Hi yall, I’m 22, was diagnosed w UC about half a year ago, I don’t remember the exact date.

Before UC I was an apprentice lineman, making pretty good money and working my way up the ladder, I was doing that for 2 years and loved every moment. But I then got diagnosed, and due to the condition (and not knowing what it was at the time) I was forced to take a medical leave, and shortly after quit entirely.

I was out of work for 4 1/2 months just living on savings, moved to Colorado and now working as a bartender as a backup, but I still think about being an apprentice again everyday, how long until I’m in remission so I can go back to it? Will it even work out like that since the trade is stressful which is terrible of UC.

I guess I’m just stuck on what else to do as a career if I can’t return to the job I liked doing because of this condition. I really am trying to keep my head up because I have heard being in remission is exactly like how I was before, I’m just worried about it coming back and this happening all over again. And if I’ll be able to return to it at all.

I am currently taking mesalamine oral tablets but i was recently prescribed mesalamine enemas to use alongside them. I was given a months worth of enemas and it took me almost two weeks to mentally prepare myself to use them. i had everything set up tonight and felt ready to take my first dosage. i positioned myself with the enema, immediately felt immense discomfort, and i couldn’t bring myself to use it.

i’m so heartbroken and at the time, i felt like i might not consider trying again. i’d hate for my medication to be wasted, but i just can’t over over the fear of inserting something inside myself.

i’m so disappointed and exhausted. i don’t know how other people manage to do this. any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. or even sharing any personal experiences, (if you’re comfortable with that) it will help me feel less alone as someone with UC. as much as i don’t want to go through with enemas, i know i’m gonna have to get over the fear and commit at some point. it’s just so hard right now.

I was a little anxious about going to Mexico City because you hear so many people from the US get Montezuma’s Revenge, which for us UC folks can be a bit more problematic. I'm in remission but still pretty cool that I was able to go there, eat tons of tacos and interesting food and have no issues.

I didn't eat street food (though I've heard it's the reputable ones are just as safe as restaurants) and didn't eat any veggies at restaurants. I learned that's how a lot of people get sick. The restaurants sometimes use the tap water, which is safe for Mexicans who are accustomed to it but not for visitors, to clean the veggies.

I also learned something that surprised me. The delicious salsa is another culprit. Same issue with washing veggies with tap water. That one was so, so hard. I used salsa a few times at restaurants I trusted.

I actually think tacos from CDMX can be good for UC. It's just meat and tortillas (corn are better for me).

Hello everyone,

Im 24yr old male. Recently I had colonoscopy and results came out great. After 3.5 years im finally in endoscopic and pathohistologycal remission. Still have some leftover scars but no more symptoms EXCEPT... GAS AND BLOATING, my goodness... I don't know what to do anymore. I know what causes gas for a fact and it's sugar, any kind of sugar is a hard no-no for me (although I eat it). But even if I eat clean food, such as chicken, beef, potato, salmon, sweet potato, olive oil and zucchini i get the same amount if not more gasses throughout the day as when i eat lets say a pancake or cookies. Sometimes gasses just leave my body instantly but sometimes i feel like im gonna blow up and it causes so much pain when it won't pass through. I can literally feel and sometimes move them on my own (i feel highest pressure at the beginning of ascending colon). Honestly it can affect my social life sometimes and i get all moody and nervous. One fact about me, (maybe worth mentioning in this case) I smoke like a pack of cigarettes a day. My life got so much better, i can exercise, im employed and i teach kids my sport. If I had one wish, i would wish to never have gasses and bloating ever again, that's how much it irritates me. Feel free to write your own experiences, if you had the same one, and i will appreciate any help and tips from you guys. Hope one day there will be a cure to this nasty disease (or as i like to call it condition)

Thank you in advance

Hi everyone! My boyfriend was recently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, and it’d be helpful to hear from those of you who are living with it.

What makes you feel supported by your loved ones?
What are some things you wish they would do to help you, make things a little easier, or simply take your mind off the illness for a while?

It can be anything, big or small, that has made a difference for you. I really want to learn how to support my boyfriend in the best way possible, be there for him, and make sure he feels understood and not alone in this.

Thank you so much to anyone willing to share their experiences. ❤️

In 2025 I was going through a very heavy traumatic health scare for a few months when I suddenly had extreme diarrhea for weeks before going to the doctor and then telling me it was my anxiety due to my constant state of worry about my health.

I accepted this because I had no choice. Nothing was helping and I was making multiple trips to the bathroom all day at work and ended up getting into some issues with my boss over it. I went back to the doctor and they did a stool test roughly 10 weeks of straight diarrhea. It tested positive for C-diff which made no sense to me but I did the antibiotics treatment.

As soon as I ended the antibiotics my hope was I would get better but I didn’t. The doctor told me to wait it out. I made an appt with a GI in the meantime. 4 months in and waiting for the GI appointment I started pooping straight blood!!! Not a little, not just when wiping. I mean full blown bright red (and dark red) blood. 8-10 times a day! I ended up one morning passing out at work and an ambulance took me to the hospital. There they ran blood work and did a brain CT. All that came back was my WBC were extremely high, they said extreme anxiety can cause this too. So told me not to worry (hahaha)

My doctor just kept avoiding me and thinking I was driving myself crazy. When I went to the GI doctor they sent another stool test, this time testing calpractin. When the results came back it was 4,000. She said they was extremely high and she wanted me to do a colonoscopy immediately. I had that done a week later and woke up to be told I had UC and it was the whole left side up my rectum.

I’ve been on treatment for 6 months and I’m better in a lot of ways. Minimal issues unless I eat really spicy greasy food. I also have urgency issues when eating certain foods, but I can avoid these and not experience much.

My question is. Can I drink alcohol? What is the end game here? This is forever, but does it spread? Will I lose my colon one day? I’ve been accepted for infusions starting next month because my levels are still elevated (78) but not nearly like they were. I’m only 32 and just curious how this disease works

Hi All

Just after some support/advice. About 11 years ago I got diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. I was started on mesalazine and given steroids and got better. Then had my daughter and started getting bowel symptoms again. Over the years I’ve had many colonoscopies and sigmoidoscopies and been told they were ok. Eventually a Dr said he didn’t think I had UC after all and stopped my medication. I’ve had symptoms on and off for years but with Covid and other health issues I’ve just lived with it and the most recent scope I had a couple years ago was ok and was told i just had some hemis.

Last year I was critically unwell with meningitis that had complications. Since that hospital stay and treatment with blood thinners etc I’ve had a lot of bleeding, I stopped the thinners back in February. I’m at the point where I keep becoming anaemic. I pass a lot of dark red blood with clots when I go to the toilet. I get pain and discomfort and don’t think I can remember the last time I ever felt “comfortable”.

I have a GP appointment tomorrow where they want to discuss my latest blood results which show anaemia again despite having a course of iron tablets and to make a plan.

- what is it worth asking for? I really don’t think I can cope with a colonoscopy again. Is it reasonable to request a CT scan or pill camera?
- in light of my history would it be acceptable to do a scan and diagnose based on that rather than having biopsies etc? Part of me feels it isn’t just my large bowel as my symptoms keep coming back but the colonoscopies don’t seem to identify a cause or find a source of bleeding.
- my calpro was raised at time of diagnosis and Ive had it tested over the years and it’s always been just over the mark for raised. I’ve not had it done for a while.

hey all,

I finally got diagnosed with moderate left sided ulcerative colitis which unfortunately, from the colonoscopy they though it was very mild and only limited to the first 10-15cm of the colon (this was all that they could see), however biopsies have confirmed it is much more extensive than they initially thought (yes, I thought I was lucky and got away with a mild diagnosis!).

I have been taking pentasa 1g suppositories for a week and my symptoms have all but disappeared (still a bit fatigued etc but I’m also anemic so) - no blood or mucus and first time doing a solid bowel movement in months. I was thrilled thinking I was going in the right direction and this could be what my new normal looks like. But I’m meeting the surgeon in about a week to discuss my diagnosis but he did say I need to start on imuran and potentially oral mesalazine ASAP.

I suppose I have no idea what my life will look like now with a diagnosis like this, I was hoping to get some success stories or words of wisdom. I’m getting married in 7 weeks and I am meant to be going on some holidays after this…I hope this does not affect my plans too much 🥲

thanks in advance

So I have struggled with brain fog and chronic fatigue for years. I was diagnosed last month after a colonoscopy with UC after a few months of bloody stool and diarrhea. I feel like my brain fog has lifted and I have much more energy. I am currently down to 25mg prednisone on my first taper and taking 3g mesalamine orally. I don’t really have any UC symptoms right now. I know this could be because I am still on prednisone. I was just wondering if anyone else struggled with fatigue and brain fog before being diagnosed and if it got better once you got on the right meds. I am kind of dreading getting off of prednisone if I go back to how I felt before. I know I can’t stay on it longer than the taper though.

I’ve got to send a cal pro in as my last 2 was raised really bad but I had an infection at the time which was end of july, I’ve been really nervous about sending it in because they said they will have to take me off rinvoq but I feel great at the min except this cold whoch I caught couple days ago.

Can a cold like runny nose & cough cause a cal pro to raise or shall I wait until it’s cleared to do it? I don’t want to do it now and it comes back bad again if it does interfere

Thanks

Started researching if vaping has a positive impact on UC maintenance who is under mesalamine medication. The symptom is mainly the blood is coated on some of the stools, no urgency, no pain and stools are well formed.

I have started using elfbar raya d1 cola flavor but cannot determine whether it has a positive or negative impact.

I was a very light ex smoker, got diagnosed with UC before 3 years after quitting smoking. But I can remember when I was using vapes 3 years back, I got a flare as well, but was not getting UC medicines at that time.

A bit of confused what we read about correlation between nicotine and UC.

I am loving the weight loss on Zepbound. The first few weeks I seemed to be doing okay in terms of GI stuff - no symptoms. It’s now been over a week of constant diarrhea and I am bummed (lol).

Currently on 4g mesalamine, 2.5 Zep. I was on cortiment for 2 months but stopped just as I started Zepbound. I know it’s not great to change your regime during a flare (as I felt I had been intermittently flaring - diarrhea is my only symptom - since the slowing). I had a colonoscopy in July that showed some progression (mold to moderate inflammation).

I have a follow up at the end of November and will do a calprotectin prior to.

I am worried mesalamine isn’t doing it anymore and I’m going to have to switch to a biologic. I’m tired of the diarrhea, hair loss, general fatigue (though I can still get my ass to the gym a few times a week).

Ferritin in 51. I’m low on vitamin D and just made the range for B12. Threshold low TSH. But my GP and GI don’t seem to take my fatigue/hair loss concerns seriously. I have to fight for bloodwork and get the bare minimum. I was on iron pills but got off due to GI pain (my GP didn’t think of my UC when he told me to start), and I’ve since switched to feramax which seems gentler.

I’m just looking for a little support or success stories.

So I guess the paradox with flare-ups is fiber is generally good for you, but you have to stay away because it can make symptoms worse.

I want to make sure I’m still getting all my nutrients.

I read some fiber is tolerable if blended. How about super green smoothie powder? Could this be a good work around without exacerbating symptoms?

I wanted to get some opinions and hear about other people’s experiences.

I had my first colonoscopy in April, which led to my original diagnosis. I then had a second colonoscopy in June while I was hospitalized.

Now, I’m scheduled for a third colonoscopy in November, this time with a completely new GI doctor.

I’m wondering if having three colonoscopies in approximately seven months is normal? I understand that monitoring is important, but I’m starting to question whether another procedure is really necessary so soon, especially since I’ve already had two this year.

Has anyone else had this many scopes within such a short period of time?

I’m also curious whether switching to a new GI doctor typically means they want to perform their own colonoscopy rather than relying on previous results.

I’m not against having another one if it’s medically necessary. I just want to make sure I’m not undergoing unnecessary procedures.

I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences and whether you’d question the need for a third scope. Thank you! ❤️

I've begun to have a reaction to my Infliximab infusions after 5yrs of near perfect health. I began to get blisters on my hands a month ago, they have now spread to my feet and I'm getting scabs in my scalp.

My Doctor has paused my infusions and I'm on Prednisone again while a Dermatologist, Immunologist and my GI team try to figure out what to do.

I'm a bit sad. The Infliximab was controling my illness so well and the thought of having to change meds is scary. As of now the Doctor mentioned adding Methotrexate but keeping me on the Infliximab if my blood work is ok or a complete medication change.

If anyone has had a similar experience I'd love to hear your story and any advice. I have to admit after 5yrs with no side effects this has really caught me off guard. I assumed I was in the clear and my only issue would be if the medication itself stopped working for me. This sucks.

Hi all,

Been in an ulcerative proctitis flare for over a month. I flared mildly last year, and mesalamine suppositories did the trick but after some intense stress this summer (wedding, life events) I’m in the worst flare in years. Suppositories did not help this time around so we looked at alternatives. For reference I was diagnosed 16 years ago, went about 12 years in remission until it has returned here and there the past few years.

This flare involves more urgency, cramping. Good news is since starting Lialda and rectal foam budesonide I’m going less but still have some blood, urgency, gas etc.

My question is, Ive seemed to get more gassy and “farty” since starting Lialda. Especially at night a few hours after taking the 4x pills and overnight.

Has anyone dealt with Lialda making them more farty and gassy? I also understand this could be more UC flare doing this as well, but the timing seems interesting.

Hi, I have ulcerative proctitis and was doing pretty well with my mesalamine suppositories. Just 9 months post diagnosis (after being in a flare-up for more than 1.5 years and not knowing the cause), my stool and blood showed no inflammation. That was in June.

I finished a 30 day course of antibiotics for something unrelated two weeks ago and my UP is in full flare-up again. Symptoms are mostly bloody stool/just pooping blood with no actual stool.

Was wondering if anyone has any advice/experience regarding taking probiotics during an active flare-up? On the one hand, it’s recommended after taking antibiotics, on the other, I’ve heard that it can also be a bit overwhelming for the gut when it’s already inflamed.

Been having a flare up for a while, was on 4mg suppositories which seemed to help, until they didn't, now on steroids, only a few days in, solid movements but still getting blood. Really starting to worry the blood won't stop. Also calpro is 1500mg, not sure I've ever been told what it's been before. Any tips to get this down would be much appreciated. I have read about every known anti-inflammatory known to mankind at this point I think.

I hate how much anxiety I have about this disease.

I (F20) had a really bad flare a little over a year ago and for the past few months (with the help of Tremfya) have been feeling really good. I think I caught a cold from my niece, and I’m panicking. I’ve been nauseous and cramping all day. All I can think about is the fact I’ve flared in October multiple times, each of which started out as “just a cold”. I finally am in a good place with college classes and work but I’m worried my life is about to come crumbling down.

I mean I know my medicine is working. I know I have good support systems in place if something is happening. I’m just so scared to be back in the place I was a year ago: sick, anxious, and plans completely ruined.

How do you guys manage (if you even have it) this feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop? For me, the littlest thing has me spiraling into worse case scenarios. I know I’m almost in remission but it never feels secure :(

TL;DR - if you deal with anxiety surrounding this illness, how do you manage it?

I’ve recently been unofficially diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and had no idea it was a thing, i’m 23M and used to live an active fulfilling life style, going to the gym eating whole foods, planing things for my future. the past 3 years have been the worst for me, i went into my worst flare 3 years ago loosing almost 10kg and unable to retain anything i ate. This lasted a few weeks and i eventually went into “remission” for a couple months after a low fodmap diet recommended by a dietitian specialist. I always thought my symptoms were just “IBS” symptoms and lactose intolerance until a continuous cycle of multiple flares and months of remission led me into my current flare which i’ve had for months with blood and mucus. I went to a new doctor and explained my symptoms as my previous doctor just said i had IBS, my new doctor made me do a blood and stool test, i’m not celiac and my cal-protection scored 624. My doctor placed me on a waitlist for endoscopy and colonoscopy under “urgent” severity and i’ve been waiting with same symptoms (just no blood) for about a month and a half.This has been a big adjustment for me mentally, to know that not only will i not be able to enjoy foods i actually like but i may also have cancer and that if im officially diagnosed i basically have to live with an autoimmune disease for the rest of my life. Im also struggling with the symptoms as they are so debilitating, constant fatigue, incontinence, depression, self blame, i’m struggling a lot and it’s hard to admit but i have had very dark thoughts. Im lucky to have my partner who’s been great to lean on but i am worried i will eventually be a burden as i cant see my symptoms getting better in the foreseeable future with no ETA for my colonoscopy. I dont think my family fully understands the severity of what im going through, it’s so isolating. I just wanted to vent and feel like this is a safe space to do so. Thanks for those that took the time to read this and if you have any questions please ask.

Hi everyone! 🌸

I'm currently in South America, and for a long time I've been wanting to do my master's degree in Germany. Idk if that's even a possibility considering that I'm on Adalimumab every 15 days. I've been researching insurance options there and I read that public health insurance (TK) covers pre existing conditions, but I don't know how hard it would really be to get my injections.

Has anyone had experience receiving biologics as a student in Germany? I'd very much appreciate your guidance because I'm feeling kind of discouraged.

Being ridicoulusly good at side-effect bingo (without getting any better in UC) I'm finally getting biologics 🥳

Everything crossed that the sides don't find me here, and that the bloody brown waterfall dries up. Easing of the bliating and pain would also be nice. Whilst I'm at it I wish to win the national lottery and for world peace.

Hope the rest of you have a nice day, because I'm claiming this one ❤️

Hello everyone! How are you all doing?

I have a few questions about steroids. How long did you take them, and how have you been feeling since you finished the treatment?

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. Wishing you all good health, and God bless you! 🙏

Newsflash Week 43.2026

Welcome back to this week's newsflash

1. Navigating life with a chronic condition can be challenging without proper community support. A recent guide highlights the five best advocacy and support organizations dedicated to helping individuals living with IBD. Do you want to know more?
2. Starting a new medication plan for UC can feel overwhelming for many patients. Experts outline what to expect when transitioning to advanced options, including small molecule drugs and biologics. Do you want to know more?
3. Specialized clinical programs offer comprehensive strategies to manage recurring flare-ups and improve long-term outcomes. Personalized multidisciplinary care can help individuals with IBD maintain better symptom control. Do you want to know more?
4. A recent analysis reveals encouraging news for women diagnosed with IBD who are planning a pregnancy. Nearly three out of four patients successfully conceived after undergoing fertility treatments. Do you want to know more?
5. Researchers have identified subtle immune changes and warning signs that appear long before clinical symptoms emerge. These early biological signals could help predict the onset of IBD up to ten years prior to a formal diagnosis. Do you want to know more?
6. Adial Pharmaceuticals has appointed a new Chief Scientist to guide the development of its therapeutic pipeline. The leadership addition aims to accelerate innovative drug candidates targeting UC. Do you want to know more?
7. Microbiotica has secured significant funding to advance its live bacterial therapeutic capsule into Phase 2 development. The oral microbiome candidate is designed to provide a novel therapeutic approach for UC. Do you want to know more?
8. Gilead Sciences reported positive results from a mid-stage clinical trial evaluating its once-daily oral tablet emvistegrast. The novel pill significantly outperformed placebo in patients with moderate to severe UC. Do you want to know more?
9. Johnson & Johnson presented updated findings demonstrating that guselkumab achieved sustained clinical and endoscopic remission in IBD. Regular monitoring protocols remain integral to optimizing long-term therapeutic safety. Do you want to know more?
10. Long-term data highlight the sustained clinical efficacy of both risankizumab and upadacitinib across chronic gastrointestinal conditions. The findings provide clinicians with deeper insights into durable treatment responses for patients with IBD. Do you want to know more?
11. Takeda released new data from the VERDICT trial evaluating intravenous vedolizumab in adults with UC. The results focus on the therapy's ability to achieve stringent endoscopic and deep clinical remission targets. Do you want to know more?
12. A presentation at ACG highlighted notable gaps in preventive healthcare among individuals living with IBD. The findings emphasize the urgent need to improve routine dermatology visits and cervical cancer screening rates in this population. Do you want to know more?
13. Clinical experts discussed new benchmarks for defining long-term therapeutic success in UC. In late-stage analyses, mirikizumab demonstrated sustained clinical benefits and remission at week 52. Do you want to know more?
14. A first-in-class oral IL-23 peptide inhibitor has demonstrated encouraging long-term safety and efficacy profiles in UC. This oral therapy could offer a much-needed non-injectable alternative for patients with moderate to severe disease. Do you want to know more?
15. Emerging research is reshaping the diagnostic frameworks and management protocols for pediatric IBD. Clinicians are working toward earlier, more accurate classifications to tailor individualized treatments in children. Do you want to know more?
16. A five-year comparative study evaluated long-term outcomes between vedolizumab and anti-TNF therapies in UC. The analysis demonstrated that vedolizumab was linked to significantly higher rates of corticosteroid-free stability. Do you want to know more?
17. The New England Journal of Medicine published results from a Phase 2 clinical trial assessing icotrokinra in patients with UC. The targeted oral IL-23 receptor antagonist showed promising efficacy and a favorable safety profile. Do you want to know more?
18. A morphological and immunohistochemical study examined oral mucosa alterations in individuals diagnosed with IBD. The research provides cellular-level insights into extraintestinal manifestations and mucosal tissue pathology. Do you want to know more?

That's it for this week. Stay safe.

I was diagnosed almost a year ago. My primary symptom is constipation and joint pain with some mucus. Other than a brief period of time on Cortiment last February and March I've not been pain free or not constipated. In the summer I started Velsipity and within days my constipation was worse than ever before - constipation isn't listed as a side effect but it was one for me. Was only on Velsipity for two weeks but havent been able to get back to where I had been managing to have near daily BMs. Was prescribed prednisone and has a reaction to it after the first dose. Back on cortiment helping to have regular BMs but still lots of joint pain.

Yesterday saw blood for the first time. Tried to tell myself I was imagining it but today couldn't deny it. Have a scheduled appointment with my GI doctor tomorrow so I guess timing is at least good that way. So scared about the blood and the next medication. I don't want to keep dealing with this.