1. Stay Active
Staying active has actually been a two-fold therapy for me. First, doing some level of physical activity (no matter how hard the day) has helped me gain confidence in overcoming my condition. This can vary upon how I feel: an intense training session on a good day, a simple walk on a bad day, or even just push-ups and crunches at home when I am suffering a flair. Secondly, I have found that after some types of exercise my actual condition improves. It may just be a placebo effect, but after a cycling workout I often feel much better. Gauge the appropriate activity for yourself and how you feel and be active everyday.
Staying active has actually been a two-fold therapy for me. First, doing some level of physical activity (no matter how hard the day) has helped me gain confidence in overcoming my condition. This can vary upon how I feel: an intense training session on a good day, a simple walk on a bad day, or even just push-ups and crunches at home when I am suffering a flair. Secondly, I have found that after some types of exercise my actual condition improves. It may just be a placebo effect, but after a cycling workout I often feel much better. Gauge the appropriate activity for yourself and how you feel and be active everyday.
2. Consume UC-Friendly Foods
Probably everybody knows to do this, but it is harder to do than said (at least for me it is). I often want to eat corn on-the-cob or a bowl full of blueberries, despite knowing that this will cause major problems in the near future. This just proves that my belly is my weakness in more than one way. What is a UC-friendly diet? This will vary from one person to the next, but can easily be determined by keeping a log of the foods consumed and taking note of those that cause problems. Once identified, play it safe.
3. Regularly Take Medication
It can be tempting to stop taking medication while feeling better. However, this can abruptly reverse any progress made in keeping the disease in remission. At times it can be difficult to remember when to take medication and inadvertently skip a dose. Early in my treatment I was taking 26 pills each day at various time intervals. I found my condition improved greatly once I kept a log of my doses and made it a high priority to stay on schedule. Of course, if you feel that your medication is causing more harm than good you should immediately contact your doctor and discuss the issue.
4. Recognize Daily Patterns
My early struggle with ulcerative colitis coincided with the first year of my daughter's life, so recognizing daily patterns was natural. As I was recognizing her daily patterns of when to feed her, when to put her down for a nap and when I could expect a dirty diaper, I began to recognize my own patterns. As an example, I know that the first hour after I wake-up is when my condition is its worst. If I have an early morning meeting, I know to wake-up a couple of hours before to reduce the chance of any discomfort during the meeting. Or, I know not to plan a running workout when I first wake-up.
5. Plan Ahead
Before my family goes anywhere we always pack my daughter's diaper bag. We joke and say that we need to pack my diaper bag as well. In other words, bring with you everything you may need. I always pack food and water and will bring other items depending on where we are going. Planning ahead is not exclusive to packing needed supplies, but also includes necessary preparation days in advance. For instance, starting three days before a big race I will begin a very restricted diet of only foods that I know will not cause any difficulties; I will not take any risks on these days. If I know that I am going to have a very busy day, I may take Imodium in the morning even though I am not experiencing difficulties. So, play it safe and plan ahead.
6. Talk About It
Do not be afraid to speak to others about your condition. I found that as I began to open up and discuss my problems with my family, friends and even colleagues that I began to feel less worry and less stress. Nearly everyone has been supportive and understanding. Some have even began to tell me about their own medical conditions that they previously were apprehensive to talk about. In addition, I have met quite a few individuals who have the same or similar condition as me. Talk about your condition openly; it is liberating and will build a support network.
7. Find a "Partner in Crime"
Finding someone who experiences the same or a similar condition helps in many ways. I am lucky to have a good friend and colleague who has Crohn's Disease, very similar to ulcerative colitis. Many times I approached him with questions like, "Does this work for you?", "Have you experienced ...?" or "Do you have a suggestion for ...?". There are many ways you can find someone with a similar condition: after talking with people somebody you already know may have a similar condition, attend a Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America [link] event, or respond to this blog and I can talk with you (nothing is posted without my approval first, so if you don't want it posted just say so). You are not alone and you should not have to go through it alone.
8. Have Patience
Having patience in my treatment was the hardest thing for me. Eventually, with many calls and discussions with my doctor, the right treatment was found and I was able to control the condition. It is very frustrating to know that an effective treatment is not established immediately upon diagnosis. Since everybody responds differently to the many available treatments there is a little guess work in finding the right treatment. Compliance, open discussion with your doctor and a whole lot of patience are critical in getting ulcerative colitis into remission.
9. Eat Yogurt
Okay, so this may just be specific to me, but I found that in the 1-2 days following a single serving of yogurt that my condition is at its best. Give it a try! However, if you experience problems when ingesting dairy products, this may be one tip to ignore.
10. BE CONFIDENT
Ulcerative colitis at times can be debilitating and embarrassing. However, if there is anything that I have learned from my experiences it is to be confident in myself. Early in my diagnosis I felt bad for myself, resulting in low confidence and a domino effect of unnecessary stresses that worsened my condition. Do not let your psych be the limiting factor, be confident!
3. Regularly Take Medication
It can be tempting to stop taking medication while feeling better. However, this can abruptly reverse any progress made in keeping the disease in remission. At times it can be difficult to remember when to take medication and inadvertently skip a dose. Early in my treatment I was taking 26 pills each day at various time intervals. I found my condition improved greatly once I kept a log of my doses and made it a high priority to stay on schedule. Of course, if you feel that your medication is causing more harm than good you should immediately contact your doctor and discuss the issue.
4. Recognize Daily Patterns
My early struggle with ulcerative colitis coincided with the first year of my daughter's life, so recognizing daily patterns was natural. As I was recognizing her daily patterns of when to feed her, when to put her down for a nap and when I could expect a dirty diaper, I began to recognize my own patterns. As an example, I know that the first hour after I wake-up is when my condition is its worst. If I have an early morning meeting, I know to wake-up a couple of hours before to reduce the chance of any discomfort during the meeting. Or, I know not to plan a running workout when I first wake-up.
5. Plan Ahead
Before my family goes anywhere we always pack my daughter's diaper bag. We joke and say that we need to pack my diaper bag as well. In other words, bring with you everything you may need. I always pack food and water and will bring other items depending on where we are going. Planning ahead is not exclusive to packing needed supplies, but also includes necessary preparation days in advance. For instance, starting three days before a big race I will begin a very restricted diet of only foods that I know will not cause any difficulties; I will not take any risks on these days. If I know that I am going to have a very busy day, I may take Imodium in the morning even though I am not experiencing difficulties. So, play it safe and plan ahead.
6. Talk About It
Do not be afraid to speak to others about your condition. I found that as I began to open up and discuss my problems with my family, friends and even colleagues that I began to feel less worry and less stress. Nearly everyone has been supportive and understanding. Some have even began to tell me about their own medical conditions that they previously were apprehensive to talk about. In addition, I have met quite a few individuals who have the same or similar condition as me. Talk about your condition openly; it is liberating and will build a support network.
7. Find a "Partner in Crime"
Finding someone who experiences the same or a similar condition helps in many ways. I am lucky to have a good friend and colleague who has Crohn's Disease, very similar to ulcerative colitis. Many times I approached him with questions like, "Does this work for you?", "Have you experienced ...?" or "Do you have a suggestion for ...?". There are many ways you can find someone with a similar condition: after talking with people somebody you already know may have a similar condition, attend a Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America [link] event, or respond to this blog and I can talk with you (nothing is posted without my approval first, so if you don't want it posted just say so). You are not alone and you should not have to go through it alone.
8. Have Patience
Having patience in my treatment was the hardest thing for me. Eventually, with many calls and discussions with my doctor, the right treatment was found and I was able to control the condition. It is very frustrating to know that an effective treatment is not established immediately upon diagnosis. Since everybody responds differently to the many available treatments there is a little guess work in finding the right treatment. Compliance, open discussion with your doctor and a whole lot of patience are critical in getting ulcerative colitis into remission.
9. Eat Yogurt
Okay, so this may just be specific to me, but I found that in the 1-2 days following a single serving of yogurt that my condition is at its best. Give it a try! However, if you experience problems when ingesting dairy products, this may be one tip to ignore.
10. BE CONFIDENT
Ulcerative colitis at times can be debilitating and embarrassing. However, if there is anything that I have learned from my experiences it is to be confident in myself. Early in my diagnosis I felt bad for myself, resulting in low confidence and a domino effect of unnecessary stresses that worsened my condition. Do not let your psych be the limiting factor, be confident!
