Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease of the colon/large intestine. The visible symptoms of the disease include inflammation and ulceration of the colon’s innermost lining, called the mucosa. Tiny open sores on the surface of the lining will bleed, ooze pus and drip mucus. As a result of all this fluid activity, patients often suffer diarrhea, bloody stools and abdominal cramping. The inflammation can involve the lowest part of the colon/the rectum (“ulcerative proctitis”), the left side of the colon (“limited/distal colitis”) or the entire colon (“pancolitis”). People who have UC are at a higher risk for developing early colon cancer symptoms.

Loose and bloody stools are what send most patients running to the doctor’s office with UC. They may find themselves running to the restroom suddenly and doubling over with cramps and uncomfortable abdominal pain. As the inflammation worsens, patients report fatigue and unexplained weight loss. About half of all sufferers exhibit only mild symptoms. However, if left untreated, more serious complications arise, such as anemia, skin lesions, joint pain, liver disorders, improper development, colon wall holes and cancerous colon polyps. Often sufferers have periods of remission and recurrence, which makes the inflammation sometimes difficult to treat.

The most serious complication of ulcerative colitis is toxic megacolon, which occurs when the colon becomes paralyzed, thus preventing bowel movements or gas passage. If left untreated, the patient will become groggy, disoriented and weak, and the colon may actually rupture (peritonitis), requiring life-saving surgery. Other complications arising from lymphocytic colitis or collagenous colitis include colon perforation, severe dehydration, liver disease, joint inflammation and a 10% increased risk of colon cancer. It’s advised that patients get a colonoscopy screening done every 1 to 2 years if the inflammation has persisted for more than 8 years. There is a danger for both men and women wishing to conceive, as some medications used to treat this disease have been known to cause birth defects, increase the risk of fetal death or induce pre-term labor.

There are many drug treatments available for ulcerative colitis. Typically, doctors will first prescribe an anti-inflammatory drug like sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), mesalamine (Asacol, Rowasa), olsalazine (Dipentum) or balsalazide (Colazal). While these medications are effective at relieving symptoms, some patients report side effects like diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headaches and heartburn. For patients who have moderate-to-severe inflammatory bowel disease that hasn’t responded to anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids may be prescribed for the short-term, although they have serious side effects like facial swelling, hyperactivity, insomnia, heightened blood pressure and osteoporosis. Lastly, collagenous colitis may be treated by immune system suppressors like: azathioprine (Imuran), mercaptopurine (Purinethol), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), or infliximab (Remicade). However, these drugs may cause damage to other organs and Remicade can’t be taken by people with congestive heart failure, multiple sclerosis or a history of colorectal and small bowel cancer.

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