HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

What is remision?

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/19/2009 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I am new to this forum and new to UC (8/08).  My question probably sounds crazy but what is remission?  Is remission no D, no blood, no pain and no mucous.  I don't have D (I go 1-3 x a day and it is formed) very little mucous, some pain and no blood.  Should all the symptons be gone to be considered in remission?  Thanks

Posted 2/19/2009 2:02 AM (GMT 0)
In my opinion remission should mean all symptoms are gone and you feel as you did before getting sick....that would be full remission, there are varying degrees of remission though.

:)
Posted 2/19/2009 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
But on how much medication constitutes remission? I wonder that as well.
Posted 2/19/2009 3:10 AM (GMT 0)
Remission is no major problems....less bowels issues than you had before...maybe not perfect but a heck of a lot better than with active UC!
Posted 2/19/2009 4:30 AM (GMT 0)
For me, remission is my GI and immune system functioning at 100%, working together and a return of normal mental status, lol. Anything else is just my body functioning somewhat better. Everybody will have a different take on what it is to them.
Posted 2/19/2009 4:56 AM (GMT 0)
When I can tell my husband it's ok to plan a driving trip from Ohio to Florida, I am in remission.

When I can't go to a restaurant to eat without worrying about leaving said restaurant to make it home, no matter how close it is I am in full flare.
Posted 2/19/2009 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
Jone bone, remission while on medication means using only maintenance medications on a maintenance dose including rectal meds. If you are pred, steroid enemas or a higher dose of medication such as 12 of Asacol (which is a treatment dose) then typically that is not remission. When you get your med levels down and have no symptoms then that is considered remission. However, there are always variations of the maintenance dosing. For instance, 9 of Asacol is considered a treatment dose but some people just can not go lower or they flare.

Learntoadapt, for me, remission is the lack of urgency, pain and blood. I used to think that having D is flaring but for me now that is my new normal. But it's the quality of that D. It doesn't hurt and I don't have blood nor frequency. I think that my colon is just plain worn out from having this for so long. I don't have D every day but hardly is ever formed. Soft serve to D is my new normal. Also I don't feel sick or horribly fatigued. That is also my clue that I am in remission.
Posted 2/19/2009 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
Red_34, if you don't mind the personal question, how often do you have D in a day? And by lack of urgency, how long do you have to get to the bathroom?

My only real symptoms have been diarrhea and blood. I've never really had pain...just a little bit of cramping when I was at my absolute worst (15-20 urgent BMs/day). Now I'm down to 6-8 BMs a day, some are still really urgent and others aren't so much. I've had a couple of partially formed BMs, but it's mostly still diarrhea.

At this point, I think I'd be happy with 3-4 BMs a day, just so long as they aren't urgent!
Posted 2/19/2009 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
I have D about 3 times a day or sometimes less. I still sense the urge to go but I can usually hold it just usually not past a half hour or I start to cramp.
Posted 2/19/2009 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Remission? How should I say? I feel good. I can take a 13-hour flight, join a guided tour in Japan, which means getting up at 5:30 and having breakfast at the hotel at 7:30 am. I have 2-5 BMs a day, mostly formed except for the very first one in the morning.
I consider myself in remission, but I still have urgency. When I need to go I need to go, right away. I wear a pad 24x7. When I travel I wear Depends. I bring along babies wipe with me, just in case, and of course some Imodium as well.
I don't have D any more, but some loose stools sometimes, and a little red mucus. I wish I could feel better later. I don't think I can complain.
I take oral and rectal medications. I don't mind taking them so long as they keep me in 'remission'.
Posted 2/19/2009 10:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your responses.  They are very helpful.  Ideally I would like to return to no symptoms but I was just wondering if that is possible.  Looks like remission is more preception than medical.

Posted 2/19/2009 11:48 PM (GMT 0)
For me remission is being pretty much back to normal. In the bathroom 1-3 times a day with basically no urgency - no cramping, blood, etc. Sometimes if I eat too many fruits & vegies will have some D - but otherwise completely normal. Am able to do all the things I used to do without worrying where the nearest bathroom is.

As for the meds question - I think that maintenance meds are part of what keeps you in remission. You have a condition that needs to be taken care of. The meds do that for you. I think it is unreasonable to assume that remission is only if there are no meds involved. My personal opinion.
Posted 2/20/2009 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
These are great posts. Thanks all!
Posted 2/20/2009 2:41 AM (GMT 0)
I asked my doctor this the other day. She said remission should be 1 normal bowel movement a day. I laughed. If I had a normal bowel movement, I would die of shock and not be able to enjoy the moment.

Diagnosed in Feb 2007. Currently having a flare-up, taking 3mg of Salofalk granules, 2 colifoam steroid enemas, 1.5 teaspoon metamucil and lots of Codeine for the pain.
Posted 2/21/2009 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
i am with red 34, remission for me is 1-3 loose stools a day with no blood and very little urgency (urgency usualy only with the first of the day). ucispain, as for your doc saying 1 mornal bowel movement a day - i would laugh too - cant even remember what 'normal' is for me anymore.

reading these posts i realize i am lucky in that no matter how badly i flare i have never had to worry about having an accident. my flares consist of ALOT of blood and some pain but not a huge amount of trips to the bathroom with uncontrollable d. jo
Posted 2/21/2009 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
I am never symptom-free so would not say I have ever achieved remission. I'm also very happy when I am having few episodes of urgency.

But I have not tried some of the new treatments, since I have learned to manage after all this time. Maybe I will, next time I flare.
Posted 2/21/2009 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
     I consider myself in full remission.  I do take meds, not prednisone or the enemas, but Colazal and 6MP for maintenance.  I have one "normal" bowel movement per day.  I may skip a day occasionally, depending on how and what I eat.  I eat anything I like (except crabcakes because I suffered a flare twice after eating them).  No urgency, no bleeding.  Feel like I was 19 again!  Wish I looked it.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply