night time bathroom trips

Hi everyone,

I was just diagnosed with UC for the first time last month - had symptoms since Oct 2007.  Needless to say I am more than freaking out.  I have not even seen a specialist yet because no appoinments were available (with a highly recommended physician) until next month. I have read many of your comments and totally appreciate all of them, but I see people mentioning morning problems or problems after certain types of food.  Quit honestly I have "problems" all of the time that seem to be only getting worse.

The cramping is insane, I can visit a bathroom up to 20 times a day, I have no ideas why I'm not anemic (maybe I am), but what scares me to death is the fact that I wake up at least every two hours to use the bathroom (sometimes it is almost violent).  Does any one have a similar problem or does anyone know the significance of this?? 

I'm sure I have a lot to learn.

When someone's having a moderate to severe flare, waking up at night is common - at least it was for me, as I was getting up several times at night.  I didn't find out that I was severely anaemic till I had a blood test done. 

From what I know, simply put, the significance of getting up at night is that you have severe inflammation and any slight irritation or activity in the intestine triggers the immediate urge to have a BM.

Can you not request an appointment with another physician or get them to see this as an emergency?  I would not hold off till next month to see a physician as it'll just prolong your suffering.  I was in a similar position and realize now that I should have addressed things aggressively a lot sooner.

All the best and hope you get this addressed by a specialist soon.

Here is a little more about me.  Symptoms started in Oct. 08 (otherwise totally healthy on no medication for anything).  Saw a general practitioner in Dec. and had a colonoscopy first week in Jan.  General practitioner gave me mesalamine suppositories 500 mg two times a day, but  I was 100% unable to retain morning dose and night time dose lasted one hour at best.  Stopped taking. Myabe had a total of 10 night time doses. They also made me feel nauseated and bloated (or was that just the UC?).  All along my symptoms are/were getting worse/ or changing??   Blood test for anemia in December was in the normal range (but I was nothing like I am now).

Because of your advice I plan to get my appointment sooner - no matter what it takes.

Also please know that I have never used one of these forums before so I don't mean to ramble on so much.  Last question for now -- is a "flare up" also associated with great urgency whenever there is anything resembling a formed BM  in my colon (ever the smallest?).  And great amounts of blood to boot. 

Thank you all again!

It's great that you managed to get an appointment so soon!  Charmin's not a bad name, but it's never too late to change - as long as you don't change it then to Charmin Ultra, or even Angel Soft (hey, you were asking for it).  Honestly though, it's good to keep a sense of humor about everything, no matter how bad things may be.  We're all in the same boat and can relate to where you're coming from.

Good luck with the appointment and the colonoscopy.

Frequent bathroom trips throughout the day and night are not uncommon for a bad flare, but you should be able to get this under control with your doctor's help. Supplementing with l-glutamine may help reduce your frequency.

Charmin,

You may want to write down what you are eating as well and see if you get worse after some foods.  My husband has had UC for 8 years and he found he can not eat anything with any dairy in it.  Even traces of milk, whey, lactose will make him really ill and he never had a problem with milk before.  Tomato products also hit him hard.