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Colitis and problems in the morning.

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 6/16/2009 1:11 PM (GMT 0)
Guys I have colitis and I seem to do pretty good with Asacol ( 9 a day) and Azasan ( spelling ?? take 150 mg a day).  I am having 6-7 bm's a day but I seem to be really bad in the morning.  I seem to go a lot from 7am-10am , 10am-noon ( better but usually 1-2).  After I eat in the afternoon I usually go maybe 1-2 until I go to bed at 10-11pm at night.  I just had a my doctor look again and said I look good but there is some irritation on the low portion of my colon.  I am overall happy but I find myself nervous in the morning and reading more about the lower portion I probably do have fears that I will soil myself.  I am in outside sales and I do my best with it but just looking for some advice or any one else out there with the same problem.  I try and not let it effect me but I constantly think about it and get really nervous in situations where I know there is not a bathroom not readily available.  Like I said in the afternoon I really do very well and the tension goes down alot. 

Thanks,

John

Posted 6/16/2009 1:23 PM (GMT 0)

John,

My BM's are less then yours but I too have issues in the morning. I talked to my doctor about it and she said she has heard this quite often and thinks it is because we are some what "backed up" so to speak while we are sleeping so tthen in the morning everythign becomes urgent. One of the things I do is after my first BM I drink a large glass of water...this seems to add pressure or I am not sure what but within an hour I have to go agian which helps because all of this takes place while I am still at home getting ready...then I seem to be okay for a couple of hours and then need to go again. My other question to you is 6-7 times a lot? My GI said that is too much because I am was going that many times too. She said remission is considered when your BM's are 3 or less a day...to me right now that is like wishful thinking, but I am soon to start Remicade...I have lost a lot of weight too so our situation may be different but just make sure you are actually in remission and not just somewhere in the middle...actual remission may help your urgency problems. Good luck.

Blue5 - 30 year old female
Posted 6/16/2009 1:55 PM (GMT 0)
John, ask your doctor for a prescription for Lomotil. It has been a wonder for me when the Immodium quit working.
You can take up to 4 a day, but I have never needed more than 2 for a really long day out.
Posted 6/16/2009 2:29 PM (GMT 0)
I get up 2 1/2 hours before I need to leave. Take a lomitil as soon as my feet hit the floor in the morning. Works well.
Posted 6/16/2009 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
i always go more during the night and in the morning
Posted 6/16/2009 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
The funny thing is its not diarreha its solid. I can sit down for 20 minutes and sit down for 2 minutes and it does not seem to matter. I pretty much do the BM and then I am feel great and empty but in 30min/ 1 hour later its like I held it all night long and the urgency is there. Some of them are just a small sample and then others are large sample. I do not remember a time in my life when I was normal going 1-3 BM's times a day. I might need to call him and get the lomitil. Thanks for the help and any other replies thank you in advance.
Posted 6/16/2009 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
Have you tried any rectal meds? I think a mesalamine enema could do a lot to heal up that lower portion of your colon.
Posted 6/16/2009 6:01 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry to hijack the thread--but I had no idea immodium could 'stop working.' Is that just for some people? After how long?
Posted 6/16/2009 6:04 PM (GMT 0)
John--about your morning problems, I find the 'stress' of getting out of the house and getting to work (and dropping my kids off and packing lunches, etc etc) seems to be a big part of why my mornings are spent in the bathroom. I get up super early so I can take my time, and then I wear a diaper (I know!) at least until 1 pm. Having it on takes away a little of the anxiety of stressing about where the closest bathroom is and therefore I think it reduces the trips (by reducing the anxiety about it.) I hope that makes sense. It's not my preferred way to live of course. But we do what we can.
Good luck.
Posted 6/16/2009 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
It's normal that once you wake-up, the rest of you does as well. The added pressure on the sigmoid will send the stool in there to the rectum.

Now, the issue of having to go more often .... you're flaring. You should be on rectal meds for sure...and I would say the word for description should be inflammation..not "irritation".

You can consider to take fibre supplements to bulk and soften the stool as well as to "exercise the colon"....that will help get back the rhythm of peristalsis.

As well...rather than imodium or lomotil, ask the doc for a much milder antispasmodic such as dicyclomine...low dosage of 10mg at night will help somewhat.

Rectal meds...and the fact that you're still flaring, expect to have urgency. It is what it is....

Taking colonic imobilisers will only give you a false sense of having things controlled...but it'll do nothing for the inflammation.

You can also consider to take probiotics. No, don't consider...do start to take them.

Hope you feel better soon.

quincy
Posted 6/16/2009 7:57 PM (GMT 0)
For myself, regardless of my flare being milder, moderate or severe and even with taking probiotics and fibre supplements my issues are still the worst in the am...before I got sick I never had to have a bowel movement as soon as I woke up, I usually didn't have one til around noon or later in the day and I never ate breakfast then either so going at noon had nothing to do with eating breakfast...having the worst urgency in the am seems to be the norm for the majority of IBDers for the most part, chalking it up to it being the nature of the beast.

:)
Posted 6/17/2009 12:14 AM (GMT 0)
most of my issues with the toilet are at night, during night/sleeping and in the morning for sure.

not so much during middle of day.
nights and mornings.
Posted 6/17/2009 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
My colon is especially unhappy in the morning....I go a few times after waking up, then no matter what, as soon as I get ready to leave I have to go again...sometimes at Sheetz while getting coffee...sometimes in the woods just a few hundred yards from work...most of the time I make it though...

I can empathize with the outside sales - I did it for a few years and it was a challenge.. I did the same as others do - wake up early and get my colon settled...but you always have to watch what you eat the night before, etc...very tough game...

Keep a plastic bag, or small box or something to squat on in case of a severe emergency...sounds drastic but it sure beats loading your drawers...
Posted 6/17/2009 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
Even when I'm not actually flaring, I seem to go once or twice in the morning, usually just after I get up or eat breakfast.
Posted 6/18/2009 3:28 AM (GMT 0)
Yup, the colon hates to get up in the AM-- so it takes out plenty of spite on us! It's best to put on disposable underwear like Depends if/when you absolutely HAVE to leave home feeling like more bms are on their way down. They not only reduce anxiety, but they also keep your clothes from getting seriously messed! Make yourself an emergency take-along kit with some wet-wipes & a change of underwear, too, which should help to calm your fear of "accidents". Hang in there! We all go thru these AM blues, especially when flaring. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])
Posted 6/18/2009 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
I have read that the circadian rhythm could be responsible for the early morning being the most difficult time for many people with colitis. The circadian rhythm influences a host of body processes that vary over the course of a day. Apparently, our daily schedules are controlled by an intricate family of hormones, which causes diseases and chronic conditions such as colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma to be at their worse during the early morning.
Posted 6/18/2009 5:11 AM (GMT 0)

subdued said...
I have read that the circadian rhythm could be responsible for the early morning being the most difficult time for many people with colitis. The circadian rhythm influences a host of body processes that vary over the course of a day. Apparently, our daily schedules are controlled by an intricate family of hormones, which causes diseases and chronic conditions such as colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma to be at their worse during the early morning.

I can believe that. My circadian rhythm is horrible i go to bed way too late... or should I say early.
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