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Hi - Half of a Crohn's / UC couple

Hi all

Just joined your forum. I have UC, been diagnosed with it for over five years, but have probably had it for 20 or more. My UC is not too bad and seems fairly well managed, though I have my bad days.

My wife has Crohn's, going on over 25 years (we've been married 22 and had it well before we met). I'll let her tell her story if she wishes.

And no, we didn't meet through the local Crohn's/Colitis foundation meeting, it seems to be a coincidence.
 

sawdust

Moderator
Location
Pennsylvania
Welcome to the forum! If you haven't already checked around, I think you'll find a wealth of info and lots of patient-focused support. While IBD seems to run in families, I can't say that I've run across a "chosen" family member, like a spouse before. :) I hope you find the forum as welcoming, useful, and supportive as I have!
 

Angrybird

Moderator
Location
Hertfordshire
Hello and :welcome: I think you are the 2nd person to have joined recently whose spouse is affected by an IBD as well, again I think it was just a coincidence it happened that way.... I am pleased that for the most part you seem to be doing well, what meds (if any) are you on for your UC? How often do you get bad days? Do you still have to see your GI on regular basis? Sorry for all the questions I am just always curious (ok nosy :)) as to treatment plans that seems to be doing a reasonable job.

Really pleased you have joined us hun and when you can have a good look around, there is such a wonderful group of people here.
 
Hello and :welcome: I think you are the 2nd person to have joined recently whose spouse is affected by an IBD as well, again I think it was just a coincidence it happened that way.... I am pleased that for the most part you seem to be doing well, what meds (if any) are you on for your UC? How often do you get bad days? Do you still have to see your GI on regular basis? Sorry for all the questions I am just always curious (ok nosy :)) as to treatment plans that seems to be doing a reasonable job.

Really pleased you have joined us hun and when you can have a good look around, there is such a wonderful group of people here.
Hi Angrybird

I see my GI about once a year. I was doing colonoscopies every 3 years, just had one a couple of weeks ago, but he wants me to move to every 2 years (I also have a strong family history of colon cancer, which was my original reason for seeing him).

I'm on Asacol and I take a probiotic. The probiotic has done me wonders, I talked about it in another post.

I probably go through a little cramping and gas maybe a day or a couple of month on average, and but it is not that regular. I'll have a couple of days in a row that are bad, then be good for a couple of months. Before I took the probiotic, my flare-ups would last a couple of weeks instead of a couple of days.

I don't seem to have a food trigger (not one I've figured out), but stress is definitely a trigger for me.
 

David

Co-Founder
Location
Naples, Florida
Greetings and welcome! I'm so glad you found your way here. :)

That's fantastic that you've found a probiotic that works so well for you. I hope your wife's Crohn's is well managed as well.

I wish you well and hope to see you around the forum.
 

Angrybird

Moderator
Location
Hertfordshire
Hi, that really sounds like things are going really well :) Did you have a lot of trial and error with meds or was this working plan found fairly quickly?
 
That's fantastic that you've found a probiotic that works so well for you. I hope your wife's Crohn's is well managed as well.
If only that was true. No, she has a lot more problems than I do, and was just in the hospital for several days last week. Again, I'll leave that for her to tell, or not, if she joins the forum (her attitude about such things is different than mine).

Hi, that really sounds like things are going really well :) Did you have a lot of trial and error with meds or was this working plan found fairly quickly?
As I said, I originally went to the GI for colon cancer screening, and IIRC, he didn't even initially diagnose the UC on my first colonoscopy, though I've had a "sensitive" lower GI tract for years, and at various times had tested if it was various food sensitivies with my GP. Once the GI diagnosed the UC he started me on Asacol and over the course of a year or so we ramped up the dose to something that seemed to work. That was over five years ago.

He and I first started talking about probiotics maybe two years ago. With his agreement I started on one about a year or more ago. I actually did a test; took it for a month, then stopped for a month, and noticed a considerable difference. I've been on them ever since. I picked the particular brand mostly based on a recommendation from a friend who takes them for other GI problems. I guess I lucked out.

Unfortunately, most of the academic literature is based on single strain tests, and most of the products available are multiple strains and doses. Being a scientist myself (I'm a chemist), I like well controlled variables, even if I'm the test subject, but that is just not possible with the over-the-counter stuff.
 
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