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Ulcerative Colitis - no flare up but what are common symtoms?

Posted , 4 users are following.

lucy75757
lucy75757

I was very ill in 2011and the diagnosed with UC. After a year on pentasa i stopped taking them as i was getting bad skin side effects. From then onwards i have not had a bad flare up but i really do not know if the symptom i have are still to do with colitis.

So just reaching out to see if any other sufferers get the following or is this just normal?

Using the toilet frequently

Tiredness alot

Catch colds easily

Thanks

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • helena108
    helena108 lucy75757

    Posted

    Definitely with the toilet and tiredness would see your GP or Ibd nurse before you get into a flare. I can sleep 10 hours anight easy wish I could stop the fatigue as that is my major problem at the moment (fed up with going to bed at 9 at night)

    Hope things improve

    • lucy75757
      lucy75757 helena108

      Posted

      Thats exactly what i did again last night but i thought it was a cold coming on. I researched tiredness being linked to Colitis but could not see this anywhere. I dind it hard to explain to people.
    • helena108
      helena108 lucy75757

      Posted

      I find people don't understand how lousy it can make you feel think as it is a illness people can not see and also toilet related they do not want to listen they think it's jyst like having a bit of a bad tummy or people say oh I have ibs as well NO I do not have I ibs it is Ibd a chronic life long illness and have a good chance of being admitted to hospital and possibly surgery
    • lucy75757
      lucy75757 helena108

      Posted

      Very frustrating and you are right people really donnot understand or want to. I get that all the time with oh yes i get IBS sometimes when you want to scream from the rooftops that its different.

      Can i ask ...do you get bad night sweats?

  • sheila91262
    sheila91262 lucy75757

    Posted

    Hi Lucy, The tiredness can be a sign of anaemia and poor absorption of nutrients from food so your diet isn't being used well and your body is under nourished. This affects your general health so more prone to infections and tired. is your skin dry too? Also you say more often to the toilet, what is it like and when? If you are going very soon after eating it means you are not absorbing food and medication well. Is it mucousy and is there any blood?

    I would see a doctor as you may need more meds and they may suggest you have ones that are not oral!

    Good luck, don't leave it too long and drinks loads of water and take multivitamins with iron, liuid ones are easier to absorb.

    Sheila.

     

    • lucy75757
      lucy75757 sheila91262

      Posted

      Hi Sheila, thank you for your reply and yes i think you are right that i am probably under nourished but i eat very well and go to the gym. Using the toilet would be early mornings and then 2 to 4 times during the day. I also keep an eye out for blood or mucus but its never there. Thats why i was wondering what are the symptoms or are these things just normal?
    • helena108
      helena108 sheila91262

      Posted

      Hi

      Do you find iron etc help the chemist has given me slow release but not sure about taking them in case they up set my stomach

    • sheila91262
      sheila91262 helena108

      Posted

      The liquid multivitamins with iron, well known brand, was recommended for my son by pharmacist as  gentler on stomach as iron can be hard on UC sufferers. A blood test by surgery nurse can tell you if you are anaemic. When my son was in a bad flare he was weak and tired and pale and sent to hosp to have a couple of pints of blood but then he was losing blood too. The multivits help with the bad affects from meds too, Vit B Biotin is good for hair, skin and nails, son had hair loss with UC and meds. 

      Also if the ablutions are containing quite alot of undigested food that is not good. I used to be a bit confused but didn't get to ask, if food is absorbed higher up in small intestine why if the UC only affects colon why does the food transit much quicker and less absorbed. I used to worry he had Crohns too but he didnt! 

      Do see a specialist if you keep suffering, go where they know what they are talking about, St Marks and John Radcliffe are best.

      Hope you feel better soon.

      Sheila.

  • Fluffe
    Fluffe lucy75757

    Posted

    I agree with Helena... get to the doc's. I took Octassa.. bad skin rash and weight gain.. passing out.. pentasa suppositories didn't quell it (It's been 11 months) and my diagnosis was up in the air too.  Even the steriod foam caused me no world of trouble and had to stop that as it burnt me.  I did have the bleeding but from what I understand, you don't necessarily have to have the bleeding.  Finally I got the diagnoses as moderate to severe distal colitis despite taking the pentasa faithfully.  But I do wonder now if it was 'laying in wait' for something to set it off and it wasn't the IBS that was the culprit.  Yer.. tiredness was always a major thing (gotta love the steriods they put me on to stop the bleeding cuz I can actually get out of bed... not one side effect with that - but then they did say my symptoms were atypical!!!) - yes... lots of toileting.  Part of mine was actually due to also being bunged up as I could put out the two ends of that poo chart at the same time!!!  With respect to the colds - I have alot of sinus problems already but it does have a lot to do with your immune system so.......

    Don't leave it. Get it checked. They can check inflamation levels and all sorts - find out where you are at.. I had a witch of an IBD nurse with a god complex who didn't listen to me and she wouldn't get me an appointment with the consultant  and I'm regretting not writing the consultant directly sooner as it did spread even with the drugs I was taking.  Since then I now hope I'm moving in the right direction.

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