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trouble coming out of a flare, any tips

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/29/2009 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
Have been experiencing a 2 week flare, have been on 40 mg of prednisone for almost two weeks...still stomach cramping and running to bathroom 9 times plus a day.  started aloe vera and some probiotics.  Any tips?

Diagnosed in October 2006 with moderatly severe proctitis with only one major flare after I had my first baby in 2007

current meds outside of prednisone are rowasa enemas nightly. Dr. Took me off of asacol two weeks before flareup started.

Posted 12/29/2009 11:27 PM (GMT 0)
Why did the doc take you off the asacol?

Are you taking enough of the probiotics? I find that if I double me usual dose when I begin having symptoms, they'll help bring me back to calmness....

Gosh, good luck!
Posted 12/29/2009 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
I am going to dr. tomorrow to ask to go back on!! Can't wait to see what he says, i'll take double probiotics tonight! Thanks for the tip!
Posted 12/30/2009 2:08 AM (GMT 0)
Luna, I am sorry you are having such a hard time. It is so tough with little ones to care for too.

Are you just starting the probiotic? If so, I am not sure I would jump on a double dose right away. But if you have been taking it a while already, then I totally agree-doubling up usually helps me some as well.

Another thing that *for me* is key-which is tough tough tough on pred, is to get a good night's sleep. I have been struggling lately (holiday stress, bad period, holiday food, nasty cold bug, no sleep-the perfect storm for a flare), and last night I forced myself to go to bed early-I even took a benedryl to make sure I would fall asleep and not be up with a busy brain. Well, today isn't fabulous, but I have only gone twice today, where yesterday when i was exhausted, I went 7 times. So definitely a must in my house.

Also, I notice that for myself, food doesn't matter unless I am flaring. But I have to pay attention to what I eat when I am flaring-too much dairy or any alcohol will be bad news for me during a flare.

I would talk to the doc tomorrow about other options as well. If the pred is only getting you down to 9 times a day, that really isn't good enough. Maybe you could ask about other meds-Imuran, 6mp, remicade? Or switch to a cortfoam or enema?

Good luck-I hope things settle down.
Posted 12/30/2009 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
What was the reason your doctor took you off Asacol? What is his/her strategy for use of Prednisone? Sorry that you are flaring, in any case. It will take a combination of the right meds, tolerated but nutritious diet, appropriate vitamin/mineral supplementation, and adequate rest to recover from the flare-- depending on its extent/degree of inflammation and your overall health. I'm not sure that aloe vera is the best way to supplement right now; some members have posted that it increased their D! Probably a low-residue diet would be the safest to follow while you have multiple bms daily. Try to take it easy & stay as positive as you can in this frustrating situation. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])
Posted 12/30/2009 8:15 AM (GMT 0)
Drop the aloe vera, it will not take you out of a flare.
If you want benefit from probiotics during a flare you need to take in the most active bacteria you can...VSL#3 is the best value out there (there are 450 billion bacteria from 8 strains per dose and they are freeze dried and shipped cold to assure they stay alive). Compare that to most probiotics I've seem that have only around 20 million bacteria and they are not even kept cold. I hear you can buy VSL#3 at pharmacies (Costco). I got my GI to write a prescription for VSL#3DS (double strength) after my sister (also with UC begged me to try it again). I'm using it and I believe it's helping me now that I'm tkaing more in per day. Popping a few typical (low dose) probiotics per day won't take you out of a flare.
Stay rested, drink fluids and lower your stress and pain as much as possible (even if you have to ask your doctor for medication to temporarily help you with that).
Eat what you can tolerate to maintain strength but I would go with a low residue (no fiber) diet to give your colon rest.
A multivitamin doesn't hurt.
Posted 12/30/2009 9:00 AM (GMT 0)
Keep a food diary to see if any foods are making your condition worse. Pay particular attention to the following foods:

Lactose
Fructose
Gluten
Wheat
Yeast
Pro-inflammatory foods (http://nutrition.about.com/od/dietsformedicaldisorders/a/antiinflamfood.htm)

Add turmeric powder to your diet. Drink ginger teas. Try adding spinach to your diet.

Mix probiotic powder from one capsule with some warm water and put up the butt after going diarrhea.

Meditate. Do breathing exercises. Get a massage. Get as much rest/sleep as possible.

Wish you well!
Posted 12/31/2009 5:04 PM (GMT 0)
I think taking aloe vera juice is fine. It may not be effective by itself, but it can be part of the puzzle. The only caveat I would mention is to insure that it does not contain aloin, which may exacerbate your symptoms.

Other over the counter supplements to consider include fish oil, flax oil, L-glutamine and/or n-acetyl glucosamine.

I personally would also be inclined to go on a low residue diet or perhaps even an elemental diet if necessary (although I am not sure I would forgo the consumption of soluble fiber).

Anyway, that's my two cents. Hope things get better soon.
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