Lets get personal......

[snapdragon]

Do hope all went well and you can relax now

also apologies for being so late (not been here long) - and if I'm repeating (sic) what might already have been said

but

I had all the same symptoms, and in an attempt to identify the cause (from a list of possibles) I started by cutting out dairy produce - and it worked

[chadspad]

Thanks for kind messages everyone! All went OK although I had the most unbearable wind afterwards that made me unable to even stand up! Doc says I have ulcerative colitis, about 15cms worth (not that that means much when I dont know how much area there is to cover anyway lol) and that he will give me suppositories for 4 weeks. As long as the bleeding doesnt return I will see him again in 1 year. If it does return he will give me more medication to prevent it. Theres no other nasties in there and would seem from researching colitis I have a very mild case compared to other people. He said theres no connecting with food triggering it off, its just one of those things. Job done!

[Annpan]

Sorry that you had to go through that I hope that you are now on the mend.
With any luck that will be the end of it.

Good luck


- It's kind of weird to say good luck in reference to someone sticking pills up their bum... but there we go

[Millymollymandy]

Suppositories are a very French thing but luckily I've never been prescribed them.

Good news Wendy! How did you cope with the wind problem when you already told us how embarrassing you found it to fart?

[chadspad]

I put the TV on loud and told my hubby to stay downstairs whilst I sat on the loo and farted like a trooper It wasnt the type of wind that I trusted doing without sitting on the toilet first lol.

[MsWildFlower]

Sorry if I am dragging up a subject. I was just wondering how you are Chadspad?

Just being nosey becasue I have crohns disease so we have similar yet very different diseases.

[chadspad]

Hi Sue, Thanks for asking! I was OK for while after having the last lot of suppositories. Then over xmas I had some particularly acidic wine and although I was drunk, I woke at 3am with this knot of fire under my ribs and was voilently sick. From then on, my stomach started the bubbling I associate with the colitis and I had to get some more tablets. Least its something I know to watch out for now - control my wine intake! Think its going to be trial and error to work out what works and what starts it off. Do u suffer badly from it Sue?

[MsWildFlower]

I am very lucky, I have only really had two bouts of crohns disease; my initial diagnosis illness and another when my son was 5 months old (had come off the drugs to breastfeed) which was 3 years later. Both times were very different, the first being mainly gastro symptoms with some arthritis and the second arthritis (everywhere but wrists and ankles basically) with some gastro symptoms. I don't think UC tends to get the 'extraintestinal' problems like crohns does - the arthritis, sore eyes, nasty wounds and painful bruises. So you don't worry about getting arthritis!

In between, I guess because I am medicated I can eat anything. Sorry that's a lie, prunes, even one can have me in agony and hi-fibre bread makes me a little uncomfortable. I still haven't managed to find out what triggers horrible bouts of foul wind though , might be sugar related I think. I can eat curries and spices no trouble. Yeah!

The things we openly talk about on the net huh!

Glad to hear you are doing well.

[chadspad]

Its funny u should mention arthritis - I suffer from it slightly in my knees and have had it quite badly the last month or so (same time as my colitis flare up) although it was ages since I had had a problem with them. I also find that my gums bleed when I have a flare up - I do suffer from gingivitus which seems to be aggrevated at the same time. Perhaps its just coincidence?

I havent found I have a problem with spicy food (phew!) but will definitely have to avoid cheap wine and use it as an excuse to only drink the good stuff lol.

Glad youre good too!

[Wotta Wally]

It is only until recently that I have been able to talk about my IBS and even then, I am still circumspect as to who I mention it to. I was therefore amazed to read about it so openly on this and another forum! In fact, it has made me be a bit more relaxed about it. So many people seem to suffer from it, that there is always a possibility that if I mention it to someone, they have it so will understand!

Mine is purely anxiety based. And I get anxious about the stupidest things: like I am going to be late for an appointment and I can’t find a car parking space etc. I think it is a control thing? Possibly a touch of OCD? I’m not in control of a situation (ie. Cannot terminate the situation to find a toilet) ergo the IBS starts to kick in then I start panicking about finding a toilet at all/in time and will have an ‘accident’ – and so the whole things spirals out of control. Mine manifests itself in an IMMEDIATE need to go to the toilet. And unfortunately, I have had two accidents when I haven’t managed it in time – then gone straight into shock – shivers, cold sweats etc. Stupid!

It doesn’t seem to be food related – just sheer anxiety. I have tried peppermint oil, Rescue remedy and an expensive course of acupuncture. None of it worked. My solution was actually to get out of the rat-race! Without the stress of working in London, my IBS has seriously calmed down. I still get attacks tho’ and my GP has just referred me for CBT to see if that will help. I initially said no but after an attack at the weekend, I have said yes.

Has anyone tried this? Has it worked?

[Wombat]

– then gone straight into shock – shivers, cold sweats etc. Stupid!

No, WW, not stupid! Unpleasant and uncontrollable yes, but stupid? Definitely not!. I have a had a bit of a battle myself with stress and the body's reaction to it and found it thoroughly unpleasant. It seems to me you have the right idea by attacking the seat of the stress. Good luck with it but don't beat yourself up over something that is outside your control.

Nev

[chadspad]

Have u tried meditating at all? Its great for stress relief. Ive never mastered the 'sitting and being still and silent' type of meditation but theres loads of fantastic guided meds on Cds that really help. I can tell u some if youre interested and perhaps u can get then via internet.

[Thomzo]

WW - I echo Nev's comments. It is not stupid. I too have IBS although the symptoms are not as bad as yours. But I do know that stress does affect it really badly. I am also a bit of loo-junky. I absolutely have to go immediately before I leave the house, or work or wherever. I also like to know where the nearest loo is all the time.

In my case, the biggest trigger of the symptoms is if I don't eat regularly. If I have to go for a long time without food then I get really bad wind which gets trapped. When I do eat, it then becomes really painful and I have fainted a couple of times with the pain. I find now that if I get the trapped wind, I can relieve it a bit by massaging my stomach but I have to do it in private

Zoe

[Wombat]

Hey Chadspad!

Yeah, the meditation idea keeps cropping up, but I haven't tried. Yes I would be interested if you know some good ones.

Thanks

Nev

[Russian Doll]

glad your feeling better now hun....my colitis is having a very nasty flair up at the moment but then it always seems to after xmas...combination of two much rich food and stress with ja bills lol

meditation sounds good i do meditate in bed to help me relax enough to sleep but i never seem to get 5 mins in the day to sit quietly...i dont think you can meditate with toddlers hanging round your neck lol