Comment from: 45-54 Male (Patient)Published: July 23
I am a 49 year old male. I developed ulcerative colitis at age 26. Up until 3 years ago I would experience symptoms (cramps, bleeding, mucus, urgency) every few months. I could only achieve temporary remission by using steroids (usually prednisone).
However 3 years ago I met a pharmacist who also practiced natural health. She said she could help but I was very skeptical. She prescribed Usana anti-oxidants, multi-vitamins and Proflavanol (grape seed extract) and Acidophilus as well as a drink containing fibre, berries (anti-oxidants) and Flax seed oil (Omega 3). Over the next 6 months the recurrence of disease came about less often until my symptoms stopped altogether. Recently I had a colonoscopy which showed the complete absence of colitis. My health is excellent.
Comment from: case, 35-44 Female (Patient)Published: October 07
I woke up 2 mornings ago with severe vomiting, diarrhea, and the worse abdominal pain i have ever experienced (I've had 2 kids Naturally and this pain doesn't touch natural child birth, I can assure you). I went to er and was admitted. I was given Dilaudid for pain along with Phenergan for nausea. I underwent several blood tests as well as diagnostic testing. My pain level increased and was then given IV morphine, Nexium, and Zofran. My white count was extremely elevated. I stayed in hospital 2 days. I found out it wasn't my appendix, my gall bladder, nor my ovarian cysts causing these symptoms, but was diagnosed with colitis. I was sent home on Flagyl 500 PO TID and was instructed on a very strict diet high in fiber. I am 37 years old with 4 kids ages 11 to 11 months and i promise you this experience (symptoms) was absolutely one of the worst i have ever encountered.
Comment from: mommakay, 55-64 Female (Patient)Published: October 07
Just diagnosed with what the Dr. called mild colitis. Sure glad I don't have severe!! I would hate to find out what that is like. This feels like severe to me!! I can just smell food and the diarrhea begins with repetitive trips to the Bathroom. Sometimes up to 8 times in an hour. Fecal incontinence day and night to the point that I have started using blue pads (like puppy pads) under me at night and in my chair. I have also lined the hall and from my bed to the bathroom with towels. I don't go anywhere except to the Doctor. I had a gastric bypass quite a while ago and had some diarrhea for a while but it resolved,( My mistake). Now I have severe GERD and colitis. After a colonoscopy and EGD I have been prescribed Bentyl and Nexium. So far so good. Dear Ms. 71 year old commenter, as they say "I feel your pain" Good luck to you and to all of you. I was relieved I did not have cancer, but am still depressed by the diagnosis of such a chronic disease and wondering how long it will be til another flare-up.
Comment from: allardp, 75 or over Female (Patient)Published: August 14
I was diagnosed with colitis after having a c-section with my 4th child a little over a year ago. I have always had trouble using the bathroom, but mostly it was not being able to go. I was experiencing terrible stomach cramps, loose stools and I lost 30 pounds within a month of giving birth to my daughter. I also had major bloating issues. I finally went to my doctor after 2 months of suffering and discovered I had colitis. This was a relief to not be dying! I was given some type of good bacteria to balance me out. I noticed that most times when I experience symptoms it is due to greasy foods, soda, sweets, and coffee. So, I try to stay away from this foods and drinks. I have a few problems during my monthly cycle the cramps are terrible, but with medications I am ok.
Comment from: 65-74 Female (Patient)Published: August 14
I am a 71 year old female. I was diagnosed with celiac sprue and microscopic collagenous colitis. With wheat free diet the diarrhea came under control. However in February all hell broke loose and I am still suffering from severe diarrhea and night time fecal incontinence with no relief in sight. I've tried Entocort, Pepto Bismol and at least two anti-diarrheas. I think stress must play a huge role in all this. I'm pretty much ready to just give up. All of my children live away as well as my dad and sister from me so I like to travel and visit them. I also like to travel with a group of friends and travel to take art workshops. I play a flute in a concert band and I want to keep doing these kinds of things. I keep telling myself hang in there. You'll make it through this as tears are streaming down my face and something brown streams down my legs.
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Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Rectal bleeding (hematochezia) refers to the passage of bright red blood from the anus. Rectal bleeding may be moderate to severe and most bleeding comes from the colon, rectum, or anus. Common causes include anal fissures, hemorrhoids, diverticulitis, and more.
Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms of diarrhea. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The best way to treat dehydration is to prevent it from occurring.
Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease,
primarily involving the small and large intestine, but which can
affect other parts of the digestive system as well. Abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and weight loss are
common symptoms.
Colon cancer is a malignancy that arises from the inner lining of the colon. Most, if not all, of these cancers develop from colonic polyps. Removal of these precancerous polyps can prevent colon cancer.
Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) is a bacterium, and is one of the most common causes of infection of the colon. C. difficile spores are found frequently in hospitals, nursing homes, extended care facilities, and nurseries for newborn infants. They can be found on bedpans, furniture, toilet seats, linens, telephones, stethoscopes, fingernails, rings, floors, infants' rooms, and diaper pails. They even can be carried by pets. Antibiotic-associated (C. difficile) colitis is an infection of the colon caused by C. difficile that occurs primarily among individuals who have been using antibiotics. Treatment for C. difficile colitis hydration, replenishment of electrolyte deficiencies, discontinuing the antibiotic that caused the colitis, and using antibiotics to eradicate the C. difficile bacterium.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the colon. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis is closely related to Crohn's disease, and together they are referred to as inflammatory bowel disease. Treatment depends upon the type of ulcerative colitis diagnosed.
Stool color is generally brown. When stool color changes, often, an individual becomes concerned. The presence of the bilirubin in bile is generally responsible for stool color. Bilirubin concentration can vary bile color from light yellow to almost black in color. Changes in bilirubin can cause stool to turn green, gray, or clay-like in color. Intestinal bleeding may turn stool black, tarry, red, maroon, or smelly stool. Medication and food may also affect stool color.
Food poisoning is common, but can also be life threatening. The most common form of food poisoning is caused by bacteria and include symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
A colon polyp is a benign tumor of the large intestine. Benign polyps do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign polyps can easily be removed during colonoscopy and are not life threatening. If benign polyps are not removed from the large intestine, they can become malignant over time.
Salmonella bacteria are known to cause salmonellosis, typhoid fever, and paratyphoid fever in humans. Salmonella infection is usually caused by ingesting large amounts of the bacteria in contaminated food or water.
The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The intestinal complications of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis differ because of the characteristically dissimilar behaviors of the intestinal inflammation in these two diseases.
There are many types of E. Coli (Escherichia coli ). Pathogenic E. coli can cause urinary tract and bladder infections, or lead to sepsis. E coli O157:H7 (EHEC) causes bloody diarrhea and colitis. Complications of E. coli infection include hemorrhagic diarrhea, hemolytic-uremic syndrome, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. E coli O157:H7 commonly is due to eating raw or undercooked hamburger or raw milk or dairy products.
Travelers' diarrhea is generally contracted by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. Food is the primary source of travelers' diarrhea. Enterotoxigenic E. coli is the cause of up to 70% of all cases of travelers' diarrhea. There are five unique classes of E. coli that causes gastroenteritis. Other bacteria responsible for travelers' diarrhea include
Campylobacter, jejuni, shigella, and salmonella. Viruses such as rotavirus and Norwalk virus (norovirus) and giardia lamblia a parasite may cause travelers' diarrhea. Prevention is careful eating and drinking of water.
Microscopic colitis (lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis) is a disease of inflammation of the colon. Microscopic colitis is only visible when the colon's lining is examined under a microscope. The cause of microscopic colitis is not known. Symptoms of microscopic colitis are chronic watery diarrhea and abdominal pain or cramps. Microscopic colitis is diagnosed through biopsies of several areas of the colon. There is no standardized treatment for microscopic colitis; however, eliminating NSAIDs, and treatment medications such as Imodium, Lomotil, Petpo-Bismol, Entocort EC, and mesalamine (Asacol) have been helpful in some individuals.
Vascular disease includes any condition that affects your circulatory system. Vascular disease ranges from diseases of your arteries, veins and lymph vessels to blood disorders that affect circulation.
Travelers should prepare for their trip by visiting their physician to get the proper vaccinations and obtain the necessary medication if they have a medical condition or chronic disease. Diseases that travelers may pick up from contaminated water or food, insect or animal bites, or from other people include malaria, meningococcal meningitis, yellow fever, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, polio, and cholera.
Shigellosis is a disease caused by the Shigella bacteria. Bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever are common symptoms. Mild infections usually resolve on their own. Antibiotics are used to treat more severe cases.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus that is spread from person to person via spit, semen, vaginal secretions, urine, blood, sexual contact, breastfeeding, blood transfusions, organ transplants, and breast milk. Symptoms of CMV include fatigue, swollen glands, fever, and sore throat. You can take precautions to prevent CMV such as washing hands frequently and thoroughly, using condoms, if you work in day care centers wash hands thoroughly after contact with body secretions, and avoiding oral contact with objects covered in saliva. Individuals with HIV infection are at most risk of contracting CMV.
Enterovirulent Escherichia coli (E. coli) are strains of related bacteria that have a strong propensity to cause gastrointestinal tract infections. Examples of strains include: EHEC (enterohemorrhagic E. coli), ETEC (enterotoxigenic E. coli), EPEC (enteropathogenic E. coli), EIEC (enteroinvasive E. coli), EAEC (enteroadherent E. coli), and EAggEC (enteroaggregative E. coli). Symptoms may vary depending on the strain the individual contracts. Infection is spread generally through contaminated food or drink.
Bowel diversion surgery allows stool to safely leave the body when (because of disease or injury) the large intestine is removed or needs time to heal. Bowel is a general term for any part of the small or large intestine.
Some bowel diversion surgeries (those called ostomy surgery)divert the bowel to an opening in the abdomen where a stoma is created. A surgeon forms a stoma by rolling the bowel's end back on itself, like a shirt cuff, and stitching it to the abdominal wall. An ostomy pouch is attached to the stoma and worn outside the body to collect stool.
Other bowel diversion surgeries reconfigure the intestines after damaged portions are removed. For example, after removing the colon, a surgeon can create a colon like pouch out of the last part of the small intestine, avoiding the need for an ostomy pouch.
Cancer, trauma, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), bowel obstruction, and diverticulitis are all possi...
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I am a 49 year old male. I developed ulcerative colitis at age 26. Up until 3 years ago I would experience symptoms (cramps, bleeding, mucus, urgency) every few months. I could only achieve temporary remission by using steroids (usually prednisone). However 3 years ago I met a pharmacist who also practiced natural health. She said she could help but I was very skeptical. She prescribed Usana anti-oxidants, multi-vitamins and Proflavanol (grape seed extract) and Acidophilus as well as a drink containing fibre, berries (anti-oxidants) and Flax seed oil (Omega 3). Over the next 6 months the recurrence of disease came about less often until my symptoms stopped altogether. Recently I had a colonoscopy which showed the complete absence of colitis. My health is excellent.
Related Reading: ulcerative colitis | prednisone | grape seed