One of the reasons I started this blog was because I could not find anyone online who was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis later in life. Then I started wondering if there were any differences with living with UC as a younger person or an older person. I haven’t found many differences yet. But there is an actual name for it, geriatric ulcerative colitis, and here are a few things to consider.
After my dad reached a certain age, every time he went to a
doctor for a problem, the doctor would say, “You’re just getting older.” My
frustrated father told me, “I know I’m getting older, but that doesn’t
mean I haven’t developed a problem that needs to be checked out.” As an older
person with colitis (or IBD), we need to make sure our doctors listen to us and investigate our concerns
regarding changes to our bodies without jumping to the conclusion, “It's just your colitis.”
Older colitis patients may be taking prescriptions for other
problems, so it is vital that our doctors and pharmacists are aware of our
current medications. (This is not always a given.) Whenever I get a new prescription
now, I always talk with the pharmacist to make sure I am absolutely
clear on the new med's use and possible interactions with my other medicines.
I've received more information from my pharmacist than my doctor. My
insurance company keeps trying to push me to a certain pharmacy, which is really
frustrating because the people at my pharmacy know me, and that is
invaluable. (I was paying for my medications recently and the pharmacist was in the back on his computer. He noticed it was me at the counter, leaned over and waved. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry!)
The way our bodies react to food sometimes changes as we age, colitis or not. Even if a food does not cause problems now, we need to be aware of how our bodies react to food and periodically take a fast from certain foods to see if anything has changed.
Ulcerative colitis patients struggle with fatigue and weakness. Older people also naturally experience this. Now combine the two and you have the possibility of extreme fatigue and extreme weakness, with possible loss of balance. I have experienced this and fell flat on my back side and couldn't get up by myself. (Yes, "I've fallen and I can't get up!") We just need to be aware that we may need to sleep more than younger patients and know ways to maneuver ourselves that younger UC patients may not have to worry about. If needed, an occupational therapist can help with this.
Aging people sometimes experience a lessening of appetite making eating a challenge. Colitis patients often have a loss of appetite, too, and may lose weight during flares. So as older colitis patients, when in remission, we must keep our weight up by eating regular meals. I'm not saying this is easy. I struggle with this.
Seniors are more susceptible to all those nasty germs out there. Anyone with an autoimmune condition is also more vulnerable. Again, combine the two and we end up with us older colitis patients having to be particularly vigilant. I wear a mask much more than I used to, and the irony is that even if COVID had not shown up, I would still be wearing a mask!
Then there is menopause. Having a chronic condition and going through menopause at the same time can be brutal, with hot flashes making it difficult to get the extra sleep you need, as well as the extra bathroom trips caused by the liquid in your bladder suddenly feeling like it's boiling.
Article:
Can Menopause Trigger IBD?
We cannot live in a bubble, nor would we want to. (Remember the movies, "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble" from 1976 or "The Bubble Boy" from 2001?) But as seniors with geriatric ulcerative colitis, we just need to be a little more cautious and observant of our surroundings at any given time. Go ahead and hug the grandkids! Just keep a mask handy and wash your hands. (You also have a great excuse for not changing diapers!)
This is a good article from Medical News Today: What is geriatric ulcerative colitis?
From the National Library of Medicine:
The number of hospitalizations in patients > 65 years is greater than in younger group, accounting for 25% of all admissions for IBD. Mortality is similar in UC and slightly higher in CD, but significantly increased in hospitalized patients. Failure of medical treatment continues to be the most common indication for surgery in patients aged > 60 years.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3122261/
© Colitis Senioritis 2022
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