Ulcerative Colitis and...
Each day is unpredictable which makes it hard to make plans in advance. There are times that I feel great one day and just awful the next. I have already started my day feeling good and within a short amount of time I can feel like I've been hit by a fast moving train.
I have been living with ulcerative colitis for about 10 years now. I have had some periods of remission during these past years. The longest remission lasted 7 months. When I have "flare-ups" (abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, uncontrollable bowl movements, fever and weakness) they really drain my energy.
I have not been able to work for some time now. My flare-ups have made it virtually impossible for me to be reliable at any place of employment therefore I have "retired." The inflammatory arthritis that has come along with my colitis has made getting out of bed a real painful task.
In some ways I feel like my body has given out on me and I continue to get weaker as time passes. I take prednisone to help my body to relax from the muscle spasms related to this disease and help it to heal. I have found that the "BRAT" diet helps a lot too. BRAT stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Eating only these 4 foods for a few days gives the lower intestines a rest and time to allow the prednisone to do its job. I must admit that it can be difficult to handle the pain that I have during my flareups, but prayer and my faith in God has helped me through it.
Fibromyalgia is a fairly new word for me. I have only known about the disease since my diagnosis. Along with the fibro I have what is called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome also known as CFS. Believe me, the name says it all. I have wondered for a while why I am so exhausted all of the time. Well, it seems that CFS and ulcerative colitis both drain your energy. Fibromyalgia itself has had negative affects on my body. Unfortunately because of my weak intestines I have been unsuccessful in finding an arthritis medication that does not cause me internal bleeding. There are some new medications on the market that my Rheumatologist hopes will work for me that are supposed to be easier on the stomach and intestines.
When I am feeling less pain I am encouraged to exercise doing low impact water aerobics. I also walk when I am feeling up to it. The key to keeping mobile when in pain is to exercise when not in pain. This may sound strange but it really does help, although I have found that prayer and faith in our Lord is the best medicine for me. This may sound weird but, I believe I have been given these medical conditions to help others. I am a very strong-willed person and feel that because of my strength I can be there to support others that have been diagnosed with these or similar illnesses.
If you would like to chat or have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Sometimes we just need to communicate with someone that understands what we are going through. I hope that I can help you or someone you know, deal with the effects of any, or all of the diseases that we may have in common.
