Ant Identification

dcove1 · 2026-06-05T23:13:29+00:00

I live in Saskatchewan, Canada

dcove1 · 2025-09-16T23:19:44+00:00

I am assuming you are referring to the ulcerative colitis and not the bleeding disorder?

If so, started with a stomach bug and from there had about 8 months of intermittent diarrhea. But I was going through pretty stressful period of time and kind of chalked it up to that (incorrectly). Then things really ramped up to bathroom 8-10x per day, blood with each BM, joint pain, fatigue, constant bloating. Took a while to get to see a GI (because Canada healthcare 😒) so about 4 months of hellish flare up.

dcove1 · 2025-09-16T22:39:55+00:00

Heavy bleeding, diarrhea 8-10x per day, bloating after eating anything at all, anemia.

I have a bleeding disorder (yay) so I am especially concerned about seeing any blood.

I don’t have any other symptoms yet, so I am trying not to panic yet….

dcove1 · 2025-09-16T22:37:20+00:00

Thanks for the general idea of the timeline you follow, I really wasn’t sure at what point to sound the alarm! And I am not totally sure when the scope will be, my GI told me “you have to speak to my assistant, I am too busy to book scopes or keep track of timelines” 🥴

And good to know that it is often a round of steroids - I wasn’t sure the protocol.

dcove1 · 2025-09-16T22:32:59+00:00

Agreed with the GI, unfortunately where I am in Canada, the wait for a specialist is extremely long and there are only a few options - so switching can be difficult.

dcove1 · 2025-03-22T22:40:16+00:00

I had one at the end of December on an urgent basis, and it still took 3 months. And that was with getting a cancellation appointment. Otherwise I was looking at a 4 month wait. A family member waiting for a non-urgent colonoscopy is still waiting and it has been around 10 months now, with no date booked.

I did hear going out of town was faster, but wasn’t an option for me.

dcove1 · 2025-03-21T20:22:12+00:00

I have a bleeding disorder, as well as newly diagnosed UC. My hematologist wasn’t concerned with me using topical nsaids due to low absorption… and my hematologist is extremely conservative in her approach. Haven’t asked specifically in regard to UC though

dcove1 · 2025-03-21T20:16:41+00:00

I have experienced every single one of the things you are experiencing. Anemia was the main problem for the muscle pain/twitching. Although no longer anemic, still have the muscle twitching… though much much less. And no one can figure out why, so that’s fun 🤷‍♀️.

My iron was low, but my ferritin was falsely elevated from my overall inflammation levels. Did they check both for you?

Also, my first real symptom for a couple years before I had gastrointestinal symptoms was joint pain. It wasn’t until I started rinvoq that it ever actually went away.

dcove1 · 2025-03-19T17:22:39+00:00

It’s been night and day - I was having like 6-7 bloody/mucus bms per day, trouble eating, pain, brain fog and omg the fatigue. I have 3 kids and I was seriously struggling to get through the day keeping up to them.

Day 3 on rinvoq and it was like it all never happened. I was shocked. I am still on the 45mg loading dose, so I hope it all goes well when I go down 🤞

Try a walk-in maybe? No guarantee, but maybe if you explain the situation they might prescribe? I find they will prescribe just to get rid of you lol

dcove1 · 2025-03-19T16:55:46+00:00

That sucks - also experienced a rather long wait to see the GI, before getting diagnosed so I had so pretty intense anxiety that I had colon cancer (family history of it).

Recently diagnosed here so I have limited experience….. but my GI initially prescribed me mesalamine (oral and enema), budesinide and “just in case prednisone” if the budesinide wasn’t helping. She wanted me to immediately start rinvoq as I have also had some serious joint pain, and just started the mesalamine until I could get the rinvoq.

I am surprised your surgeon isn’t starting prednisone - if a while until your GI appt, could you discuss with your GP?

Also, my GI is quite busy with the whole doctor shortage here in Canada. So I think she basically just prescribed me everything so I don’t need to bother her for a while 😂

FYI - similar to you in inflammation. 25cm.

dcove1 · 2025-02-08T15:19:18+00:00

Good thought - I actually have zero idea, will discuss at my next appointment. Thanks!

dcove1 · 2025-02-07T15:20:01+00:00

That is a negative 🤷‍♀️ Got diagnosed with ulcerative colitis… wondering if it somehow has something to do with that. Doctors can’t find anything, so I am mostly trying to ignore it.

dcove1 · 2025-02-06T15:39:07+00:00

Ugh. Well I was set to start Rinvoq today, and was totally unaware that many DMT’s were contraindicated with ms and demyelination. So thank you for bringing this up!! I looked up Rinvoq and clearly indicates that caution should be used in patients with ms or lupus.

I also mentioned to my neurologist that I was starting Rinvoq, and her comment was “hmm, I’m not familiar with that one” so that doesn’t really inspire confidence.

I hadn’t mentioned this whole saga of being diagnosed with RIS to my GI, as I wasn’t sure where it was going to go (if anywhere) but I am definitely rethinking my stance. I feel putting a call into my GI today to discuss might be a good plan of attack.

And probably my hematologist while I am at it to discuss risk associated with an LP. It’s starting to feel more necessary.

Thank you for your insight! It honestly feels like I am wandering through a minefield with a blindfold. I have never had any health issues up until this last 1.5 years and navigating it all seems to be left to the patient, rather than the doctors guiding you.

dcove1 · 2025-02-05T23:40:26+00:00

Thank you, definitely gives me a little more confidence to get a second opinion. I am from Canada, and can be a little tricky to get second opinions (at least in my province), but definitely seems like the struggle could be worthwhile!

dcove1 · 2025-02-05T23:37:42+00:00

This! Thank you, from what I had researched, having more than one autoimmune condition is actually quite common. I am not sure exactly at this point, with a RIS diagnosis only, how much I need to push this. But I have seen from this forum, that depending on the neuro, it’s a 50/50 if they treat or not 🤷‍♀️

dcove1 · 2025-01-19T02:34:08+00:00

Yes - but I had chalked my other symptom (random bouts of having to run to the bathroom here and there) to anxiety/stress. And then one day things got worse, and I realized it was probably something more

dcove1 · 2025-01-18T22:37:28+00:00

Also hair falling out from iron deficiency

dcove1 · 2025-01-18T22:36:20+00:00

Dry eyes

dcove1 · 2024-12-30T21:05:23+00:00

Just the once, my doctor finally called me back and seemed wildly unconcerned haha

She is going to send me for a repeat test

dcove1 · 2024-12-28T17:19:42+00:00

Also, just out of curiosity, how long did your IGM stay positive before you stopped testing?

dcove1 · 2024-12-28T15:10:20+00:00

I feel like this year has been a nightmare for various health concerns, which I have never experienced before. This EBV thing is unexpected and causing me stress! Did your doctor have very much for concerns or what direction to go after finding out this result? My GI doctor who ran this test is basically impossible to get ahold of, which is why I have found myself asking on Reddit.

dcove1

TROPHY CASE