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UP becoming UC?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/9/2016 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Proctotis about 15 years ago. It's been relatively mild and easily treated with Canasa until recently. Had a flare about 6 months ago that just won't stop. I don't use the Canasa as regularly as I should, it just doesn't seem to be doing a whole lot when I do use it.
The thing I have found most effective is diet, I am currently avoiding dairy, wheat, corn, soy and sugar and I've seen huge improvement. If I have one dietary slip though, it comes back with a vengeance. The odd thing is that for the past month or so I've been having episodes of bad cramping/frequent elimination (diarrhea-ish but not completely) about once-twice per week. The episodes last about 2 hours, and afterward things go back to normal & I'll have regular stool (with some mucous) or constipation the rest of the week.
Does this sound like UC? I've got a colonoscopy scheduled in 2 weeks. Just curious if anyone has had similar symptoms or any insight.
Thx!
Posted 9/10/2016 12:06 AM (GMT 0)
Try adding mesalamine enemas in addition to Canasa. Enema at bedtime and Canasa daytime. That could help get inflammation from spreading because suppositories do not reach as much area as enemas do.

Diet modification and enemas are my secret to success. As healing progresses my approved food list grows and even "bad" foods don't cause bad episodes unless I pile it on for several days and eat too many "bad" items. My GI says it's UC not IBS. Constipation is my main symptom from falling off the wagon but that was normal pre-UC so it may be a feature not a bug (computer humor).

Your c-scope will tell the story and not enough time to lower inflammation using enemas by then. But you'll hopefully see symptom improvement with enemas, they help my constipation a lot.
Posted 9/10/2016 10:46 AM (GMT 0)
Looking back, my first symptoms were proctitis. That was 30 years ago and that was my doctors original thought. A colonoscopy showed that it was UC of my lower bowel. Eventually it spread to involve my entire colon.

I don't know if its common for proctitis to "spread"? So, maybe I had UC the whole time. Mary
Posted 9/10/2016 4:11 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like it is. We all have that potential since it starts at the rectum and moved upward. If you don't have a copy of the first c-scope...you should get one to know what the biopsies stated.

You need to consider requesting oral mesalamine (which you should have been on initially...dosage of at peast 2400mg daily) and mesalamine enemas.

Your c-scope should tell all...

q
Posted 9/11/2016 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds very similar to my own case, completely controlled by diet for 10 years. Slip up and suffer the consequences. Started off as mild proctitis about 15 years ago and slow spread to the entire colon.
Posted 9/18/2016 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
Mine started as UP and gradually extended to UC, moving its way upward with leaps from each flare.

Cortenemas have helped a lot to calm things initially and even over the past few decades when it was UC fully flaring. I always had most discomfort distally. At the slightest sign of mucus, I even use them now. (Became allergic to mesalamine...)
Posted 9/18/2016 7:24 AM (GMT 0)
Mine started as very mild proctitis 7 years ago. For that period of time, the only symptom was mucus from time to time. Last year blood appeared but was controlled with enemas. Then earlier this year, the blood reappeared and a few weeks later diarrhea. Things progressively became worse and worse as the weeks went by. At the end of June I elected to have surgery and be done with it. Post-surgery pathology revealed my entire colon had UC.

It is common for proctitis to eventually spread to involve more of the colon. According to my GI, the stats are 10% of people diagnosed with proctitis will have it go away; 10% will have it stay the same; and the rest will suffer from progressively worse inflammation.
Posted 9/18/2016 12:52 PM (GMT 0)
"If ulcerative colitis is initially limited to the rectum (Ulcerative Proctitis or UP) at the time of diagnosis, fewer than 30% of individuals will go on to develop more extensive disease (Rowe). Approximately 10% of patients presenting with proctitis will develop a pancolitis (Rowe)." www.mdguidelines.com/ulcerative-colitis
Posted 9/18/2016 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Guess I'm in the minority once again since my initial diagnosis was UP and became UC fairly quickly. Always seem to be in the 30% minority.
Posted 9/19/2016 2:10 PM (GMT 0)
I had a full scope in February and it was only in the rectum at that time, hadn't progressed since diagnosis 2.5 years prior. Just had a flex sig a few days ago, and it's progressed quite quickly into the colon. I think the stress of a wedding, buying and moving into a new condo and then paired with cipro abx for a kidney infection killed my gut.
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