New here! UC sufferer w/out health care

[Inmediusre]

Hi everyone!

My name is nick. I've been suffering from UC for almost 2 years now. At first diagnosis I had insurance but lost it earlier this year. Luckily I get it back in January. However a few weeks ago I had to take a leave from my work due to the side effects of UC. I'm finding the side effects more debilitating than the pain or constant restroom use.

I've been battling severe fatigue unlike I've ever experienced within the last month. The other day I went to pick up a basket of laundry from the downstairs laundry room and it was as if I had just ran a mile. I get light headed, I see spots, and my heart races. My job is as a cell phone salesman. And the mere act of standing and talking to customers makes me exhausted to the point of dizziness and nausea. Thus my leave of absence.

I've been drinking ensure and taking 2 probiotics a day and it seems to be helping somewhat. The exhaustion is still there tho. Lately my joints have been hurting a lot. It'll be acute pain in one place, and it seems as soon as that goes away it'll be acute in another. A week ago I was having groin pain so bad I could barely even move. Its got to be the malnourishment.

I'm trying to stay positive. I'm so looking forward to seeing the specialist in January its crazy. Ill admit I'm depressed mostly because I can't work. Sorta feel useless. I'm lucky to have a wonderful live in girlfriend who has been very supportive, along with a very caring mother and father.

I'm 26 and 5'10. I used to way about 165. Dropped down to about 145. Feel like I've lost most of my muscle mass. My friends tell me I look like tom hanks from Philadelphia. I have a good sense of humor about it tho and it makes me laugh.

Happy to have found a support group here. Thanks for letting me vent. Any suggestions on battling the fatigue and joint pain?

-Nick

 

[Angrybird]

Hello Nick and welcome to the forum.

I am sorry to hear that you are feeling so rough at the moment I take it because of the loss of insurance that your are not on any meds for the UC? The fatigue and joint pain do make me wonder if you have a vitamin deficiency, the common ones here is usually is a low B12 and D and these would give you the problems you are having - is there a way you could get these levels checked at all? For now I can only suggest you rest as much as you can and perhaps have hot baths and use heat packs or a hot water bottle on the joints that are sore.

Are you able to book an appt with the doc for Jan or do you have to wait for the insurance to start again first?

AB
xx

 

[Inmediusre]

I already have an apt for jan. They are doing an upper gi and a barium to make sure it isn't actually crohns. Which is what they were going to do before I lost the insurance.

I've been worried about how this is going to affect my future employment goals. I've been considering whether or not its worth it apply for disability.

Ahh the fun curveballs life throws at us huh?

 

[Angrybird]

Indeed hun, sometimes you have to laugh or you would cry. Please do keep us updated on how you are getting on.

 

[Inmediusre]

So now I'm really stressing. I'm currently working full time but without health care until jan 1st. I had to stop working 12 days ago due to the symptoms involved with colitis (find out if its crohns in January). Unfortunately I'm finding nothing but trouble getting my medical leave signed. Went into an urgent care facility and a christian non profit health clinic and neither doctors would sign my required paperwork for work in order to keep my job. They said I need my primary care physician to fill the paperwork out.

Problem is, I don't have a primary care physician. I just have my specialist who won't see me until January. I now have 3 days to get this paperwork filled out else I lose my job, and thus my health insurance which I need in order to see my specialist in January.

I'm freaking out to say the least. My last option is to plead with the specialist to fill out the paperwork without seeing me. They are closed mon and tues. So I basically just have the last possible day to get this taken care of.

So if you're the praying type please do so. I feel like losing my health care is basically a death sentence. I believe I can convince my specialist to fill out the paperwork. Its just waiting and not knowing for the next couple of days which is stressing me out like crazy.

Ugh!

 

[Angrybird]

Oh hun I am sorry to hear you having to deal with this additional worry. Unfortunately I don't have any knowledge on how things work over there (I take it you are in the US?) so cannot offer any other suggestions on what to try. I will definetly be keeping my fingers crossed for you though.