Newly Diagnosed

Hi everyone,

I’m a 27-year-old veterinary dentist based in Germany, and I was recently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (pending confirmation from pathology). I wanted to share my story and ask for some advice and support as I navigate this new diagnosis.

About six months ago, I had bloody diarrhea without abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. It lasted for three weeks and didn’t respond to any treatments. Bacterial infections were ruled out, and then it stopped suddenly. Now, the same issue has returned and has been ongoing for six weeks. During this time, I’ve lost about 10 lbs.

I had a colonoscopy under sedation yesterday, which wasn’t as bad as I expected, and the doctor told me it looks like UC, but we need to wait for pathology results to confirm. I’m currently on prednisone for a month and will consult with a specialist to discuss long-term treatment options.

Three weeks ago, I also had ulcers in my mouth and red, itchy dots on my hands, arms, and back. These went away after about five days. Around the same time, I experienced pain in my left jaw joint and eye, which resolved after two weeks. Has anyone experienced similar symptoms with UC or related issues?

One of the hardest parts for me is dealing with how this illness is affecting my body. My whole life, I’ve been the big, strong, lean gym guy (never used steroids, just a dedicated gym rat). Now, I’ve lost a lot of weight and don’t have the energy to train properly. I look really sick and thin—kind of like Captain America before the serum, if you know what I mean.

I’m also really anxious about the side effects of prednisone, like water retention and fat redistribution. For those of you who’ve been through this, how did you handle these changes physically and mentally? Do you have any tips for fighting the sides of pred. and coping with the emotional toll of seeing your body change so drastically?

I’m pretty new to Reddit, so I apologize if this post is too long or poorly written. I also don’t have family here in Germany (I’m an immigrant), so I could really use some emotional support from this community.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this—I truly appreciate it!