• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
BlackDoctor.org
Where Wellness & Culture Connect

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

  • Health Conditions
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Longevity
  • Resource Centers
    • Cancer Resource Center
    • Covid Resource Center
    • Clinical Trials Resource Center
  • Find A Doctor
  • BDO TV
Home / Lifestyle / Living with Ulcerative Colitis / My Story: “Gutless But Glamorous”

My Story: “Gutless But Glamorous”

Gaylyn 2

The BlackDoctor.org ‘My Story’ series features real stories of health triumphs written by and about our readers. Do you have a health and wellness testimony to share? Inspire millions and send your story at [email protected]

The summer before I entered high school I started experiencing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and severe weight loss. At a time that is supposed to be new and exciting as a teenager, I was experiencing new feelings of hurt, pain, and fear.

I was in fear because as my symptoms started to intensify and there was no getting around the fact that something was definitely wrong and getting worse progressively. I was desperately trying to hold on to being a normal teenager but I knew in the back of my mind that something was terribly wrong.

I knew that my pain was increasing and so severe that I needed something to help me get my life back. Little did I know that was never going to be the case again.

Life After Diagnosis

After a routine diagnostic group of tests I was diagnosed with a severe case of Crohn’s disease. I had no idea what to expect, but in hindsight there was absolutely nothing that the doctors could have told me to prepare me for the journey ahead. After diagnosis I tried my best to maintain a so-called normal life and cope with my new diagnosis.

You May Also Like
7 Proven Ways to Cure an Upset Stomach

I was immediately started on an extremely high dose of steroids and stayed on it for years. I started a chemotherapeutic agent and immunosuppressant. I became increasingly immunudeficient from all the medications I was on; I developed the shingles virus twice and I lost all of my hair. I stayed on these medicines for years in hopes that they would miraculously begin to start working and all my pain would disappear.

Each time I tried a different “promising” drug it was in hopes that my misery would subside. And after each drug failed me, my optimism began to fade. After exhausting all options, I had to have surgery.

I went into my first surgery with such high expectations; I was admitted to the hospital in hopes that this surgery would relieve me of my pain and all would be well. That was all but the case. After my first surgery all hell broke loose, I was the sickest I had ever been.

I began stints of constant hospital stays and procedures.

You May Also Like
How One Woman Eliminated 50 Fibroids without Surgery!

I began to suffer immensely with…

Continue Reading

The Latest In Living with Ulcerative Colitis

Crohn’s vs IBS

Ulcerative Colitis Pain and Location: What’s the Best Treatment?

If you are living with ulcerative colitis, it is no surprise that one of the main symptoms of the disease is pain. Aches, cramps, burning sensations, and other chronic discomforts are all common symptoms. However, the location and severity of read more about Ulcerative Colitis Pain and Location: What’s the Best Treatment?
Mid section of a woman with stomach pain sitting in bed

Pain No More: The Pill That Can Prevent Ulcerative Colitis Flare-Ups

  According to the CDC, an estimated 3.1 million adults (1.3%) in the United States have been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Although Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease can be managed, there read more about Pain No More: The Pill That Can Prevent Ulcerative Colitis Flare-Ups
high fiber foods

Sound the Fiber Alarm! Most of Us Need More of It in Our Diet

There are a lot of health factors to keep in mind as we navigate through the dietary day: calories, carbohydrates, protein, saturated fat, vitamins and minerals, to name a few. Did you forget fiber? A lot of people do. But read more about Sound the Fiber Alarm! Most of Us Need More of It in Our Diet
Management of Ulcerative Colitis

How To Manage Ulcerative Colitis

If you've recently been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, you may worry that you'll have to put your life on hold. Fortunately, ulcerative colitis doesn’t have to bring a stop to your life plans; you might just need to make some read more about How To Manage Ulcerative Colitis
drinking tea

5 Reasons to Start Drinking Tea Today!

Tea is praised for being one of the healthiest drinks on the planet. Green tea is loaded with antioxidants that have many health advantages, which may help those with ulcerative colitis. These benefits may include: improved brain function fat loss read more about 5 Reasons to Start Drinking Tea Today!
ulcerative colitis

Give It a Shot: Boosting Immunity with Ulcerative Colitis

COVID-19 has hit the world hard, however, it has been an especially big threat to those who are immunocompromised. Immunocompromised individuals have a deficient immune system that is unable to efficiently combat foreign or malicious substances entering the body. Those read more about Give It a Shot: Boosting Immunity with Ulcerative Colitis

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our newsletter

Poll

Popular Posts

  • Mo’Nique at 55: Slimmer, Happier & Wiser: “I Love Us For Real”Mo'Nique at 55: Slimmer, Happier & Wiser: "I Love Us For Real"
  • Monica Calhoun at 51: “Exude Beauty Inside, Manifest It Outside”Monica Calhoun at 51: "Exude Beauty Inside, Manifest It Outside"
  • Taimak: The Last Dragon Lives 35+ Years Later!Taimak: The Last Dragon Lives 35+ Years Later!
  • Chef Babette Davis: Making 70+ Look Simply Delicious!Chef Babette Davis: Making 70+ Look Simply Delicious!
  • Shemar Moore Expecting First Child at 52!Shemar Moore Expecting First Child at 52!

Podcast

Footer

Where Wellness & Culture Connect

BDO is the world’s largest and most comprehensive online health resource specifically targeted to African Americans. BDO understands that the uniqueness of Black culture - our heritage and our traditions - plays a role in our health. BDO gives you access to innovative new approaches to the health information you need in everyday language so you can break through the disparities, gain control and live your life to its fullest.

Connect With Us

Learn More About

  • Hepatitis C
  • Diabetes
  • Sickle Cell
  • Mental Health
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise With Us
  • BlackDoctor.org Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
  • Daily Vitamina
  • TBH

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.