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What is your definition of a flare?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/7/2013 11:22 PM (GMT 0)
The first sign of blood? Number of BMs (If so, how many)? Pain? Urgency?

Just curious because I am going between 3-6 times every morning with somewhat formed stools that are to get out, no blood though.  I mentioned this to my GI and he didn't seem concerned, in fact he was glad to hear this news :)

 

Posted 9/7/2013 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
My definition of a flare is symptoms that inconvenience my daily life.
My definition of remission is no symptoms!

Right now I have blood but no pain or urgency. So I wouldn't say I'm in a flare or in remission, somewhere in between.
Posted 9/7/2013 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
To me a flare means you are having symptoms and are not normal. Going between 3-6 times every morning is obviously not normal. People and doctors both like dancing around the facts but if you are not normal then you are not normal. I particularly hate it when you are having symptoms and doctors have the gall to tell you, "Congratulations. You are in clinical remission". Bull Shiit.
Posted 9/8/2013 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
Really it's my definition of remission that counts - a completely symptom free condition. Total GI health. No blood, no cramping, nothing. A complete absence of UC symptoms - that is remission to me. Anything else is a degree of flare up.
Posted 9/8/2013 12:42 AM (GMT 0)
A flare to me was such discomfort that I feel meds arent working, bad painful cramps, crazier than usual looking or feeling bms. Mucos.

Remission is no D, no cramps, no sick time from work, no mucos.

A little blood in the pot doesnt worry me, it to me is a sign that i am doing something wrong.

Its strange how the scale is diff for all of us, strange but not surprising right?
Posted 12/23/2013 4:57 PM (GMT 0)
I know this is an old post but definitely a question I need answered. Right now my flare consists of D, severe urgency every couple days. Usually when I eat the wrong thing. And sum days up to 8bm, 3 in morning and the rest at night. But some days less. Blood usually when I strain, I think from hemmies. Little to no stomach pain which I can tell has changed from the beginning of my flare. Extreme fatigue is also lingering. Waiting on mesaline enemas rx today. Didn't know they were so expensive tho. Still waiting on insurance to kick in
Posted 12/23/2013 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Shooga... sounds like you are heading in the right direction! Hopefully you continue to succeed on your way to remission!
I think flares come in all shapes, sizes and severity.
Sounds like your flare is improving, but definitely still in a flare.

Be sure to keep your GI informed of your symptoms before you taper your prednisone. And hopefully those rectal meds will be the last push your body needs to get you completely out of this flare! Good luck!
Posted 12/23/2013 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks ember, I keep telling myself I'm getting better but I so want my life back. I see improvement but I'm still at a stand still kinda since my D and urgency is still bad. Just had a accident this morning on the phone with my GI's nurse, u should have seen me running through the house throwing the phone. If I can get that under control and my strength back I would be great. My Gi has partnered on with another GP for me and they want to schedule a flex sig and put me on humira to since the prednisone isn't really working on my D and urgency like it should. But I have to wait until my insurance kicks in which will be within a month or less hopefully.
Posted 12/23/2013 6:02 PM (GMT 0)
Im also waiting on insurance. Should be 2 weeks for me :)

Also having D and urgency issues. Accidents every other day... first accident at work the other day :/

How did the Bentyl help? I am wait in for a call back from my GP nurse today :) hoping to get anti-spas meds for the pain.

Wish prednisone was working for me. Guess we're just special :D
Posted 12/23/2013 6:33 PM (GMT 0)
I tell ya those accidents always set me back and are so depressing. When I had my baby I had a c section and had sum difficulty with the healing process. So ever since I've been dx with uc I started back having issues. This is over 7 months post! My GI is saying its uc related I guess since my body is slow to heal now with everything going on. With that being said when I have these accidents it's so hard to try and clean up because of the pain from the incision site and all. Well it's hard doing everything really cuz of it even getting out the bed :/

They only gave me 10mg of bentyl so I usually took 2. Which I think was ok because I was allowed to take up to 4 a day. I'm not sure but that's what I did. I think it helped sum not drastically but any kind of comfort helps when in a lot of pain. I thought prednisone was the miracle drug, I guess not in our case. Mayb we tapered to fast
Posted 12/23/2013 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
Flare; fle(ə)r/; Noun
See "Hell on Earth" which is a very unpleasant situation, as if one were in hell.

Pretty much a flareup can vary in intensity from a little blip (e.g., a worsening of symptoms for a few days), to something more moderate (12-25 bloody, urgent bms a day), or severe (you land yourself in the hospital). There are usually signs that a flareup is coming (things start getting progressively worse over days, or weeks), so you are best to nip-it-in-the-bud whenever it is possible to do so.
Posted 12/23/2013 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks ipoop pretty much sums it up huh
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