Well. Before we get into anything, I'm probably supposed to say that I'm not a doctor in any way. I don't ever plan on giving any actual medical advice ever (and really, what advice do I have--I've had UC for over three years and couldn't figure it out, I am very clearly not a doctor). If at some point I say some medication or food works for my UC, that does not mean it will or won't work for you. It's frustrating and stressful. It sucks. I wish there was one medication for all of us, but alas--we are clearly not the lucky ones.
So, the quick version: I was officially diagnosed with UC on Feb. 14, 2017 (happy V-day, amiright?). As of posting this, I know it's only been a little more than a month since I was diagnosed, but I've already run into about a hundred problems and try as I might, I can't find any real tips on figuring out a life with UC. (Here's where I clarify that I don't have Crohn's, but most of the websites I've visited have the two connected, so I really hope my thoughts can help you guys and gals, too). I'm sure we've all tried joining the internet groups or the forums about Crohn's and colitis, but my short time looking into those made me feel like I'd missed the train by about ten years. Every thread seemed to be filled with replies from '06/'07 and I know for a fact that there are tons of people diagnosed with colitis or Crohn's daily, but where are they?
Probably stuck reading the slideshow articles about Crohn's or UC. You and I both know those slideshows aren't necessarily wrong--getting enough sleep, exercising, and having a good support system are all important for living with CD or UC, or literally just living, but they get mega-repetitive really quickly. When I look up "tips on living with Ulcerative Colitis," I want to know the nitty-gritty shortcuts (lifehacks, if you prefer). I want to know the weird things people come up with when they're forced to change their living habits because of UC or CD.
Now, I'm sure there are a lot of you lucky ducks that either haven't had a flare-up in awhile, or you only get them once in a while (I repeat: lucky ducks), so maybe the symptoms don't affect your life so much. I do appreciate that the symptoms still suck, whether they hang around for a week or longer. For those people, I suggest you hang on tight and hope for a short ride, but for those that have, hypothetically, a three-month flare with no end in sight, it's hard to not come up with ways of cutting corners (or maybe I'm just inventively lazy).
After all that writing, I guess it's sort of a let-down to admit that I've only come up with a few ideas for living with UC, but this is only the beginning! And, next post won't be so annoyingly long-winded. I swear.
Here's my thoughts on living with a bad case of the "Flare-sies" so far:
There will always be more to write on the topic of "My Life Was Just Fine Without It, Thank You," (also known as UC or Crohn's, or literally any other disease or condition), but that's where I'll end it for now.Get a TV tray for your bathroom. I know it's weird/gross to consider at first, but think about it. We all know that trips to the bathroom can take anywhere from twenty seconds ("I thought I had to go but I guess not!!") or like, twenty minutes (okay, no one should spend twenty minutes on the toilet, but sometimes that's what it feels like), and maybe, like me, sometimes you run a little late and can't afford not to multitask while you're in the bathroom. Therefore, TV tray. Personally, I use it for doing my makeup when I'm in a hurry. It's not weird.Stop trying to convince yourself you can eat That Food. If you're like me, you need to hear this. And, if you're like me, you probably ate a food today that you suspect might be causing some problems, as much as you don't want to admit it. We all have foods that we like, but unfortunately those foods don't always like us back. I love food. All of it. I love eating it. I had a breakdown when prepping for my colonoscopy because I couldn't eat anything. Not even because I was hungry, I just wanted to eat. And then to go through all of that, just to be told I couldn't eat some of the things I like to eat? I think we all go through a little bit of denial--or at least a tiny feeling of But I've Eaten _____ Before, And I Was Just Fine! But now you're not "just fine," and you have to accept that some foods are gonna do you dirty that never did you dirty before. Maybe at some point you'll be able to eat those beans again, but definitely not during a flare! If it makes you feel worse, stop eating it (this might sound like an obvious idea, but I think I subconsciously wrote this for myself (stop eating Flamin' Hot Cheetos!!))Find someone to talk to--even if it's a dumb blog. I know the "having a good support system" tip is overused, so I've decided to rewrite it. A good support system is, well, good, but it's not always realistic. Let's be honest, the topic of what you do in the bathroom is generally seen as gross (at least in American culture). The most progressive, ground-breaking idea we have about bodily functions is that Everybody Poops. Really. And while everyone else can live happily in a Febreze-scented world where everybody might poop but we don't know for sure, we don't really have a choice, which means your best bet at a support system would be other people with CD/UC that are familiar with what you're going through, or, even better, shouting into the blog-void with the confidence of an old army general that's brought all his/her troops back from the battlefield (or, uh, the bathroom). It's probably a good idea to try to find other people to talk to, but sometimes you just need yourself and a little time to write it all down.
xx
