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do you know what triggers your flares

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/10/2010 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
So the experts talk about 'triggers' causing the disease to become active. Do you have any idea what causes your own flare ups? What do you think have been your top 3 triggers over the history of your UC?
Posted 7/10/2010 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
anxiety, anxiety, anxiety...
Posted 7/10/2010 5:12 PM (GMT 0)
Stress, antibiotics and Nsaids
Posted 7/10/2010 5:14 PM (GMT 0)
hormones, stress, *maybe* nsaids
Posted 7/10/2010 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
Stress. It affects me. But I don't mean normal daily stress (fast paced work, meeting deadlines, etc) - that type of stress I am fine with. I would rank stress #1.

Diet - not as much as what I eat but more like how I eat. If I keep portions moderate and eat on time I seem to be o.k.

Antibiotics
Posted 7/10/2010 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
Stress, I know, set mine off originally, after that I really not sure, eating the wrong foods can make symptoms worse.
Posted 7/10/2010 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
Stress I think was my original trigger. Advil I think also contributed to the problem.
B
Posted 7/10/2010 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
Did someone mention stress!!!!!!!
Posted 7/10/2010 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
I'd say deep emotional distress....that includes being sick with colds/flu..while on maintenance meds.

I did have one episode where I went off the estrogen patch...that's when I started bleeding....first flare in 14 years that I bled. Needless to say, I went back on the patch...

Definitely distress, over a period of time, however. I'm always in some mental crisis...lol....


It's definitely NOT food....ever.

q
Posted 7/10/2010 6:47 PM (GMT 0)
Stress and quitting smoking...
Posted 7/10/2010 7:35 PM (GMT 0)
Durango Kid

I gave up smoking last september flared from early december until 2 weeks ago i started smoking within 2 days, fully formed poos and no blood or mucus work that one out!

 

Posted 7/10/2010 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, I can't believe there is such a wide agreement on stress as a cause/factor. I agree though. Makes me want to be even more acutely aware of my mental state.

What really set off my symptoms was a stressful time at work trying to meet a tight deadline. I don't know if others have this, but if I am VERY stressed about a problem, it will wake me up usually 5-20 minutes after I initially fall asleep and I'll be thinking about it before I'm aware of anything else. That's what was happening during my initial worsening of symptoms last year.
Posted 7/10/2010 9:04 PM (GMT 0)
I'd have to agree with the general consensus. I'm pretty sure stress got me to where I am. I was in the middle of graduating school, I had a bunch of exams I was really stressed about. I had an interview and another test for a program I wanted to get into. Everything just built up and I haven't had any significant relief since.
Posted 7/10/2010 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Stress
Not enough sleep/rest
Too much alcohol
Posted 7/11/2010 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
No idea. I have flared when stressed. Flared when there was no stress.
Posted 7/11/2010 2:32 AM (GMT 0)
When i originally got u.c back in 1985 it was mostly stress[marriage had broken up].Bleeding terribly etc etc.U.C good for 23 years til i got a very bad case of pnuemonia in Sept of 2008.Was in hospital for one week[don't have a spleen which doesn't help immune sustem] and was on major amounts of ANTIBIOTICS.Was in a bad flare within a coiple of months,so ANTIBIOTICS I believe helped bring on the flare-up.Now doing O.K.THANK YOU GOD.
Posted 7/11/2010 3:28 AM (GMT 0)
STRESS! For both flares.

I read in a book recently that UC has a high correlation with major emotional upset/trauma as a child. That was certainly my story.
Posted 7/11/2010 3:57 AM (GMT 0)
antibiotics
Posted 7/11/2010 12:05 PM (GMT 0)
hmmm, I never really knew if I could answer this but I suppose looking back my problems started when I was under stress from doing things that made me unhappy.  That was my flare before being dx.

So that's my only answer as I've only had UC for a year but I'd say emotions play a role for me.

Not food for sure.

Antibiotics I don't know, not been on any since dx.

Posted 7/11/2010 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
For my initial flare that resulted in a UC diagnosis, stress definitely had a part. For the last flare in my 12 years of UC, stress played no part whatsoever. Food never caused me to be ill, so who knows what triggered the final flare that resulted in surgery?

Sue
Posted 7/11/2010 2:33 PM (GMT 0)

subdued said...
antibiotics

Ah yes this may have played a factor as well I forgot, I was taking a lot of antibiotics for a 1 or 2 years prior for prostatitis and a throat problem, and a good dose that summer prior to getting UC for a bad tooth. I didn't use any quality probiotics either to replenish.
Posted 7/12/2010 5:10 AM (GMT 0)

loopylil said...
Durango Kid

I gave up smoking last september flared from early december until 2 weeks ago i started smoking within 2 days, fully formed poos and no blood or mucus work that one out!

Wow!  I believe it!  Unfortunately I can never go back to smoking.  I had a bypass surgery a few years back and smoking again would be the kiss of death....

Posted 7/12/2010 6:26 PM (GMT 0)
My flares have been triggered by Antibiotics, alcohol (beer), and each time I've had a root canal (twice) (considered antibiotics.  Stress doesn't affect me as much.

 

Posted 7/12/2010 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Stress, illness, food does NOT cause a flare up...advil for sure.
First flare was right before my wedding- STRESSFUL TIME
second flare that lasted 2.5 years of on and off steroids, humira, the whole bit- AFTER WEEKS OF TAKING ADVIL every four hours after my pregnancy..:( I really feel this could have been avoided..
third flare- before/during eye surgery and a death in the family...

They are all connected to something in my eyes...
Posted 7/12/2010 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Stress for sure. Physical and mental. Lots of alcohol has a very bad effect on my gut also. I think that ties in with the physical stress part. Food has no effect on me, but I prefer to eat pretty well anyway.
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