Do you know what makes you flare?

I've been in a flare for so long, I can barely remember when it began. I know it was at a time when I was extremely stressed and I was eating very unhealthy foods, lots of processed, packaged, fast food... Not sure if any of this had anything to do with me flaring. Then the weather got cold and my flare went from a little nothing to a big severe flare with urgency. Then I got medication and I improved for a few weeks and when I got my period (was taking the placebos in my birth control pack), everything went to crap. I don't know if it was the fluctuating hormones or what but I totally relapsed. At the same time I stopped taking my probiotics because I was away and I forgot to bring them, maybe it was that and not the hormones? I also switched to new probiotics. I was scared maybe that caused the flaring so I stayed off the probiotics for about a week. Now I started taking the probiotics again and things are getting better. I don't know if it's actually the probiotics or hormones are getting more balanced or maybe i've been paying more attention to what I am eating and when. All I know is, I Hope it continues to improve!

Hey, I'm good at it, and that makes it easy!
Actually I have an unusual job for an attorney. I work as a lobbyist (for the good guys). So my stress some days is trying hit 7 receptions in just three hours, and then my face hurts from smiling.

And I agree about how cooling down makes you vulnerable to flares or illness. Notice how many people say they got sick on their vacation? I think that's what happens, you body has a chance to finally relax and the bad stuff takes over.

I also do not have a lot of emotional stress in my life. Both my kids have health issues, but so far I have dealt pretty well with it as I am optimistic.

For me, physical stress makes me worse. A day or two of hard work is ok, but if I go beyond that - I get worse everytime. I do yard work and we are remodeling our home so I have experienced it enough times that I am sure that it is a trigger for me like certain foods are for some people.

Also If I work out in the morning and then do additonal physically activity during the day too often over the week, I will often see an increase in symptoms.

Stress & Pregnancy.

After living with UC for nearly 48 years, one would think I would know. But honestly I don't.........there are some things that I know trigger some diarrhea which may or may not lead to a flare. Mostly it is chocolate for me. But I know other UC sufferers who are not bothered by chocolate.
I know that my first 20 years were the worst....more flares, greater intensity. In actuality I don't believe I went into any total remissions at all until after I was 40, and I had gotten UC, SUDDENLY and without warning, when I had just turned 16.
I am female, and I believe hormonal issues were part of it. I had just gotten my first menstrual period just two months before UC hit me. As well, I had had minor surgery (for deviated septum and allergy problems) and was on antibiotics the week before getting so sick. My period stopped for months and months after I got sick...I had lost 30 lbs and needed six blood transfusions by the time I was hospitalized and it still took them two more weeks to figure out what was wrong with me.
It was pancolitis at that point. Within a year they were going to schedule me for surgery but in the meantime they put me on steroids. When I returned to the hospital a year after my original diagnosis, the doctors were surprised but pleased that the pan colotis went to just left sided. They don't know why.

But still they insisted on a bland diet, no roughage...etc for years.

Finally in my early thirties, I went to a new GI in a new state, got my first colonoscopy and he said he did not believe it was food related and the rule of thumb should be "Know your own body...if something bothers you, don't eat, if it doesn't, enjoy." So I set out bravely eating foods (that I loved but had been told to avoid for years.....fresh fruit, vegetables of all kinds, and even occasional chips, pizza and chocolate." ONLY chocolate seems to give me a problem. And it took me a while but I even went for corn and no problems.

But I still had flares, albeit less intense after I increased my roughage intake....but for all of my life, my monthly period intensified my symptoms. I went forward, increasing Azulfadine when in a flare, lessening when not. I used Immodium freely (as a classroom teacher there were times that Immodium was my savior).

After menopause, my symptoms lessened a lot. I still get flares; still get a yearly colonoscopy and the results are always the same....moderate left sided UC....no signs of cancer so far). I eat healthy, lots of fruits and veggies, walk a lot, and to this day will not go anywhere without Immodium though I rarely need it now. My flares are few and mild...still occasional blood and mucous.

I think this disease remains a conundrum for both doctors and patients. At 63, I am happy to still be healthy and get a sly bit of pleasure out of my peers who have basically never quite gotten what I have, treated me at times like it was in my head, and are now whining over having a colonoscopy once every five years or about having to control onset diabetes with diet.......but I keep it to myself.

I wish this disease was more understood for all of us. It is not an easy disease to live with.....and while I am in a much better place now with it, my heart goes out to all of you young people who have to suffer with this devastating disease. Hang in there and keep trying to figure out your own body....

Or could it be;;;;;;
All of the above?????
Stress, peanut butter, sunbutter, birth control, seeds, Asacol,, bad doc's, no sleep, more stress, bad spinich, long doc waits, acupuncture, elemental diet, SCdiet, any ole diet... unusual drug combo's, bad insurance...
It is still a crapshoot. it is an autoimmune disease, and that seems to be why only a few are helped by any one solution. I have wholeheartedly embraced any good idea, and love you all for giving me hope.Don't stop the suggestions truly. I need them. BUT, it is all so darn random. We don't know what might actually work, so we keep trying. Thanks for the continued brain power, but lets keep it real.
Lot's of sick folks, on the edge....banking on the next big hope. Self included.

Qvist said...
Autoimmune disease .... different things help different people.....
Could it be that it is different diseases .... or at least only vaquely related diseases that "just" cause the same physical reaktion?

That's what I think Qvist. That there are quite a few reasons why we get Colitis, but the physical reaction is the same.

My triggers are:

Cold weather
High fructose corn syrup
Antibiotics
Stress

It seems that all of these in combination cause me to flare.

Stress set mine off for sure. I think maybe it could be the lack of sunlight in the winter months that could set things off as well. Majority of people who have bowel problems are from parts of the world that get less sunlight, Northern area's like North America and Northern Europe for example. Sunlight of course gives us Vitamin D.
Here is a link to an old article on vitamin D research done at Penn State in 2000, in case anyone is interested. They tested mice with vitamin D and its effects on Bowel Diseases.

http://www.vitaminsinamerica.com/news/nutrientnews/042400.htm

I just started taking Vitamin D, in case it helps, it sure wouldn't hurt in any case.