How did UC start for you?

[jenny2]

I been having alot of anal and rectal problems and will go to gi doctor on thursday to talk to them. i have lost alot of weight 21 pounds in 1 month, have mouth sores, sometimes diarrhea and sometimes constipation. i also had a fissure and now feel like i have yet another fissure. sometimes i think that my stool is black in color. i am just wondering how ulcerative procratits started for some of you and if my problems are similiar. thanks.

 

[Cookie]

Hi jenny,

I think that if you asked this question to 100 forum members, you would get 100 different answers, so I don't think anyone can jump up and say "yes, that's it!" However, many of your symptoms are typical of IBD, I would say more likely Crohn's than UC given the rectal involovement and mouth sores. Any time you are losing weight at that rate, there is reason for concern. I am glad to hear you have an appointment with a GI doctor. I hope you are able to get some quick answers. Please keep us posted on what you find out. Good luck!

 

[Ian]

Hi Jenny, and welcome to the forum.

Mine began as ulcerative proctitis and is now either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's colitis (the latter being Crohn’s disease that is limited to the colon only).

Personally I have only ever suffered with diarrhoea out of the symptoms you listed, along with only minor weight loss. I agree with Cookie that it sounds more like Crohns disease. The rectum is normally involved in UC (it tends to begin there and then spread upwards), but anal issues and fissures tend to be more characteristic of Crohns, as does alternating diarrhoea and constipation. Most people with UC only suffer with D and it's usually bloody (which is the case with me).
Mouth ulcers may indicate Crohns too as the disease can affect you anywhere from mouth to anus; UC tends to be limited to the colon only, although extra intestinal symptoms such as mouth sores and joint pain are not unheard of.
Black blood would again indicate Crohns, as it would suggest you're bleeding higher up than the colon (i.e. in the small bowel) and partially digesting it, making it dark and tarry.
Dramatic weight loss is more common with Crohns (small bowel involvement) because it affects the are where you absorb nutrients from food, whereas the colon really just absorbs water. But it can occur with both forms of IBD.

Like Cookie said, it's different for everyone so it's impossible to say for sure. Hopefully your doctor can Hope you get some answers and start feeling better soon!

 

[jenny2]

thank you cookie and ian for responding to me. i am going to the gastro doctor tomm to talk about my problems and i hope that i can get some tests to figure out what is wrong with me. i was thinking that maybe i can uc instead ot crohns because of my anal problems and this is how it has all started for me. i will post and let you know what they said to me tomm..

 

[vonfunk]

I quit smoking, that was my trigger.

 

[lifesover]

colitis

I retired that 's when it started for me.

10 years ago I had a kidney stone and when they went into retrieve it things went wrong they got stuck and had to cut me open to retrieve their gear, they pulled my Euretha off my bladder, I was ill for many many months, and had absolutely loads of Xrays every week, I can't help thinking the Xrays have done it for me.

Just out of hospital last week in Spain had two units of blood that is my 13th unit since last October and my third month inside hospital.

I am on Prednisone and some times I have a little blood, Prednisone affects me in a few ways with side effects but I am putting up with it.

This illness is unbelievable, everything you read is contradictory, even this hospital said total opposite to the last, the last said keep off milk sugar and tomatoes, after being on drip food and drink for 10 days the first thing they gave me was hot milk, when I progressed from liquids to solids it was salad with tomatoes and even vinegar.

I AM GOING MAD WITH THIS ILLNESS:voodoo:

 

[Jandeacs]

ohhhh vonfunk .. lol .. a friend of mine just been admitted to hospital with UC .. and she swaers it started when she stopped smoking .. i will tell her about you ... thats crazy ..

Jan & Miss Piggy