Hi there! Welcome to part three of this six-part blog series about my crazy rollercoaster journey with autoimmune pancreatitis. Did you miss part one or two? Check them out here! This post will cover my third (and final) hospital stay, my specialty endoscopy procedure, and my super strange pathology results. We left off in late […]
3 Reasons Why Prednisone Causes Weight Gain (And 3 Tips to Stop Gaining More Weight)
If you have Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis, you’ve probably taken prednisone at some point. Prednisone, sometimes referred to as the “devil’s tic-tacs” in the chronic illness community, has some fairly intense side effects including weight gain. But why exactly does it cause weight gain? And what can you do to prevent gaining weight? Keep reading […]
The Remarkable Ways Vancomycin Improved My Ulcerative Colitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
I had elevated liver numbers near the end of 2017 and my gastroenterologist believed I had the rare liver disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Unfortunately, the results of my procedures (including a specialty blood test and an MRCP) were normal. That’s why my GI and I decided that I try vancomycin to see if it […]
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 […]
The Curious Case of Tonsil Stones and Why They Might Relate to IBD
Have you ever had tonsil stones? You know, the weird white clumps that cling to the skin in the back of your throat? I dealt with tonsil stones, also known as tonsilloliths, from January through May 2015. It was not a fun experience, but I wanted to share it because I’ve heard of others with […]
7 Prednisone Side Effects and Ideas to Help Manage Them
If you’ve ever taken prednisone, you might agree with me that it’s kind of a love-hate relationship. Prednisone isn’t supposed to be a long-term maintenance medication, and for good reason! While it can help reduce the severity of flares, it can also present a good handful of intense side effects. In this post, I share […]