My name is Liam, I’m 34 years old and I live in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Around 12 years ago, I was rushed into hospital with a severe case of viral gastroenteritis. After a week or so I was allowed to go home and recover. Then from that day things were never right again. I began suffering cramps and bleeding on a regular basis which I was advised was in relation to the gastroenteritis. As time went on, and with each and every visit I made to my doctor, the answer as to what was wrong with me seemed further and further away.


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After a few years of constant pain, bloating and bleeding, not to mention continuously being told there was ‘nothing wrong with me’, I was finally diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. I had never even heard those words before, let alone understand what the condition was or how it was about to change my life.


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I struggled to bring myself to talk about my condition openly. I saw it as a weakness. I suppose it made me feel less ‘manly’ and decreased my value as a human somehow. Still to this day I am pretty sure quite a few of my friends still think I have ‘bad IBS’. At the time I had never realized an online IBD community existed, never mind how big and supportive it is. I think if I had known about this community back when I was really struggling, things would have been a lot easier.


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Since then I have achieved remission through immunosuppressants and finally managed to have a semi normal life again, or at least a manageable one. Something that I will be forever grateful for.

Liam.

IG: @livingwithulcerativecolitis



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