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First bad flare EVER!

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/19/2014 3:53 PM (GMT 0)
So I was diagnosed with UC in Feb of this year and this last week was the first time I have ever had a bad flare up. What do you guys do when this happens? Right now I am barely eating: bananas, white rice, chicken broth, gatoraide, etc. and taking my usual Lialda 3.2g and my PCP just prescribed 20mg a day of prednisone until I can get in to see my GI. My question is, do you think I need more prednisone to kick this? I have been taking the 20mg for about 3 days now and I don't see much of a difference (still frequent D, blood, etc). Any input would be appreciated. Also, what do you do for the pain? Tylenol is just not working for this anymore... :( shakehead
Posted 8/19/2014 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
You should be able to contact your GI without an appointment in order to get advice and then see how it's going when you actually do go in for your appointment. Your PCP really shouldn't be treating your UC.
Posted 8/19/2014 4:18 PM (GMT 0)
I agree, however he is on vacation and the office said to ask my PCP... No other GI doc would help me when I called the office. Needless to say, I am switching GIs! :)
Posted 8/19/2014 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
When this is your first bad flare-up how did you get diagnosed in the first place?

Three days on 20 mg pred is not really a lot. I'd suggest call your GI and wait for instructions.

Best
Posted 8/19/2014 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
30 or 40mg is a more common start dose for a pred taper. 20 should give some benefit after a few days.

I am surprised there was nobody covering the GI while on vacation.

Also, try to figure what triggered this. Since you were already diagnosed and on Lialda, something had to change. If you get a lot of bleeding and pain, it could be a c-diff infection.

Ask for Tylenol-III with Codeine. It helped my with persistent dull ache and cramps.
Posted 8/19/2014 7:07 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, 20 mg wouldn't do much of anything for me. If I were prescribed it I would double my dosage to 40 until I saw my GI. That's just me though because I have been down the road enough. The pred would help with the pain with a higher dosage. Just keep eating what you can eat.
Posted 8/19/2014 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
if it was me, I'd definitely up the pred - let your pcp know what you are doing if you choose to make a change -
Posted 8/22/2014 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you everyone for the suggestions... I finally got back into my GI and they upped it to 30mg and am beginning to see a change, finally! I have an appointment with a new GI next week to get a second opinion, closer to my home, get on the same page, etc..

I started having IBS symptoms in January of this year and had a colonoscopy which confirmed left sided UC. I was started immediately on Delzicol 3 times a day and I had minimal symptoms until this week.. First flare I have ever experienced and definitely was not fun! Out of work for a week... The good thing though is that I have discovered my triggers (I think) and will be much more careful after I get out of this flare.
Posted 8/22/2014 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
Discovering the triggers is a major accomplishment.
Posted 8/22/2014 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
You really need rectal meds to get things under complete control. If your diagnosis is UC for sure you undoubtedly have rectal inflammation and the oral meds are just not going to treat that very effectively, if at all.

When you meet with this new GI next week make sure you talk about rectal meds, either suspension enema or suppositories, depending on the amount of distal inflammation.
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