My Ulcerative Colitis

The best place to get ulcerative colitis info is from your doctor, but knowing that friends and family members as well as patients sometimes do not get as much information as they need, this article attempts to answer questions such as “what is ulcerative colitis”, as well as provide some information about ulcerative colitis nutrition recommendations. None of this is meant to take the place of your doctor’s advice, but merely supplement the information that you already have.

What is ulcerative colitis? It is an inflammatory bowel disease. All or part of the colon may become inflamed. Sores may form on the inner walls of the colon. Depending on how much of the colon that is affected, symptoms may be mild, moderate or severe and typically include diarrhea with mucus and/or blood present.

What is ulcerative colitis caused by? According to the latest ulcerative colitis info, no one knows exactly why the colon, which includes the large intestine and the rectum, becomes inflamed. It has been noted that patients tend to have immune system problems, but it is unclear whether the ulcerative colitis causes the problems with the immune system or if an overactive immune system causes the ulcerative colitis. Nutrition is particularly important, because diarrhea, a major symptom, may prevent the body from absorbing adequate nutrients from food.

What is ulcerative colitis cured by? According to the latest ulcerative colitis info, surgery that removes the affected portion of the colon is the only “cure”. But, it is possible to live with and control the disease, particularly when symptoms are mild to moderate. Ulcerative colitis nutrition recommendations, medications, herbal remedies and other treatment programs are designed to relieve symptoms and prevent the necessity for surgery. It is a chronic disease, which means that it has a tendency to flare up again and again over time. It is helpful for patients to keep a food and symptoms diary, in some cases they are able to determine what foods cause flare ups and avoid those foods.

What are ulcerative colitis nutrition recommendations? Most doctors advise a multi-vitamin, but particularly supplementation of Vitamins D and B12. Vitamin D deficiencies can cause diarrhea. B12 is needed for energy and to help the body properly absorb other nutrient. Supplements containing the botanical aloe have been recommended by doctors and naturalists alike, because of its ability to heal wounds and reduce inflammation. In 2005, ulcerative colitis info concerning the results of a research program using omega-3 from fish oil was released. The results were promising, but there is no plan to market the formula that was used.

Colitis, also known as ulcerative colitis, refers to a type of inflammatory bowel disease affecting the inner lining of the colon (the large intestine). Inflammation of the intestinal wall, whether chronic or acute, causes ulcers to be formed in the top layers of the lining. These ulcers may bleed and produce pus. A patient of colitis experiences an uncontrollable urge to empty the bowels frequently as in diarrhea (loose motions), in many cases accompanied by abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, painful spasms, appetite loss, fatigue and fever. The condition can affect people of all ages, but it is more commonly found in the 15 to 30 age group.

What Causes Colitis?

There are many theories about what may cause colitis. Contrary to popular belief, colitis is not a direct consequence of mental stress or an allergy to certain foods – though these factors may trigger or worsen the symptoms of colitis in certain people. It is found that people suffering from colitis present some abnormalities in their immune system, which supposedly starts reacting abnormally to some virus or bacteria present in the digestive tract, causing inflammation in the intestinal wall. But this may possibly be a consequence rather than the cause of colitis.

Research has also shown that family history, certain viruses and protozoa, and toxins-producing bacteria like Salmonella, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium and Shigella species may play a strong role in causing colitis. Patients undergoing radiotherapy treatment in the pelvic region may develop local colitis. Sometimes strong doses of some antibiotics can also trigger colitis. In the elderly, a drastic decrease in the blood supply (ischemia) to the colon is another factor contributing to colitis.

Detrimental Effects of Colitis

Persistent inflammation of the colon lining can cause extensive damage of the cells in the lining, and has been found to lead to colon cancer in about 5% of the patients suffering from chronic colitis. Obviously, the risk of colon cancer increases with the duration of the disease and the extent of damage caused to the colon lining. For example, if the damage extends to the entire colon then the risk of cancer may be as much as 32 times the normal, but if only the lower colon and rectum are involved then the risk is no higher than the normal. Also, people showing dysplasia (precancerous changes in the colon lining) are more prone to develop colon cancer from colitis.

Is Colitis Preventable?

Strict hygiene and sanitation measures while handling, cooking and eating food can go a long way in preventing colitis associated with infective germs. Other than that, as goes for any other health problem, incorporating healthy lifestyle and diet changes in your daily routine helps to make your body as disease-free as possible by strengthening your immunity to keep at bay not only colitis but also other diseases. Adopt the best health mantra: moderate exercise combined with a healthy diet consisting of whole grains, lentils, fruits, vegetables and water in plenty, and animal-origin foods in as restricted amounts as possible.

Diet Recommendations for Colitis

Diet goes a long way in helping you manage colitis. First and foremost, since fluid loss is substantial in colitis, make sure to drink 2–3 liters of water and lots of clear fluids like light soups, lemon tea, lemonade, etc., in order to prevent dehydration. Avoid greasy and fatty foods.

Also alcohol, highly seasoned foods and high-fiber foods may aggravate the problem of colitis and are best avoided. Naturopathy recommends a 3- to 5-day juice fast based on juices of fruits and vegetables like papaya, cabbage, carrot, sweet gourd, etc., and a post-fast diet of steamed vegetables and soft fruits along with plain yogurt. And a thorough chewing of whatever you eat.

I’ll give up when I die.  I still from time to time go back jogging, I don’t know if it is to see if my UC still stops me or to find out if I can overcome it.

I wonder some days if I am just plain mad.

Colitis is the term for inflammation of the colon or large bowel or intestine. The rectum is the very last part of the colon. When it is inflamed the term proctitis is used. Understanding the causes and treatment of colitis requires a basic understanding of the colon and inflammation.

The beginning of the colon is called the cecum. It begins in the lower right portion of the abdomen where the last part of the small intestine (ileum) empties into the large intestine. This part of the colon is also where the appendix attaches. The segments of the colon in order from the beginning of the colon or cecum going distally are ascending, transverse, descending, sigmoid colon and rectum. One of the major jobs of the colon is to recycle water for the body. When the entire colon is present and healthy the stools have only enough water in them to remain soft and easy to pass, but not so watery or loose that leakage occurs and dehydration ensues. When a large part of the colon is removed or when the colon is significantly injured the stools are very watery and frequent.

Inflammation is the body’s response to infection or suspected attack or irritation. Inflammation of a body area is labeled by adding the suffix “-itis” to the body part, hence tonsillitis when tonsils are inflamed and appendicitis when the appendix is inflamed. Recognized since ancient times, inflammation has been classically described by the presence of signs and symptoms of redness (rubor), pain (dolar), heat (calor), swelling (tumor) and impairment of the function of the involved organ or tissue. If you have arthritis, joint inflammation; the joint is red, swollen, painful, warm and is stiff, preventing normal function.

In colitis the colon is usually quite red and swollen appearing when seen by colonoscopy (scope exam of the colon). Abdominal pain and impaired function occurs resulting in diarrhea because the damaged colon loses some of its ability to absorb water. If enough damage occurs to the lining sloughing of the surface cells occurs with passage of bloody stools, mucus, and even the appearance of tissue.

Inflammation has cell and fluid components. The cell component includes various white blood cells. The type of white blood cells found in the lining of the intestine determines the cause and effect on the intestine. Fluids include chemicals secreted to fight infection or presumed infection that can cause damage to the colon lining.

Colitis can be acute (self-limited) like E. coli infection or chronic like in ulcerative colitis. Causes of colitis include infections, ischemia (poor blood flow), food allergies, food protein intolerances, lack of normal bacterial flora or stool (after antibiotics, diversion after a colostomy), radiation injury, chemotherapy induced low white blood cell counts (neutropenic), or idiopathic (unknown cause).

Chronic colitis is one of several types of inflammatory bowel disorders or IBD for short and should not be confused with IBS the term for irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) does not involve any colon inflammation though it was referred to in the past as mucus colitis because of common symptom of excess mucus in stools or spastic colitis because of the common complaint of painful spasms of the colon that commonly occur in IBS. Biopsies of colon tissue in irritable bowel syndrome are normal and do not show signs of inflammation therefore it is not considered an inflammatory bowel disorder.

Ulcerative Colitis and the Flu don’t go well together, in fact whenever I am ill in any way my UC is always worse than usual.

I had an operation a couple of years ago for two hernias.  Before the operation I was of course quite sore, however I was surprised once again by how the UC always seems to be worse when there is something wrong with another part of my body.

All of this came back to mind today as I was taking something for the flu.  My first thought is the pain-killer will give me an additional problem for the next few days, as it always upsets my bowel - however I am used to that and seem to deal with it better when I know it is coming.  But just having the flu or a cold has an effect also.

One day I will get used to it all - I keep saying that after five years.

Ulcerative Colitis and Pizza don’t seems to go too well together.  And I have no idea why.  Perhaps I just blame food too often when things start to go wrong within my body.  But, hey, I eat piazza about three times per year, it is my typical comfort food, so I really should know that there is something going wrong when I decide that tonight is the night for pissa and four hours of film.

UC is a crap thing to get used to, I wonder if I will, but yes there is a lot worse and I do still have a very good life - got to remember that one.

The main reason I found out so quickly about my UC was that I used to jog all the time, then it became a problem. After about ten minutes jogging I would need to use the toilet. It is fairly hard to jog when you know you need to use the toliet - and once I was too far from home and did the toilet in my shorts, and only about 500 meters away from home on my way back. I had to walk slow home, down the crowed streets hoping that nothing would run out of my shorts and down my legs. It was humiliating.

As was usual for me in the beginning I spoke to the consultant at the hospital about it. Never heard of Ulcerative colitis causing this before. Now that was no surprise to me.

I found out through trial and error that I had become lactose intolerant. So my healthy breakfast of porridge and milk was causing a problem, the yogurt I ate had to be changed - I became aware of food that had milk whey in it - there are loads. I found it amazing what I found was in my food. I changed my diet after a year or so and this certainly help.

I have fought, once again, against this idea of not being able to go jogging. Sometime I get a bit of acceptance and during those time I have taken up swimming for a few months at a time. However it is just not the same. To go out running on a cool autumn evening, the fallen leaves being kicked by my moving feet, the peace, the quiet, nothing else for me is quite as good. As for going jogging in the gym, good for exercise but not much else - though there is always a toilet close at hand.

I was back out jogging last Sunday - this is a fight that I have not given up on.

I love my coffee.  I used to hate my ulcerative colitis, before acceptance came slowly along - no other choice really.  I am told that the two of them don’t really go well together, but I still love my coffee.  Doctors since the beginning has told me that no food has any effect on UC - well any of us who have suffered knows that this does not ring true.  I concur on the opinion that it did not start my ulcerative colitis, (sometimes, depends on my mood), however the same doctors happily tell me that the coffee is not good for my condition!

Is it just too much of a mine field for them?  Do they just not want to open the door that may lead somewhere they are not in control?  I am not so sure.  I was allergic to the first medication they prescribed me, it made me really sick and took about nine months of them saying it would get better and it was just the UC - it actually only took two weeks of me just not taking the stuff any more to get better - well better than I was.

But back to my coffee.  I have it every morning first thing.  It empties my system - instead of running to the toilet several times in the morning the coffee does the job in one fell swoop.  Now for someone who was always running to the toilet and often doing nothing or little once I sat there, well this is an improvement in my life.

Anyway, back to my coffee, it is getting cold while I sit here writing this.

I don’t mean I have been cured of ulcerative colitis, I mean I have got over the anger, the depression, and the why me…

It all took a while and was not a lot of fun.  For about one year I was sick and did not go to the doctor - kinda typical male, head in the sand and it will all go away - it didn’t.  After about a year of passing blood and mucus and trying all sorts of other ways to get my body to work again I gave in and went to the doc.

He sent me to the hospital - where they confirmed the doc’s suspicions.   I will now write about some of it here - share my experience and maybe hear some of your experiences back - feel free to talk.

The biggest thing I miss and it is silly - I used to jog every day, and now after I jog for more than 20 or 30 mins I need to use the toilet.

The worms - that is what I want.  I have been trying to get these worms for the last few years - no luck so far.  Do you know about the worms - these seem to be the only thing that can “cure” the disease in some people.

More about them later.I felt very alone when I was first diagnosed - if you are the same talk - talking is what eventually pulled me from that dark space that ulcerative colitis had left me.