I have never bought the argument that childhood vaccines caused my immune system to go wanky. I also don't subscribe to any of the other claims about UC being caused by diet. I believe that those with IBD are genetically programmed. Hit with a trigger, which could be stress, food borne illness, or use of antibiotics, and there goes your first flare.

People really need to move on from the childhood vaccination fear. These claims have been proven to be unfounded. Right now one elementary school in my town has 5 cases of whooping cough. It's an alternative school where 72% of kids are not vaccinated. There is no herd immunity; the herd left the ranch.

Sue

While vaccines are most definitely red herrings, actually contracting those illnesses may have something to do with it. Probably not specifically, but just part of the many possible immune response triggers. Still, I would think it would have to be more gut related to really be a factor, otherwise every cold could be a culprit.

And, don't get me started about folks not vaccinating their kids....

Jan

I know a few people who wont vaccinate their kids. I just want to smack them.

quote:

actually contracting those illnesses may have something to do with it.

As I mentioned I had all those illnesses that there are now vaccinations for, but they did not have them in 1968-1969. My mother at that time maintained a "baby book" on me, these were popular back then, keeping track of all this stuff him and my treatment, my heights, weights etc at different ages (my mother was a total nut on this stuff). I ran very unusually high fevers with all those ilnesses, which concerned the Doctors. I actually remember having Mumps and Chicken Pox. Mumps at 5 and Chicken Pox at 6. I have a couple of small scars/Pox marks to this day, barely visible, in the area of my lower forehead. My face broke out in the Pox and when they scabbed over they became itchy as hell. I think Mumps was worse.

Salmonella poisoning summer of 1972 and then onset of UC immediately after. I had the IBD gene and all of this stuff triggered it at age 9.

However we contracted it we did, we are living with it and if we get dehydrated we know what to do.

I think that I had the full run of the childhood diseases too plus chronic ear infections and long runs of antibiotics (like all kids of my generation)...then had what was billed as chronic gastrointeritis...green, runny stool, blood and cramping from around the age of 9 or 10...they eventually conceeded that I might have IBD but refused to lable it. (I was put on huge doses of Pred at 9 for it and took it for a couple of years)...then accutane that sent me into a tail spin.
No one talked about where things came from nor what caused them...it just was. I have no idea if the 'chronic gastro' was a cause or an effect...nor if the accutane was the reason that I went over the edge...all that I know is that I have felt much better since they yanked my colon and gave me a pouch. (yeah for pouches!)
CT, your mom was not a nut...She was European (I suppose).
Here in Europe they have what is called a Health booklet and every child is issued one at birth.
All hight/weight measures are noted along with diseases, vaccines, illnesses and surgeries. They follow you your whole life.
It was a great way to keep track of it all at a time when computers didn't exist and many people were illiterate...the doctors wrote notes, appointments, recomendations and just about everything that they noticed.
As for vaccinations, here, they can refuse a child access to public school if he/she isn't vaccinated. And yes, I want to smack those parents who don't vaccinate, too.
Sharon

quote:

CT, your mom was not a nut...She was European (I suppose).

Yep! Born in Hungary, in 1935, and grew up there and in Israel (then known as Palestine) after World War II. She was an original 1948 Israeli (living on a kibbutz at time of 1948 independence of Israel) and served in the IDF when she got older. She is now living in Florida with my father.

CT, the salmonella definitely could be a trigger, since it directly inflames the gut. The viruses, not so much, other than maybe weakening your resistance if they were back-to-back. I did not have any illness in the year before my first UC flare (same with my son). Just bam! Like a lightning strike!

Jan

Jan,

I went straight from salmonella poisoning to UC. I never was completely healthy again after the summer of 1972, although I did have normal bowel movements for the first 9 years of my life. After the bout of salmonella poisoning I was hospitalized numerous times in both New York and Connecticut before they figured out what was wrong with me. This included a hospitalization in the winter of 1972-73 at Montefiore Hospital in New York City which was then known for its pediatric care, and I was examined by various pediatricians who didn't know what was wrong with me. My ultimate UC diagnosis came from a GI doctor in Bridgeport, CT who would remain my GI until my colon was removed, and he retired right around that time.

I hate to say this but the salmonella poisoning was caused by undercooked chicken baked by my aunt, who was then in her early 20s and now in her 60s. She is a dear lady and I remain close with her and her husband (a college professor) to this day. She is also one of the better cooks in a family that is full of them. It's all horribly ironic.

I realize that I have IBD for life, it's not going away etc. but it is all interesting to wonder about.

I think the focus should be not on the specific event, wondering "what if," because if it were not for that, it would be something else, unless you lived in a bubble. For me, it is more of an academic interest to understand how this disease works.

I guess I was lucky to be diagnosed in about a month in 1972. I was hospitalized once the flare was severe and a barium enema and sigmoidoscopy revealed pretty obvious UC. I wasn't even at a fancy university hospital. They did at first suspect food poisoning or paracites, but those were quickly ruled out.

Jan

Just a little humor to send this thread off...see the attachment...