My Experience with Ulcerative Colitis – the good, the bad and the messy
Current flare foods include vegetable soup, gluten free porridge and homemade gluten free brownies. Oh, and tea.
Symptoms are slowly getting worse but at least my manager is understanding of my appointment tomorrow and shares my hatred of long tubes with cameras on the end.
I’ve spoken to the nurse and I’ve got to have another flexi on Thursday. I just really hope this doesn’t end with me in hospital again. They said it might be an infection, given the time of year, but they still want to see how my colitis is reacting to the meds, just in case.
Well, we’re officially in flare territory. I called my IBD helpline last night so I should get a call back today. I hope it’s just a simple matter of upping my dose of mercaptapurine.
Been feeling pretty crap this week. It’s been just under two weeks since I finished the prednisolone and I knew I’d have a few withdrawal symptoms like maybe a bit of stomach pain, but I’m still feeling like I’m on the verge of a flare up which is only just being kept at bay by the mercaptapurine.
I’ve been going to bed early and practically falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow but when it’s time to get up, I feel like I’ve barely slept at all so I think I’m crashing.
I keep getting cramps in my left side which feels like period pain sometimes (even though it’s not because I’m on the Pill).
On top of that, everything I eat makes me bloat, regardless if it gluten free or not.
At least I only have one more day of work this week.
I have a Fifth Edition session on Sunday afternoon which I’m looking forward to but at the same time wish was another day because I just want to be able to sleep all day Sunday.
Sorry for the lack of updates this weekend, I’ve been sleeping for most of it and I had a bit of a busy morning today. So far, I’m doing ok although I had a bit of a weird stomach cramp this morning which woke me up about three times last night and was also the reason I struggled to go back to sleep after my fiance left for work. It was sort of stabbing around my naval and lasted for about a minute at a time. It went away after I had some tea so I don’t know if it was just that I needed to eat/drink something? I just hope it doesn’t happen again.
Other than that, I think I’m alright. I’ve been able to eat fairly normally today and my appetite is going back to normal I think. It feels a little weird to no long be taking so many meds each day but it’s also a relief; less to remember and worry about.
I’m not normally a big Christmas fan. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, but I’m not one to start decorating in November. I know this year is going to be stressful as it’s the first Christmas since my diagnosis and my parents are worried I won’t be able to eat much of what they usually cook for Christmas dinner. I’ve told them I should be fine so long as I’m not having a bad day (in which case, I’ll just avoid all veg and not have any pudding), but I can’t help but be a little worried that my UC may try and ruin it.
Things seem to be going ok; I’ve only had a few stomach cramps and food is passing mostly painlessly. I’m staying clear of spicey or overly seasoned food, and I’m only having a few fruit and veg as these can irritate my gut. I finding my appetite is smaller now and I’m sleeping better too.
Of not being on steroids. I’ve just had lunch and my stomach is hurting already. It’s done this a few times after eating this last week but it’s the only symptom so far. I hope this is just a adjustment thing and not the norm.
I’m continuing with the mesalazine and mercaptapurine, with influxamab infusions every eight weeks. I hope it’s enough. If not, I guess we’ll find out in a few days.
So, they may be increasing my mercaptapurine dose from 25mg to 50mg but I need to have a blood test first to see if it’s needed.