Intermittent lower abdominal cramping, diarrhea, blood in stool, frequent trips to the bathroom……. I didn’t know what was causing this for almost 6 months and I was fearful of telling someone and finding out the truth.  The symptoms were embarrassing and I didn’t want anyone to know.  Thankfully, I wasn’t suffering from weight loss, so it wasn’t too obvious and I became real good at controlling ‘diarrhea’ – sounds crazy, but true!
Finally I blurted it out to a co-worker while we were working on our daily patient progress notes, “Do you ever have blood in your BM?”  He looked at me and slowly said, “NO….. Do you?”   Once I told him my symptoms had been occurring for 6 months, he strongly urged me to see a doctor.  That was in 2003 and I made an appointment with my family physician that week.  That appointment was awful.  I was embarrassed and he wanted to do a rectal exam looking for a fissure.  I refused and agreed to try more fiber in my diet. A week later when I was getting worse and fatigued, I called again and reluctantly allowed the exam.  NO FISSURE.  He then referred me to a GI doctor and I quickly had my first colonoscopy.
The colonoscopy revealed a disease called ‘Ulcerative Colitis.’  This was one of those days that my life forever changed.  I was informed that I had a disease that would never truly go away.  I would take meds the rest of my life and the goal was to remain in ‘remission’ or ‘symptom free.’  I also experienced my first introduction to prednisone, a drug that I quickly learned to love and hate.  Love how it calms down the flare quickly; hate all the symptoms & how slow the weaning can be from the drug.  I was young at that time (28 years old) and did some research, thought I had it all figured out and followed the Dr’s orders.
Then I had another flare-up the next year which meant more prednisone.  Within 2 years, I had another colonoscopy and was on more prednisone.  My bouts with Prednisone were 4-12 weeks in length and I cried every time I was told I’d have to take it.
Prednisone is a steroid.  My symptoms are horrible on this drug:
achy joints
little sleep
jittery/wired
hungry/thirsty
water retention (especially in belly and face)
hot flashes
nightmares.  My nightmares are always the same.  I’m at a random person’s funeral and the cadaver sits up and stares at me.  It’s horrible.  I can’t sleep and when I do…. That is where my brain goes!

I had an argument with my first GI doctor after the second colonoscopy and more prednisone.  He told me there were no other options for treatment.  I actually woke up while they were taking a biopsy during a colonoscopy!  OUCH!  I didn’t know much about nutrition at that point, but was able to control the disease with meds and lower stress levels. (I’m a Type A personality….. decreased stress levels rarely occur!)
I switched doctors and am pleased with my current GI doctor.  His goal is to keep me off prednisone and gives me a lot of freedom when it comes to my prednisone dosage and weaning.  As a means of learning more about my body/disease,  I received a certification through the ISSA as a ‘specialist in sports nutrition’ and that education greatly helps me with my disease, family nutrition, and assisting clients towards weight loss/muscle building.  I have also spoken many times to a friend of mine who is a doctor and he helps me determine my next step.  I have considered becoming part of a university study to find more treatment options.

Now-a-days, I control my colitis by limiting my gluten intake, exercising, proper fluids, meds, vitamins, and making sure to eat plenty of fruits/veggies.  Many folks with GI disorders are malnourished, so it’s important to eat well.  Also, green leafy veggies act as little scrubbers in the intestines.  Great for most people, bad for those of us with ulcers in the intestines!!  I have found that too much fiber makes my GI tract VERY angry VERY quickly!  I’ve also found that artificial sweeteners make me bloat and look 5 months pregnant. Ain’t nobody got time for that!  

Fast forward to the past few months —-> I had probably my worst flare up this past November while on vacation in Alabama.  I struggled to walk along the beach, go on adventures with the kids, and eat.  I was trying a new drug that was not working and my energy level was the lowest it had ever been.  I had more energy after running marathons than I did in November!   (Marathons aren’t great for colitis either…. But I’m NOT going to allow this disease to boss me around!) Needless to say, I went back on prednisone.  I was told to start a more intense level of drugs, which I refused based on research and probability of skin cancer.  I tightened the diet, focused on de-stressing, focused on my running/fitness, and was diligent about my daily meds.  I had my 4^th colonoscopy in late February 2014.  This week was the post-exam appointment.  What would they tell me?  Did the disease progress?  Were the polyps cancerous?  Do I need the more intense meds?

“Your colonoscopy revealed that the polyps were not harmful and your test results looked BETTER than they did in 2009!  That’s not common, so whatever you are doing is working!”

Whoo-hoo!!!  I was certain that last flare-up had ruined me!!  Once again, my life proves that a healthy lifestyle involving better food choices (not perfect because I LOVE my PB M& M’s and tortilla chips) and exercise = a healthier mind, body, and soul.  I’m embracing my body the older I get and I am fully aware that with age comes more health issues.  I feel as though I am fighting hard against that though!  My fitness level is better now than it was as an athlete in high school.  I am educated on food and how it affects the body.  I live with asthma and ulcerative colitis, yet I have accomplished marathons and running events that only a few people EVER attempt in their lifetimes.  I continue to build muscle in my body.  I don’t have the typical joint aches that many my age have after playing recreational sports or doing new activities.
The moral of my story?
Listen to your body and treat it well.  Don’t be shy about your symptoms!  Go to the doctor and get educated about your body and diagnosis!  Just because you are diagnosed with an autoimmune disease (or anything else) does not mean that your active life has come to an end.! Learn how to stay active with the disease and when a doctor tells you that you should decrease your exercise without solid reasons….. tell him “Hell NO!”  My asthma and GI doctor both understand that they are going to have to work with me vs. tell me what to do, because I am NOT slowing down.  They and I work together to find solutions that I can live with and that benefit my body. That’s why I love them so!  I have goals and children that need an active Mom & I love setting an example for others.  I realize that my chance of Colon Cancer is higher than the average person and that I’m going to have more flare-ups in my lifetime.  I’ll probably once again be on prednisone at some point and get frustrated with my swollen face.  But for right now…. My colon looks better than in 2009!  I couldn’t be more pleased!
Each person’s body responds to treatment differently and I am NOT a GI doctor.  But, I listen to my body, read the research, experiment with food, pray for health, and stay active.  If there is any way I can help you along the journey of Ulcerative Colitis, please contact me.  I mentor many weight loss accountability/support groups via social media and have many clients who have found success.  I’d be honored to help you too.
Find me on Facebook at:  www.facebook.com/YourFitnessInfo
Find me on Instagram at:  www.Instagram.com/YourFitness411

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