I was first diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was 17. I am now 21 and about to graduate college, but my UC is still active.

My Ulcerative Colitis Experience:

In the summer of 2007, I started noticing the symptoms. I had to go to the bathroom all the time and urgently. I thought everyone went through that type of thing, so I just lived with it.

BAD IDEA!!

I was with my family both times I had really really bad accidents. Not only were they in public, it happened with bathrooms far away from my view. It was really embarrassing to walk around in public when you didn’t make it to the bathroom. Despite my family being with me all the time, I never told them until I soiled myself again and had to tell my mom we had to leave the store early. When I told my mom, she got me an appointment with a GI doctor. It took about a month to figure out that I HAD to get a colonoscopy. I hate them.

By this time, my senior year of high school had started. I had only told my close friends about what was happening. After the colonoscopy, I was told I have Ulcerative Colitis. I also learned that my mom had UC too, but it was in remission. I was prescribed a bunch of steroids and mesalamine stuff. Oh, an enemas too. I hated them with a passion. I would cry every night when I had them. My mom had to do them for me, as I couldn’t reach. Ugh! So, after a few days, I thought I was strong enough to go to school. Not only did I drive myself, but I was also not ready at all. I had a few (embarrassing) accidents and I went to the nurse’s office to go home for the day. After a week, I was actually ready to go back to school. I answered any of my classmates questions as well as my teachers. I became close friends with the school’s nurse as I had to keep my medication in her office.

Then Thanksgiving came. Thanksgiving weekend, because of the variety of foods, I became very ill again. I missed a lot of school, and lost about 20 pounds. I was admitted into the hospital because of my symptoms. I was only in the hospital for a day, but my parents became ver y worried about me. They told me flat out that I had to start to eat to get my weight up or I was going to get back into the hospital. I told them I would try as hard as I could, but I just couldn’t keep any food in my body. It would go right through me. I eventually went back to school. And I was a little depressed. Friends and Teachers were always asking how I was because I looked so thin. I didn’t like talking about my UC.

So, I did end up graduating from high school on time. I almost couldn’t because I missed so many days of school, but I made it happen. My health became better, but i wasn’t in remission. My parents even let me go to Italy during the summer as my graduation present. I am not going to lie. I was really scared about going abroad with my current condition. I didn’t know if it was the right thing to do, but my parents and even my doctor suggested I go. I stocked up on a bunch of pills, med scripts, snacks and water and I was on my way. So, now I am a senior in college. I am away from home, so it is scary for me at times. I have to deal with things on my own now. I am not in remission, but I am doing much better. I have a bunch more stories and I hate to take up more space to tell them. So If you wanna hear, don’t hesitate to ask. And I will help with any question you may have about Ulcerative Colitis.

Thanks for reading!

Submitted by “About to Graduate” in the Colitis Venting Area