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19 and Ulcerative Colitis

Hi, I thought it'd be nice to sign up to a forum, discuss things with other IBD sufferers and get some advice.

- Around October of last year I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, 2 colonoscopies (one without anaesthetic, which was not particularly enjoyable)
- Prescribed Pentasa granules and Mesalazine enemas
- Relapsed due to the hospital and doctors totally forgetting about me, leaving me without medicine or a follow up appointment for a while
- Had a very nasty flare up (mainly stomach pain) and was in hospital from 1:00 AM until 2:00 PM, I was prescribed Prednisolone for a month and a half
- Symptoms came back, and I am now on another course of Prednisolone and Azathioprine (50mg) which I've been on for around 3-4 weeks now

Just thought I'd keep things short and simple in terms of my history.
The past year or so it'd seem I've saw more of doctors and hospitals than I have of my own friends. Most days of the week I'm stuck in the house and due to wrist problems, I can't do what I'd normally do when I'm stuck in the house and just play games all day, I mainly just watch TV shows (some very good ones at that, but watching TV all day no matter how entertaining gets dull) and browse forums. It's all rather depressing.

For the first time in 4 weeks I was able to go out last Friday and have a few drinks with some friends, ended up going home early due to stomach pain but it's a start. My main concern at the moment are the side effects of the Prednisolone and Azathioprine.
- I've been experiencing quite bad heartburn, I ended up with pains down the left side of my chest and left arm so naturally whipped myself over to A&E but nothing was the matter (the heartburn has calmed down the past 2 days)
- Stomach pains that seem to come and go which can last for 5 minutes up to an hour, it doesn't seem related to bowel movements or directly after eating
- Nausea, which I've only just seemed to start experiencing, which ended with me throwing up earlier in the day

Tonight I had some particularly bad stomach pain and due to a combination of that and bottled up emotions, ended up crying. It seems most of the time I either feel bored or feel like crap. Can't imagine the Prednisolone helping with that.

I'm going to start keeping a food and symptoms diary to see if I can find a correalation between anything. Any advice or just someone I can relate to would be greatly appreciated. I understand it's not nice to have bowel disease at any point in your life but it feels like such a burden to get it at 19.

Thanks for reading.
 
Hi just wanted to welcome you to the forum. Sorry you have a need to seek the forum out but there are loads of compassionate members that are very knowledgeable.

When you say you have wrist problems is it related to your IBD? My son has CD and has joint pains related to his CD. I know it is more common with CD but was just wondering if it was joint pain you were experiencing in your wrists.

Have a look around the forum, we have a UC section as well as treatment, diets, and general sections.

Hope you are feeling better soon and able to get out with your friends more.
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
Welcome to the forum. I know how much it sucks to be young and home bound by this terrible illness. You are taking all the right steps, getting treatment and keeping a food diary. Don't be too hard on yourself, hopefully in time this will get in check and you will feel better.

As Clash mentioned please check our UC sub-forum as well as any others that might be of interest.
 
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