly after my diagnosis of UC. In my experience the best approach is to wash yourself in lieu of using toilet paper and moderately use lotion to reduce chafing. It...
I agree that something doesn't look right after looking at the abstract. I no longer have access to Pub Med so can't review the full study. For all we know the subjects (patients) were rats. I had...
Thanks for the responses. I am familiar with how processed Chang Shan is concentrated and am taking the equivalent of 10g of the root per day. No more, no less. The "999 Brand" product I am taking is...
Immediately preceding my entry to the UC club, I experienced similar pains. Brutal, white knuckle agony with every bowel movement. I assumed it was a hemorrhoid and tried to gut it out until things...
By now most members on this forum have heard of Chang Shan and how it may help those suffering from UC triggered by immunological responses. After reading about the herb and discussing it with a...
When I was diagnosed with UC the physician gave me the old story about hereditary preconditions and the only help being synthetic drugs. I'm sorry to say that I actually believed that nonsense for a...
To ensure I get a full spectrum of probiotics, I rotate the varieties I consume. Currently I use PB-8 once a day and eat home-made Keifer yoghurt 3 times a day with each meal. Every month or so I...
AZYooper has the best explanation so far as to why medical costs are out of control in the U.S. of A. As they say, follow the money and all will be revealed. Despite the well advertised adversarial...
Just yesterday I was reviewing how I could mail a liquid herbal formulation to Asia, so I knew where to look. From what I see, the USPS site (http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/ce_009.htm) shows no...
You are not alone. When I had my 'flare' erupt last November I didn't know what was happening or how to effectively address it. I contacted my physician who could only recommend throwing more drugs...
After I was diagnosed with UC, I went to an acupuncturist I'd visited a few times in the past. Since my insurance no longer includes acupuncture treatment, the costs of $100 or so per visit were all...
Thanks for sharing your journey to good health. It's clear that healing is a lot more than just following medical protocols and throwing chemicals at a problem. You are proof that there are many...
I've been on the SCD for 4 months. When I started the SCD, I was weaning myself off Prednisone and still experiencing 'typical' UC problems. As soon as I kicked the Pred habit, I added rice to my...
When it is all said and done, I would have been better off not seeing my GI specialist. At the very least I wouldn't have spent my time and money only to hear the standard company line. My GI is an...
My own experience with Rowasa is different than that of most people. I think enemas can be helpful, but Rowasa is no longer on my list of helpful meds. When I had a significant proctitis flare a few...
Thanks to InSoFla for sharing this information. Let's not kill the messenger. Many of us are focused on alternate cures for what ails us and want as much information as possible regarding drugs,...
The venerable 'squatter' is the toilet of choice for the common person in Asia. I've used them everywhere from Japan to Indonesia. They are typically cleaner than Western toilets but require good...
I adopted the SCD about 4 months ago when I was still on Prednisone and looking for a bona-fide solution to my UC blues. I had no dramatic results from SCD because I adopted the diet after many of my...
It sounds like your road to remission is a long and hard one. Everyone on this forum knows how frustrating it is to try new protocols with little or no success. Like imagardener and others recommend,...
Everyone seems to have a strong opinion about alternate treatments for UC. The bottom line is that you need to listen to your body and do what makes the most sense for you. Gather as much information...