Posted 8/18/2014 4:24 PM (GMT -8)
Hey there,
I am new to the forum... Well I've just signed up after a long time of reading other sufferer's stories and thought that I should seek advice tailored to exactly how I'm feeling! Hope you guys can give advice on how I should move forward from where I currently am:
I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in Sept 2012 after a year of unexplained bleeding (which got worse as time went on) during bowel movements. I've nearly been Dx'd for 2 years and gone through numerous flares with Azathioprine/Imuran being my 'remission drug'.
During this time I have too been battling the tummy upset that is Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Around October 2013 I developed anxiety from the symptoms which caused moderate agoraphobia. Around the new year I managed to get C.B.T otherwise known as cognitive behavioral therapy. This in conjunction with 20mg Citralopram have helped with the getting outside and anxiety based panic attacks.
In February 2014 my grandmother passed away which led to a flare of UC... a flare I'm not totally in control of.
So here I am as of right now:
- Currently tapering 40mg Prednisolone by 5mg per week. - at 20mg
- Noticing increase in symptoms (Mucus, blood, gas & urgency) had to go back to 20mg from 15mg.
Other medications:
100mg Azathioprine daily
4 x 400mg Mesalazine daily
D3 Supplement and Omeprazole (For steroids)
2mg Loperamide/Imodium capsule daily (IBS-D) - to keeps stools 'firm'
Where to go from here?
I'm an 18 year old from England (under Kings College Hospital) and wanting to get a full-time job. I always feel uneasy with my stomach and have no confidence whilst still in this flare of UC... well to be honest no confidence since being Dx'd. I had to quit my A-levels when things got too much last year.
I have made no dietary modifications, but limit my dairy intake as that's my trigger. Would I benefit from going on a low residue diet?
My symptoms for the IBS is that I will have a solid-stool with considerable amount of smelly mucus... but after that it's like a very water-based diarrhea. This too comes with more very skinny stools which can be very difficult to defecate (sorry)!. The movement is normally prolonged and the 'water' after lasts for a good 3 or 4 hours. I experience this every BM (daily) and simply cannot deal with it much longer. Do I need a fiber supplement such as psyllium husks?
Thanks for reading and I look forward to any insight to get me better and anyone else who may be having similar problems!