u/HelicopterNext3726

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So I had an open ileostomy done twice like 2 years ago because of blockage. Got a stoma and all that. Now I'm fully recovered and "normal" again but my body is just... not cooperating at all.

Whatever I eat, it goes straight to diarrhea. I'm losing weight, getting skinny fat, looking way older than I should in my 20s. Can't even go on a date and eat a normal meal without panicking. It's genuinely embarrassing.

I figured okay, let me just start eating healthy and go to the gym. Clean it up. But healthy food is actually making things worse for me. Carbs are mostly fine, but protein? Absolute nightmare. Even plant based stuff like pea protein wrecks me completely.

So now I'm stuck. I want to build some muscle, feel healthy, look like a normal human being again. But I genuinely don't know where to start when the basics don't work for my body.

If anyone's been through something similar or knows what protein sources or blends are easier on a gut that's been through surgery, please share. And if you know a beginner gym routine that isn't going to destroy me, I'm all ears too.

Also just... the mental side of this is a lot. Feeling isolated, no one really gets it. Just needed to put this out there.

Any advice helps. Seriously.

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u/HelicopterNext3726 — 9 days ago

I was diagnosed about 6 years ago and have been on Azathioprine ever since. It managed things okay for a while, but lately I've been dealing with persistent flare-ups and constant diarrhea that just wouldn't let up bad enough that I ended up getting admitted.

My doctor said Azathioprine may no longer be working effectively for me. Before moving forward, he wants me to get a round of vaccines first Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Shingrix, and a couple of others and then transition me onto Upadacitinib. He explained that it works through a different mechanism and tends to be more effective for cases like mine.

I'm not looking for medical advice at all. just curious if anyone here has gone through a similar switch, especially from Azathioprine to Upadacitinib.

- How was the transition for you?

- Did you notice an improvement?

- Any side effects or things you wish you'd known going in?

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u/HelicopterNext3726 — 9 days ago