i might just have that dreaded hospital visit today

I really think the hospital is the place to be for you right now. I know nobody likes hospitals but they do have their benefits :) Hang in there and keep that chin up. Maybe once you start feeling better, things will look better and brighter.

Probably it is nothing! So don't worry!

also, what do they do for you if you're admitted due to a flare. besides give medication through the i.v to move things quicker, what else do they normally do? run tests? i know every doctor approaches things differently with every patient but what do your doctors usually do for y'all?

Hi...I agree that it's good you're in the hospital.

I hope they check you for whatever could also be going on such as c.diff. It's possible that's an issue since you've increased in symptoms over a short period of time.

Blood tests should also be on the list.

I'll assume they'll put you on steroids of some kind since you cannot take 5ASA meds...rectals could be a good start.

As well, the doc might consider antibiotics..

Looking forward to your update...
q

I obviously misread your initial post about hospital, good you were able to see your doc so quickly.

Happy to hear your doc's having you do stool samples, that's most important.

Hopefully, the pred will get you back on track....

q

good you were able to dodge the big H bullet (not that there's anything wrong with them ;-))

i'd take pred any day over going to the H - but it's nice to know you have the option if needed -

hope the pred continues to improve things for you -

I have no experience with pred either, but as Katmom mentioned...you'll soon find out as to what your body needs during the taper.

Keep us posted how you're doing.....AND the results of the stool samples.

q

another update: haven't been on here in a couple of days. that mostly being due to just not feeling well enough to do so most days. let's see, things that have changed...well i feel great! (: Today i had the best day i've had since i started this flare for sure. Halloween night I was pretty bad off, i spent most of the night crying, feeling sorry for myself because i wanted to participate in the halloween festivities everybody else i knew seemed to be doing, but because i felt so horrible and sick, still suffering with urgency and other uc symptoms, i couldnt do so. so i cried, a lot. needless to say, it didn't help with a thing except give me a stuffy nose and blurry eyes. Friday, i still felt the same, symptom wise, but a little better on the depressing side. about 11 pm friday night i got the weirdest craving for some spaghetti. my grandmother's spaghetti. so i told her, and woke up saturday morning to some spaghetti :) i ate some shell noodles with about a tablespoon of the gravy on top (tried to not overdo it!) and cut up a meatball from the gravy and ate it. symptoms still the same, but i felt good because i was full on food that actually had a good taste to me. sunday, i ate the same thing. sunday night, i cut up two meatballs and made me a meatball sandwich on french bread. it was AMAZING!! symptoms started to get better during the day sunday, not having too much pain with cramps. by sunday night i actually felt like i had a real appetite, i even ate more spaghetti at midnight that night! Monday, of course more spaghetti lol i feel like i could never get enough of it right now, it just taste that good! monday night, i had some pretty bad cramps, 10-20 mins after the cramps started, i had a solid bm!!!! well, i say solid. it came out solid, looked solid but when i flushed it broke up, so not fully solid, but closer than ive ever been since this flare. i slept all night long, for the first time since my first dose of pred. it felt great to sleep all night. i woke up this morning with mild cramps, but a craving for some shrimp alfredo with angel hair pasta. and i got out of bed, got dressed and picked me up some from a local cafe. ate that for lunch and dinner, and guess what? no bm's at all today! (after the slight cramps upon waking up) no cramps. no nothing!!! is it luck? maybe, but for the first time in a month i feel absolutely amazing. having ate what i craved the past two times and having them seemingly sit very well with me. it feels great. i even went to a local park tonight and made a lap on the track. only could make one lap though as when i finished that one lap my legs felt like jello since i have been sitting/laying in bed for basically a month. tomorrow, im going to red lobster and enjoy some snow crab legs and i hope to have the same day as i did today. still waiting on the results from my stool samples, but as far as im concerned (for at least another day or two) everything medical/doctor related is in the back of my mind! i just generally feel THAT great. my doctor also recommended i see a specialist that has more knowledge on uc then he does. (he recommended a certain one, i guess he works with him a lot) basically he wants to work with that dr as well and get a "second opinion" on my next step of long term medication. hope everyone is doing great! :)

well since this flare, pasta has been my go to food. i would boil some noodles put a tiny bit of butter and a pinch of salt, i would also do the same with white rice. they seemed starchy and seemed like a food that would fill me up, rather than just eating soup, crackers, etc. i also forgot to mention, saturday night and sunday during the day, i enjoyed some canned beets flavored with oil, vinegar, slices of onions, and salt and pepper. also, last night, i ate a couple of dill pickle chips because my mouth has been watering for something sour and all i can think of is pickled beets and just pickles in general.

I hate especially hearing from young people and this disease. It so reminds me of myself...16 years and how much I missed out and the suffering. Glad to hear you're feeling better. I know what it's like to go 30 times a day for months with no end in sight.

Sounds like you need some extra help...pred is unlikely enough.
Talk to your doctor about IVIG. Saved my life and my sanity.

Hang in kiddo!