We’re here for you, join our community!

My symptoms, which presented as abdominal pain and bloody stools started in 2019 so my initial visit to the GP was in the midst of the pandemic. It was a worrying time. I did multiple blood tests, examinations, and stool samples, all of which consistently came back normal. I continued to have symptoms but I was repeatedly turned away or misdiagnosed as having piles or fissures. On one occasion a GP suggested I could be mistaking my rectal bleeding for menstruation.

Finally in May 2021, signs of inflammation were showing in my test results and I was booked in for a sigmoidoscopy which led to my official diagnosis.

Following my diagnosis, I started daily medication of mesalazine and budesonide, and subsequently for the next year I only experienced short-lived flare ups. However, in summer 2022, things started to change and I became very ill. This resulted in a two-week hospital stay. During this time, I was rushing to the toilet and passing large amounts of blood up to 10 times a day. I was extremely weak, had anemia and other vital vitamin deficiencies. I was given multiple steroid treatments which unfortunately  failed to reduce the inflammation.

I'm forever thankful for my incredibly supportive partner, who encouraged me to keep pushing for answers. It was hard for me to seek the advice and help required, even after diagnosis. The charity has connected me to such a wonderful community of understanding people out there, I'm so proud to be one of them!