Posted 7/21/2016 5:11 PM (GMT -5)
Ulcerative colitis goes through time periods of Remission where we have zero symptoms and time periods of Flares where our symptoms return in full force. I'm guessing that your boyfriend is currently in a flare. When our uc flares, our abdomen is sore, we have frequent diarrhea, we feel pretty awful, and intimacy and sex always are put on the backburner. Ulcerative colitis is a very unsexy disease involving many urgent bathroom trips, we're worried about our health which causes fears, anxieties, depression, and body-image issues. My DW had to literally beg for sex when I was flaring badly, I didn't want to because I felt awful, but did because it was important to her. Ask him if there's anything you can do to help, encourage him to see his doctor and take his medications and he'll enter Remission again and be his normal self again. Living with a chronic illness is challenging and frustrating, and if you are serious with him then you want to be able to talk with him openly, be supportive and helpful, and know that when he isn't feeling well because of his uc symptoms that it's best to visit him and watch Netflix or something, and if he isn't in the mood then it's probably uc bothering him and it's not you or anything you did. As uc symptoms are a challenge when going out and doing things on dates, cause discomfort and so forth.
I'd encourage you to read about uc, it's symptoms and treatments. And most importantly communicate with him and be understanding. Uc symptoms can be embarrassing as pooping is a taboo subject. So he might not open up at first.
Good luck to you both.