Hey guys. This is something that I continue to think a lot about, and even though I don’t like to dwell on it, I still would like to find some kind of an answer or understanding. I’m always thinking about the nature of the illness I had (ulcerative colitis) and why I got it. I know that this can be a difficult and dark question, but hopefully it can shed light so that we may understand ourselves better.

I know that all of us are different and different factors played a role for us. I know that for me personally, I would trace the start of it to a period of time in my life where I was over-stressed, unhappy, and probably not eating/breathing/exercising well.

So I was wondering if any of you think about this question? And have you realized anything? Has it changed your perspective on things? I guess I ask because I’d like to know if there is something common most of us share as to why we got these particular (digestion-related) disorders. Most importantly, I’d like be able to alter my lifestyle for the better so that I don’t become sick again in the future.

So please do share your thoughts on this. I know that it will help me to know that others ask themselves these questions, and it can possibly help others too.


Peace

I used to dwell on this question; especially during the final UC flare that lasted 2+ years and had me severely ill. When I was diagnosed with UC in the early 1990s the GI handed me a pamphlet that said UC was caused by stress. A lot has changed in the GI world since this pamphlet was distributed (and I still have it). UC is now believed to be an autoimmune disease.

I believe one has to have a genetic predisposition for UC. If you have the gene then all you need is a trigger to set the disease off. Triggers can be stress, use of antibiotics, illness, etc.

Since having surgery 9 years ago I really don't care anymore about the cause. I have tried to focus on living in the present and being grateful for being cured. I'm also still trying to catch up on the 2 years of life I lost due to severe disease.

Sue

I was in the happiest least stressful time in my life when i got sick. I had just gotten engaged (but wasn't yet planning a wedding), had a good job, was at a stable healthy weight and was exercising regularly. My advice is to not dwell on the why and instead focus on how you can be the healthiest happiest you possible. There is no answer to your question and I think you'll frustrated yourself trying to force an answer.

I agree with Jill....I don't think there really is any reason we all got UC...genetic predisposition maybe triggered by something. But I think the most important point is this:
We had no control...we got it for whatever reason, knowing it was NOT our fault! Hopefully we all move on and have it controlled with meds, have the surgery or whatever....We have to make the best of our individual situations and focus on the now and be as happy and healthy as we can be.....

I ask myself this question daily. I actually NEVER had any health problems my entire life and then last April I got a high fever, blood in my stool, and was so weak. Went to Urgent Care, was rushed to ER, got admitted to hospital. Tons of tests were done, 6 blood transfusions later, Doctors come in and tell me my colon has to come out--, three surgeries later I am still so confused as to why I never had any symptoms. I wish I had an answer to my own question. I am so thankful to be alive though and so glad I can get on this board and get tons of great information from people who know what I'm going through

I think of that question alot - mostly while I am on the toilet for 3rd time in a hour or while reading a RV magazine at 3:30 in the AM waiting for my pouch to empty...
It will be one of the first questions I ask when I get to heaven. After what kind of fish did Jonah live in ect...

When I first got sick I was very stressed and just marked it up to that. I dont ask this question much, when I do its like Dave said after a bad day/night; and I think Lord why do I have to be the one to deal. You know to suck it all up and deal with whatever is happening at the moment. I know we all have our moments where we think that we cant take much more, and we always do and come out still wondering how we did it. UC makes us fighters thats for sure.

I still sometimes wonder what hell happened to me so that I got sick with UC and eventually had to have a j-pouch. I found some interesting insights reading the book "Bag Lady: A Memoir" by Sandra Benitez. You can get it at Amazon. I recommend it.

Cheers,
---and try not to stress about the "Why?" Life's too short....

Mark

I don't really think there is any answer to the why? Babies get sick, lots of things happen to people that are very unfair, children deal with things they should never have too, innocent people are victims are horrible events etc... I am not saying these things to make someone feel bad for questioning what happens to them or for finding motivation to live a healthier more stress less life but things happen and we just have to deal with them, it is how we deal with them where the choice and control over our destiny comes in.

I don't know why we got sick.I know getting this illness is not my fault. I certainly did nothing to deserve it and it could not have been prevented.I remember overhearing my surgeon who gave me the total colectomy ileostomy speaking to my parents outside my room, asking them why do they think I got this disease. It struck me as a bloody stupid question at the time.

One question we could ask ourselves is:
''Why were we lucky enough to get sick in a developed country?''

I remember reading about some people in India who had colectomy but had no stoma appliances. They had to use tape and regular plastic bags. It was very difficult for them not to mention the stigma from the surgery that they faced.
And these were the lucky ones who could afford the surgery.

Makes me appreciate my circumstances.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Very-Unique,

I was only 14 when I was diagnosed with UC. I was a happy, energetic teenager with little worries. Other than eating probably too much fast food, I was very healthy and athletic. I was such a good kid and always listened to my parents so I always questioned why this was happening to me. After all is said and done, I know it was God's will and I have grown so much from all of this over the past 15 years. I completely agree with Very-Unique in the fact that we are all so blessed to be in a country with the most amazing doctors and technology capable of giving us our lives back.

Like everybody else, I think it was just an unlucky thing to happen. I have no family history or any sort of IBD. Im the first.

I used to drink alot when I was younger, and I did take accutane for a 6 month period when I was 19. Either way, it is still just bumb luck. Millions of people do both of those things and dont have UC or Chrohns.

I try not to dwell on this question either. The onset of my UC was acute, and I got sick at a time in my life where things were otherwise going very well. I have always been an active person, generally a healthy eater, hardly ever got sick, never smoked, never took any medications such as accutane, etc, etc. So if you're talking prevention, there is absolutely nothing I would have, or even reasonably could have, done differently to avoid getting UC.

Like others here, I also believe that UC is an autoimmune disease. Whatever the reason, it was what was in the cards for me. But since getting my j-pouch, it's like a lot of this didn't happen to me. I focus on moving forward, on what I can do now to continue to live a healthy lifestyle and have a good quality of life too.

Rather than wonder why I got sick, I think "why not?" There is nothing special about me that would mean I was made out of Teflon and nothing bad would ever happen. I had a genetic trait, just like many others. This one just happened to manifest.

Jan

If the Hygiene Hypothesis is true, we got sick b/c we are too clean. Hookworm and other infections may quiet down the immune system.

This would mask some genetic "errors" that caused us to have super vigilant immune systems.

Also, at least to me, explains why UC is more prevalent in developed nations (we're more hygenic). Also explains why UC has a higher incidence in Northern latitudes (hookworms don't live that far North).

Not sure if that helps or not, but the explanation provides me some comfort. I can blame big business for selling me cleaning products.