UC check up time....all good

Now, I don't know about you guys, but I'm an absolute shocker when it comes to getting blood tests done before an appointment with the gastro....and today's appointment was no exception....

As usual I didn't remember that I needed to get bloods done until last week...then I did made the usual excuses of "I'll do it tomorrow"..."plenty of time still left" etc...well no, I didn't have plenty of time ... time ran out, so this morning before breakfast and the daily dose of meds I finally made time for our local Sullivan Nicolaides Pathology collection office.  Most of the ladies there are friendly the majority of the time ... but I have had the rare instance where you get a cranky one who won't tick the bulk bill box and your stuck with a nice little out of pocket bill.  Anyway ... today I had lovely ladies ... I recognise them ... they recognise me as the patient with some weird different tests from 'normal' people ... normal is overrated :-D

So blood tests done and off the gastros at 1pm.  I love to to see my gastro when I'm feeling fine....it means she not going to want to have a little 'lookie' anywhere.  I've been seeing her now for 5 years and we have a friendly relationship..I ask her about her trip overseas at Christmas and we swap information on our kids...nothing major...just enough to be friendly.  First up..she wants to know my blood test results ... and I have to admit I only just went, so it will be another 2 weeks before she hears anything...yep..I knew that too...but she's not worried about the results ... all's looking good ... a year clear and the intestines are holding it together still with a little help from 3x imuran & 1 salazopyrin.  My gastro still can't believe that it's the little salazopyrin that could be making the difference.  She's never had anyone that 'worked' the meds and got a good result.  As I keep telling here .... we're all different and I got lucky with my combination.

I'm in and out in 10mins...a prescription and a blood test in my pocket for next time ... she wants to see me in 3 months...so of course I push it out to 4.  Can't help myself.

So those reading this who aren't in remission ... hang in there ... 2 years ago I gave up hope and felt doomed to a life where the toilet was my safe haven ... now I'm back to being able to do what I want, when I want.

I believe things happen in life and you're supposed to learn a lesson from it ... mine is not to take life for granted as mine was taken away from me and I had no choice but to be a slave to UC ... now I try to offer assistance / help to anyone that might need it ... some people I tell my story to ... some I don't ...

A year clear of symptons

For those of you who have followed my posts over the years, you'll know that lack of posts from me are a good thing ... it means I'm in remission and not thinking about UC all of the time....

Looking back 3 years ago I was in a mess with UC with no visibility to a pathway out.  I look back now and often wonder how and why it got such a hold of me.  My only answer is stress and how my mind played on that to keep me in the vicious cycle of UC.

I'm still on the same meds I started last Jan and still living the UC clear dream.  However I got to this point, I am eternally grateful for an ordinary life.

Relief - nothing there

I was supposed to have my colonoscopy on 26th July, but decided to bring it forward by 2 weeks as I just needed to get it over and done with.  Yep, you read me right...I brought it forward.  I just couldn't bear to have to sit and think and worry about it any longer, so I made the call about 4 weeks ago to bring the date forward to 12th July.  Yep, that was a few weeks ago now, so I'm done with it!

I do have to say though, the day before the procedure, I was cursing myself for bringing it forward.  Anyone who has done this procedure will know exactly what I mean.  I hate the prep drink.  This time I took the 'fleet' route.  My GI doesn't recommend it, but I'm quite stubborn now about what I will and won't do, so I got my own way and didn't have to drink 3 litres of that other crappy stuff.

Anyway, long story short, I had a little incident with blood pressure...I told them not to let me get cold...blood pressure drop, heart starting racing...they got a little worried..I came to and wondered what all the fuss was about.

Done and dusted now, no more colonoscopies for another 2 years.

Results showed nothing major....just the scaring which needs to be watched.

So I've now been in remission for 6 months.....

I'm happy with that.  It was a long time coming....

Colonoscopy time again - eeekkkk!

I hate the thought of having to have a colonoscopy and that time has just come around again!  July 26th to be precise.

The thought of the prep fills me with trepidation.  How long will it take to work? Then the constant back and forth to the bathroom!

I'm scared up to the point when they are just about to put you to sleep and then the fear of the results when you wake up.

Last came I came around, I saw my GI immediately and shouted across the room at her.."Do I have cancer?"...I couldn't help myself and up until that very point in time, I hadn't realised how scared I was.

This time around I feel even more scared about the results.  I fear the worst as thing have been 'normal' lately.  Good things always come to an end. 

Yes, sorry, I'm pretty negative about my future at the moment and I have no reason to be.

The power of positive thinking goes out the window in the lead up to the hospital visit.  

Any ideas on how to lift this dark cloud?

Amalgam Fillings and Ulcerative Colitis - Is there a link?

"Mercury is one of the most toxic substances on the earth, surpassed only by plutonium, according to Dr. Paul Gilbert of the Academy of General Dentistry. Mercury amalgam dental fillings have been used in the United States and UK since 1833 and 50 percent of their composition is toxic liquid mercury. Mercury poisoning is pervasive, affecting the entire body, according to well-known advocate of amalgam removal, Dr. Hal Huggins. Recovery from mercury poisoning is long and tedious."

So my question is to all you UC suffers....Do you have amalgam fillings? 


I know mercury is extremely dangerous but hadn't actually made the link between UC and mercury fillings before until 2 days ago when I went to see Greg Emerson who specialises in Nutritional and Environmental Medicine.


I'd just about sat down in the chair for the 1hr long consultation when I was asked to open my mouth so Greg could have a look in.  He started counting my amalgam filling and given the fact I grew up in the 70's in the UK, I have a mouth full of amalgam fillings - 10 in total of which I'd say 5 are really big fillings.


So to cut a long story short, he basically said I needed to have all the mercury fillings removed before he could treat me any further.  Apparently Root Canals also pose issues for your health.


Greg Emerson showed me the following video - Smoking Teeth = Poison Gas - and based on this, I have decided to proceed with having my fillings removed in the hope it will cure my UC for ever.  I also have a gold crown that needs to be looked at as it may contain mercury and as you may have seen in the video - gold and mercury is a big no no! 


I have found a Holistic dentist to remove my 'silver' fillings as a "normal" dentist may expose me to more mercury when he drills out my teeth. Yes, of course it's going to cost me a fortune to have all this work done, but I have actually been thinking about having these fillings changed for quite a while now and if I do manage to rid myself of colitis, what a miracle that would be.  Yes, you are hearing the skepticism now, as how many times have I thought I might have found the cure, only to be disappointed.  But for me, this could be a win win situation.  I have had these fillings in my mouth for the last 25 - 30 years and they have been leaking into my body and maybe this is what is causing me all my problems and ulcerating my colon.  It does kind of make sense!  What have I got to loose?  Yes cash, but at least I'll have a nice white mouth.


I hate dentists with a passion, as some of you may have read in my previous blogs, but I'm going to do this.  My first consultant is on 4/4 so I'll let you know how it goes.  If anyone has heard of the mercury / UC link or of has any theories, please let me know.


And finally, here's a link to another story I found - Amalgam Removal Ends Colitis.  Again I'll be the skeptic until proof is supplied...unfortunately, previous experience shows that people trying to sell you something are out to make a quick buck.  But here's hoping!

Summer is nearly over

Time really does fly.... thats us nearly half way through February already!  I honestly do think, the older we get the quicker time goes and I do wonder if I really appreciate my life enough.  I remember my Dad saying a few years back, that although he was 75, in his mind he felt in his 20s-30s, but his damn body was the thing letting him down.

Maybe that is why I was given this crappy disease to try and make me appreciate life to the full instead of squandering it away.  In times of remission (even if short) I certainly do appreciate being able to go places and not having to panic too much if I can't see a toilet straight away.  That doesn't mean I don't find out where the toilets are...just in case!

I also wish I could make travel plans for the future without first panicking over whether I'll be ok to do a plane ride or not.  I want to go back to Canada skiing again next winter and I'd love to spend some time in New York, all I need is the courage to book the flights and accommodation.

I'm getting there though.  If I can just keep this UC at bay for most of the time I might just make that trip next year!

I don't think I've mentioned this before, but I'm going to see a guy in Brisbane called Dr Greg Emerson - http://www.drgregemerson.com/ - he's quite famous in his field apparently.  His waiting list is 7 months long, so I'm hoping for a cancellation by Easter.  If any of you have heard about him, please let me know either way as he's very expensive and I hate to be wasting money on a lost cause.

How much would you give for a 'normal' life?

5 years into this crappy disease, I often wonder what it would be like to be 'normal' like everyone else again. But what is normal anyway and is it all really only a facade? People put on such false faces all the time and why, just to look better in front of other people or pretend they have more than they really have. What a lot of wasted effort. UC unfortunately teaches us all about humility. I don't even know how many little 'accidents' I have had in the last few years, but each time it happens in public I deal with it and clean myself up and deal with the pity others show for me. How humiliating but with it comes inner strength. So maybe I'm richer for my own type of 'normal' life but no, I wouldn't wish it anyone else.