The title question, "Will my life ever be normal again?" is a natural, human question we often ask ourselves after a painful life-changing event, no matter what it is.
On the Reddit r/UlcerativeColitis thread, this question comes up a lot. It is often newly diagnosed patients, maybe a little (or a lot) scared and confused, who ask this. Sometimes it is people that have been diagnosed for several years but are still having severe symptoms because they have had trouble finding the right medication to get into remission. Sometimes it is asked by someone who is in a slight state of shock at their diagnosis and what has happened to them. Often the person asking is young and had plans and hopes for all the years still ahead of them that they now see crumbling away.
Let's consider the "normal" question. There is no definitive answer because every person and every diagnosis is different. For example, some people that I have seen ask this question say that they used to work out a lot, spend time in the gym, eat healthy, was a vegetarian or full vegan, had an active social life, or went drinking with friends. They want to know, will I be able to exercise again? Eat vegetables or spicy food, travel, drink, hike, date, have a relationship, or any number of other things?
Then there are people like me. I was never a "healthy" eater, but I wasn't a junk eater, either. I exercise some, but certainly not at the gym level. I'm not big on socializing, don't drink, have never been able to eat spicy food, and I'm married, thus dating is not a worry. So my back-to-normal expectations were nowhere near as lofty as others.
There may be some adjustments. I've read that a lot of UC patients cannot drink alcohol anymore. But they've also said that after getting used to that, they are much healthier in other ways because of it and grow to think of it as a positive.
Some people do have to rethink what they eat. But not all have to do that. When I'm in remission or approaching remission, I can eat almost anything. I haven't changed my diet hardly at all. The other side of that, though, is that when I am in a flare, ALL food causes problems. There is nothing I can eat that helps in a flare. I have to go straight to steroids.
So your normal could be having to change your whole diet, or change only some foods, or like me, change nothing at all.
Some UC / Crohn's patients achieve a partial remission with some continuing symptoms and think that is their new normal, not realizing that a partial remission leaves a lot of room for improvement. To reach the complete or mostly complete remission may require giving a medication more time to work or trying a different medication altogether.
The key word to getting back to normal is REMISSION. Remission, remission, remission! And in almost every diagnosis of UC or Crohn's, to get into remission you MUST go on lifetime medication.
Yes, that sounds scary. I understand. Suddenly you are dealing with constant medications, and not just regular medications, but specialized medications. That often means lots of time getting authorizations, trying to figure out payments and getting on possible payment reducing programs, going back and forth between your doctor's office, your insurance, and the pharmacy, sometimes for days at a time. But once that is done, you shouldn't have to worry about it for awhile.
Some people have trouble remembering to take their medication everyday, and that can (and will) cause problems. This, I do not understand. Between my prescriptions and vitamins and minerals, I take nine pills a day. (At one point, I was taking seventeen pills.) I take them at the same time everyday, with all three of my meals and then when I brush my teeth at night. Because I take them at the same time, I don't have to give them much thought.
I know, some of you reading this (if there's anyone reading this!) are probably thinking, "But how can having to take medications EVERY SINGLE DAY be normal? If I have to think about it every day, my life won't be normal any more!"
Here's the thing. Incorporating medications into your life may seem awkward and annoying, and adds just one more thing you have to do. But eventually, it will get to the point where it will start to feel normal and you won't even think about it.
Pick the same time of day or evening to take your meds. That will help enormously to keep track of things. Taking your medications will become a habit, like brushing your teeth, taking a shower, or getting dressed.
Here's the second thing. Those meds that you're thinking will keep your life from ever being normal again, are the very things that will eventually help your life be normal again! I've read where some UC patients reach remission so well they can run marathons. Or work out at the gym again. Or travel. Or hike. Or whatever!
But that will not happen without your daily medications.
It will also not happen without one other thing . . . TIME. We are used to going to our doctor for an illness, getting antibiotics or some other medication prescribed, taking the prescription and in a few days we are feeling better.
That will not happen with ulcerative colitis or crohn's disease. It takes anywhere from three to six weeks, sometimes longer, to see if a medication is working for you. If it doesn't, then you have to try another medication and wait another month or so. It's like two inches forward and one inch back. This will continue until you find a medication that will bring you into remission.
It could take awhile.
It is so easy to feel doubt and despair during this time, especially because your symptoms will still be active. It's hard to wait for the light at the end of tunnel when you don't know how long the tunnel runs. This is when that question, "Will my life ever be normal again?" may burn deeply and painfully.
But this is also where we need to remember the answer to that question.
Will my life ever be normal again? While there are always exceptions, for the vast majority of us, the answer is . . . Yes!
It WILL take medication and time. The light will eventually break through the darkness and the tunnel will eventually come to an end. And yes, life will be normal (or mostly normal) again!
Here are two ulcerative colitis reddit members responding to someone who did a post about struggling with their UC and they asked how others were dealing with all of the pain and other symptoms. These are wonderful responses:
From hellokriss:
Honestly, in the grand scope of things and being diagnosed
16 years ago I've been dealing with it very well. The right medication goes a
very, very long way and has let me enjoy huge chunks of time in remission and
enjoying my life/hobbies. (Like 11 + 2 years of remission vs 3ish total years
of flares.)
From Solid_Reality:
Mesalamine is the first line of defence. As helloKrissi
said, you'll eventually find the right medication and honestly you won't even
know you have the disease anymore. Don't throw in the towel yet, you're just
getting started on this journey and honestly, it will turn you into a better
person. I've gained so much more empathy dealing with this disease for 18
years. You'll be okay.
© Colitis Senioritis 2026
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