I’m taking steps to raise profile of bowel disease

FIVE years ago Michael Anderson was virtually housebound and in constant agony as he battled Crohn’s Disease.

The 27-year-old says the debilitating bowel condition left him unable to sleep, go out with friends or even stand up straight.

After exhausting several treatment options, retail manager Michael went under the knife to have a third of his bowel removed and was fitted with an ileostomy bag.

Now wearing his scars and bag with pride, Michael is out to prove you can live a full life with the disease – and even took part in a 10km fundraising event for Crohn’s & Colitis UK.

Michael, from Denton Burn, Newcastle, was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 2012, after experiencing terrible rashes down his legs and a swollen ankle. He didn’t realise that these symptoms would be linked to his bowels, but then he researched online and saw links to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

“I’d never heard of Crohn’s Disease before and it was quite scary when the doctors told me that’s what it was,” said Michael. He described the condition as “excruciating”, saying at its worst it left him going to the toilet 10 times a day. He said: “When it first happened I couldn’t sleep, I was sweating all the time, I couldn’t go out at all because you’re always wondering where the nearest toilet is. “The cramps meant I couldn’t stand up straight – when it was really bad I had to hunch over as if I was 98 years old. Some days I would feel great and then the next day I couldn’t get out of bed. It had an impact on my social life because my friends didn’t understand it at first.” After trying natural treatments such as a liquid diet, and several kinds of medication, Michael underwent surgery last June to remove the inflammation. “It’s been the best thing I ever did,” he said. “I’ve had no symptoms – I’ve gone from being underweight at nine stones to being 13 stones and eating whatever I want.” Michael is currently living with an ileostomy bag, which he found has made him even more confident. When he travelled to Tenerife last year, he wore his bag with pride. He took part in a WALK IT event in Newcastle last weekend as he joined the fight against Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Michael Anderson