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Brian Austin Green Opens Up About Living With Ulcerative Colitis

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Brian Austin Green, 48, opened up about living with ulcerative colitis in a new interview with Good Morning America. The actor said that his body wasn’t absorbing nutrients properly and that he’d lost 20 pounds during a recent flare-up. “I would eat food, and my body didn’t process any of it. So, then, you start playing catch-up with trying to stay on top of being hydrated–it’s such a battle,” Green said during the interview.

Last month, he spoke about his condition in an Instagram video, explaining why he hadn’t been posting recently: “I disappeared from Instagram for a while–I had ulcerative colitis for about six-and-a-half weeks, which wasn’t very fun.” Green went on to say that he was bedridden and that his girlfriend, Sharna Burgess, 36, had to care for him while seven months pregnant. On GMA, Burgess, who was interviewed alongside Green, said watching him struggle with ulcerative colitis was distressing. “I didn’t realize how debilitating it was until I saw him, and I watched weight drop off him,” the Dancing With the Stars performer said. “I was scared, not having experienced this type of thing before and still learning. I was supportive and loving, [but] internally fearful of: How long does this go on for?”

Green said that his most recent struggle wasn’t his first ulcerative colitis flare-up and that for his specific treatment plan, he avoids gluten and dairy, when possible. “It’s really just dietary,” he said. “As long as I can keep things within my system that my body doesn’t think I’m poisoning it with then it doesn’t fight back.” Green said he has recovered and is looking forward to his first child with Burgess, who is currently 33 weeks pregnant. “I’m feeling good, thank goodness,” Green said. “It was a terrible experience. I’m glad it’s over.”

Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the colon and rectum, and belongs to a group of diseases known as inflammatory bowel disease, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (USNLM). In addition to weight loss, it can cause abdominal pain and cramping, blood and pus in stool, diarrhea, and fever, per the USNLM. In severe cases, a person may need to be hospitalized and given nutrients through an IV, though treatment options can help people with the condition manage symptoms and prevent flare-ups. 

Though Green manages his symptoms by avoiding certain food groups, that course of treatment isn’t recommended for every patient. However, your doctor may advise certain lifestyle changes, per the USNLM, including eating small amounts of food throughout the day (as opposed to three big meals) and avoiding high-fiber and fatty foods. However, an ulcerative colitis diagnosis doesn’t necessarily mean any dietary changes are encouraged, and you should speak with your doctor about the best options for your symptoms. Certain medications, among them corticosteroids, can be used to manage ulcerative colitis, as can therapies that restore the immune system, per the USNLM. Symptoms and treatment plans can look very different depending on the individual patient and the severity of their symptoms.

The symptoms of ulcerative colitis are mild for about half of people diagnosed with the condition, according to the USNLM. Those living with ulcerative colitis may find support groups helpful; the USNLM directs patients to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) for more information on social support programs.

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Source: Self

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