The reality star said his doctors thought at first it could be cancer
Reality star Kwame Appiah is urging his fans to take their health seriously and keep an eye out for unusual symptoms as he reveals his diagnosis. Sharing his own symptoms, the Love is Blind star reveals doctors originally thought it was cancer as they tried to rule out what it could be.
Explaining his diagnosis, he says he has ulcerative colitis. This, according to the NHS, is a long-term condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed. The colon is the large intestine (bowel) and the rectum is the end of the bowel where poo is stored.
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.”
What are the symptoms of a flare-up?
This varies from person to person as some people may go for weeks or months with very mild symptoms whilst others might have none at all – this is called remission. Others could 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.
Do I need to see a GP?
If you think you have this, ask a GP about it. This is crucial as the NHS caution 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.
