Flare but no increase in bowel movements?

I started passing blood again on Christmas Eve and have done so since then with blood every few days. This is only my second experience of colitis having been in remission most of 2014. I have pain worse than last time but in the same places, every day. Especially the right side where pain was only very mild last time. I think stretching, e.g. Reaching for something on shelf, seems to aggravate it - I'm guessding stretches the wound?

I continue taking mesalazine but haven't gone back to doc yet. Steroids did nothing last time so if I go back I'll be trying the next drug option. What's weird is that I don't have increased bowel movements like last time. Last time I was having up to ten a day, but instead I continue to average just 1 or 2. Eating amount has not changed.

Is this normal? Could I have something else? My UC has always been a bit odd. It was induced by antibiotics I was taking, didn't respond to treatment but improved when I stopped the abx. I've always had pain where it is ulcerated which the specialist said wasn't normal.

Every flareup of uc is different. Some are more severe flareups, some are more mild, roll of the dice each time. How long has it been since your last flare up of uc?

@garylouisville - I've been on some good probiotics most of this year, no change there. Also I'm on a strict diet all the time and no change over Christmas. I have a lot of food intollerances now so dont have any choice. Still taking the 4g of Pentasa too, no change there either. Unfortunately, I found that the rectal foams all aggrevated things worse last time so I'm not keen to try those again.

I phoned the specialist today, her colleage is going to pass on the details and hopefully I can see her soon. I think I should have gone already, I just desperately hoped it would get better on its own. She said last time that I'd have to go on azathioprine next time, and I'm not keen on taking another drug, but I guess I havent got much choice.

@iPoop (great name!), I got UC for the first time in Sep 2013 and had it for about six months, then remission until just now. Handy to know that each flare is different.

@LeanneRachel, thanks, it's really helpful to hear from others, so I don't feel so out of my depth. I definately need to go see the doc again and get something sorted. Glad I phoned now.

It sounds similar to my last flare. I also had pain w=in the areas where it was ulcerated on my left side but was only having 2 BM a day. It been like that for my last few flare ups. A little odd but also good in that it is does not have a huge effect on your day to day life.

I know this sounds weird but my pain was also linked to my anxiety over the condition. I kept thinking I was flaring when I wasn't. I got obsessed with my GI doing test after test on me. Then last week, my GI told me that every single test that has come back has shown I am in remission and that I just needed to believe this. I started to say it to myself everyday and you know what, pain has gone! I could also have a mild element of IBS but I honestly think I was getting myself worked about it. And knowing my UC is confined to my left side, made me only feel pain there. Weird!