Just found you all :)

[Bunty]

Hi, I'm Bunty, a 61 year old lady from the UK who is in the process of almost certainly being diagnosed with crohns, and definitely with ulcerative colitis and proctitis.
I've had a colonoscopy with biopsies, which showed many small ulcers, and groups of abscesses which I'm told are consistent with crohns. Unfortunately I have a looped bowel (who knew?) so the scope was unable to go the whole way to the small bowel. If I need another at any point, it's in my notes to be done under general anaesthetic as it was very, very painful.
I'm awaiting an appointment with a luminal gastro doctor, and a clinic visit to the IBD nurse, hopefully in the next few weeks. This nurse has phoned me at home as I was struggling with all this, and has proved very helpful.
My GP started me on Pentasa after reading the report the day after the colonoscopy. Then when the biopsy results were in five weeks later, and on the advice of the IBD nurse, I was started on 40mgs of prednisolone, gradually reducing over nine weeks.
To say this has taken me by surprise is a huge understatement as I had always thought crohns was a young persons disease, indeed, most sites and literature I have come across seem more aimed at younger folk.
Anyhow, that's a bit about me. I look forward to asking, and maybe answering, some questions and getting to know you.
Bunty x

 

[scottsma]

Hello and welcome Bunty. I was dx'd in 2006 with proctitis and I feel very lucky that it's been "manageable" for the most part.This is THE best forum for advice,support and friendship,and we are all interested in each others experiances,so please keep us updated.

Best wishes.

 

[Bunty]

Hi scotsma (is that scotsman with the 'n' missing or are you a scots ma?)and thank you for your reply
I just checked your profile and see you like caravanning...guess where I'm sitting right now? Yep, in my caravan
So you have proctitis, does it flare up from time to time or are you taking meds to keep it damped down? I'm still coming to terms with all this to be honest, and it's taking a lot longer to get under control than I initially thought it would.
I'm finding food very difficult as I love my food, this plain, boring stuff is driving me mad with boredom. As long as it does the trick though, I'll stick with it. Do you have to watch what you eat very carefully too?
I've belonged to another medical type forum for about ten years but the crohns part of it gets very little traffic so I've been searching for one like this which seems very lively and informative, really glad I found it this morning
Bunty x

 

[Bunty]

Actually, I've just checked some of your posts and you've mentioned your husband, so I guess you're a Scott's ma (with two tt's, sorry)
Bunty x

 

[scottsma]

Yes Bunty,I do take meds.I use asacol suppositories and loperamide capsules.I do have probs with urgency but usually just in the morning when between 3-6 visits to the bathroom are needed. The loperamide is my safety blanket,otherwise I would be unable to walk my old dog first thing.I have always been a healthy eater,but for some reason I have lost all interest in food for at least six months.Nothing tempts me although I do get hungry of course and have cereal,bananas yogs and toast to fill up.I have a hospital appt. next week with a view to a colonoscopy.I had a sigmoidoscopy when I was dx'ed.NOT looking forward to the col.,but it might be a good idea as I've had no hospital appts. for 7 yrs.
I do have occasional flares when I have intense nausea and pain,but it usually passes in a day or two.Well,this post was about you,but as you asked it's turned into a post about me.

I hope you have a good Bank holiday weekend,bye for now.

 

[Bunty]

Well, I think you're right about having a colonoscopy after all those years without, better to know for sure what's going on inside.
I think I was just very unlucky having a loopy bowel, everyone I spoke to before I had the colonoscopy said that although it's uncomfortable it's not painful and you don't remember anything about it anyway because of the meds they give you beforehand. I even found the prep stuff to clear you out the day before wasn't too bad...fairly easy to drink, and very interesting the way it worked!!
Well, the sun's just come out so we're going for a walk along the river rather than sit here inside our van (we've had our static in Berkshire for 3 years now, after having a tourer for more years than I care to remember). Hope you're enjoying your bank holiday weekend..are you in your van too?
Bunty x

 

[scottsma]

No,we've been tourers for 35yrs or so, but decided to sell up in March. We've been to all the places we wanted to go to ,numerous times.Having said that,we've sold up 4 or 5 times,so never say never.Enjoy your weekend and keep well.