Change in BMs/ increased bloating. Need advice...

I've been in remission from my UC for several years now and in the past couple months I've noticed a change in my BMs. I used to go twice a day and now I'm only going once every 3 days, and it's never much. With this has come very uncomfortable bloating and weight gain (probably from bloating). Last night I took a laxative and it was the most painful experience I've had in a long time (I've never had to take one before!) and had several BMs and then today I haven't had any at all and I'm just bloating up again. I don't know if this is my new "normal" or what but if it is it is very uncomfortable...

Is this a normal symptom for remission? Do I need to contact the doctor?

Thanks. I did put in a call to him but he's on vacation until Monday. Hopefully he gets back to me then.

With flaring comes varied degrees of inflammation. Since you were in remission for a while and have now since started to see constipation, I would say that you're flaring very mildly and limited in the rectum.

If you have any rectal meds, get on them now.

When you talk to your doc, ask for the retention enemas and use them nightly till your bms are back to normal....then taper them to a maintenance dosage.

Since you've been hospitalised in the past, this is probably not a symptom you've recognised....but your meds are different than in the past, and you're not in extreme symptom mode. Many, many, many UCers miss this symptom.....but it's one of the most disconcerting because it causes great discomfort and bloating.

When I went through this while healing (when the inflammation was regressing)...it was difficult because of the extreme difference in symptoms.
It was explained to me by my GI (which made sense), and I was instructed to remain on the retention enemas and I took stool softeners to help with the passing of more formed stool.

While mag citrate is a good suggestion, I would suggest you get on a fibre supplement as well (take with meals)...start slow. It will help with the peristalsis, bulking the stool, soften the stool and help get you back into a more regular stool forming routine, even while flaring.

I've never used mag citrate, but I did really up the vitamin C....very loose stool was so much easier to pass than harder, and it certainly quickened the process of elimination.

Using an antispasmodic is a lifesaver, but during that phase I do take it 3 - 4 times a day.

Rectal meds, retention enemas are better than the suppositories. You can use the supps in conjunction during the day and the enemas at night.

Feel better soon...but remember these symptoms for you'll eventually be treating early to ward off a more serious flare, hopefully.

It is also best to get checked by your GI to make sure nothing else is going on since you've not remembered experience such as this.

Oh, are you having an excess of mucus as well? Gas that you want to pass but seems to disappear into the rectum before you can expel it?

Keep us posted how you're doing,
q

Hi...great you got in to see a doctor. The fibre has to be added slowly. Which one exactly are you using...there are different forms of Metamucil.
When are you taking it?

So...no mention of rectal meds?

q

I'm meaning you didn't request rectal meds?

The orange flavour...is it sugar-free? some of the ingredients can cause gastro symptoms.

q

Rectal meds would help address the inflammation in your rectum that is currently giving you the constipation.

I would request rectal meds asap. And believe me we would all prefer not to take them but I prefer not to be constipated or flaring much much more. :)

Hi. I also have hypothyroidism. You might want to post a new topic to get better response to that portion of your question. Also do a search, because there have been many topic posted here and in Crohn's regarding the link with thyroid disorder. Your G.I. is awesome to suggest it as a possibility because the vast majority would not.

See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8562993
and do a google research for many more

Best.

This was the most shocking thing to me about ulcerative proctitis - the absolutely ridiculous bloating and accompanying constipation that can occur.

I think most people (especially women) are familiar with the feeling of occasional bloating, but this was so different. It's like there's a beach ball in there, starting at the bottom of the rib cage. And of course with your food transit time about 3-5x slower than normal (fill in your own "x" factor, depending on how long the intervals are between when you can get anything out), you end up gaining weight.

I really had no success with using laxatives or fiber to get things moving. Fiber especially just made an uncomfortable situation even more uncomfortable. Getting the rectal inflammation under control was really the key, and then gradually everything went back to normal. Rectal meds for the win!