Denial...
Mon, August 01, 2016 3:29 PM
I’m about to turn 21. I was diagnosed with UC in my fall semester of college last year. I had been having mild symptoms for years before that, and ignored them pointedly. This past weekend I suffered the worst flare I’ve ever had--a kind of low I never thought I would sink to--despite my long-time abstinence from my prescribed medication. I was so out of touch with my illness that I didn’t think to go to the ER. It didn’t even occur to me that what I was experiencing could be a flare. I didn’t learn it was one until I took a trip to my primary that Monday. I am hopping back on meds full tilt, but I am afraid eventually I might make the decision to come off of them again. It seems like everytime I see a new doctor I allow myself to drift away, and convince myself that I am healthy, and don’t need any treatment. This is obviously very much not true, but I can’t seem to get that into my head. Does anyone have advice about or personal experience dealing with denial of UC? Thanks.
-Q
Joined Aug 1, 2016
Tue, August 02, 2016 7:23 PM
Reply posted for quinnessence.
First thing you need to do is make sure you have somebody to hold you accountable to taking your medication. It can be a parent, friend, or roommate. My boyfriend and mom at first were always asking if I had taken my medication that day. Next, if you are on an oral medication, something you take by mouth like a pill, get a pill planner big enough to fit your med dosage for each day in each compartment, they are labeled sunday through saturday and if you have to take your meds several times a day they have planners for that too. That way if someone asks if you took your meds you can't say no. It's a nice reminder. For me any time I began to have symptoms was incentive enough to stay on my medication. Any decision I have ever made about my medication I have always talked to my doctor first but he is so easy to talk to and I know he won't blow me off and act like something that could be a big problem isn't. So also, make sure you feel comfortable talking to your doctor about just about everything. I still am not comfortable going to the doctor by myself so if you need to have a friend, significant other, or parent with you that would really help, plus then you have someone who knows your doctor's orders and can hold you to them. I've been dealing with this for about 3 years now and spent most of last year and the beginning of this year a really bad flare up because we had to adjust my medicine. Now I am on humira, I have abbvie sent me reminder text messages on the day my injection is due and my mom knows a couple of nurses who are really good at giving shots who give me my shot. If I had to do it myself I would probably have gone off it within the first couple of months.
cyndll1Joined Jul 8, 2016