I remember my trusted Gastroenterologist saying, “I’ve never seen you like this before, you need to request medical leave from your job ASAP and decide if you want to be hospitalized for a week or two, or try to recover at home.” I was also told that since I was no longer responsive to Prednisone (corticoid steroids), the probability was slim of a biologic stopping this mother of all flares that I was now in.

About fourteen years ago, I was twenty-five years old and nearing the completion of an associate’s degree in criminal justice when I noticed blood during a restroom visit. I wasn’t sure what to make of it initially. I had a healthy lifestyle growing up playing soccer most of my childhood and teenage years. When I was around sixteen, I became interested in working out and began to pass up fast food, sweets, and anything that could impede my goals for a stronger healthier body. Exercise and good eating habits became my routine and part of who I was. I enjoyed seeing good results and being recognized for my strong dedication in this area. So, on the day of the first onset of symptoms I was surprised but not too concerned. Little did I know about the whirlwind of life that would soon transpire.

The pain and bleeding continued, so after a few ER trips and being misdiagnosed a couple times, I finally decided to go for my first colonoscopy. The impact of this new development was starting to affect my social life and the ability to be at peace not knowing what the end game would be. I remember seeing the Gastroenterologist after my procedure and he told me, “You have what appears to be Ulcerative Colitis, commonly known as UC.” He went on to explain that this would be a lifelong condition that would affect most aspects of my life and that there were a few prescriptions that could help me manage it.

I naturally wanted to know more about this condition and how I could get my normal life back. The curiosity to learn more led me to a classic case of Web MD overdose. So much information to digest and a high degree of it is conflicting information. The doctor said that diet had nothing to do with my condition, yet many people online were saying otherwise. What people said online they could or couldn’t eat seemed to differ, I was overwhelmed. Most of my life I have had a mind over matter mentality and would try to muscle my way through anything. I would soon realize that wasn’t going to work this time around. One thing I knew I had to do for my sanity was to start documenting everything in order to make sense of this puzzle. It became evident that my sensitivity towards things I thought were benign such as chewing gum, sleeping positions, basic OTC medications, and specific food ingredients could hurt me.

My biggest flares that required Prednisone intervention in the early years were the result of diet trial and error, antibiotic use, prescription use, and high stress moments. Every year I had 2- 4 of these events that lasted from a few weeks to a couple months. The side effects of some of the biologics that weaken the immune system in a major way always sent me back to the drawing board. I would deal with it by taking Prednisone and looked on the bright side that I wasn’t dependent on any drug for maintenance. My diet at the time had me in a stable condition apart from the types of situations I mentioned, but it lacked the diversity I wanted.

At this time with a lot of consideration and prayer I decided to go all in on an alternative therapy approach that addressed diet, nutrition, and lifestyle. I felt confident that this was the right decision that would lead me to victory over this condition. I chose to learn more and consider alternative options as well as listening to people who are knowledgeable on these subjects. Through the years I acquired a good understanding of the do’s and don’ts and was able to manage myself in a mostly regular life. I tried every diet that was recommended for IBD as well as all kinds of probiotics and spices such as turmeric. I refused to believe and accept that this new chapter in my life was going to dictate my life without my say in the matter.

In 2019, I fell into another flare due to chronic stress and poor sleep. I tried coconut oil which I now know is not well tolerated and everything spiraled down afterward. In my mind it was not a big deal, and I figured that Prednisone would do its job as usual. This time was different, Prednisone had lost its effectiveness. I was now deeply concerned as I watched my weight drop and my bones began to make themselves visible. I was firm in my belief that I would never opt for surgery, so I had to keep looking elsewhere while I held on. I was so frustrated, sad, and afraid all at once and knew no one could help me at this point. I turned to prayer and asked Jesus for help like never before. I am Christian and could never tell my story without giving all my gratitude to God for His strength and guidance that has sustained me all my life.

This last flare lasted about six months and was the most intense physical and mental hardship I have ever endured. I had dropped to 116 pounds and spent most of the day glued to a recliner chair because I had no energy and felt delirious. My lack of sleep had now turned into full blown insomnia. I spent my time trying to focus on positive outcomes and remembered the rough times from the past and told myself that as hard as those were, they were only temporary. I had to believe this situation would be the same.

At that time, I came across the story of a young man by the name of Coltyn Turner and his amazing story of overcoming a similar situation using CBD from cannabis with his Chron’s disease. I felt a glimmer of hope begin to stir inside as I recalled my Gastroenterologist telling me he had a patient who used CBD oil to maintain remission. My focus then switched from survival towards reading up on what science I could find that would tell me why cannabis could influence IBD in such a great way. What I found in studies done in other countries gave way for a new possibility and I had nothing to lose. After serious consideration and prayer, I made my decision to give this option a try. Cannabis that is primarily composed of CBD, is still my main therapy that I now use in conjunction with other natural nutrition options that keep my body and mind in a state of homeostasis and solid remission. I will elaborate on a future post regarding exactly what I did during my last flare and what I observed from it.

I believe my story in battling auto-immune inflammation is one of many similar stories that countless people face daily. Thank you for reading this brief introduction of my health journey. I hope it inspires my readers to do their own research and explore alternatives and options that are not commonly discussed or known in most doctors’ clinics and hospitals. For every person who has a chronic inflammatory diagnosis, I encourage you to keep searching and believing that a new door of healing will be made known to you.