I was 14 when I started feeling unwell and experiencing symptoms. When I visited my GP, I was told that my symptoms were probably IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) but as I got older, my symptoms worsened. I was constantly going to the toilet, and I remember being in extreme pain all the time. I visited my GP multiple times, but I was continuously misdiagnosed. I never seemed to get any answers, but I was getting more and more unwell. I ended up in hospital where I had lots of tests done, and they confirmed that my symptoms were Crohn’s Disease. I started treatment straight away. 

It was really hard to navigate my new diagnosis, and I was still experiencing flare ups. After months of trying different treatments, nothing seemed to be working. My flare ups were becoming more and more regular, and I was in unbearable pain. I lost three stone in less than two months, and I started to struggle with my mental health.

Thankfully, I was able to regularly see my IBD nurse. My IBD team were the first people to explain what a stoma was and offer it as an option. I immediately said no to having a stoma as it felt incredibly daunting and I was worried about how I would adapt to my new body, especially as I was so young. 

In January 2011, I experienced an awful flare up. I wasn’t getting any better, so I ended up in hospital. I was told that my intestines were close to perforating, and I was rushed into emergency surgery. It was the last thing I wanted but I didn’t have any other option. I also found out that I had Ulcerative Colitis, not Crohn’s Disease. I think that the reason I hadn’t responded to treatment was because I hadn’t been correctly diagnosed. When I woke up, I had a stoma. Seeing my stoma for the first time was difficult for me to come to terms with. I am grateful that the stoma essentially saved my life, but it was still a big change. I didn’t know anyone else my age who was also living with Ulcerative Colitis.

I’m supporting Crohn’s & Colitis UK’s Cut the Wait campaign because it’s important that Crohn’s and Colitis are taken seriously. These conditions can lead to emergency surgery and have life-changing impacts. It isn’t just a ‘dodgy tummy’, it affects people’s physical and mental health.