Post colonoscpy

Alright, so I had my colonoscopy preformed two days ago. The procedure seems to be a bit ore of a jolt to the system than it used to be, and I am still kind of recovering though I would say I am feeling mostly back to my version of normal. To get right in to it I want to discus the results I have received so far. I know I was consulted by my doctor after the procedure, but of course I don't remember a thing (I always thought it was kind of a funny practice to wallop a person into "twilight" with a powerful drug cocktail and then try to discus serious health concerns with them). Anyway, I guess that is what my follow-up appointment will be about (which is over a week away because the doctor has to wait for the results from the biopsies he took during the procedure). What I did get was a brief printed overview of his initial findings along with some alien looking pictures of the inside of my colon. Some of the parts that I think are very positive I would like to tell you about first.
1. He was able to complete the procedure easily (which is kind of a big victory in my head because if your colon is really shot sometimes the cant risk going all the way through with the camera because of a risk of perforation)
2. I didn't see any mention of suspicious lumps, polyps, strictures, or any other really funky abnormalities that I feared may be growing in there.
3. The pictures and his description limited the expanse of the disease affected areas to the rectum and sigmoid colon (which means if your colon kind of looks like a big question mark ? the only affected parts would be the dot and just slightly above. This is a huge improvement from my last colonoscopy 3 years ago which identified my entire colon as being severely diseased.)

Probably the least uplifting part of the report is that it stated that the affected parts of my colon were "severe in severity" which not only is grammatically awkward, but also not something I like to hear about damage to a part of my body.
Overall I am encouraged by the results because from my interpretation a large portion of my colon has healed as compared to 3 years ago. Also I feel that I is a good thing that it is the end of my colon which is still most affected because I believe this area will be most easily accessed by the fecal transplant that I will be administering. (god I cant believe I am writing all this stuff on the Internet, there was a time when I would be too embarrassed to mention any of this to anyone)
So, to sum it up for the day, I am still feeling the forward progress toward my ultimate goal of using the fecal transplant to help heal my body. I will continue to work towards healing everyday, and my next step will be to meet with my doctor next Friday and further discuss his findings and hopefully get his blessing on beginning the fecal transplant. I very much hope he does not try to dissuade my intentions, but even if he does he will have to have some strong reasoning that I can agree with otherwise I will do the procedure against his advice. I am not rebellious or combatant, but I am at a point where I will use information to make my own decisions about what feels right to me.
For the next week or so I will try to keep updating on how I am feeling, and also try to give a little more background on myself, and some of the things I have tried or am currently trying with the intentions of regaining my health.
Be well until then,
Alex

one step at a time.

 Today I am prepping for my colonoscopy which will happen tomorrow around 1 pm. At 5am I woke up and had an avocado (actually it was 2.....but they were kinda small....ish). I wasn't supposed to have anything, but seeing as how my scope is not till 1pm tomorrow, I still figure this gives me much more than 24 hours to have my system flushed clean. From prior experience, I believe this will be more than enough time. It is now 7pm and I have eaten nothing else. I have taken most of my prep medication along with ample amounts of water, some tea, and some broth.
 As I have previously noted, I do have experience with colonoscopies. I believe this will be my 6th or 7th within the 8 or so years I have had ulcerative colitis. Though I do not have much fear of the procedure, and even feel fairly comfortable with the prep (as comfortable as possible), I am more afraid of the results from this scope than I ever have been before. I have been in some form of a flare consistently for over 3 years since my last scope. I am worried that my colon has not recovered since my last diagnosis of severe pan colitis, and may in some way have gotten worse or developed a cancer. I am afraid that the recommendation of my doctor will be to remove my colon as was the opinion of my last doctor when I had my exam 3 years ago. I am somewhere between anxious and excited to learn the state of my colon, hopeful that it has gotten much better over the last 3 years(as my symptoms would lead me to believe), and terrified at all the dreamed up horribleness of what may lurk below. I will do my best to adopt a positive outlook and believe that healing has occurred.
 As for my ultimate goal of performing a fecal transplant on myself, using a friend as a donor, this colonoscopy hopefully will move me one step closer. My doctor said he would like to see a colon that appears to be in somewhat good shape before he can give me his go ahead blessing for trying this procedure. I guess I will know tomorrow. Also tomorrow my friend is due to have some tests run on himself, in order to make his donation (crap) most likely to be safe for me to use.
To anyone who may be reading I hope this whole procedure will go smoothly as possible and that my case will have a positive outcome empowering others who may be suffering and on the fence about trying fecal transplant.
be well,
Alex

Numero Dos (get it?)

  OK, this is post number two. My first goal is going to be consistency, then clarity, and hopefully someday a bit of fun and entertainment. I did not write yesterday, but some important things have happened. But first, as promised, a very quick attempt at a comprehensive overview of my history with ulcerative colitis, and my position with this disease today.
   I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at about 25 years old. I was working construction in San Diego, California and my symptoms appeared suddenly, but were mainly mild. My diagnosis was mild proctitis which I believe is about as mild as one can possibly have UC. I was eventually put on a maintenance dose of APRISO (mesalamine) and was mostly symptom free for the next 5 years. I did sporadically experience "flares" which consisted mainly of some blood or mucus on the toilet paper. This never really impacted my life, and I do not remember feeling much concern. I had fairly regular colonoscopies, and may have shown some very mild progression, but nothing impactful.
 Around the time I turned 30, I moved back to NY (where I am originally from) and within a few months I began to "flare", this time for real. Blood increased slightly at first, along with urgency. Next was frequency, and when I started having to go to the bathroom over 5 times a day with little warning or ability to "hold it" I quit my job. Even before I had gotten to that point I was seeing a doctor, and then another in NY. They tried the basic steps that every GI doc in the US will do. Mesalamine, then enemas, then steroids, then remicaid. Throughout these trials my symptoms continued to progress. Just before Christmas of 2011 I went to see my doctor and was immediately hospitalized. I was shitting blood uncontrollably over 30 times a day and all night. I was underweight, malnourished, and in fast decline. My hospital stay was 7 days long during which they treated me with IV steroids and after not responding sufficiently they requested to remove my colon. I decided not to let them because I saw a slight improvement. (I am trying not to be dramatic in my writing.)
I returned home still very sick, and have been in somewhat of a state of recovery ever since. Of course it has been 3 years now, so if I am recovering, its not a speedy one. I can say that nowadays I have to take a crap on average 4 times a day. I still have urgency, but I do have a little bit of a warning now, and don't have accidents very often. Blood is still present most of the time, though often it is very limited and sometimes just on the paper or not detectable at all (that always feels like a victory). My stools are mostly formed and look decent except a slight lack of digestion and probably the most concerning of all is that they are much thinner than I would like(slightly bigger than a sharpie marker). This thinness frightens me most because at the very best I believe it signifies inflammation; other possibilities are strictures and of course cancer.
  Some other time I can elaborate more on my story, and all of the things I have tried in order to get myself to this point.
 What I want to talk about a bit More is my progress towards doing a fecal transplant, using a friend as a donor, while staying at his house in San Diego.
 Yesterday I saw a local GI doctor for the first time, as I thought it would be a good idea to develop a relationship with a doctor (you never know when you are going to need those guys). I explained to the doctor that I am planning to do this fecal transplant, and although he is skeptical of the transplant's ability to help me, he went along with it. He also had some of his own suggestions, which I will be following. On his advice I will be submitting to a colonoscopy this coming Monday (it is Thursday today). This will be a good opportunity to see how things look up there and to rule out things like colon cancer. It will also be nice to see if I have made some progress since my last colonoscopy when I was in the hospital 3 years ago. Also assuming that my transplant is a success, I may be able to visually confirm that by comparing before and after. I am actually a little afraid of what he will find in there since I have been sick fr so long, but this feels like the right thing to do, and I will face it.
He also made some suggestions about having my friend ( donor) tested for basic communicable diseases, and parasites. My friend has kindly enough agreed to have these tests run and will be going to the his doctor tomorrow.
So long story short, things are moving along, and I hope to begin the transplant procedure within the next week. Much more to come......Alex

The First Post

    This is kind of a test post; the first of what I hope will be a fairly consistent stream of posts documenting as closely as possible, my journey with ulcerative colitis. I am starting this blog specifically at the point just prior to taking a scary step into the unknown world of fecal transplant.
    For this new adventure, I have already traveled three thousand miles from my home in N.Y., to stay with a friend, who will act as my donor, in San Diego, California. I have been here for 2 weeks now, and am hoping my body is becoming acclimated to the environment. I hope to begin the procedure in about a weeks time from now (1/19/14). I am waiting on a bathroom remodel at my friend Matt's house where I am staying to finish. Also I have an appointment with a local gastroenterologist because I would like to establish some sort of relationship with a doctor while I am out here, just in case I need one, and also for consultation.
 I think my next post will be some of my history, and also some of what I am doing to prepare for my next step. Take care until then!
Alex