Everyone you know will give you advice on diet, stress management, and exercise -
but all of those people have colons that actually function. - Healthline.com
I’ve given a lot of advice on this site, all of which is based on my own experience with colitis. The biggest thing I’ve been able to glean from my condition and research is that two people can have this same condition and yet have different experiences, even complete opposite experiences. Which means one size does not fit all. Not even close!
So as you make your journey on the colitis path, learn what works for YOU and YOUR body. Keep in mind that over the years, our aging bodies will change, thus what works may change. This can be frustrating, especially if a medicine that has been working great suddenly stops being effective.
Learn everything you can colitis related. One of the advantages to having colitis now instead of thirty years ago is the internet. There is so much information out there. There are websites, blogs, books, videos, memes, member boards, forums, and podcasts. If there is not a support group near you, there are online support groups you can join. Try to find information from people who have colitis or who have close family members with colitis because they are the best sources of accurate information. That is one reason I started this blog. I had symptoms that no one else seemed to have and it took over ten months for me to go from having mucus to diarrhea, while for most people it seemed to happen much more quickly. I haven’t been able to find anyone, online or otherwise, who has had the same colitis experience as I have.
Buyer beware. Along with all those websites, books, etc. are ones claiming they can “cure” colitis or they have the perfect supplements. As soon as I realize a website or blog is trying to sell me something, I leave. (Unless I’m intentionally looking for a book about colitis.)
Colitis cannot be cured at this time. It can be managed. We all wish it could be cured, but it cannot. When I hear someone say that all they did was change their diet and they were cured, I wonder if maybe they had a food allergy that was causing inflammation of the colon, and once the offending food was removed, their colon settled down. (or maybe not.) Or maybe they are in a long remission period. So when someone tells you they can cure your colitis, listen to them (they may still have a few good ideas), but don’t get your hopes up. Don’t let yourself get talked into something you know is not good for your body. You know best. And keep taking your medicine!
Get to a gastroenterologist (G.I. doctor) as fast as you can. You may have the greatest family doctor ever, but colitis is a very specific condition, with very specific medications. You need someone with as much intestinal experience as possible. (Which begs the question, who decides they want to be a doctor that works so much with poop? But thank goodness, they do.)
Remember this is a slow, slow process. Like two inches forward and one inch back. Sometimes three inches back. The medications for ulcerative colitis take weeks, sometimes months to kick in. During a flare, you can feel good for a couple of days and then have a bad five days. You can feel good in the morning and envision all the things you are finally going to do and be in bed by lunchtime.
Find your go-to pick me up. You are going to get discouraged. You’ll find yourself sliding into a hole. You’ll be making great progress and then one of those large speed bumps brings you to a screeching halt. And then the speed bump may grow into a wall. What helps bring you out of that dark place? Music? Nature? Games? Movies? Reading? Writing? Creating? People? Religion? Surprisingly, I’ve discovered that watching golf (yes, golf) is actually very relaxing and one of my pick-me-ups. Once I reached remission, I actually took a few lessons and gave it a try. I still have lots of practice to do!
Take advice, or not. Try different things and see what happens, or not. Listen to your body and to that little voice in your head that may be trying to tell you something does not feel right. It’s okay to tell someone, “No, thank you.”
Posts
