Normal or Baseline when not flaring??

Hello there. I feel for you has i had UC at 22 and meds kept on working until 28.
then since 5 years symptoms have come and go but they stayed there.
Intensity is what have been changing all the time. But i dont remember the last time i have one formed BM in the morning or no gas.
For now i have around 2 BM a day wich is good compared to lots of poeple here.
However I always have around 2 episodes of mucus a day: one when i wake up and maybe after during the day.
I have rarely episodes with blood and diarrhea. My symptoms are more mucus, gas and urgencies. Then again the urgencies are less and less. But then again those symptoms are there everyday and it kills me cause yes its annoying.
Should I call myself in remission?
No i dont think so. Im not in a big flare either.
But symptoms are constant and your level of confort and quality of life is still altered.
My doctor always said im not the worst case he saw (of course he saw many) but im still inconfortable with those symptoms, i still need 2 hours in the morning the empty and feel secured about facing the world.
So even if you are experiencing incomfort its still worth it to look at how you can make it better. I find this road frustrating cause its long, painful and its always about trying what works for you and that is time and effort consumming and not always with nice results.
I always have the feeling if i let go a week i can go back to worst and this is rough cause Im always afraid to get worst.

Having UC leads to having symptoms and as minors they can be they still altered your life right? so hang in there and dont diminish their importance because others have it harder. Inspire yourself from the ones that has it harder to keep you going... well thats what I do :P
Hope it helps


stefanie

My Doc says it's not remission until there is no blood or mucous.

when you are flaring you can't remember normal and when you are normal you can imagine how you cope with a flare!!!!!

To me normal (remission) is symptom free! My meds keep me regular and softer stooled then i ever was pre UC but otherwise no blood, mucous, urgency- 1 to 2 BM each morning - not worried about leaving house -

I've come to described a third status in this uc rollercoaster - i think you can be in remission(symptom free), flaring (hell on earth) or in recovery (i like using positive vibe words) - while in recovery things are improving (all be it very slowly... ), so still some symptoms, but manageable!

Both times i flared, i feel it took almost a full year in recovery before i was in remission!

The recovery state is so true!!
I noticed as well when i didnt have uc i didnt even remember going to the toilet. It was natural no fuss. I could sleep until 5 minutes before my bus, wake up at 5 am without consequences and do 5 hours drive, i could walk all afternoon in the park, have a picnic and drink 2 litres of coca cola!
But i didnt even remember when i was going to the loos....
I remember one week 2 years ago where i was symptoms free and i was glowing and full of energy thats when i realised that uc suck all the energy out of me.

I asked my doc this same question at my last visit, "What does normal look like?" He said he didn't think I "know" normal. He said 1-2 stools in the morning and maybe another later in the day. Likely not formed and always a little loose. The urgency, blood and mucus won't be there anymore. Which is normal for me.

Agree with Canadagal...I don't remember how bad I felt when I got so sick this year. And, when you no longer worry about leaving the house.