My dad has Ulcerative Colitis and has very kindly shared a bit about his journey:

In 2011 when using the toilet I found it becoming painful and was also passing blood, originally my GP told me it’s probably Piles. It soon became obvious that was not the case as I start visiting the toilet 10 to 15 times a day and the pain was becoming unbearable.

After having an Endoscopy I was told I had U.C. and they would treat it with drugs. After many months of agony and time in Hospital and visiting the toilet up to 30 times a day, also not being able to carry out my responsibilities at work correctly I was given the opportunity of having an Ileostomy.

In May 2013 I had my op and returned home in pain but feeling a weight had been lifted from me.

My large intestine now removed and things returning to normal, I returned to work and things settled down. As is normal they leave a small part of your bowel in place and as down side I will still suffer with U.C. but something I can easily live with.

Crohn’s and Colitis UK is a national charity in the battle against Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. We are fighting to achieve a better quality of life for the 300,000 people in the UK suffering physically and emotionally from these and other forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Ultimately, we want to find a cure.