Community Forum

it has been a very tough journey for me because of uc.  i was diagnosed in 05 just a few 
weeks after i got married to a *** . i had a very stressful short marriage & i ended to save 
my already failing health. i was misdiagnosed for a yr & tried ayurvedic meds which were 
helping me but were too sl.ow. had to get emergency surgery after my colon got perforated
during colonoscopy. had 3 more surgeries after that & when i finally woke up & came back
to the real world, i realized how 5-6 yrs of my life had passed me by..all my friends have
moved on with their careers & gotten married & have kids. here i am looking & feeling like 
a skinny teenager :0 
i'm too embarrassed to go out & meet people my age because i look like a kid all over again
don't want to contact my old friends as to what they will think if they see me now
i wish i could talk to people who can advice me on how to get back to a somewhat normal
life after a chronic disease disrupts one's normal life.

 Reply posted for Advocate Amanda.

:) Thanks a ton Amanda for your encouraging words of inspiration!! Having IBD is no walk in the park but as you said it shouldn't take over our lives. I did let that happen & lost all that I had gained since childhood..my confidence, self-esteem, & sense of humor:/  It's slowly but surely coming back as I don't feel like a failure anymore because I battled a beast called UC which most people have never even heard of 8{}  It is a constant challenge just like life but it is what it is & I have to keep fighting it in order to have a "normal" life for me.  Getting rid of negative & toxic people (like my ex) from my life has helped me a lot and now I'm trying to find good souls who won't judge me because I have a chronic health issue. I hope it's not going to be as hard as having IBD.

 Reply posted for dwenstrom.

I like that you want to leave all your IBD symptoms with your ex! I too want to leave all the pain & suffering in the past & just start a new fresh chapter of this drama called LIFE! I also lost 30 pounds in 3 months but I was already skinny so I looked even more sick :0  but the bad days has made me realize that I should appreciate the good days & my caring family. I try to meditate & it has given me a lot of strength to deal with this problem which is in the body but as a soul I'm still healthy..it's a spiritual awakening for me because before I used to think that I have UC but now it's this body that I reside in right now, this has UC. This makes me feel very light & peaceful.
I have heard about P90x..it seems very rigorous kind of exercise but it's good to challenge yourself when you're feeling better. I will also give it a try when I'm feeling good. As for now, I'm also taking turmeric which is anti-inflammatory herb & according to research, it is showing good results.
The dating situation, I think..I'm only going to find a good life partner when I will learn to be good to myself & do things that make me happy instead of trying to please others & letting go of negative people & the drama that comes with them.
                                                                                                                  

 Reply posted for Dimplezz.

You are not alone in this battle there are many of us here that understand and when we read your post its like reading our own story while we all are not the same some have different symptoms different stages and a different lives all in all we are all like a family we can all understand and listen and not judge but give advice or just be here to say I under stand I am CCFA ADVOCATE A I have crohns which isn't the same as uc but a lot a like in some ways I to was married to a well you know what I mean after i got sick my entire life changed it was all a bad dream that i thought I would never wake from I had surgery after surgery and here ten years later I still walk down a very long stressful road different meds different surgery different test and doctors but through it all it has made me somewhat stronger I tell others like you and like me all the time this disease dose not own you don't let it take over who you are it may fight you everyday but try with everything you have to fight right back you deserve to have a life out side of your disease don't let it define who you are every day is another battle and another journey and some days it will feel like it would just be easier to give up keep going all in all life is worth fighting for find your anchor and hold on to it and don't give up hope there has to be a brighter future. take care blessed be ccfa advocate A

I hear what you are saying completely.  I was diagnosed 6 years ago.  Went on Asacol etc then 6mp.  Was working fine until my health insurance ran out.  The drugs were too expensive and I was doing fine so I went off of them.  I got divorced as my wife said I wasn't fun anymore as I couldn't drink on the 6mp.  We ended up getting back together for about 18 months when I developed another flare.  We are not staying together as, in my opinion, she doesn't want to go through this with me.  I am lucky as I am now on the Affordable Care Act and have insurance that is manageable.  My symptoms are getting better but still have 8 trips to the bathroom every day.  As for the dating part, it is scary.  I too feel alone.  I haven't been able to go out lately as I can't be away from the bathroom for that long so I hope that my friends will be there when I am better.  I have dropped 28 lbs in the past 3 months.  On the plus side, it was all fat that is gone.  As soon as my doctor says it's ok, I am going to do the p90x and maintain my medications and hopefully leave the symptoms in the past with my ex!  It will get better, it's not a death sentence, it is scary but follow the doctors orders and you will be better and meet someone that you deserve.  I know that I will!  Good luck to you!!  :)