What do you take for the pain?

What do most people take for stomach cramping and pain during a flare?  Do people take painkillers for these or are those considered a no-no during a flare? I had one doc tell me painkillers can make a flare worse, then another tell me they were ok.

Is it normal to have pain one day, then for a few days its gone, then all of a sudden its back? I can deal with the bleeding - life goes on in that respect. But the stomach pains - you can't do anything much less even barely move without doubling over in pain. Makes being at work a bit of a challenge when I don't even want to leave my cube. Also makes staying hydrated difficult when even drinking liquids causes horrible stomach pains to start. 

So far I've tried - TUMS, Levsin, Bentyl, Gax-X

Thanks!

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Colazal - 3pills 3xday, Mesalamine enema twice daily, 40mg Pred

I told the doc about the pain. They didn't give me much as far as help in the area.  All they said is if I'm not getting better, I can come in for IV steroid treatment if I need to. Not sure that is going to help the stomach pain, as I'm not even sure if it is related to the UC or not since the bleeding seems to get better with the enemas.

I have an appt with my doc next thurs, I'm going to ask him about any tests that can be done to rule out any additional problems with my stomach, such as an ulcer. I've never had this type of stomach pain with a UC flare before, so I'm wondering if it is something additional to the flare.

tylenol has helped me, but you don't want to take too much of that either. Tylenol is safe for UC

Yeah, docs really don't seem to care when you tell them you're in pain. It's like they're too used to hearing it.

I've been having pretty severe stomach pain since this May (I was dx'd w/UC in 8/07, but undiagnosed for 2 yrs prior). I switched docs and meds in the middle of June. This doc said she won't do anything about the pain until my colonoscopy tomorrow. As far as I can tell, it can be a number of things. From my ER visit, the doc suggested that it could be from flaring and a normal part of UC. From the location, he thought the appendix. The ER doc suggested a CT scan and bloodwork, but I didn't do it.
Then, my previous GI thought it was gas and suggested maalox (mylanta goes down easier for me). Then, I've wondered if it's a side effect from the meds, but am not sure, since I switched meds. I went from Lialda to Asacol and my relentless bleeding (3 years) pretty much stopped. But, the pain is still very bad and pretty constant. It wakes me up for hours a night. Even though I'm barely bleeding and am having normal bm's I'm determined to find the cause of this pain. It's only second to childbirth for me.

Anyway, I don't know what's wrong with you or why you're having pain, but this has been my process. I think others would say that you don't have to be bleeding to be flaring. There may be inflammation causing the pain. If I find anything out tomorrow, I'll let you know.

I hope that you feel better.

tylenol helps me alot plus I use a heating pad which seems to help also.

If I'm having burning pain I chug some pepto and that seems to help but otherwise I've always been too timid/embarrassed to ask for pain meds and Tylenol does nothing for me. I get migraines though and take Ibuprofen when I have to (I know it's bad but nothing else helps and they'll literally last for days if I don't) and Imitrex 100mg if I have any.

WHen the pain gets REALLY bad, I'll actually take Midol, yes guys and gals, I said Midol. It helps with the cramps, bloating, etc! I also drink plenty of warm to hot water, plain, rub my tummy, firmly, but not pushing too far into it, clockwise. I read that is something that as a baby, mothers did that to sooth babies tummies, and that somewhere in your mind, it will bring back the memory of that and help. It sounds weird but it really works. I take so much tylenol, that I buy it in bulk!