Aaron’s story

Meet Aaron – 18 year old student with Ulcerative Colitis

I was first diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was fourteen. I recall feeling nervous and somewhat panicky. The first time I experienced bleeding I remember worrying heavily and feeling frightened.  Since then however, it has become a part of my life and by now affects me in a very different way to how it used to.

Initially I was often absent from school, I was highly cautious about what I was eating and about everything I put into my mouth. I remember well my fear of blood and of bleeding. When I was first diagnosed I didn’t leave the house because I constantly would need to go to the toilet. As time progressed however, I eventually left the house but I wouldn’t go anywhere without first making sure there was a toilet on route.

Those first three years were the worst of my life and I was put under every possible medication before finally being prescribed Infliximab which changed everything and made my situation far more manageable.

Today I take Asacol and Imuran after slowly being brought off Infliximab. Moreover, I have to refrain from eating fried foods. I also massage the area of my stomach when I am in pain and this always proves helpful and soothing. When I meet people I tend not to tell them about my colitis.  In the beginning, at its very worst, I  told the people I care about so that they might help me through it – which they did. They are the reason I am the (nearly totally) healthy young man I am today and I could not be more grateful or thankful towards all of them.