Latest news with #ulcerativecolitis
The Sun
4 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
Towie star rushed to hospital during filming after she ignored worrying symptoms for TEN years
A TOWIE star was rushed to hospital during filming after she ignored her worrying symptoms. Reality TV star Chloe Meadows, 33, was so "scared" of the doctors and the prospect of "having any procedure done" that she ignored symptoms of a chronic inflammatory bowel condition for around 10 years. 4 4 4 Chloe said she had some health checks aged 26, 10 years after her symptoms appeared, after she went on a diet at a time where she was also losing a lot of blood. She told the podcast Bedside Manners with Dr Oscar Duke, that her mother intervened and said she should go to the doctors and get a blood test as she looked grey. While she was out filming, after she had the blood tests, Chloe received a number of missed calls from her father who then texted her to say a doctor had advised her she should got straight to A&E because her "blood was so low". "I went to the hospital. I had to have all of these checks and these iron infusions and that was where it started," she said. Chloe also revealed that she had probably her longest flare-up after filming a nerve wracking scene on Towie. The star first discovered blood in her stool, a symptom of ulcerative colitis, when she was 16. "I went to a college where I boarded when I was 16. "I was staying away from home and I was living in a student house and there was blood down the toilet", she told Dr Oscar Duke's Bedside Manners podcast. "I remember I told my mum and I was like, there's quite a lot of blood down the toilet. "I'm not really sure what's going on. She was of course like, go to the doctors. "I went to the doctors, and they said that I would have to have a colonoscopy, which is a camera into the bowel." Chloe added: "At this point in my life, I had never really ever been to the hospital. I'd never been sick. "I'd never had any procedure or operation. I'd never been sedated. "I'd never had anything and the doctor referred me and I got this letter, and this is awful, but I got this letter and I just never went to the appointment because I was terrified. What causes ulcerative colitis and how is it treated? It is thought to be an autoimmune condition, which means the immune system wrongly tries to attack healthy tissue. The theory generally thought to be correct is that the immune system mistake 'good' bacteria inside the colon as a threat and attacks, causing the colon to become inflamed It is unknown why the immune system can behave in this way, but it is thought to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Medication can be taken to relieve symptoms and prevent them from returning. These include aminosalicylates, corticosteroids and immunosuppressants. An option for some people is to have colon removal surgery. "Then I ignored it and what would happen, which is what I realise now, is that I can go into remission, I can go into a flare-up in remission. "It would stop for periods of time so that the blood would go away. I'd be like, 'Oh, cool, it's gone away, I'm better. There's nothing wrong with me'. "I'd go through years where it wouldn't happen and then it would happen again, and then it would stop again. "I would probably lie to my mum about how much it would happen because she always pestered me about it and I was like, 'No, it's fine'. Chloe admitted she was scared of having any procedure done. "I was also scared of what they were going to tell me. I was just terrified, which is not really a reason not to go to the doctor, but I think that's just what I thought. "I was young as well, so I would forget when there wasn't blood down the toilet, I would completely forget." Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed, according to the NHS website. Symptoms include recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, extreme tiredness, loss of appetite and weight loss. Some people with ulcerative colitis may go for weeks or months with very mild symptoms, or none at all (remission), followed by flare-ups and relapses. Treatment options include corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and surgery.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Towie star Chloe Meadows reveals the cost of ignoring her bowel disease symptoms for a decade
Former The Only Way Is Essex star Chloe Meadows has revealed she ignored symptoms of ulcerative colitis for around 10 years due to being scared of doctors. The 33-year-old reality TV star first noticed blood in her stool, a symptom of the chronic inflammatory bowel condition, when she was 16. She admitted that the thought of undergoing any medical procedure filled her with dread, causing her to delay seeking medical advice. 'I went to a college where I boarded when I was 16. I was staying away from home and I was living in a student house and there was blood down the toilet', she told Dr Oscar Duke's Bedside Manners podcast. 'I remember I told my mum and I was like, there's quite a lot of blood down the toilet. I'm not really sure what's going on. 'She was of course like, go to the doctors. I went to the doctors, and they said that I would have to have a colonoscopy, which is a camera into the bowel.' Meadows added: 'At this point in my life, I had never really ever been to the hospital. I'd never been sick. Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed, according to the NHS website. Symptoms include recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, extreme tiredness, loss of appetite and weight loss. Meadows said she had some health checks aged 26, 10 years after her symptoms appeared, after she went on a diet at a time where she was also losing a lot of blood. Her mother intervened and said she should go to the doctors and get a blood test as she looked 'grey'. 'I'd never had any procedure or operation. I'd never been sedated. I'd never had anything and the doctor referred me and I got this letter, and this is awful, but I got this letter and I just never went to the appointment because I was terrified. 'Then I ignored it and what would happen, which is what I realise now, is that I can go into remission, I can go into a flare-up in remission. 'It would stop for periods of time so that the blood would go away. I'd be like, 'Oh, cool, it's gone away, I'm better. There's nothing wrong with me'. 'I'd go through years where it wouldn't happen and then it would happen again, and then it would stop again. 'I would probably lie to my mum about how much it would happen because she always pestered me about it and I was like, 'No, it's fine'. 'I just got on with it and ignored it. I think I was scared of having any procedure done. 'I was also scared of what they were going to tell me … I was just terrified, which is not really a reason not to go to the doctor, but I think that's just what I thought. 'I was young as well, so I would forget when there wasn't blood down the toilet, I would completely forget.' While she was out filming, after she had the blood tests, Meadows received a number of missed calls from her father who then texted her to say a doctor had advised her she should got straight to A&E because her 'blood was so low'. 'I went to the hospital. I had to have all of these checks and these iron infusions and that was where it started,' she said. Meadows also revealed that she had 'probably my longest flare-up' after filming a nerve wracking scene on Towie. Some people with ulcerative colitis may go for weeks or months with very mild symptoms, or none at all (remission), followed by flare-ups and relapses, according to the NHS website. Treatment options include corticosteroids, immunosuppressants and surgery. Marianne Radcliffe, chief executive of the charity Crohn's & Colitis UK, said: 'Chloe Meadows is a fantastic ambassador for us here at Crohn's & Colitis UK, helping people to understand what it's really like to live with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.' The charity says there are more than 300,000 people in the UK living with colitis.
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
New Love Island bombshell Toni reveals crippling health battle that saw her rushed to hospital
LOVE Island bombshell Toni Laites has opened about her chronic health condition ahead of entering the villa. The American star, 24, is set to enter the Mallorca house as the first bombshell of this year's series – and is r eady to bag a British boy as she believes they're "more polite with better manners" than their American counterparts. 6 6 But ahead of entering the villa, Toni shared that she is also battling an illness that leaves her in agonising pain. She said ahead of entering the show: "I have ulcerative colitis. I had to go to hospital the same week as my senior prom. "They told me, 'You can't go' and then they said, 'Surprise, you're going to prom!' "Nothing that exciting happens in Connecticut, so it was a big deal and a few articles were written about me." "What I hope people see from me being on Love Island is that not all illnesses are visible," she added. "It doesn't have to hold you back, you can travel etc…I live my life day-to-day like anyone else." In 2018, Toni was taken to prom straight from the hospital at Connecticut Children's Medical Center, with the team looking after her making sure she was primped and primed for the event. She wrote a gold sequinned mermaid gown for the event, and posed with her doctors before going. The hospital later shared photos of her getting ready on Instagram, writing: "After spending a week inpatient for a flare up of #UlcerativeColitis, 17-year old Toni Laites of Newington was told she would be unable to attend her her team of doctors and nurses at Connecticut Children's banded together to grant her a therapeutic leave, giving Toni the opportunity to experience the Cinderella prom she always dreamed of." Toni has said she's entering the Love Island UK villa because dating in the States is "a mess" – particularly after moving from Connecticut to Florida and then Las Vegas, Nevada. "I live in cities that are fast-paced and party places; Las Vegas and Florida," she explained. "People are here for a good time, not a long time. I live in Sin City! "I do love Las Vegas. I've met some of the greatest people I've ever met there. I'm willing to relocate, it would just break my heart to not have my job anymore." She warns that her "icks" are bad breath, bad hygiene, and not being dressing appropriately for a date. Toni will enter the house this week, with the series kicking off on Monday night with Maya Jama welcoming this year's line-up to the villa. What is Ulcerative Colitis? Here's what you need to know about Ulcerative Colitis.. Colitis is a condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed. The colon is the large intestine, or bowel, and the rectum is the end of the bowel where stools are stored. Ulcers can develop on the colon's lining and bleed and produce pus. Ulcerative colitis is a form of colitis that is caused by autoimmune inflammation (the body attacking itself), whereas colitis can be caused by a number of factors including infection. Ulcerative colitis is similar to another condition which causes inflammation of the gut - Crohn's disease. Symptoms can often be very mild for weeks or months but flare ups with extreme symptoms can cause a lot of pain and trouble for sufferers. Find out more here. 6 6 6
Health Line
28-05-2025
- General
- Health Line
Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Blood Clots: Can Anticoagulant Medications Help?
UC may increase your likelihood of forming a blood clot. Talk with your doctor about the potential risks and benefits of anticoagulant medications. Some people with ulcerative colitis experience hypercoagulability, which means their risk for blood clots is increased. Learn more about the connection between these two conditions and whether anticoagulant medications are a beneficial treatment for this possible effect. Does ulcerative colitis cause bleeding or blood clots? People with ulcerative colitis are three times more likely to experience a thromboembolism (blood clot) compared with those who don't have ulcerative colitis. It's important to remember that blood clotting is your body's natural response to bleeding. You need your blood to clot so you won't bleed excessively. It's important to keep a balance of blood clotting factors so they won't cause you to form a blood clot when you don't need to. Symptoms of blood clots with UC Doctors first connected an increased risk of blood clots with ulcerative colitis when they observed young people experiencing blood clots at a younger-than-expected age. If you have ulcerative colitis, it's important to be aware of your increased clotting risk, but also to know the incidence of a clot is about 1% to 8% of all people with ulcerative colitis. Blood clots can cause a venous thromboembolism, which is a clot that usually forms in a deep vein of your leg. Doctors call this deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Symptoms of a DVT include: discoloration of your leg or red-appearing streaks leg pain/tenderness leg swelling part of your leg feels warm to the touch However, clots can also travel from your legs to your lungs, which doctors call a pulmonary embolism (PE), or blood clot in the lungs. Symptoms of a PE include: chest pain that worsens with breathing feeling dizzy losing consciousness rapid heart rate sudden shortness of breath very fast breathing If you experience these or other clot-related symptoms, get emergency medical attention. What is the safest medication for ulcerative colitis with bleeding? Clotting requires a multi-step process. Anticoagulant medications target different steps in this process to prevent clots from forming when they aren't supposed to. However, anticoagulant medications may increase your risk of more severe rectal bleeding when you have an ulcerative colitis flare-up. For this reason, doctors won't usually prescribe anticoagulant medications to you unless you're in an active flare-up (and usually in the hospital), after a surgery, or have already had a blood clot in the past. Each of these instances increases your risk of blood clotting. The most common recommendation if you are in the hospital with active IBD is to go for walks. A number of anticoagulant medications are available, and which one your doctor prescribes may depend upon how long you're going to take it, your overall health, and even what medications your insurance will cover to help keep your costs low. There's no one medication that's the 'gold standard' of anticoagulation treatment for a patient. Examples of anticoagulation medications include: If a doctor does prescribe anticoagulants to you, you can ask how the medication works and why it may be the best option for you. Living with ulcerative colitis Getting an ulcerative colitis diagnosis can be understandably life changing. It's important to get help and support so you can manage your condition and live well. Some resources include: American College of Gastroenterology Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Connecting to Cure Crohn's & Colitis IDB Support Foundation Bezzy IBD Community Healthline also has a listing of numerous resources, social media pages, and blogs that can help.
Medscape
27-05-2025
- Business
- Medscape
Etrasimod Shows Promise in Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Etrasimod, a once-daily oral selective sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor modulator, is well tolerated and effective in treating eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), demonstrating sustained histologic and endoscopic improvements over 52 weeks. METHODOLOGY: Etrasimod, currently approved in adults with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis, blocks lymphocyte trafficking to inflamed mucosal tissues and may offer a promising option for treating EoE. Researchers conducted an international phase 2 multicenter trial to assess the efficacy and safety of etrasimod vs placebo in patients (age, 18-65 years) with previously diagnosed and histologically active EoE. Patients were randomized to receive oral 1 mg etrasimod, 2 mg etrasimod, or placebo once daily for 24 weeks, with stratification according by history of dilation and concurrent proton pump inhibitor therapy. Patients who completed the initial treatment phase entered a 28-week extension period, during which they either continued their etrasimod dose or were randomly switched from placebo to 1 or 2 mg etrasimod. The primary endpoint was a percentage change in the esophageal peak eosinophil count from baseline to week 16; safety was assessed through week 52. TAKEAWAY: Researchers randomized 108 patients: 41 to receive 2 mg etrasimod, 39 to receive 1 mg etrasimod, and 28 to receive placebo; 85 patients completed the double-blind period and entered the extension period. At week 16, only etrasimod 2 mg significantly reduced peak eosinophil count from baseline vs placebo ( P = .010); however, at week 24, both 1 and 2 mg doses showed significant reductions ( P = .0022 and P < .0001, respectively). = .010); however, at week 24, both 1 and 2 mg doses showed significant reductions ( = .0022 and < .0001, respectively). Endoscopic and histologic severity scores improved with 2 mg etrasimod and both doses, respectively, at week 24, with benefits sustained through week 52. Significant improvements in Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire scores were noted at week 24 in patients without prior endoscopic dilation compared with patients receiving placebo. Gastrointestinal disorders were the most common treatment-emergent adverse events, occurring in 27% (2 mg), 33% (1 mg), and 50% (placebo). Three cases of mild or moderate bradycardia were reported. IN PRACTICE: 'Etrasimod offers a promising new therapeutic approach for eosinophilic oesophagitis, addressing the complexities of [type 2 helper T cells]–driven inflammation and the challenges posed by preexisting fibrotic changes,' an expert wrote in an accompanying editorial. 'Etrasimod's simple administration, independent of meals, could potentially increase patient compliance.' SOURCE: The study was led by Evan S. Dellon, MD, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill. It was published online in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology . LIMITATIONS: This study was not powered to assess dysphagia symptoms. It included a high proportion of patients with stenosis and prior dilation and few with atopic conditions, relative to other reported EoE studies. The extension phase involved a limited number of patients. DISCLOSURES: This study was funded by Pfizer. Nine authors declared being current or former employees of Pfizer and holding stock or stock options. Several others reported receiving grants, honoraria, fees, or travel support from, holding stocks of, or having other ties with Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies.
