So the doctor suspects I have Ulcerative Colitis possibly? I need advice..
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Hello,to start out with,I have had digestive pain and pain around my colon, for as long as I can remember. I would get blood in stool on and off,like I would notice some blood spotting on the toilet paper. And my bowel movements are extremely painful too,I cant quite explain why but..the pain starts when the bowel movement hits around my large intestine,and at the same time a pain is radiating from my lower left side. The pain is so bad,I feel like vomiting most times during,and I dread having one. And about a few weeks ago,I had a bowel movement that had dark red blood in it,looked like the toilet could have been filled with blood. Anyway since that digestive episode,I feel real faint and horribly nauseous at times. And the faintness episodes hit me in waves,like I will get weak out of nowhere,to the point I can barely stand up. Oh and I've actually dry heaved and threw up,during alot of these faintness spells. But when I eat foods that have protein in it,that's one of the only things that help me feel better. I feel nauseous 24/7,I have to force myself to eat most foods,due to the fact I never seem to have an appetite anymore,and I spike random mild fevers,and the horrible body chills..and this whole recent not feeling well episode,I strongly believe that my extremely bloody bowel movement a few weeks ago,triggered all of this...then I went to the doctor and told her my symptoms,she suspects Ulcerative Colitis as a culprit,but is sending me to a GI specialist,and most likely I was told I will have to have a colonoscopy to see what in the world is going on around my colon and intestines. Digestive problems and colon trouble run on both sides of my family,and I have several family members that have Ulcerative Colitis,and pain around their colon. I just cant wait to figure out why do I constantly feel like I have the stomach flu,every day for the past two weeks..along with bouts of weakness and faintness. Does this sound like it could be Ulcerative Colitis? Have any of you experienced the same symptoms as me,before you were diagnosed? Any advice is strongly appreciated.
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Ricky- NightOwl1992
Posted
Hi,
I just seen this is my email before I was about to go to bed and something led me to comment. Anyway, I am not replacing ANY medical advice. Having one bad bloody stool shouldn't have one run panic as a dx for Ulcerative Colitis. That said, it running in your family is certainly an increased risk factor. Usually genes can be avoided or slowed down or expressed. Many factors include: Environment, Diet, and lifestyle. However, those factors alone don't fully determine anything. So that aside....
Nausea is not a primary factor in UC. Usually diarrhea with blood is. A lot of times ppl have trouble deciphering UC with IBS. IBS now has two classifications, IBS-C and IBS-D. It's really here nor there because IBS can cause both constipation and diarrhea. The reason why ppl have trouble with the two because the symptoms can be the same without the blood. Usually with consistent blood, UC can be speculated. Nausea itself, which seems to be one of your primary focuses, is not really an indicator for UC.
Sometimes when you have chronic issues, one can feel worried when they eat....Kind of like if you have trouble sleeping. So instead of viewing your bed or couch ( fist pump to couch sleepers ) as a resting place, you worry about getting enough sleep, thus psychologically have made it harder also. Same can be with chronic digestive issues,just replace my sleep analogy with food.
Like I said, usually blood and diarrhea are the main factors in UC. Typically it's both at the same time. I think your Dr. has you on the right path though, regardless of outcome. I would take some solace in that. Again not replacing medical advice. Maybe eating smaller meals. You mention when you eat protein you feel better. That's great. Typically ppl eat a BRAT diet:
Bananas
Rice
Applesauce
Toast
However, you might want to discuss with your Dr. or experiment yourself with the brat diet but toss in fish or chicken with the rice. I'd start slow and small portions. Like 4 0z of fish or chicken with a half cup of rice for dinner. Maybe for breakfast Toast. Lunch maybe some chicken with applesauce and maybe some yogurt. Some ppl have issues with yogurt. Basically milk has a sugar carb called lactose. Lactose is formed chemically by a beta bond. The bond makes it hard to get broken down. Basically from your mouth to butt you have this 30 foot tube, that's your G.I system. Ulcerative Colitis only effecting the Colon. Hence the word colitis. Itis= Inflammation. Colo= colon. So inflammation of the colon. Getting back to lactose, so chemically it's tough to break down. Sometimes people also lack the lactase enzyme. Enzymes, usually do one of 2 things, break something down or convert something in the body. In this case, lactase breaks down lactose. If you're missing the lactase enzyme, then lactose does not break down. If nothing gets broken down, then it can't be digested and thus can be absorbed. So bam, sugar can hit the colon and boom the bacteria in there can use the sugar to metabolize and the by product of that can be gas and acid. Effectively there are 600-800 bacteria in the colon.
So with the above, the thought of pro-biotics, slamming good bacteria in a plumbing system of 600-800 other bacteria. Some people struggle with regular yogurt in general because of the above, lactose. Some ppl do better with greek yogurt, some do horrible with greek yogurt. There is no ONE SIZE fits ALL. That also really brings me to my point. UC is not a ONE SIZE fits ALL. Some who have it, it's just tweaking the diet and occasional flares. Others it's constant medications. Others it's they have 1 bad flare and never get it again. In fact, the last happens in about 10% of cases. For others, it's surgery.....but don't think about that part. Usually for surgery things like Toxic Mega Colon, only 1-2%, and other rare factors. Surgery is usually for years of medications, all therapies failed, etc. As you can see, there is not a one size fits all. So tbh, I don't know if you will find anything but panic over the internet.
So to answer your question with not replacing medical advice at all, Yes and No for UC. Yes UC can make people naseua, but again, it's usually bloody diarrhea, typically both combined. Yes, having pain can be another factor. In the scheme of things, a lot of things can cause nausea. In fact, almost every anti-biotic has universal side effects-----Upset stomach, nausea, and/or diarrhea. So, I would say, besides the one bloody stool you mentioned, no. However, factoring in your family history and some pain, then could be.
The THING is, nothing ever got better by stress. So try to relax, seems your Dr. has you at the right place. We have a nervous system...the sympathetic and parasympathetic. When you worry etc, the body goes into fight or flight mode. It can't tell the difference of say having worries over a break up or a dinosaur chasing to eat you. Your eyes can tell the difference, but the nervous system can't. So when you fire up the sympathetic nervous system, it can speed everything up....and yes it can speed up the G.I system. You have nerves that connect to muscle to help move food through that 30 foot food tube, called the G.I system. Well, fire those nerves up, and it may have an effect on how fast things go through that food tube. See what I mean? So I'd say, eat smaller meals, try your protein you seem to tolerate with some brat diet, follow your drs advice, maybe some yogurt ( small portions ), and relax, you got this ( not UC....just "Got This", as in you will get through it ).
From, a stranger you never met,
Get well.