Reality TV star Kwame Appiah is encouraging his fans to look after their health and pay attention to unusual symptoms as he opens up about his recent diagnosis. The Love is Blind star shared that doctors initially suspected cancer while attempting to identify the cause of his severe symptoms.
Revealing his condition, Kwame revealed he has ulcerative colitis. According to the NHS, this is a chronic condition characterized by inflammation of the colon and rectum. The colon, or large intestine, and the rectum, where waste is stored, are both affected by this condition.
The experts explain because of this, “small ulcers can develop on the colon’s lining, and can bleed and produce pus.” For some people the coniditon can be very painful and even stress can trigger a flare up.
Appiah explained in his Instagram video: “I didn’t take it too seriously,” Appiah began. “And then next thing you know, we’re about a month in. So here’s why that month of waiting really hurt. Because by the time I actually got to the doctor in December, I was having fevers for about three weeks. I had lost 20 pounds.”
He added: “One, just a quick reminder that life is incredibly precious. I didn’t realize how important the normal things I did in my day were for me until I couldn’t do them. Lesson number two, small things can lead to big problems if we ignore them. So don’t,” he said. “Lesson number three, information is everything. You have to know what it is if you are going to fight it.”
What are the symptoms of ulcerative colitis?
- recurring diarrhoea, which may contain blood, mucus or pus
- tummy pain
- needing to poo frequently
- extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
The NHS explain: “The severity of the symptoms varies, depending on how much of the rectum and colon is inflamed and how severe the inflammation is. For some people, the condition has a significant impact on their everyday lives.”
Do I need to see a GP?
If you think you have this, ask a GP about it. This is crucial as the NHS cautions complications of ulcerative colitis can include an increased risk of developing bowel cancer as well as poor growth and development in children and young people.
What are the symptoms of a flare-up?
The health service notes symptoms – and their severity – varies from person to person. Whilst some go for weeks or months with very mild symptoms, others might have none at all – this is called remission.
People may also have periods where symptoms are particularly troublesome and these are called flare-ups or relapses.
During a flare-up, some people with ulcerative colitis also experience symptoms elsewhere in their body which is known as extra-intestinal symptoms. These can include:
- painful and swollen joints (arthritis)
- mouth ulcers
- swollen fat under the skin causing bumps and patches – this is known as erythema nodosum
- irritated and red eyes
- problems with bones, such as osteoporosis
Whilst there’s no specific trigger for flare-ups, a gut infection can occasionally be the cause. Stress is also thought to be a potential factor.