When you have Inflammatory Bowel
Disease, you’re forced to deal with a lot of crap—literally and figuratively.
Not only are people affected by disease symptoms, but the side effects of certain
treatments. The ulceration in your colon might not visible to others, but side
effects often do have physical manifestations. Sometimes your self-esteem can take
a hit when struggling with side effects like weight loss, weight gain, facial swelling,
and acne.
Edema
Dehydration and malnutrition often
cause rapid weight loss during a flare. It’s hard enough to keep things down
(and keep them in), and when you’re running to the bathroom fifteen to twenty
(or more) times a day, fluid and nutrition is easily lost. An IV is the best
remedy for dehydration, but, if the body also lacks protein, edema can occur.
Edema is the phenomenon of swelling due to fluid retention. So after a drastic
drop in your weight, you could find yourself swelling up like a balloon.
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| Photo via Keck Medicine at the University of Southern California |
The edema is harder on the body
than you’d imagine. When you’re lying in a hospital bed all day with little to
no energy, your muscles will dwindle. This makes the swelling feel a lot
heavier, making it that much more difficult to get out of bed. It can even
cause back pain due to the pressure the swelling causes. I felt like lopsided
water-balloon animal; my forearms were larger than my upper arms, and my feet
and ankles were puffy. It was a strange sight.
Weight loss
Without an IV, the fluid weight is
usually lost within a couple weeks. However, this will bring you back to the
equally unpleasant state of being underweight, which is not glamorous in the slightest.
I try to gain weight as quickly as possible, but it’s a slow process. It takes
me months to get back to my normal weight, and the transition period can be awkward
and uncomfortable. I’ve felt discouraged from going out anywhere—even when I do
have the energy—because I don’t want to be seen in my withered state. I
basically looked like Sirius Black after escaping Azkaban, but not as cool as
Gary Oldman.
Moon Face and Acne Rash
On top of the weight fluctuation,
the standard treatment to get a flare back under control involves the use of
steroids, which come with a load of side effects. As I mentioned in a previous
post, a common side-effect of the steroid Prednisone is facial acne, which
won’t go away until you’re off the medicine completely. I despise the acne rash,
and covering it up with make-up is tedious and only somewhat effective. I imagine
most men with prednisone acne probably won’t be slathering cover-up on their
face, which leaves them with even fewer options to cope. Along with the red
bumps that appear all over the forehead, cheeks, chin, and chest, Prednisone
will also cause facial swelling. Some people deal with a rather severe
“moon-face.” For me, the swelling is minimal, but definitely noticeable.
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| Moon Face vs. Normal Face |
Yep, that is me on the left, not a chipmunk. As you can see, Prednisone can really make your cheeks puff up.
All of these side effects can make
it difficult for a person to feel confident and happy about themselves, which
is important during the recovery process. You don’t feel like going out, but too
much reclusiveness can be detrimental as well. If you get hung up on the
temporary state of your body, you just make the recovery process even harder
for yourself. Even if I don’t feel back at 100%, I try to remind myself that in
time I’ll be in a better place, physically and mentally.
TIPS:
- One thing that helps boost my self-esteem during the recovery process is exercise. Go for a walk, run, or just lift some weights at home—you will start to build back your muscles and feel better in general.
- If you are insecure about being underweight, wear loose clothing. Baggy clothes will make things less noticeable, and odds are strangers probably won’t take any notice anyway—it’s only a big deal to you.
- Most importantly, do something that makes you happy! Draw, write, play games, or watch some movies—not everything has to be exertional if you are low on energy.
Changes in your appearance always
seem more drastic to you because you’re more familiar with your body than
anyone else. Sometimes it’s best not to care. You don’t need the stress.
I hope all the other UC warriors
out there feel better and stay happy.
