Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Thirteen on Prednisolone (EPIC WINNING)

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression Caused by the UC directly. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four One 5mg Tablet(s) daily for four weeks [Now six weeks], then cut down by one tablet a week each week over the next four [Now three] weeks. Untill I see the specialists in April 2011.

Day 85 Tue 12th April: (?) (?) (?)

Day 86 Wed 13th April:Had a bad visit to the toilet, went three times, first time was normal, second was a little less formed and the third time was typical UC. Hoping this is just a blip.

My sleeping pattern is still upside down. I sleep about two or three hours then wake up around 8 or 9am, then stay awake untill 3 or 4pm and then I’m so tired I have to sleep for four or five hours then I’m awake untill f or 5am. Wonkey aint in it! (3/10) (1/10)

Day 87 Thu 14th April: Things seem to have normalised somewhat, looks like it was just a blip.

Still tired and still fucked! (2/10) (1/10)

Day 88 Fri 15th  April: Been awake since 9am, going to try and stay awake untill 10 pm or so.

Toilet visit normal. Sleeping pattern started to normalise. (1/10) (1/10)

Day 89 Sat 16th  April: Toilet visit was normal.

Sleeping pattern staying stable. (1/10) (1/10)

Day 90 Sun 17th April: Got up at 8:15am.

Toilet visit was normal.

Had a headache. Went to bed at 11:30pm.(1/10) (1/10)

Day 91 Mon 18th April: Woke up at 8:10am. Not been to the toilet yet. Visit to the UC specialist today.

Went to toilet, tis all normal.

Just got back from the seeing the inflammatory Bowl Disease nurse (IBD Nurse), um, I wont be on Prednisolone anymore. I have to ween myself off them over this week and then stop while increasing my Mesalazine Tablets from 6 tabs a day to 8 tabs a day to off-set against the loss of the prednisolone – just incase the UC trys to come back.

She said although things have gone back to normal on the surface of the colon, it doesn’t mean the underside hasn’t. There’s three layers of the colon, and only my top level is healed. So I have to wait for 6 months or so before I start to introduce the foods that could cause the UC. She also told me that I would be able to eat the trigger foods once fully healed, that’s a relief! So yeh, I have about five months left before full recovery because I only started to recover a month or so ago.

If I do have another flare I wont be using Prednisolone anymore, I will be put on another drug that has marginally fewer side-effects and one possible big one! It’s called Azathioprine. If I take this medication I have a 4 in 100,000 chance of developing Lymphoma! But when you think about it, everyone has a 1 in 100,000 chance of developing Lymphoma, so the chances are pretty negligible, but still… Lymphoma??? She told me the long-term effects of Azathioprine were significantly less than those of Prednisolone. Compare them yourself and tell me what you think, what you take them?

Another thing, I sussed out why I get headaches… it’s because I’m so out of shape and over weight. They’re called “exertional Headaches” or “Exercise Induced Headaches“. Basically, it happens when a person works themselves so hard they get headaches. However, just walking, bending down, gardening or getting out of a Taxi (yes, that happened today!) and walking set it off! I got a really bad banging headache when I got back home. Then again, that comes as no surprise to me as I’m 24st!

Oh yeh, because I’m eating rubbish I have a “fatty liver”. I explained to her it’s hard work to exercise when you have trouble with really low-moods and limited diet. Anyway, I have to go for a scan on it soon.

Um, I see the UC consultant tomorrow, so another trip there! Not looking forward to it really!

So, in short… Things are good, coming off the steroids over this week (which means one last UC Diary based on Prednisolone, but I’ll still do a UC Diary once a week or so), weight is bad and liver is a little dodgey, but over all things are sort of looking up on the UC front! (1/10) (1/10)

Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Twelve On Prednisolone

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression Caused by the UC directly. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four One 5mg Tablet(s) daily for four weeks [Now six weeks], then cut down by one tablet a week each week over the next four [Now three] weeks. Untill I see the specialists in April 2011.

Day 78 Tue 5th April 2011: Still have the headache from exercising on Monday, I’ve had it all night, I couldn’t sleep because of it. I slept two hours then had to get up and hold a hot-water bottle to the area. It got rid of it eventually, went to bed at 6am Wed 6th

Never went to the toilet this day. (2/10) (2/10)

Day 79Wed 6th April 2011: Didn’t have a headache when I woke up but developed it when I started cleaning up.

Did some more light exercise today, some squats and walking briskly on the treadmill, it was a little easier, though I need to improve my stamina and cardio over the next few months. If I do it slow I lower the risk of making myself ill and pulling muscles. Still feel like my back’s going to give in though.

Exercise made the headache work!

Never went to the toilet this day.(1/10) (2/10)

Day 80 Thu 7th April 2011: Wonky sleeping pattern the most annoying thing today.

Haven’t been to the toilet today.(1/10) (2/10)

Day 81 Fri 8th April 2011: Went to the toilet today, everything was normal. My sleeping pattern is still well and truly fucked. The closer I get to the course and study time the worse it gets! Which is just what I feared would happen.

I didn’t do exercise, couldn’t muster the, I can’t even think of the word!!(1/10) (1/10)

Day 82 Sat 9th April 2011: Toilet visit was normal.

My sleeping pattern being tits up is not helping me. Sleepin’ odd times does zero for motivation and developing a regime to do exercise, diet, DIY, Gardening and, in the future, study!

My pattern is so fucked up now that I’m sleeping a few hours then waking up and staying awake for six! Which is in contrast to a few days earlier when I was sleeping a lot and feeling tired all the time. Well, I still feel tired a lot, but it’s not as bad. Maybe it’s because I’m up at night with no one else about.(1/10) (1/10)

Day 83 Sun 10th April 2011: Toilet visit was normal. Motivation still low. (1/10) (1/10)

Day 84 Mon 11th April 2011: No toilet visit today. 

Did a lot of garden work, had to force myself to do it while fighting tiredness. I’d been up since 3am in the morning and didn’t get to sleep untill gone 12:30am Tuesday morning. I still didn’t have a good sleep. (1/10) (1/10)

Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Eleven On Prednisolone

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four One 5mg Tablet(s) daily for four weeks [Now six weeks], then cut down by one tablet a week each week over the next four [Now three] weeks. Untill I see the specialists in April 2011.

Day 71 Tue 29th March 2011: (Been normal today, not much to report besides a low-mood still.

Went to the toilet, was normal. I pushed it today! I had another Big Mac for my tea, seeing as no one had gone shopping again and someone was going so I had a Big Mac. We’ll see how it affects me. (2/10) (6/10)

Day 72 Wed 30th March 2011: Went to the toilet twice today, which is something I havent done very often for the last two weeks. Both times it was normal, but I two motions with the second, the second wasn’t that formed and I actually had some abdominal tenderness. Maybe eating that Big Mac was a bad idea! I hope this is just a blip.

Did some light exercise, back strengthening, press-ups, squats, punching with weights in hand, stretching and walked on the treadmill for six minutes. During it and after I felt sick! And that was only light, I also felt abdominal twinges! I hope this doesn’t happen every time! (2/10) (6/10)

Day 73 Thu 31st March 2011: Went to the toilet not long after getting up, 1pm, and it’s less formed but still in the bracket of ‘normal’. Again, hoping this is just a blip and not a result of that Big Mac I ate!

Still feel funny inside, not sure if it was the Big Mac, Exercise or low-mood! We’ll see.

Did some more exercise, but only gentle, to increase my back-strength and over all muscle-strength. Felt sick and dizzy after it. Mood still low. (2/10)(7/10)

Day 74 Fri 1st April 2011: Things have gone back to normal.

Mood still low. (2/10) (7/10)

Day 75 Sat 2nd April 2011: Went to bed at 6am this day, I had a panic attack of sorts, the first time since 2006. Luckily I can control them, I just breathed through my nose normally and tried to relax. It made me feel better but didn’t get rid of the tightness in my chest fully. But it worked to a degree because I fell asleep.

The quality of sleep itself wasn’t that good either, I kept waking up and dreamed it was the end of the world, everyone seemed to be calm about it for some reason! I woke up at 12:30pm and had something to eat while I took my tablets. Then I went back to bed and slept untill 6pm. Still felt shitty when I got up.

Went to the toilet twice! Had the urgency feeling the second time. Still OK though. (2/10) (7/10)

Day 76 Sun 3rd April 2011: Woke up late after staying up to 9am! Woke at 1am and took tabs and then went back to bed. Woke up at 8pm.

Toilet visit was normal and mood still low. (2/10) (7/10)

Day 77 Mon 4th April 2011: Went back to bed at 12am, I was so tired and just fucked off I need to get away from everyone and everything. Didn’t sleep at all, just rested for an hour or so and then got back up again.

Still feel tired and fucked off, more than I have for a while. I find it funny (I don’t actually, I find it annoying), I was planning to do my full exercises again today, and I get this wave of demotivation! A feeling of lethargy, misanthropy and a feeling of  Nihilism coupled with sadness and Nihilism. I’m sick of this mindset, OCD or whatever it is, it’s sending me mental! 

OK, just read that back, that’s enough of that! (2/10) (8/10)

Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Ten On Prednisolone

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four One 5mg Tablet(s) daily for four weeks [Now six weeks], then cut down by one tablet a week each week over the next four [Now three] weeks. Untill I see the specialists in April 2011.

Day 64 Tue 22nd March 2011:  Woke up at 8:50am after going to sleep at 4:00am. Back still sore and I feel shitty, I don’t want to do anything but sleep or stare in to space. It’s moods like this that worry me for when I start studying! I just wont be able to take anything in fully because it.

Went to sleep for a few hours because I felt tired and pissed off. Back getting better though) (2/10) (6/10)

Day 65 Wed 23rd March 2011: Went to the toilet twice, it’s all normal. Back is very much better, will start doing the back strengthening tomorrow. Mood still low-ish, but better than yesterday. (2/10) (5/10)

Day 66 Thu 24th March 2011: Didn’t sleep well last night, I lost count of how many times I woke up. I went to bed early but wound myself up when the OCD/T started. It’s going to be one of those days where I don’t want to be around anyone.

Everything else is normal. (2/10) (7/10)

Day 67 Fri 25th March 2011: Low mood again since I woke up. Spent most the day in my room reading.

UC still at bay and everything is normal. I say normal, it isn’t quite 100%, I still have the tiredness you get with UC and the occasional cramp and pain. (2/10) (7/10)

Day 68 Sat 26th March 2011: UC still at bay, toilet visit fine.

I’ve been doing some exercises for my back and warming up the rest of my body for when I start proper exercise. You know you’re fat and out-of-shape when you have to do warm-up exercises for your warm-up exercises, a week in advance!

Mood still low. (2/10) (8/10)

Day 69 Sun 27th March 2011: Despite the fact I went to bed early, 11:30pm, and woke up at 9am, I still feel tired! I think the tiredness is more the result of low-mood than UC. Still feel low.

Toilet visit was normal! Prednisolone do work for me! Which is a good thing, so good to have normal toilet visits! (2/10) (7/10)

Day 70 Mon 28th March 2011: Woke up late after going to bed late, I’m not 100% sure but I think my tiredness is mostly due to low-mood.

Toilet visit was fine!

Mood still low.

The green readings will remain 2/10 untill I can be sure the UC is not causing the tiredness. (2/10) (6/10)

Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Nine On Prednisolone

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four 5mg Tablets daily for four weeks [Now six weeks], then cut down by one tablet a week each week over the next four [Now three] weeks.

Day 57 Tue 15th March 2011: Woke up at 11am, not been to the toilet yet and no twinges from the beef I ate yesterday. But still, I’m not going to eat any of the foods that may cause a  flare-up untill I’m fully off the Prednisolone.

Went to the toilet, normal! Down to one tab a day from today, wish I remembered that this morning when I took two! Oh well. (2/10) (6/10)

Day 58 Wed 16th March 2011: Got up late (10:30am), didn’t sleep well. Went to the toilet and it’s still normal. No cramps or pains. Did some cleaning and work in the Bathroom, felt OK, besides the fumes from the bleach and the stretching!

Went to bed at 2am, couldn’t sleep or get comfortable. Got up and did some writing then went back to bed at 5am. (2/10) (5/10)

Day 59 Thu 17th March 2011: Got up late, about 12:10pm, I didn’t sleep well again! I don’t think the bleach fumes helped, it’s given me a bad chest! I’ll buy a mask for when I start painting! (2/10) (5/10)

Day 60 Fri 18th March 2011: Didn’t go to the toilet yesterday, so I’ll go some time today. So far, no bloating or cramps.

Went to the toilet, it was normal. It’s so good to feel well again, I mean, I’m not perfect but I feel a lot better. I still feel tired in the day like I used to, but it’s better. Dare I say it… I feel ‘Normal’! (2/10) (4/10)

Day 61 Sat 19th March 2011: Woke up late, about 11:15am, with a bad back! It must’ve been the cleaning and stretching to get the old paint off the ceiling in the toilet on Wed! I still have it now at 5:20pm.

Went to the toilet, it was normal. But I was tired before that, I fell asleep for an hour and half. Though the UC is sort of at bay, I still have the tiredness that comes with it. (2/10) (4/10)

Day 62 Sun 20th March 2011: My back is a little bit better this morning, at least I’m not walking around like an old man!

Went to the toilet, ’twas normal!

I’m feeling a little drop in mood today.

HOLY FUCKING SHIT! I went to bed early, and my back suddenly got extremely worse when I got up again to get comfortable! It was as painful as 2009 when I last had it this bad! Because of this I stayed up really late and my sleeping pattern is well and truly out of the window! Feeling pretty shitty right now. The pain killers (Co-dydramol) don’t even work! (2/10) (5/10)

Day 63 Mon 21st March 2011: Woke up at 12:15pm! I wasn’t up long before I had one of my downturns in mood. When I get them I just don’t want to be seen by, spoken to, looked at  or be near anyone. I also don’t feel like doing anything either. So I went to my room and fell asleep for a few hours, I felt a little better afterwards, though I’m still feeling it.

Went to the toilet, was normal! Just had a shower and preparing for a boring night in front of the TV or messing on about on the PC. (2/10) (6/10)

Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Eight On Prednisolone

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four 5mg Tablets daily for four weeks [Now six weeks], then cut down by one tablet a week each week over the next four [Now three] weeks.

Day 50 Tue 8th March 2011: Ccmpletely forgot to do it this day, but on the whole things were normal. (4/10)(6/10)

Day 51 Wed 9th March 2011: Had to strain when I was on the toilet, not had to do that for a long time! But still, the best it’s been for a while. OCT/D and low mood still there. (3/10)(7/10)

Day 52 Thu 10th March 2011: (Forgot this day) ()()

Day 53 Fri 11th March 2011: Went twice today, no change in it though, it’s still good. Had some cramps though. OCD still there but not so bad. (3/10) (6/10)

Day 54 Sat 12th March 2011: Been to the toilet, it was normal, well 99% normal, it aint perfect but it’s better than how it was. Only went once, but have cramps and may have to go again.) (3/10)(6/10)

Day 55 Sun 13th March 2011: Woke up late, but my sleeping pattern is staying consistent for the time being. I didn’t go to the toilet again yesterday, not been today either and it’s 2:22am! Only minor cramps, nothing bad really. My scalp is still itchy but not as a much as before. OCD not that bad but still feel low.

Went to the toilet, I have to say… you know you have UC when you’re happy to see a normal bowel movement! It’s so good to be in the toilet for only 15 minutes at the most instead of three-quarters of an hour at the least! (3/10)(6/10)

Day 56 Mon 14th March 2011: Not much trouble today, haven’t been to the toilet yet, have no cramps but I feel tired. Then again, I feel tired every day.

Fell asleep for two hours because I was tired.  OCD and anxiety aint been that bad. Went to the toilet and twas normal.

 So today I tried beef for the first time in months! I had a beef curry, to see if beef affects me. Though I don’t think anything will show while I’m still on the prednisolone. I think I was a little premature in trying this today, I will leave the foods alone untill I am off the steroids, that way I can tell if something really sets UC off without the steroids dampening things. (2/10 )(5/10)

Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Seven On Prednisolone

 

                                                                                    WEEK SEVEN

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four 5mg Tablets daily for four weeks [Now six weeks], then cut down by one tablet a week each week over the next four [Now three] weeks.

Day 43 Tue 1st March 2011: Even though I went to bed early last night I couldn’t sleep, had a rapid heart beat and my head and neck were itching because of the acne. So I was awake untill gone 2:30AM and woke up around 9:30AM. Went to the toilet not long after I got up, things seem the same as yesterday, also no blood. OCD and anxiety doesn’t seem so bad today. (5/10) (6/10)

Day 44 Wed 2nd March 2011: Woke up at 9:10AM, felt bloated. Had some breakfast and then later I had dinner. After that I went to clean the Bathroom. Of course, before I even started I had to use the toilet. So, while I was cleaning I was on and off the toilet! Three times if I remember correctly. Makes me wonder what it’d be like if I did exercise. Motion was same as yesterday, with no blood. OCD wasn’t as bad today, though I did have a rapid heartbeat for a time. (5/10) (6/10)

Day 45 Thu 3rd March 2011: Woke up, felt bloated and not been to the toilet today at all. OCD been up again, but as bad as what it has been. (6/10) (5/10)

Day 46 Friday 4th March 2011: Woke up late, felt tired and bloated and went to the toilet as soon as I got up. Same as yesterday really. OCD still a pain. I had such a headache I had to lay down for a while, I felt so tired and fucked off that I fell to sleep for two and half hours. The acne on my upper neck and scalp has gotten worse, but isn’t as bad on my neck or chest! I will be taking to the dermatologist on Monday about it. (5/10) (6/10)

Day 47 Sat 5th March 2011: Because I fell asleep yesterday afternoon I had trouble sleeping. I went to bed at 1:30am but ended up with a headache, rapid heartbeat and the Obsessive thinking becoming worse again, so I got back up and took some pain killers. I was awake untill 5:30am and got up at 11am today. So far, no bloating and no pain yet.

Went to the toilet in late afternoon, only went twice, but was so tired after it (was tired before I went though) and ended up going to sleep for an hour or so. No blood and same as last time. OCD still a pain. (4/10) (6/10)

Day 48 Sun 6th March 2011: Woke up late 10:30am, had breakfast and ended up going for a lay down at 2:30pm and fell asleep untill 5pm. I’m at that point again where I don’t want to be seen, spoken to, have to think or bother with anything. I’ve been like this before but I’m not sure if it’s the lowering of the prednisolone dose or caused by the increased OCD. Anyway, not been to the toilet yet, if I don’t go today then I wont be able to make it to the Doctors tomorrow, because I don’t want to take the chance having not gone the day or night before!

I went to the toilet, it was better formed than it has been for a while, there was no blood and I wasn’t on there for more than 10 minutes! That is progress! Just a matter of it staying that way! (4/10) (7/10)

Day 49 Mon 7th March 2011: Yesterday I went to bed around 1:30am, but didn’t get to sleep untill an hour later. I woke up early, 7:30am, and managed to get to the Doctors without much trouble. He gave me Zineryt for the acne, something I’ve had before that worked, see how it goes. The Doc said I should stay on at least one 5mg tablet (I’m down to two a day tomorrow 8th March 2011) untill I see the UC Prof in April! I was meant to see him in March but owning to “clinical availability” I can’t see him. And, from what the Doc said I wont be seeing him when I do go! Apparently a lot of the jobs the Profs and Docs had are now being managed by nurses. They can prescribe and advise on meds. Obviously this is part of the NHS cost cutting! Some profs and docs were paid too much to keep them in the NHS, but now… I think we can all see what’s going to happen! Anyway, OCT/D (Obsessive Compulsive Thinking/Disorder. I think OCT fits me better) is still strong and I felt really bad over the weekend, but not feel that bad today, though it is only 4:20pm. (4/10) (6/10)

Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Six On Prednisolone

                             

                          WEEK SIX

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four 5mg Tablets daily for four weeks [Now six weeks], then cut down by one tablet a week each week over the next four [Now three] weeks.

Day 36 Tue 22nd Feb 2011: Can’t remember what time I woke up, but it was earlier than yesterday. Went to the toilet, it’s same as before more or less with no blood still. Wasn’t on there as long either. Though I think I may bleed again this week because my mood is so low today, it’s been dipping since last week. Getting to that point where I don’t want to be around anyone again. Didn’t really want to make this diary about anything else, but seeing as mood is connected to the UC and cycle of depression and UC, I will have to include it.

Had some tea, well… I say tea I mean 4 bags of Nik-Naks and some Piri Piri Chicken, which wasn’t that good! Now I have a headache and a rapid heartbeat. (4/10) (8/10)

Day 37 Wed 23rd Feb 2011: Didn’t get to sleep ’till gone 12am yesterday. Got up late, not been to the toilet today at all, which means I’m getting back to the point I was at before things messed up. No pain, no discomfort So far.

I just accidentally posted this blog because I wasn’t looking at what I was doing!! (>_<)! Duh! (4/10) (8/10)

Day 38 Thu 24th Feb 2011: Got up early, had breakfast, didn’t go to the toilet untill mid-afternoon. When I did, I was on there for an hour! About as formed as yesterday, with a little bit of blood. No current pains or cramps, but OCD and Anxiety still a shit!

Finding it hard to motivate myself to do things, don’t want to think and can’t concentrate fully. I feel annoyed because of it. (4/10) (8/10)

Day 39 Fri 25th Feb 2011: Woke up late, about 9:20AM. I did want to get up at 8 or 8:30AM to keep my sleeping pattern normal. But with the New Laurel and Hardy show in every night in my house, plus them musical cats, I usually wake up more than I should do!

Anyway, haven’t been to the toilet today, which means things are settling again, but today hasn’t been without any discomfort. Woke up with pain in my abdomen.

Felt tired and pissed off most of the day, looking forward to a sleep. (5/10) (7/10)

Day 40 Sat 26th Feb 2011: Woke up late again today, went to the toilet when I got up, was less formed than usual but no blood. Also went four hours later, it was even less formed then, but still no blood. No pain or discomfort so far, but still have a lack of motivation.

Went to bed late and woke up at 1am, and slept untill 10:30AM. (4/10) (6/10)

Day 41 Sun 27th Feb 2011: Woke up late, not been to the toilet so far, no pain or discomfort.

Went to the toilet late in the evening, it’s gone backwards again, less formed and blood again. It’s not like it was before I started taking the Prednisolone, but it still isn’t good. Went three times and had discomfort with it afterwards. (5/10) (6/10)

Day 42 Mon 28th Feb 2011: Didn’t get to sleep untill gone 2:30AM and got up at 8:30AM. I’m tired but I do it to keep my sleeping pattern as normal as possible for when I start my Open Uni study. So far, no bad discomfort, but feel a little bloated. I start lowering the dose tomorrow to three tablets a day for a week and decrease by a tablet a week untill I’m off them. I assume then I’ll need a months break to let my body recover before starting a higher dose. Things haven’t gone to plan at all, and looks like I wont be making any good progress untill mid-May or even June. 

Well, it’s 10:55pm, I’ve felt a little bloated all day, but not been to the toilet. Made an appointment to see the Doc next week about sorting out another course of the Prednisolone. I’m thinking I’ll have to take a month off them. The obsessive thinking is getting really annoying, I’m starting to thinking about people, situations and things all the time, I mean, like all the time! It’s starting to engulf my whole day, I’ve been here before but not for a while. Needless to say it’s winding me up. Anyway, going to set this to publish and then am off to bed! (5/10) (7/10)

Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Five On Prednisolone

                                                                                          

                                                                        Week Five

 

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four 5mg Tablets daily for four weeks [Now six weeks], then cut down by one tablet a week each week over the next four [Now three] weeks.

Day 29 Tue 15th Feb 2011: Woke up at 7:20AM, so far not been to the toilet and not had much bloating.

Went to the toilet, only went three times, and no blood again! Strange! Bed tim: 11pm (5/10) (6/10)

Day 30 Wed 16th Feb 2011: Woke up at 7:20AM, felt bloated and tender. Came down stairs had breakfast and phoned the Docs and explained my problem with the tabs. Going to ring me back later.

Went to the toilet, only went twice, wasn’t formed but there was no blood again. After that I had to have a lie down, I was tired, I think I slept a for three-quarters of an hour. When I got up the Doc rang me, he agrees I should stay on the four tabs a day for another two weeks and then wean myself off them by dropping a tablet a week from the course. Something it didn’t say on the box. It said go down to one tablet a day over the next four weeks, which would’ve been a bad thing for me! You can’t just come off Prednisolone like that, you have Prednisone/Prednisolone withdrawal from it. Got to sleep about 11:30pm.  (5/10) (6/10)

Day 31 Thu 17th Feb 2011: Woke up at 7AM and just dozed a little, got up, had my breakfast and meds. Not feeling too bad, hopefully visit the toilet later.

Feeling a little bloated, but not too bad. Went to bed at 10:30PM.  (5/10) (6/10)

Day 32 Fri 18th Feb 2011: Woke up at 8am, had breakfast then had to hit the toilet, was somewhat better today, with a little blood, but nowhere near as much as I used to get. But still, hoping for the best in two weeks time, if not I’ll have to come off the Prednisolone and let my body recover before attempting it again but on a higher dose. That’ll be another Month wait which will take me in to late April! I was hoping to have got better enough to start exercising and going out by then. I’m starting to think I wont be at that level untill Mid-June!

Went to bed at 11:30PM (5/10) (6/10)

Day 33 Sat 19th Feb 2011: Had a lie in today, got up at 9:15am. Went to the toilet not long after getting up, no blood and still not that formed. I’m not expecting any success on the current dosage. If I expect no change I wont be disappointed at the end of it. I’ll have more success when I start a higher dose some time in Summer.

I’m getting more acne on my chest, shoulders, back and head (under the hair-line), luckily enough not got much on my face yet!

Going to bed 11pm. (5/10) (7/10)

Day 34 Sun 20th Feb 2011: Went to the toilet not long after I woke up, better formed and no blood again.

My anxiety and OCD mindset is starting to get on my nerves again! I wish could gain control of them and stop thinking this way because it’s so illogical, and ultimately, detrimental to my health!

Went to bed around 11pm, didn’t get to sleep untill gone 12AM (6/10) (7/10)

Day 35 Mon 21st Feb 2011: Woke up at 9AM! My sleeping pattern is slipping again, I just felt so tired and didn’t have a good sleep anyway, kept waking up. Went to the toilet not long after I got up, more formed and no blood. Currently no bloating or soreness, though the acne is getting worse!

Not had any need to go to the toilet since I went this morning. Only side effects I’m having at the moment is ithcy Acne on my back and head! I’m going to start using the acne soloution Dalacin T I got from the Dermotologist. I held off using it because I haven’t had any bad acne lately and it can cause the UC to get worse! Have a read of this:

“Not to be used in

• Allergy to the antibiotic lincomycin.
• Allergy to propylene glycol or cetostearyl alcohol.
• People with sensitive skin.
• People with a history of inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
• History of inflammation of the large intestine due to antibioitc treatment (antibiotic-associated colitis).

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.

If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.”

My Dermotologist gave me that, and she knows I have UC, will be having words with her about that. I think I’ll ring the Pharmacy tomorrow and ask what I should do. Will go to bed late no doubt tonight, around 12am! Must get up early tomorrow! (4/10) (6/10)

Ulcerative Colitis Diary: Week Four On Prednisolone

                                                                                   WEEK FOUR

Green = How well I feel 1 being the best and 10 being the worse.

Blue = Depression. Again, on a scale as above.

Treatment for: Ulcerative Colitis.

Medication, Direction and Course as follows:

Prednisolone : Take four 5mg Tablets daily for four weeks, then cut down to one tablet a day each week over the next four weeks.

Day 22 Tue 8th Feb 2011: Went to bed early yesterday, around 10PM, slept untill 5AM when I woke up. Was a wake for half an hour when I had to go to the toilet. Went four times, no blood, becoming more formed, but still have involuntary straining. I’m getting sick of my limited choice of food, I dreamed I was eating beef burgers last night, then realised I was eating them and had to stop eating! Hopefully my sleeping pattern will stay constant now for at least a month.

Can’t keep my eyes open, going to bed, it’s 7:30pm. (4/10) (6/10)

Day 23 Wed 9th Feb 2011: Woke up at 2AM and can’t get back to sleep, don’t want another day of tiredness, but I’m expecting it. So far don’t feel too bad, no cramps or bloating, just a funny feeling, and that’s to do with being up so damn early!

I’m feeling tired again, can’t think straight and have that Nihilistic feeling again. And it’s only 8:23AM!

I went to sleep for two hours during the day. Went to bed around 10PM. Only some minor bloating (5/10) (6/10)

Day 24 Thu 10th Feb 2011: Woke up at 7AM, feel a little bloated, will use the toilet later at some point.

Went to the toilet but didn’t have much. But have to say, been the most formed it’s been for a long time! Not had any blood either! Going to bed at 10PM, am knackered! (4/10) (6/10)

Day 25 Fri 11th Feb 2011: Woke up at 7:10AM, felt a little bloated but now the feelings subsided. Not been to the toilet yet, but considering I haven’t, I don’t have much discomfort!

I went to the toilet and it was better formed again, no blood and I only went three times! Not so much abdominal pain afterwards either! Things are getting better!

Went to bed at 10:15pm. (4/10) (5/10)

Day 26 Sat 12th Feb 2011: Woke up at 5:50AM, came down, had some muffins. Don’t feel that bad today, though I do feel tired still.

Felt a  little off throughout the day, my OCD and Anxiety have gotten worse over the last few days, and it’s really annoying me! Went to bed at 10:30PM. (5/10) (6/10)

Day 27 Sun 13th Feb 2011: Woke up at 6:05AM, had to go to the toilet and things have gone back to square one again. It wasn’t formed and I bled. Seeing as I haven’t eaten anything I shouldn’t have, I can only assume it’s my mood caused by the OCD and Anxiety. (Though my numbers are in the middle on the depression scale that doesn’t mean they weren’t higher than that at some point during the day. I usually just take an average for that day.) I don’t think I’m ever going to be free of them!

Because I was already bleeding I did a very foolish thing, I had some noodles with onions and peppers mixed in with them. I thought it wouldn’t matter as I was already bleeding, and I was sick to death of eating the same foods. We’ll see what happens tomorrow. Bed time was 10:30pm.  (5/10) (6/10)

Day 28 Mon 14th Feb 2011: Woke up at 7:20AM, went for some breakfast and then had to use the toilet, it wasn’t formed, but, there was no blood, despite the fact I ate veg! I’m somewhat confused about that right now!

I’m still confused about the lack of blood earlier today! Anyway, I’m feeling fucked off, OCD and Anxiety playing it’s part again! 4PM.

Tomorrow I go down to one tablet a day, the weaning off stage, and as I thought, I’ve not made the progress I needed. I may have to go and see the Doc and ask for an extension of the higher dose. Though I don’t fancy the idea of sitting in a waiting room for 20 minutes only to be in with the Doc a few for 2 minutes! I’ll try to ring up. Went to bed at 11PM (6/10) (6/10)

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Links To Other Weeks:

Week Three

Week Two

Week One

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