Signs and symptoms of colitis after Made In Chelsea star Louise Thompson has stoma bag fitted
Reality TV star Louise Thompson revealed she has been fitted with a stoma bag fitted after dealing with multiple health concerns. The former Made In Chelsea star made an announcement via her social media channels, asking fans and followers to “be kind”.
The reality TV star has been vocal about her ongoing health battles with ulcerative colitis and autoimmune disease lupus. Taking to Instagram, she said: “HOW DO I DISCLOSE THIS SORT OF NEWS? It’s not exactly exciting like a big pregnancy or gender reveal announcement!
"Hey look I'm having a boy… Hey look I've got a stoma! So I guess I'll just stand here. Proud in stature. With my new friend. Le bum bag that represents life.
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"And hopefully a better one. Isn’t it bizarre that this little grey pouch is the price I pay for good health! I say good riddance to that nasty menacing colon! Please be kind."
According to Crohn’s & Colitis UK, the condition occurs when the body’s immune system has a fault, and ultimately starts attacking the bowel. Although there’s no definitive cause, which can vary from person to person, it’s thought to be caused by a mix of a person's genes, bacteria in the gut, as well as environmental factors.
When someone experiences colitis symptoms, the condition may be described as ‘active, or ‘very active’ if you’re experiencing flare-ups. When visiting a health professional, they will be able to tell you if you fit into one of two severity groups - mild-to-moderate or moderate-to-severe. This is based on the symptoms you experience during activity.
Different types of colitis
While you may have heard of the term ‘ulcerative colitis’, there are three main types of the condition. This is based on how much of your large intestine is affected and where.
The type of colitis a person is diagnosed with can also impact the symptoms which are experienced, as well as the type of treatment you might receive. The main types include:
Proctitis - this is where only the rectum is inflamed but the rest of the colon is unaffected.
Left-sided colitis (also called distal colitis) - this includes the rectum and the left side of the colon.
Total colitis (also called pancolitis) or extensive colitis - colitis that affects the whole colon is known as total colitis or pancolitis.
Symptoms of ulcerative colitis
According to Crohn’s & Colitis UK, the most common symptoms of the condition can include cramping pain in your tummy (abdomen) when you need to poo, waking up at night to go to the toilet and bleeding from your bottom. You may not experience symptoms all the time and can go through periods without any problems at all.
When symptoms return it’s known as a ‘flare-up’. Others symptoms can include:
Diarrhoea – this is passing looser poo more often than is normal for you. There may be mucus or blood in your poo.
Urgency – you may need to reach a toilet quickly.
Constipation – this is finding it hard to pass poo regularly or empty your bowels completely. You may need to strain and your poo may be dry or hard. This is common with proctitis.
Generally feeling unwell - this may include having a raised temperature, feeling feverish or your heart may beat faster.
Extreme tiredness – also known as fatigue. This can be due to a lack of iron. Or due to a lack of sleep if you keep getting up in the night with diarrhoea or pain. But sometimes you won’t know what is causing fatigue.
Anaemia – a reduced number of red blood cells means that less oxygen is carried around the body. This is more likely if you’re losing blood in your poo, aren’t eating much, or you’re having frequent flares. Anaemia can make you feel very tired.
Loss of appetite and weight loss - feeling unwell can impact your appetite. Some people avoid eating when they have diarrhoea.
When a person experiences their symptoms returning, it’s known as a flare-up, which can be experienced differently by everyone. It’s also possible that symptoms may change over time. Flare-ups can last anywhere from a few days to several months and you may have different symptoms during a flare-up than you had when you were first diagnosed.
It’s possible for people to go a number of years without feeling unwell, while some may experience flare-ups multiple times a year. Around two in three people have a decrease in symptoms over time – and one in 20 people have ongoing symptoms of active colitis.
Signs of a flare-up can include:
Going to the toilet more than five times in 24 hours – or more than is normal for you and this continues for more than a day.
Loose poo or diarrhoea with any blood and/or mucus for more than three days.
Urgency – having to rush to the toilet.
Pain in your tummy, usually when you need to go to the toilet.
Generally feeling unwell, especially if you have a fever.
Waking up at night to go to the toilet.
Passing blood or mucus without poo - this symptom is more common with proctitis.
It’s also possible that a flare-up could affect other parts of your body, such as experiencing joint pain or swelling, mouth ulcers, nausea, rashes on the skin, fatigue, and mental health problems. The NHS explains there can also be complications which come along with ulcerative colitis, which include:
an increased risk of developing bowel cancer
poor growth and development in children and young people
Treatment for ulcerative colitis
Treatment for the condition can vary depending on how severe your ulcerative colitis is and how often you experience a flare-up. The main aim of treatment is to reduce symptoms and maintain remission.
Treatments can include medication, but also surgery - such as a colectomy - or a combination of both. Crohn’s & Colitis UK advised working your IBD team to decide on the best cause of treatment. They will take into consideration:
Where the inflammation is in your bowel
How active and severe the inflammation is
Whether you have any complications
Whether other treatments have helped you feel better in the past
Surgery is used as a form of treatment if you have frequent flare-ups which are significantly impacting your quality of life, or if severe colitis isn’t responding to medication. If you require a colectomy, your small intestine will be used to pass waste products out of your body instead of your colon. This can be achieved by creating an ileostomy or an ileoanal pouch.
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