Ulcerative colitis (U.C.)
is anautoimmune diseasein which your bodys immune system mistakenly attacks cells in the colon or large intestine.
Cue the stomach trouble.
Ulcerative colitis symptoms can vary, but blood in the stool and abdominal cramps are common.
What is ulcerative colitis, exactly?
Ulcerative colitis(U.C.)
is one of the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
The other isCrohns disease.
Its not comfortable, to put it mildly, and not something that will clear up quickly.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic illness that does not yet have a medical cure.
And we have made great advancements in these treatments, he says.
The last resort is a surgical option called colectomythe removal of the entire colonwhich can eliminate U.C.
What are the most common ulcerative colitis symptoms?
Early ulcerative colitis symptoms usually include things that could easily be overlooked.
Remember those ulcers we talked about earlier?
If your symptoms only affect that area and don’t progress, its actually calledulcerative proctitis.
In terms of how many bowel movements are considered normal, it varies.
In extremely severe cases, you might have 10 bloody bowel movements in a day.
Speaking of nutritional deficiencies,unintended weight lossand malnutrition can occur with ulcerative colitis for a few reasons.
You may also avoid eating at times to stop yourself from having to go to the bathroom as often.
These things can then lead to weight loss.
Again,dehydrationis a concern if you are having severe diarrhea.
This can make you feel dizzy, fatigued, and cause a headache.
With all thats going on in the digestive tract with ulcerative colitis,nauseacan sometimes be an issue.
Sometimes people can get ulcerative colitis symptoms outside of the bowels, which are called extraintestinal complications.
If you thought there is no way your eyes could be affected by ulcerative colitis, think again.
Certain symptoms may point to different types of ulcerative colitis.
That just means that you will have periods of time where your symptoms will be greatly reduced or nonexistent.
That could mean weeks, months, or even years for some people, according to theMayo Clinic.
Unfortunately,ulcerative colitis flare-upscan occur.
Dr. Sinha says that sometimes symptoms can be more subtle during a flare, like bloating or fatigue.
As far as triggers go, he says there are clear associations between IBD and stress.
In my practice, I treat patients who are also students.
Not uncommonly, we see students experiencing flares during exam times or other periods of high stress.
Whats the difference between ulcerative colitis vs. Crohns disease?
Another difference is that Crohns doesnt stop at the intestine lining.
We rely on the patient history and other information such as radiographic imaging and endoscopy.
While acolonoscopyis an effective tool, Dr. Sinha clarifies that its not the only way.
What are ulcerative colitis treatment options?
With more research, options like immunosuppressants arrived.
If medication isnt effective, surgery is also an option.
Dr. Sinha emphasizes that keeping your health care team informed is key to managing ulcerative colitis.
Having this regular communication helps facilitate labs, imaging, or endoscopy that may be necessary, he says.
In my practice, we very much approach patients that have U.C.
from a multidisciplinary perspective,Megan Riehl, Psy.D., a G.I.
psychologist and clinical director of the G.I.
Behavioral Health Program at theUniversity of Michigan, tells SELF.
How can I find support after an ulcerative colitis diagnosis?
If you think your symptoms match those of ulcerative colitis, speak with a doctor before jumping to conclusions.
And if you do get a diagnosis, know that there are resources available to you.
All of that really matters when it comes tomanaging a chronic illness, she says.
