Can flu cause flare?

Hello all,

New member of this amazing forum. Finally joined to get some information.

I was diagnosed with U.C. beginning of 2011 with a C-Scope. Turns out I had pan-colitis as my whole colon was inflamed.

When I was first diagnosed, I was prescribed presdinone (30 mg and tapered off) and Asacol. After tapering off presdinone, I used Asacol just for remission.

Since the last year, there have been good and bad times. I got sick a bunch last year and my G.I. doc prescribed me some antibiotics for the GI tract that got my out of a flare. The last time I took these antibiotics were November'12 to get my out of a flare caused by the flu / cold. Things were good until I got my flu shot.

For the past two - three weeks, my stools have been soft, runny and dark. Never noticed any blood and I naively thought I would get better. There has been mucus and today, I noticed very little blood today. My stools have always been darker than usual for these last two weeks, but never noticed blood. In addition, I've get this very weird pain before a bowel movement in my stomach. Almost like there is a knot in there. I also experience some lower back pain, lower left area.

I am assuming this is another flare up. My question is, can a flu / cold cause flare ups for us folks since we have bad immune systems?

I am going to call my GI doc promptly tomorrow since he said if I notice blood again, he will skip antibiotics and put me on prednisone ASAP.

It's possible, but I suspect you were pushed further into an already developing flare.

My suggestion...do NOT go on pred, ask for the retention mesalamine enemas.

Get on good probiotics.

Welcome to the forum.
q

I'm confused. Do you have the flu or are you wondering if you got worse because of the flu shot?

I agree with Quincy, avoid Pred at all costs. It should be a last resort if at all possible.

Do the enemas, Rowasa worked great for me. Also add some natural options such as probiotics and slippery elm bark.

garylouisville said...
I'm confused. Do you have the flu or are you wondering if you got worse because of the flu shot?

Sorry for the confusing post. My main question was if people develop flares because of the flu. Great responses, thanks guys.

I will talk to my G.I. doctor at my next appointment about enemas. It is odd that he has never mentioned them before, yet had mentioned stronger medicine than Asacol if it doesn't help with my remission. I want to try as many alternatives as possible as my G.I. doctor mentioned that those stronger medicines can cause infertility (I am male) due to lowering sperm cell count.

I have never tried probiotics before. Are they usually over the counter? If so, can someone recommend me a brand? I will pick them up first thing this week.

Another question I had was another general one for people with U.C. Does anyone experience random joint and muscle during cold weather? For the last couple of months, I have had random groin pain, knee pain and now I have pain on my foot, which feels like my tendon is swollen. I am hardly able to talk.

Thanks guys ! You guys are a helpful bunch.

Yay~ this is so helpful. I had a mini flare come out of nowhere while my family had the flu.. I mean, yeah.. I wasnt perfect with my eating.. but good night! I cant go back to the days of Low fodmaps and live that way forever!

this was really helpful

http://www.nature.com/ni/journal/v11/n5/abs/ni.1861.html
downloads.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2011/506836.pdf

I had the flu a week or two before my current flare.