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Russell Mariani, Digestive Wellness Expert and Author of Healing Digestive Illness
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Sara's Story: Ulcerative Colitis
My symptoms with Ulcerative Colitis started about four and a half years ago.  I had just had my first child and was a stay at home mom.  Being in the house by myself allowed me to cope/ignore the severity of my condition.  In the beginning I would eat breakfast and need to move quickly to the bathroom with what felt like diarrhea but resulted in a small amount of mucus in the toilet.  Over the next few months the urges went from five to 25 visits a day, now with blood and mucus.  I would run to the bathroom in the morning, after breakfast, and sometimes not make it leaving a trail of blood and mucus in my path.  The final straw for me was being frozen in my tracks at the grocery store, unable to move for fear of a blood and mucus accident.  The problem was that sometimes the urge would be so strong and nothing was left,  but you never knew.  So I made an appointment to see my doctor.  She immediately sent me to a Gastroenterologist and the following day I had a colonoscopy.  It really went that fast, from complete denial to full medical treatment.

The results from the colonoscopy came back with this diagnosis: Severe Ulcerative Colitis and a polyp that was removed just to be safe.  Since I was in my early thirties the doctor said it was nothing to be too concerned about but to be safe she would have it biopsied.  It came back as a stage three adenoma which if left would have turned into full blown colon cancer.  She said I would not have made it to 40.   That was horrifying to hear for a new mother with a young son.  So I felt a little blessed by the UC, maybe it saved my life.  I started taking medication that made me feel amazing for about a week until I broke out in nasty hives.  I was switched from one medication to the next until we found one that worked. (Asacol, Prednisone, Bentyl, Colazal, etc) I still had symptoms here and there but not as frequent or severe as before.  I thought I felt pretty good.  Of course I was comparing how I felt to those early months at home alone not to the healthy person I once was.  I started getting bouts that were more severe and with it came bloating and cramping.  I would bloat so badly that I would not be able to close the pants I had put on that very morning.  I was given a dose of steroids which was the worst drug yet.  I stopped taking them and got back on my normal pills.  This same cycle would repeat itself over and over.  Sometimes I felt great, sometimes I did not.

This past December, 2007 turned out to be my breaking point.  I was bloating and cramping after almost every meal and started taking a strong muscle relaxer to alleviate the pain.  I would lay on the couch and read a magazine at night and take my pills after I ate.  All of a sudden I realized that I could not read any of the words in the magazine.  I told my husband that my eye sight was going and made an appointment with an eye doctor. But as the days went on the blurring got worse.  I went to my primary doctor and found out it was an adverse side effect of the medication.  I backed off a little but the cramping was still there. I had to take the pills.  On Dec. 15, 2007 my family had to leave a party because I was in so much pain I could not stand up straight.  I ate a small piece of salmon and when I got home I was on the toilet on and off for three hours getting it out of my system.  This was my worst nightmare come true.  My body was completely failing me.  I was in bed in pain for days.  The cramps were unbearable and I could not eat.

My doctor was out off town so I went to see her office mate, a real old school doctor with very bad advice.  He upped my meds and I followed orders but I knew this was the end of a road for me. I knew I had to do something different.  I was very scared and felt like I had lost myself. That is when the miracle happened. Through a friend of a friend I was given Russell's name and advised to phone him. I called him in desperation and was shocked when he actually answered his own phone. I was holding back tears as we spoke.  I felt pretty helpless, a broken woman.  I signed up and followed his plan.  Within a week I felt like a new person.  A month later I was shocked to discover how much control I had over the supposedly "incurable disease" I once had. 
 I had been led to believe that my "disease" was out of my hands.  I now realize it is all under my control.  At times that is scary too, but in a different manageable way. I now realize that my own health is my own responsibility. And now that I know what to do, I do it gladly most of the time. Especially knowing what the alternatives are. I had suffered long enough. I have completely changed my diet and lifestyle and thank Russell with the great health and energy I am now experiencing every day!

Sara Vincent Maldonado (age 36)
Santa Cruz , California
March 2008

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Nourishing the Roots of Health Since 1980
The statements and information on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure,or prevent
any disease. The material on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes only and must not be taken as "medical advice".
The information and directions in these writings, individually and collectively, are in no way to be considered as a substitute for consultations with a
duly​ licensed physician regarding diagnosis and/or treatment of disease. Please consult with your doctor if you need or are seeking medical advice.
Updated July 2018
©2018 Healing Digestive Illness
  • Home
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    • Acid Reflux >
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    • Celiac Disease >
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    • Constipation >
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    • Diverticulitis >
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    • SIBO >
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    • Ulcerative Colitis >
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  • Free Newsletter
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