Why I am choosing to have my bowel removed
My name is Sam Cleasby, Im 32 years old and I want my bowel removed. That sounds like a pretty drastic thing right? Well yep it is. I am in the midst of a journey that I hope will end with my large bowel being removed from my body.
I have Ulcerative Colitis. I was diagnosed with the disease ten years ago and in that time I have had numerous hospital admissions, many colonoscopies (camera up the bum to the layperson!), many different drugs and more than a few poocidents…
My drug of choice is currently Prednisolone Steroids. They are pretty amazing at getting the disease under control but unfortunately come with a barrage of side effects from insomnia, weight gain, the very awesomely named ‘Moon Face’, hairiness and general mentalness (think anxiety, depression, psychosis, thoughts of suicide) These drugs stop your body from creating corticoids and so have to be slowly tapered off over a matter of weeks or months. I was nearing the end of a two month stint on Pred when I started with another flare up and so my dose that I have carefully tapered down for weeks has been jacked right back up there.
My other drug options are immunosuppressant drugs such as Azathioprine – Immunosuppressants work by reducing or suppressing your body’s immune system. This will then stop the inflammation caused by ulcerative colitis. The drawback is they affect your whole body, not just your colon. This may make you more prone to infections. Like all drugs Azaithioprine has possible side effects, one of the scariest is an increase in the risk of cancer.
Another drug option is Inflizimab, given as an infusion, it works by targeting a protein called TNF-alpha, which the immune system uses to stimulate inflammation. This is the serious big boy drug – one in four patients have an allergic reaction to this drug. Again it increases the risk of cancer, specifically lymphoma in patients.
Now I need to say here that I am in no way against drug treatment, I know they have their place and are the right option for many people. If you are researching the different drugs for yourself, be sure to speak with your doctor or specialist nurse. All drugs have side effects and if you googled every medication you take it would terrify the life out of you. These drugs control the disease in so many people and if it is right for them, then I salute them.
They are not right for me.
I do not want to put medication into my body that may treat the colitis but could give me worse things than what I started with. Cancer is a biggy. I do not want to take anything that increases my chances of getting a disease that is more likely to kill me than the colitis is.
And so I come to the other option. Surgery.
In a way I am lucky, I have Ulcerative Colitis. That means that my large bowel is the only place where the disease is located. People with Crohns can have the disease anywhere in their digestive system. This means that surgically removing my large bowel ‘cures’ Ulcerative Colitis.
Surgery involves permanently removing the colon – a colectomy. As part of the operation, your small intestine will be re-routed from the colon so it can pass waste products out of your body. Initially this will be into a bag attached to my stomach, then in a further operation, surgeons will create a pouch out of my small intestine that is attached to my anus so I can go to the loo in the same way as everyone else!
For some, surgery is the last option. It is the time when they are so poorly that there are no more drug options. Or it is an emergency operation – a life saving operation. For me it is elective. I am not at the point where my bowel is close to perforating, nor have I run out of drugs to take. But my quality of life is taking a bashing here, Ulcerative Colitis affects every part of my life. It affects the relationship with my husband, it affects my children when I am tired, sick and suffering. It affects work, friendships, my mental health, my confidence. If affects how I see myself as a woman. It affects the choices I make in life.
I don’t want to live a life that is ruled by the toilet bowl.
And this is why, for me, the best option is surgery. Take the bad boy away!! I am not making light of the decision, I know it is HUGE and life changing. I have researched so much and cant find a single person who doesn’t say that it is the best thing they ever did.
I have seen my consultant today, he is a great bloke. He listens and cares and gives me all the information for me to make an informed decision and then supports me in moving forward. I have an appointment with a surgeon on the 3rd September to discuss my options and hopefully make a decision on whether he thinks I am a candidate for surgery.
So here’s hoping! Fingers crossed they will agree with me and whip this bad ass into shape!
OMG Sam, I had no idea, My consultant has had me on a six week course of prednisolone coupled with calcium and now bloods to see if Azathioprine is right for me. Fucking scary stuff babe xxx. You’re so brave. I wish you every luck and may your shitty (no pun intended) colon be banished to clinical waste! xxx
Oh I forgot all about the Calcium!! Yes, if you take Steroids they whack you on a big dose of calcium to counteract the chance of osteoporosis!!! Nice, eh!!!
I had the bloods done for Azathioprone too. I made the decision that its not for me, but I know it works for many others!!
Best of luck to you xxx
OMG Sam, I had no idea, My consultant has had me on a six week course of prednisolone coupled with calcium and now bloods to see if Azathioprine is right for me. Fucking scary stuff babe xxx. You’re so brave. I wish you every luck and may your shitty (no pun intended) colon be banished to clinical waste! xxx
Oh I forgot all about the Calcium!! Yes, if you take Steroids they whack you on a big dose of calcium to counteract the chance of osteoporosis!!! Nice, eh!!!
I had the bloods done for Azathioprone too. I made the decision that its not for me, but I know it works for many others!!
Best of luck to you xxx
Sam, I had no idea that you had this illness. I applaud your decision to have this life changing surgery. You are incredible brave. Best wishes to you and a speedy recovery xxx
Sam, I had no idea that you had this illness. I applaud your decision to have this life changing surgery. You are incredible brave. Best wishes to you and a speedy recovery xxx
I’m sorry you’ve had such a long time of feeling awful Sam. I hope you’re consultant agrees with your choice and you can move forward with the surgery. As I have mentioned one of my sister’s has Crohn’s and at times its been truly heartbreaking seeing her struggle. Her longest stint on steroids was around 18 months. Way too long! She developed serious moon face and was a regular at the northern general for bone density tests. The mental health problems caused by the steroids I can relate more to personally, as I constantly feel guilty about the affect my anxiety and depression has on my ability to be a mum. All the best for a good outcome and a speedy recovering. MIchelle x
Thank you Xxx
I’m sorry you’ve had such a long time of feeling awful Sam. I hope you’re consultant agrees with your choice and you can move forward with the surgery. As I have mentioned one of my sister’s has Crohn’s and at times its been truly heartbreaking seeing her struggle. Her longest stint on steroids was around 18 months. Way too long! She developed serious moon face and was a regular at the northern general for bone density tests. The mental health problems caused by the steroids I can relate more to personally, as I constantly feel guilty about the affect my anxiety and depression has on my ability to be a mum. All the best for a good outcome and a speedy recovering. MIchelle x
Thank you Xxx
Bless you Sam – my friend had UC and her large intestine removed a few years ago, we were all so scared for her at the time but it changed her life completely – all for the better! I hope it all goes well for you with your consultant. Brave girl xxxx
Bless you Sam – my friend had UC and her large intestine removed a few years ago, we were all so scared for her at the time but it changed her life completely – all for the better! I hope it all goes well for you with your consultant. Brave girl xxxx