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question on stress

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/6/2008 10:04 AM (GMT 0)
I've read that the actual cause of UC is a genetic related issue with the immune system and that this triggers the potential to have a flare up. Can stress then be one of the factors that causes a flare-up even though it wasn't the direct reason for the person having the disease.
Posted 4/6/2008 10:09 AM (GMT 0)
My personal experience has been that every flare I have had has been triggered by major stress in my life (i.e. sudden, unexpected death of my father and ensuing estate issues, studying for and taking the bar exam, etc.). The flares have come on after the stress subsides... not during the stress.

I don't have issues with food, the environment, or anything else. It's all about stress for me. If I can keep the stress under control and maintain diligence with my medications, I maintain remission.

My GI once told me that stress is a major factor for almost all of his patients. He used as an example a school teacher that he treats. He stated that she only flared every September... when she returned to school after the summer vacation.
Posted 4/6/2008 1:24 PM (GMT 0)
I am the same as expecting226 as well. For me, there are no food related triggers, everything is related to stress and getting myself worn down. I'm in a flare now for that very reason, busy season at work goes from January through March for me and here I am on prednisone!

In my case it's all about maintaining balance and trying to avoid staying chronically stressed for too many weeks at a time.
Posted 4/6/2008 3:01 PM (GMT 0)
Stress is definitely a major flare-trigger for not only UC, but most other autoimmune diseases also. My first autoimmune symptom, arthritis, showed up when I was caring for my mother during her final illness. While stress doesn't seem to be a major factor for me now, I still find I sleep better and feel better when I'm on vacation.
Posted 4/6/2008 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
There is no doubt in my mind there is a significant connection. My UC showed up after an incredibly stressful two months in my life where I had been denied, unexpectedly, to a few graduate programs I had applied to. My Dad's Crohn's also first manifested itself during his divorce.

It is also apparent to me that whenever I am in a stressful situation my gut becomes very active, which I think is a very normal response which is just far worse for us with UC.
Posted 4/6/2008 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
Let me tell you a story about stress. I was in remission, and my mom went to the hospital with a blood clot to the lung. Well, she didn't make it, she passed away the next day. It was a total of 22 hrs from the time she went to the hospital to the time she died.

Needless to say, I went from remission to a major flare also in those 22 hrs.

Janice
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