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Flare Up, Stress, and Meds

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 1/3/2015 10:17 PM (GMT 0)
Annnnnnnd remission is gone.

A few months ago I started a thread in which I stopped taking my meds and started smoking e-cigs. Doing that worked... for a while. I did this at the start of August. Symptoms came back over Thanksgiving and have just been getting worse since. Have started the meds up the meds again (Liaild, 3.6mg a day), and am kind of bummed.

Here's what upsets me: I felt amazing during the months off the meds. Better than when I was on them. I didn't even feel my digestive system. But then Thanksgiving rolled around, and I (for some God awful reason) decided to spend it with my father who abused my siblings and me a great deal when we were kids. Very stressful, as I'm sure you can all imagine. Then I returned to college just in time to spend six hours a day in a phone booth frantically studying for five different exams (lots of fun... in a stressful, un-fun sort of way).

In short, I think it was the stress that pulled me out of remission, but I'm not sure. Maybe not taking the meds was just a dumb idea. Granted, the meds still made me feel sick--stomach pains, bleeding. Those went away when I was off the meds and just smoking more e-cigs, but came back when life got to be a lot.

Has anyone else gone off their meds and then felt better for a few months? I really think the meds are keeping me out of remission. The side effects for Liailda include ulcers, the runs, stomach pains, and even UC.
Posted 1/3/2015 10:55 PM (GMT 0)
Ugh - sorry you are dealing with this! It sounds like a perfect storm to me - the best recipe for me keeping things at bay are meds, diet, managing stress (not necessarily in that order - they work together). Can you survive without your meds? Maybe. But adding that in plus a stressful family situation plus school = disaster. If you want to try to wean off of your meds, maybe try it at a time when the rest of your life is a little more calm. I kind of went through the same thing last year - weaned off of meds, stress in work/life escalated, flare crept up on me - I feel fortunate that getting back on consistent mesalamine (plus diet adherence and TCM) got things under control, but that doesn't always work for everyone! This is a really humbling disease. If you think that the meds could be the source of some of these issues, maybe see if there's something else you can try. Just my two cents.
Posted 1/4/2015 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
Sounds like you learned an important lesson: take your medications for life whether you are feeling good or bad.

Uc is an autoimmune disorder where your immune system attacks the lining of your large intestine which causes inflammation. Your lialda is an anti-inflammatory medication. When used daily the inflammation is kept under control. Your immune system never sleeps, and it's attack is continuous. Stop your medications and the uc symptoms wil return. Not a matter of if, but rather a matter of when.
Posted 1/5/2015 10:59 PM (GMT 0)
A good many UC forum members have reported problems with Lialda so you're not alone in that respect. Better, though, to link up with a competent gastro who will listen to your side effects complaints & help you to find a more tolerable UC med than to take the risk of e-cigs. Have you tried any other mesalamine med(s) in the past? / Old Hat (34 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 1/6/2015 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
Look into different medications, why not try some steroids to get into remission? There's a lot you can do.

As for this flare, stress is a giant trigger for many people, so don't feel as though it's your fault. Plenty of people have stopped their medications then returned, no need to kick yourself over it.
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