Ulcerative Colitis

Can SEROVERA® Help with Ulcerative Colitis?

More and more people are researching SEROVERA® — they do this to educate themselves and potentially avoid health problems caused by prescription and over the counter drugs. Unfortunately, most drugs are synthetic and can cause an array of defects and side-effects.

SEROVERA® AMP 500 is extracted and freeze-dried under a controlled environment from the Aloe Vera plant. It is 100% organically certified, and contains zero toxins.

Welcome and if this is your first time here, this page is dedicated to helping you understand ulcerative colitis.  As an inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis affects roughly 35 to 100 people out of every 100,000 people in the United States. Although ulcerative colitis may develop at any age, it usually peaks around the ages of 15 to 30. Another peak is seen at 50 to 70 years of age.

Expanding your understanding of this disease is the first step in over coming it.  Take a moment to watch this video testimonial from Matt:

Watch other video testimonials from SEROVERA customers.

View our recommended foods you can eat with Ulcerative Colitis | Diet for Ulcerative Colitis

Comment: “Up to 50% of people with inflammatory bowel disease seek “alternative” treatments; in one survey, aloe vera was the most widely used herbal therapy by patients with this disease.” – Langmead L, et al. Randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial of oral aloe Vera gel for active ulcerative colitis.

On this page:

• Overview of Ulcerative Colitis
• Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms
• Ulcerative Colitis Causes
• Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosis
• Ulcerative Colitis Treatment
• Colon Cancer & Ulcerative Colitis

More on Ulcerative Colitis (Overview)

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic long-term condition.  As stated earlier, it is a form of inflammatory bowel disease which causes swelling, ulceration and loss of function of the colon (large intestine) and rectum. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term used to describe two diseases, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, which cause inflammation of the bowel.

Colitis most commonly affects the rectum and the the sigmoid colon (lower part of the colon) but can involve all of the colon. When only the rectum is involved it is sometimes called ulcerative proctitis or just proctitis. When the entire colon is involved it is sometimes called pancolitis.

Ulcerative colitis can affect people at any age but most commonly occurs in young adults between the ages of 15 and 25 years. The condition also has an increased incidence between the ages of 50 and 70 years.  Women are more commonly affected by the condition than men.  Children are rarely affected.

Up to 20 percent of people suffering from ulcerative colitis have a relative or a family member with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.  People of Jewish descent and whites have a higher incidence of ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms

About 50 percent of the people who have ulcerative colitis have mild symptoms. People with ulcerative colitis can develop pain in the abdomen, weight loss, diarrhea (blood and mucus) and tiredness. Some people may also experience nausea and vomiting, fever, mouth ulcers. The most common ulcerative colitis symptoms are episodes of bloody diarrhea and pain in the lower abdomen. There may also be a sensation of urgent need to pass a bowel motion. The bowel motions may be explosive and may contain mucous or pus. For others, ulcerative colitis symptoms vary in intensity and severity, and may come on suddenly or develop slowly.

Other symptoms that may be experienced include:

• anemia
• fatigue
• weight loss
• loss of appetite
• rectal bleeding
• loss of body fluids and nutrients
• skin lesions
• joint pain
• growth failure (specifically in children)

Ulcerative Colitis Causes

The exact cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown.  People with ulcerative colitis have abnormalities of the immune system, the body’s immune system is believed to react abnormally to the bacteria in the digestive tract. Some experts believe there may be a genetic cause.

Factors such as stress and eating certain foods do not cause ulcerative colitis but may worsen the symptoms.

Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosis

When a person has experienced symptoms of rectal bleeding, intermittent diarrhea and abdominal pain, ulcerative colitis may be suspected.  In order to diagnose ulcerative colitis, your physician will help to perform one or more tests or procedures. These include blood tests, stool sample, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, barium enema, x-ray, and/or a CT scan. These tests will also help your physician rule out other conditions such as diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and colon cancer.

If ulcerative colitis is suspected, endoscopy may be recommended. Endoscopy is the most important diagnostic test used to diagnose ulcerative colitis. During this test a small flexible tube (an endoscope) with a fiber-optic camera at its tip is passed into the rectum and colon. The doctor is able to see the lining of the rectum and colon on a television screen and can look for signs of inflammation and ulceration that may indicate ulcerative colitis. Small tissue samples (biopsies) from the lining of the colon and rectum can be taken for testing. Ulcerative colitis can be diagnosed by the characteristic abnormalities of this tissue.

X-ray tests using barium (a chalky liquid that is able to be seen on x-rays) can be helpful in determining how much of the colon is affected by ulcerative colitis. The barium is administered into the rectum and colon via a tube inserted through the anus. A series of x-rays is taken, showing the outline of the inside of the colon and highlighting any abnormalities.

Ulcerative Colitis Treatment

Dietary adjustments and lifestyle changes may be enough to curb symptoms of mild cases of ulcerative colitis. Avoiding stress, eliminating dairy products, drinking more liquids, taking probiotics, eating smaller meals, and avoiding problem foods and beverages such as carbonated drinks, caffeine, and gassy foods may help to keep your symptoms in check.

When lifestyle changes and dietary adjustments do not relieve your ulcerative colitis symptoms, your doctor may advise drug therapy, which includes immune system suppressors, anti-inflammatory medications, and nicotine patches. To help you manage your symptoms, your physician may also recommend other medications such as acetaminophen, no steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, anti-diarrhea medication, and iron supplements (if you have anemia).

If you adjusted your diet, made lifestyle changes, and tried drug therapy with no relief from your ulcerative colitis symptoms, your doctor may recommend that you have surgery. As is often the case, surgery can eliminate ulcerative colitis. However, it does come with a price. Your surgeon will likely have to remove both your entire colon and your rectum. Today, a procedure called ileoanal anastomosis eliminates the need to wear a bag to collect your stool, which allows you to expel waste in a more natural way. Approximately 25 to 40 percent of people with this condition eventually require surgery.

Alternative Therapies for Ulcerative Colitis

Other alternative drugs may be given to relax the patient or to relieve pain, diarrhea, or infection.  However, be advised that drugs aren’t always a viable solution, as most of them have long-term side effects.

SEROVERA® AMP 500 is extracted and freeze-dried under a controlled environment from the Aloe Vera plant. It is 100% organically certified, contains zero toxins, and has NO SIDE EFFECTS.

Medications

These medications listed bellow are usually taken on a long-term basis and can help prevent flare-ups.

• Salazopyrin®
• Pentasa®
• Asacol®
• Dipentum®

Treatment for ulcerative colitis usually involves the use of anti-inflammatory medications containing a medication known as 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA). These medication reduce inflammation in the colon and rectum leading to a reduction in symptoms.

Azathioprine, Cyclosporin

Medications to suppress the immune system may be recommended:

• Azathioprine
• Cyclosporin

Steroidal medications, such as prednisone, may be required and can be given either by mouth (orally), through a drip (intravenously) or into the rectum (as an enema or suppository). Antibiotics may be required if infection in colon is present. Severe flare-ups of ulcerative colitis may require hospitalization.

Dehydration caused by profuse diarrhea may need to be treated by giving fluids through a drip. Medications to relieve pain and diarrhea may also be given.

Loss of blood through the rectum over a long period of time can lead to anemia. Iron tablets may be prescribed to correct the anemia and prevent its recurrence. In cases of severe blood loss, blood transfusions may be required.

Hospitalization

Occasionally, symptoms are severe enough that a person must be hospitalized. For example, a person may have severe bleeding or severe diarrhea that causes dehydration. In such cases the doctor will try to stop diarrhea and loss of blood, fluids, and mineral salts. The patient may need a special diet, feeding through a vein, medications, or sometimes surgery.

Surgery

Where medications have not been successful in controlling ulcerative colitis , or where the side effects of medications are intolerable, surgery may be required. Approximately 30% of all people with extensive ulcerative colitis will require surgery at some stage.  The three main surgical techniques for the treatment of ulcerative colitis are:

Total proctocolectomy and ileostomy

Removing the entire colon and rectum. The end of the small intestine is brought out onto the wall of the abdomen. A collection bag is placed over the opening and fecal matter will pass into it. The bag is emptied by the person as required. The ileostomy is permanent. This type of surgery offers a permanent cure for ulcerative colitis.

Sub-total colectomy and ileorectal anastamosis

This is where most of the colon is removed, but the rectum is retained. The lower end of the small intestine is joined to the upper end of the rectum.

Ileoanal anastomosis (“Pouch operation”)

The entire colon and rectum are removed. A section of the small intestine is used to make a small pouch where fecal matter can be stored. The pouch is then attached to the anus. This surgical technique does not require a permanent ileostomy.

Not every operation is appropriate for every person. Which surgery to have depends on the severity of the disease and the patient’s needs, expectations, and lifestyle. People faced with this decision should get as much information as possible by talking to their doctors, to nurses who work with colon surgery patients (enterostomal therapists), and to other colon surgery patients. Patient advocacy organizations can direct people to support groups and other information resources.

Colon Cancer

About 5 percent of people with ulcerative colitis develop colon cancer. The risk of cancer increases with the duration of the disease and how much the colon has been damaged. For example, if only the lower colon and rectum are involved, the risk of cancer is no higher than normal. However, if the entire colon is involved, the risk of cancer may be as much as 32 times the normal rate.

Sometimes precancerous changes occur in the cells lining the colon. These changes are called “dysplasia.” People who have dysplasia are more likely to develop cancer than those who do not. Doctors look for signs of dysplasia when doing a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy and when examining tissue removed during these tests.

According to the 2002 updated guidelines for colon cancer screening, people who have had IBD throughout their colon for at least 8 years and those who have had IBD in only the left colon for 12 to 15 years should have a colonoscopy with biopsies every 1 to 2 years to check for dysplasia. Such screening has not been proven to reduce the risk of colon cancer, but it may help identify cancer early. These guidelines were produced by an independent expert panel and endorsed by numerous organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America.Ulcerative Colitis, 10.0 out of 10 based on 2 ratings