10 years of living with ulcerative colitis

In September 2013, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, an autoimmune disease that affects my large intestine and rectum.

Thankfully, in the last three years or so I’ve only had one flare-up of about two months and have mostly been better thanks to the magic of Vedolizumab. To get it I spend a couple of hours at the hospital having an infusion every 8 weeks. I’m lucky – it doesn’t work for everyone. I also take 6 mesalazine tablets every day. Between those two medications, I’m currently in remission, and hope to be for as long as possible.

Over the past 10 years, I’ve learnt more about my body than I perhaps needed to. I’ve spent a lot of money and time on my health, and been to medical professionals all over the world. I’ve explained my illness countless times, and will do it many more times – as many times as I can in fact, so that people understand what it means for me and the many other people who have this invisible illness. I’ve gone through phases of being on very restrictive diets and experimenting with food. I now eat a much wider range of food than at any point before the colitis started. I’ve come to appreciate my health, and particularly my digestive health, so much more, and now have a much more balanced life. And I’ve realised that the information on the Crohn’s and Colitis UK website is fantastic.

All in all, life is good and I’m very happy. Of course, I’d rather not have colitis. But I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t been diagnosed with it. Here’s to a cure in my lifetime!

P.S. I’ve just learnt about GriefSick, a new newsletter exploring the grief that comes with chronic illness, and which I’ve definitely experienced.