Fourth Major Flare Up - Age 26

My fourth major ulcerative colitis flare-up came when I was 26 years old. This time around, I knew exactly how to handle myself. I was on 3 Asacol a day, 3 times a day. I was not on any steroids or other medications at the time. Asacol had managed my ulcerative colitis fairly well.

I noticed blood in my stool, which always seems to be the first symptom for me. I quickly changed my diet to my ulcerative colitis diet. No nuts, seeds, spicy foods, or raw fiber. Soft drinks were out as well.

About a week after I saw the symptoms, my uclerative colitis started acting up, and I got the cramping. The cramping actually progressed rapidly over a period of 3 days. I had called my doctor the day I noticed blood, and he told me to watch it for a couple days, increasing my Asacol at the same time. We were trying to avoid steroids if possible. We were going to try the new diet first. But with the cramping, I went in for a visit, scheduled a colonoscopy, and was put on steroids.

My colonoscopy revealed very active ulcerative colitis, and a polyp was removed as well. No cancer as it turned out. Regardless, my doctor wanted me to try a newer ulcerative colitis medication called Lialda.

Lialda is a whopping 1.2 GRAM tablet that I was taking 2 of, once a day. What makes this so special is the ability to take the med once a day. Most other ulcerative colitis anti-inflammatory meds were multiple times daily. Lialda also stayed concentrated longer, passing further into the intestines, where it could reach further inflammation.

The Lialda seemed like a cure-all. I was weaned from the steroids in about 8 weeks, and for the next two years, under Lialda, I never saw a hint of a a symptom of ulcerative colitis. No blood, mucus...NOTHING!

My wife and I had been dating for over a year at this point, and she was able to learn how serious this condition is. I had to educate her on ulcerative colitis very quickly. It's one thing to tell someone about UC, but it's another thing entirely to have them go through it. Nonetheless, she was a strong support for me, allowed me to rest and heal, and was a wonderful woman!

My next flare-up would be two and a half years later, and very much my own fault.