A Los Angeles woman is opening up about the harsh reality of living with ulcerative colitis after she shared a humiliating bathroom emergency that unfolded during a Hollywood Hills party while dressed as Tinkerbell.
Daniela, who posts on TikTok as Daniela – IBD Girlie (@danielasotohealth), described how a severe ulcerative colitis (UC) flare in 2023 left her struggling to control urgent bowel movements during a crowded Halloween party in Los Angeles.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the colon and rectum. Symptoms can include diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue, bleeding, and an urgent need to use the bathroom.
About 1 million Americans live with ulcerative colitis, according to the Mayo Clinic and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Daniela’s flare-up among Hollywood A-listers
In her video, Daniela explained that she had moved to Culver City at the time while participating in a startup accelerator program. She attended parties with friends she met during that period, including events she described as “really cool, like Hollywood-type parties.”
She said one of those gatherings took place while she battled what she called “probably the worst flare I’ve ever had in my life.” “I was the skinniest I’d ever been,” sleeping two hours a night, bleeding, tired, and cold, Daniela said.
Daniela explained that she attended the party as the designated driver while dressed as Tinkerbell in a costume that included a short skirt and fishnet-style tights. She said she avoided alcohol and tried to stay near her friends while managing her symptoms.
“The issue with house parties is usually there is one bathroom,” she said. “At this point, I was running to the toilet, like pretty frequently.”
As the night continued, Daniela said the bathroom line grew longer while partygoers crowded inside. “I was trying my very, very hardest to hold it in,” she said. “But my hardest was not hard enough.”
Daniela said she lost control before reaching the restroom.“I pooped my pants,” she said.
Once she finally entered the bathroom, Daniela said she removed and discarded her underwear and tights before leaving the party. “I abandoned my underwear in the hills of Hollywood,” she joked at the end of the video.
“The real daily anxiety with UC”
The TikTok drew support from viewers who also live with ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory bowel diseases. “Girl my life revolves around being near a toilet right now. My flare up started at a music festival I was in a porta potty 50 times in a few hours omg 😭,” one commenter wrote. Another viewer added: “The real daily anxiety with uc 😭😭😭.”
According to the CDC, ulcerative colitis symptoms often come in waves of flare-ups and remission. The disease can disrupt daily activities and create significant anxiety around travel, eating, and access to bathrooms.
Daniela’s video reflects a growing trend of social media creators speaking openly about chronic illnesses and the embarrassing situations they can create. Her story also resonated with viewers who said ulcerative colitis affects far more than digestion. Despite the uncomfortable experience, Daniela used humor throughout the video while recounting the ordeal. “That was not one of my proudest moments,” she said.
Published: May 27, 2026 09:05 am