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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/31/2007 12:13 PM (GMT -8)
Hello to all,

     I am unfortunately joining your ranks as well. I was on active duty with the US air force on duty at Keisler AFB. i was being trained as a ground radio repairman when i came down with a case of food poisoning. I was treated for it and sent back to work the same day, but the symptoms never fully went away. I had been having problems with bolldy stools and gut pain since 1993. I was in the Navy and went to the hospital. They told me it was hemoroidds and sent me back to work as well. I went again in 1999 and got the same response.

     about 1 month after I was released from active duty i became so sick i couldn't even get out of bed. i couldn't eat anything vomited and discharged blood and loat about 40 LBS. when i was taken to the emergency room they discovered that not only were my "hemoroids" colitis, but i had become infected with the C-Diff bacteria as well. I was in there for 2 weeks while they stabilized me again and tried to slow down my weight loss (by this time i was 145 LBS).

     My Gastro tells me this is the worst case he has ever seen. He also informs me that i have never had hemoroids and the military doctors were way out of bounds. I am still flaring despite treatment and am looking at an involunatry seperation from my national guard unit.

    Things are not all bad though. I have managed to go back to school and was able to keep up until the latest flare put me out again. I also have a part-time job now that has flexible hours. can anyone give me advice on how to control the intense pain without taking painkillers?(i am currently on oxycodone and methadone).

Posted 10/31/2007 1:45 PM (GMT -8)
Hi and Welcome. I'm so sorry to hear that your illness has been misdiagnosed and mistreated for so long. I can't imagine how frustrating that must be. At least now it sounds like you have a GI doctor who is hopefully going to take good care of you! If you have questions about your new treatment, you should definitely post to the group because people here are so good about coming up with suggestions.

So is your diagnosis now definitely Ulcerative Colitis? When you say that your doctor says it's the worst case he's seen, do you mean that you have a lot of inflamation everywhere that he saw with a colonoscopy?

Also, what other drugs are you on besides the oxycodone and methadone? I'm curious that the oxy isn't working for UC pain. (I assume you mean cramping and all that great stuff, right?)

If the pain is from spasms in the colon, maybe you could try something like Levsin which is an anti-spasm med. It once got me through a bad patch. Also, Lomotil slows everything down in the colon and that might help spasms too. Of course, that's assuming it's spasms that's causing the pain.

What meds are you taking for the UC?

Hang in. Things are going to get better gradually!
Posted 11/1/2007 8:34 AM (GMT -8)

My heart breaks for you!  I would question the pain meds as when you are in a flare they are not suppose to help at least that is what I was told.  I was given one or two tylenol with codein when I was in the hospital and it backfired on me and the pain got worse.  I think you may need a 2nd opinion.  Good luck!

Stacy

Posted 11/1/2007 8:45 AM (GMT -8)
Well first off Welcome! I am so sorry you are having such a tough time. What meds are you on for the UC? This is a great website w/ lots of caring people. Feel free to ask any questions...we will try to answer them!
Posted 11/1/2007 9:08 AM (GMT -8)
I am so sorry that you have suffered for so long and been misdiagnosed. I agree w/all the sentiments, here. Also, do as much research as you can and push your doctors! I wish you all the best and this place has been wonderful for me, especially knowing you are not alone and a great place to ask questions and get advice.

I hope you are able to get some relief very soon!

All my best,
Beth
Posted 11/1/2007 9:17 AM (GMT -8)
Wow, I'm so sorry you've had to go through that for so long. I, just like you, have had stomach problems for most of my life... granted they were off and on and I just sort of wrote them off because every time I went to the dr. they said it was just a bad stomach flu or a bug or something. Or it was blamed on what I was eating, which I'm sure was at least some part of the problem. But then there was one flare up that just wouldn't go away. I kept going to drs hearing about my hemmerhoids(which i do have ONE) and never getting any solution to my stomach pain that would keep me away from school and work. Finally, I went to one new dr and he said go to the GI immediately. After lots and lots of drs and tests and blahblah they finally diagnosed me with UC and said they were surprised I could get anything out I was so inflamed.


I wish you the best and I hope that you get the help you need for your UC. I can tell you right now it's a lot of trial and error with meds. I haven't heard of people being on pain killers like oxycodone and stuff, but if it's helping... I know in the beginning when I was still going through testing and they wouldn't come up with a darn answer I took one of my now husband's hydrocodones... and it worked so well that I almost got hooked on them... I haven't taken one since I got diagnosed though.

I'd make sure this GI or doctor knows what he or she is doing and if you don't think he knows.. go somewhere else. I'd go back and ask a lot of questions about meds that you've heard about or read about. Do your research and then express your findings to him or her and see what their reaction is. That's a pretty good way of seeing if they know anything haha.

I'm sorry you are joining us, but I'm glad you have answers now. Welcome.
Posted 11/1/2007 9:39 AM (GMT -8)
HI!
I am new here also- but Sept 17 I went to the hospital with what came back as campto-bacteria and was put on Cipro. I have battled with this every since and actually think that eating the undercooked chicken brought on all this. I have never had problems (with constipation while pregnant- yes!) but otherwise this is a shocker to me. I have lost 12 lbs down to 105 since then and I tell you this is some rough stuff! My preliminary from a biopsy came back with inflammation (the other DR couldn't tell if the two spots were where the surgeon took off or ulcers!! I will see the surgeon back next Thurs. where he will tell me the actual diagnosis. I really feel for you!!! This has been a great board and it was Godsent!! Good luck with everything!!
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