Health Update: An Inflamed Colon, an Inconvenient Hospitalization, and Starting Entyvio

In August 2018, I was hospitalized for five days for the worst ulcerative colitis flare of my life. In this post, I share why I was hospitalized, how they managed my symptoms in the hospital, and how this flare affected my long-term school and career plans. Let’s dive in!

The First Signs of the Flare

I noticed the first signs of a flare in June, about two weeks into my summer chemistry course. (I had quit my job in HR to go back to school to become a dietitian).

The pains and cramping grew progressively worse throughout the summer semester. For some reason, they were worst in the morning. From about 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., I was literally confined to our apartment bathroom.

The pain was unbearable. 

I’d be sitting on the toilet, one hand grasping the counter, the other the bathtub, crying and groaning, hoping our neighbors couldn’t hear.

I was fortunate that my chemistry class didn’t start until 1:30 p.m. or else I undoubtedly would have had to drop it.

Though I Didn’t Drop the Course, My Grades Took a Hit

Throughout this flare, I was consistently getting Cs, Ds, and Fs on exams. As a school-lover, workaholic, and summa cum laude grad, I knew this wasn’t me. It was the flare, and it was taking its toll.

I couldn’t study in the mornings because of my distracting sprints to the toilet every ten minutes.

And I could hardly study after class because simply going to class used up all my energy. It was a stressful, tearful, worrisome eight weeks.

Trying to Manage the Flare with My Doctor

I of course told my GI about this flare, and she had me do countless lab tests, stool studies, and X-rays. I even had to get back on prednisone and start taking medicinal enemas.

Canceling All My Summer Plans

Somehow, these management tools helped manage my symptoms enough to finish my chemistry course and pass with a B-. (That must have been because of the Lord because there’s absolutely no way I could have done that on my own with the severity of my flare.)

Unfortunately, even during my three-week vacation before my fall courses started, I had to cancel all my plans: a fun double date we had planned with a couple I met at a recent liver disease conference, a Fourth of July BBQ, and joining my husband and his friends on a road trip.

The Hospitalization

Finally, I was feeling so unwell that on August 20, 2018, I let my mom drive me to the hospital. Within a few hours, I was admitted due to a fully impacted and inflamed colon.

Instead of relaxing and enjoying my three-week vacation, I instead became all-too-familiar with my small hospital room and the hustle and bustle of nurses and case managers coming in and out.

The first two days were the worst. I was in so much pain and I was having at least fifteen bowel movements each day, with blood and mucus in every flush.

Tests and Clear Liquid Diet

That week, I did routine labs and had a CT scan and an emergent colonoscopy. But probably the worst of all: I was put on a strict liquid diet for my entire five-day stay.

My meals were Jello, broths, and cream of wheat. It left me in a state of constant hunger. I also lost a lot of weight. I’m naturally thin with a fast metabolism, so I didn’t really have any weight to lose. So, my body stripped it from my muscles.

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Unintentional Weight Loss

Prior to the hospitalization, I had been working out regularly, lifting weights, and downing protein. It’s my personal goal to gain lots of pounds in muscle.

Even before I was released from the hospital, I saw—and felt—all that hard work go down the drain. I was forced to supply my lack of energy with light food with little nutritious value, which just left me hungrier and craving more.

And with this lack of energy, my only exercise was walking to open the window in the morning, closing it at night, and all the bathroom sprints in between. I desperately missed walking and hiking in the sunshine.

Being Released from the Hospital

After five days of flooding my veins with steroids and shoveling down endless pills for the inflammation and pain, I was discharged on the evening of the fifth day on August 24, 2018.

I still had diarrhea and I was still in pain. The only improvement is that I was going to the toilet maybe six times a day instead of ten plus.

Although I was excited to go home, I also didn’t feel like I was healthy enough. But, hey, they sent me home with an antispasmodic so “I should be okay” as I continued to heal and slowly reintegrate soft foods back into my diet.

Recovering at Home

I forced myself to do another two days of liquids only. Then I slowly reintroduced the softest of foods into my diet, like chicken noodle soup and mashed potatoes.

Hoping these bland pieces of substance would coax my colon out of its rage, I continued bribing it with Progresso chicken chunks and bites of pasta.

Starting My Fall Semester at School

I was released just in time to attend my fall semester classes, but I decided to skip the first two days since I was still sick and weak. My professors were understanding and gracious about this.

The Plan to Start Entyvio

After my hospital release, I met with my GI doctor and we decided that I should start the biologic Entyvio ASAP to taper me off prednisone.

I was fearful that, like Remicade and every single other medication I’d tried, Entyvio would stop working after a few months. Of course, there was only one way to find out.

To end on a positive note, on the day I’m writing this blog post, my breakfast consisted of a biscuit sandwich with egg, turkey and ham slices, avocado, and a splash of salsa. So, I guess you can say I’m upgrading 🙂 Lord knows I need to keep up my strength as I take care of this dependent, needy, high-maintenance comical colon.

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