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My healing journey started when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitits when I was just 23 years old. I was a Flight Attendant for a major airline and soon to be married when I first developed symptoms of a gastrointestinal issue. I had been flying every weekend to Japan and the doctors thought I may have picked up a parasite but after many tests it would reveal I had Ulcerative Colitis. My symptoms escalated fairly quickly with stomach discomfort and the need to immediately go to the bathroom after I ate anything. My GI doctor at the time put me on Prednisone and Sulphasalazine just to name a few to try and get my symptoms under control. An entire year had gone by with no relief and at this time given my situation I had gone on short term disability. I was in pretty bad shape and with the direction of my GI doctor I saw a surgeon who was part of the team at Mayo Clinic who had developed the j-pouch procedure. I decided to see what that would involve and if it was something I should consider. After meeting with him I had no doubt this was the path to follow and so I did. That November I had the surgery. Fast forward 6 months I was healed and back to flying. I felt good and could finally get my life back on track. That was until I developed a fistula. Most people with UC don't develop fistulas as it is usually something that happens in Crohns patients. I was then re-diagnosed with Crohns and put on Remicade to try to heal the fistula. The fistula diagnosis was devastating as were the side effects from the Remicade. I don't know which was worse to be honest. I have always been an avid runner and very active. This was all put on hold until I could navigate the fistula. This would be the last 14 years of my life navigating life with a fistula and abscesses which wreaked havoc on all aspects of my life. My mental health, my relationships, my financial health and ultimately my overall state of mind. Over the years I tried everything from Biologics, seton placement, Stem Cell therapy and Hyperbaric Oxygen. I had changed my diet to a plant based diet, took all the right supplements, brought on a Naturopath, infrared sauna, massage, etc. When Covid hit I was able to retire from my job as a Flight Attendant and focus on my healing. I eventually put my Crohns in remission but was left with a fistula and by this time I had 5 draining abscesses. I didn't know where else to turn or what to do and I was not going to pursue the Biologic route again. With pure determination, continued research and hope for a cure for this debilitating diagnosis I found a Proctologist in India, Dr. Ashwin Porwal who is top in his field and one of the best in the country. He developed a laser procedure called DLPL Distal Laser Proximal Ligation. DLPL is a minimally invasive sphincter saving surgery that brings down the incontinence and recurrence rate in highly complex anal fistula patients. Long term follow up shows a 99 percent success rate. After continuing my research my husband I decided this was the direction to go. So I took the leap of faith and found myself in India. That was July of 2022 when I had my initial procedure at Healing Hands Clinic in Pune' India and 10 weeks later I was completely cured of my Super Complex grade 5 fistula. Today as I write my story of resilience and overcoming many obstacles I am happy to say that it has been almost a year and a half and I am still fistula free, my Crohns is in remission and I am living the life I was always meant to live. My husband were able to follow our dream of moving abroad and living a life of wellness, travel and adventure. It has been a long journey since my diagnosis of UC in my early 20's. I am now 57 and feel good about where I have been it has allowed me to become who I am today. For those of you reading my story don't give up hope, keep going and please reach out for support. A lot of people, including family memebrs don't always understand what we are going throug

Reply posted for Julia529.

Your story is a powerful testament to the strength and perseverance of the human spirit. Overcoming such a challenging health journey with Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease, and transforming these experiences into a life of wellness and adventure is truly inspiring. It's a reminder that even in the face of adversity, hope and determination can lead to remarkable outcomes. Your message of not giving up and seeking support is an important one, and it's sure to encourage others facing similar struggles. Thank you for sharing your resilience and triumph with us.