Guest Writer - Vicky Talks About Diagnosis

Hello:)

 

Vicky, 29, has UC

Here I am again!

In case you missed my last post, my name is Vicky, aka Vic, I'm 29 (!) and I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in May 2011. I had suffered symptoms for a very long time prior to this though and the road to diagnosis was LONG.….

I am delighted to be a guest writer on this exciting project, I really feel that it does help to share your experiences and feelings with others and I find the support of the online IBD community very comforting at times.

Today I'm going to talk about initial diagnosis, feelings etc. As I said my road to diagnosis was long, some stories I have heard have been worse than mine, and some people have been very lucky and been diagnosed almost immediately after experiencing their first symptoms.

My initial reaction on being diagnosed was 'thank goodness they've finally figured out what's wrong with me'. I think a lot of people may experience this initial relief, but this can quickly be followed with confusion and shock. You may not have been expecting to be diagnosed with a long-term illness, particularly one with no known cure at present. You may be confused with trying to take in all that the consultants/doctors have told you.

It can seem like a lot of information in a short space of time! It can also seem confusing at first as there is no known cure and there is little known about what causes the diseases. Also your treatment plan will depend on how you personally respond to initial treatment, so there is not even any guarantee that the first treatments you receive will work.

 

These are all normal reactions and I personally have had the lot!

I think I mentioned previously that I find it helpful to share things with other sufferers, and that it partly why I started my own personal blog (insert link). I find sometimes it is easier to point someone that I may not know very well to my blog rather than describe my illness to them.

Everyone is different and emotionally we all deal with things in different ways.

I find that I directly tell the people that need to know (family, close friends, essential colleagues (ie bosses) and then assess everyone else as I get to know them. There are only a few people that know about my illness in my current job. It's not that I'm embarrassed (if you are, don't worry) it's more that it's just not the kind of thing you bring up in everyday conversation…!

It can be very difficult to explain to someone that doesn't understand the illness, you may find it helpful to give them the Crohn's and Colitis UK web address www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk so that they can have a read. Lack of understanding can make people around you react in different ways. Those close to you may be constantly asking if you are okay, you may find yourself answering that you're fine, even if you're not to stop them worrying. I find I sometimes do this to my mum! It's not always ideal, but we do not want to worry those around us who we love.

There will be those around you who are the other extreme and try to tell you that there is nothing wrong with you, or to 'Get Well Soon'. Although this is not particularly helpful, I'm pretty sure they are doing this with the best intentions. I tend to just smile sweetly (and fume inwardly) when this scenario occurs. We can try to educate people as much as possible, and sometimes it is frustrating when they don't understand, the important thing is that you know your body better than anyone and if you need to take a break or say 'no' to someone, or something, then please don't feel guilty about it!! Again this a perfectly natural feeling. It may be that you have gone from living life to the full, to hardly leaving the house within a very short period of time. It can sometimes feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

I promise, there is. I am living proof of that :)