Well, my ulcerative colitis is flaring again and it's really getting me down.
It's slightly unlike other flares that I've had in that I'm not getting up through the night (except the two or three times that I have to get up to let Tilly out!) but the pain is really something. The abdominal pain has spread to my right hand side. I say spread rather than moved because it's still on the left hand side too! It likes to be generous! I say pain but it's not a stabbing sensation, more like a continual wrenching of my innards. Sometimes I think I would prefer a sharp pain rather than this dullness.
Anyway, my nurse has given me new meds - Pentasa tablets, enemas and Prednisolone enemas to use alongside my azathioprine to try and calm me down and stop the flare. I'm both upbeat that these new meds will help me and a little bit bit anxious about the change.
While I'm grateful for my excellent docs and nurses, I can't help but feel a little down. There's nothing quite like feeling sorry for yourself when you're incapacitated with a flare.
The online colitis and Crohn's community is very helpful and on trawling through the 'net, I came across a great little article entitled '11 Things Not to Say to Someone with Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis' from
Health.com. It actually hits all my buttons!
What Not To Say to Someone with Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis
1. You Don't Look Sick
I tend to look a little pale when I'm flaring but since I'm pale anyway, I can often look ok on the outside. For me, the worst part is the exhaustion and abdominal pain because they can knock you flat without anyone seeing anything to 'prove' it.
2. I Know What You're Going Through
This would be my number one. The amount of people that tell me they understand my pain because they have IBS is unbelievable. No offence, but unless you have UC, you really don't know how it feels.
3. You've Lost Weight. You Look Great!
I've actually never had this one. When I was first diagnosed I used to get "You're so thin you look awful." Seven years later and I still have no comeback for that statement.
4. You're So Lucky - You Can Eat Anything and Stay Skinny
This is probably more for those with Crohn's as I've never had this one said to me!
5. You've Really Put On Weight
I personally think that this statement shouldn't be said to anyone. How mean!
6. Is Is Okay For You to Eat That?
This irritates me no end. Whether it does or it doesn't, it's up to me and I'm probably the best one to tell. However, I admit that I dislike people telling me what to do in general!!
7. Come On, Try A Bite
When I was first diagnosed, I was on a bland diet to control my symptoms. I told my work colleagues so that they could support me. Instead, they started trying to get me to eat things like chocolate muffins ("One mini muffin won't hurt!") which I adore but knew would hurt more than I could cope with at the time. They wouldn't take no for an answer and I will always remember taking a mini muffin and having to break it up to look like it was being eaten and then hiding the bits in my bag before disposing of it when I left for the day.
8. You Must Have A Lot of Stress in Your Life
I've never had this and I actually wouldn't mind it being asked because I do. It's partially a result of my anxious personality but that doesn't make it any less stressful!
9. Can You Wait Until the Next Exit?
Sadly enough, I would rather keep quiet because I don't like to inconvenience anyone else. If I did ask, I would hope people would take me seriously. They'll be the ones facing the consequences (and the valeting bill) if they don't!
10. Why Are You So Tired?
I don't think anything says it better than this: Jill Plevinsky hates when her friends and family try to get her to do
things she's not up for by saying, "Oh, come on. You can't be that
tired." She likes to answer them by saying, "If you lost as much blood
as I do with each bowel movement, you'd be pretty wiped out too."
11. You Need To Change Your Diet
Although the food a person eats can affect their symptoms during a
flare-up, there's no evidence that diet causes inflammatory bowel
diseases or brings on flare-ups. It is important, however, for people
with colitis and Crohn's to eat as healthy and balanced a diet as
possible—which they most likely know already.
Now that my giant moan is out of the way, I came across some UC funnies.
