UKC

I know its not the worst of illnesses but its still a burden, just wanted to share experiences with fellow sufferers who are physically active - running, cycling, climbing etc

I seem to get it every 10 months or so, and usually get it to settle in about 2 months with a bit of Predfoam and changing what I eat to a low residue diet to allow quicker healing (the more you eat the more you excrete).
Tried various things such as the usual anti inflammatories but they dont seem to make much difference, being on the right dose of azathioprine helps me though. Ive experimented with various foods, lotions, potions tonics, probiotics etc, and not a lot makes much difference in terms of keeping it at bay or helping it settle.
I know for me combination of being stressed and over eating and drinking alcohol makes matters worse (stress - depression - drinking / eating go together quite well).
Im currently trying N-acetyl glucosamine supplements and awaiting delivery of some boswellia serrata supplements. Generally feeling tired and fed up of being ill when its so nice out, yet not unwell enough to be off work.
Moan over.

In reply to Pesda potato:
I was diagnosed with uc 35 years ago. Luckily it has been well managed with asacol which I continue to take. It seems that(and I am told) that it tends to fizzle out in lots of cases. I know that this is little consolation when you are having flare ups in the short term. I have not had time off work for years and continue to climb etc albeit at my modest level.

In reply to Pesda potato:

Id argue that IBD can be very debilitating and you have every right to feel fed up during a flare! I've had UC for ten ears now and it can be a right misery sometimes.

See if the natural remedies work for you, but also go back to the docs and look into other medications if you're getting regular flare-ups. Symptons like fatigue are a sign that you might be still suffering from low-level inflammation. You could do with getting things sorted now before they have the potential to worsen or get more frequent.

I don't want to worry you, but IBD can worsen as well as lessen over time. Mine has certainly been awful over the last few years. I don't want to go into graphic details here but I wish I'd got mine under control sooner rather than ploughing on and trying to wish it away. Ive had quite a few complications from it.

Drop me a message if you'd like any advice or anything. Take care.

In reply to Pesda potato:
Have you been tested for coeliac? It's a very common cause of that kind of symptom, and is far too often put down to being "just IBS". I'm led to believe sometimes even if you aren't coeliac giving up gluten can make a significant difference.

In reply to Pesda potato:

It is a crap disease. My wife has colitis which is thankfully very much under control. However, her poor mum has full blown crohn's disease which has left her with not much bowel left and a stoma. She can only eat a handful of things. You have my sympathy. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

In reply to Pesda potato:

I don't have either of those, but I do have bowel problems of my own, generally managed with medication and knowing where the nearest loo is! It's only really running that occasionally give me problems.

One thing I did used to suffer from occasionally was sudden attacks of diarrhea, usually without any warning. I eventually gave in and got allergy tested - turns out I was intollerant to monosodium glutamate and mildly intolerant to a couple of other things. Since cutting out MSG from my diet and watching how much of the others I eat, I've hardly had any attacks. Never gave me any other symptoms, though.

Might be worth a try for you?

In reply to Pesda potato:

I have had UC for 33 years, and it has been a right pain, but is all but gone now. All I can offer is my experience -

I was in a middle-management/top management role for most of my 30's and 40's, and the mix of stress and a boozy old lifestyle made it worse, aligned with my erratic taking of my asacol and prednisalone.

As I have gotten older, after two redundancies, I still have the hectic life, and still like more pints than I know I should, yet I am so much better. Why? In my opinion two-fold.

1) Try and tackle the stress. Really tackle it though. If your job is stressful, can you alleviate that by changing? I didn't think I could until they 'changed' it for me! The improvement in the UC was tangible.

2) And this is a biggy imo - Take one drug, take it religiously, take it long-term. Let it do it's stuff. Asacol, once I FINALLY after years and years got into the habit of 3 in the morning, 3 at lunch, 3 at night, things improved. Eventually I have cut down to just 3 in the morning. Sorted.

To quote my specialist 'you could fill this room with books on diets and quack remedies on your disease, and for many, they work. Is it placebo, is it simply related to other matters, who knows? But take the drugs, deal with what is stressing you, and you see the difference'.

Good luck, but try and not let it rule you. Take practical measures to alleviate the symptoms, and take the asacol!!!

Cheers

In reply to Pesda potato:

I've had UC for 12 years and yeah when its bad its a right pain, luckily for me I its always been fairly well controlled (even managed to be off meds for a few years), the one thing that almost always sets it off without fail is peanuts so they are off limits for me! Still managed to get big routes done but been a bit of a worry on them as to whether i'm suddenly going to need to go to the toilet. I know its easy to say but I find keeping as active as you can helps the feeling down a lot, nothing worse than being stuck inside wishing you were doing the things you want to do

In reply to Pesda potato:

Cheers all, its been about 10 years for me now too, and I've noticed it getting less severe each time but the nausea cramps gas lethargy still happens.

I have since completed it several times but there was one notable day doing the welsh 3000s / 14 peaks which I renamed the 14 pood (although technically 16). It's always funnier in hindsight

In reply to Pesda potato:

Yes, I've got Crohn's been on Humira since 2009. Have a good long, hard, moan! It's a horrible, nasty, crappy disease.

If you want my tuppence, you already know what you should do to appease you immune system/guts. Get rid of the stress, somehow, and eat to lower inflammation, as someone else commented, I figured that tiredness is correlated with inflammation. Quit at least temporarily the usual inflammatory foods: wheat products - go gluten free, avoid pork/bacon as something to do with its fatty acids typically provoke Crohnies/IBD. If after 3months you feel better, stick with it.
I wouldn't bother with supplements, other than vitamin-D, B12/folic acid.

In reply to beth:

ta, not heard that one about pork, i rarely eat gluten foods now.
A lot of what Ive read e.g. SCD FODMAPS Paleo diets suggest low carbohydrate foods, but as mentioned I find it hard to eat enough whilst training without some carbs such as oats, sweet potatoes, potatoes etc.
I really dont know what to think as theres so much conflicting advice out there, to the extent that foods have nothing to do with it.
What is certain though is stress is a major factor.

Thanks again for sharing everyone

In reply to Pesda potato:

Oats used to really do me in, gluten free were no better than ordinary.

I've had massive improvement from going very low carb, so I get most of my calories from fat and protein. I've tons more energy, and the afternoon 'crash' has all but gone.
After a period of adaption to burning fats you don't need carbs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ketogains

In reply to beth:

Seems lo like ill have to persevere then, ta beth