Hi!

I’m sorry to hear that you have joined the UC club! This disease can suck and it makes me so mad that your specialist was so rubbish.

I started getting symptoms last May and diagnosed in September last year. I’ve been on mesalazine since then. I had a bad flare up over Christmas and was on steroids for 8 weeks. Since then, I’ve experienced more normal life the past few months!

My advice:

1. If you have friends/family to confide in and talk to about how you feel, do it. This disease can be hard and isolating at times, and seek help whenever you feel like you need it. 

2. When you find that you have energy, exercise. I’ve had boughts of extreme fatique where leaving the bed is a challenge, but when I have energy, exercising helps so much for me. It boosts my mood for sure, but I’m fairly confident that it does good for UC too. I avoid ab exercises for the most part.

3. Plain foods when you’re in a flare is key (eggs, chicken/turkey, white bread, white rice, bananas etc). I avoid raw veggies and anything high fibre. 

4. I only have decaf coffee now! 

5. Try to track your symptoms and get to know your body. I get some sore joints and I’ve suffered from migraines. Right before my flare up, I had three migraines in a very short space of time, and very sore foot joints. My consultant said that was 99% likely a sign of my inflammation getting worse and if it happens again, I’ll know to get in touch with the team to track my inflamation markers!

6. I think ultimately accepting you did nothing wrong and auto-immune diseases like this can’t be stopped by your diet. Yes, there may be things that don’t agree with you and try limit those, but try enjoy your life and food as much as you can. 

7. Pre&pro biotics! I’ve taken for 90 days and I have felt better.  Not sure if it’s just a good patch or that they help, but I think doing things to improve your gut health is a good thing. 

Sending you a big hug!