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Good news bad news - clean colonoscopy

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/10/2019 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
I just had my 4th colonoscopy in 5 years. (note: Nulytely prep worked well).

Good news: GI didn't see inflammation! Yeyyy
Bad news: I don't feel like I'm in remission. I still have mild pain, a little urgency, and soft, weird stool.

My doc briefly talked to me about her findings while I was still heavily sedated. When I woke up, I was only 50/50 on if that conversation happened or I dreamt it. So all I remember is this.

Doc: "I didn't see inflammation, so there's improvement from last time."
Me: "Guess I have some IBS".

If anything else was said, I have no idea. I'm still waiting on the biopsy results, which will take about 2 weeks. And I'm seeing my doc again in a couple of months. But for now I'm a little lost on what to try next. I started Entyvio 10 weeks ago, so I'm hoping that I'm still healing. But I'm also about 1 month off prednisone. So I don't know.

Maybe I need to try getting more fiber in by diet or reduce how frequently I use the mesalamine enemas to firm things up? Maybe I should reduce the probiotics? Has anyone successfully maintained a food diary and gleaned any useful information from doing so? Did you work with a dietitian or just work through the trial and error on your own?
Posted 5/10/2019 10:19 PM (GMT 0)
I think it's great if they saw no inflammation!

Does it matter if your stools are soft in terms of your quality of life?

Pain and urgency are obviously not pleasant. I guess biospies might still show microscopic inflammation, i.e. you could still be in the healing process.

One thing I have to remind myself is that even normal people get stomach pain sometimes. I don't bother to analyse my stool consistency any more. As long as it "sinks" in the toilet bowl I'm good.
Posted 5/11/2019 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
Congratulations! Let us know the outcome of biopsies.

Are you using the enemas 2x daily?

You could add fibre slowly with meals.

What probiotics?

Food intake will influence the consistency, frequency, etc.
What do you eat in a day generally?

q
Posted 5/11/2019 1:08 PM (GMT 0)
I’ve been in remission for years with not great stool consistency. My GI says it is what it is and it’s common. Probiotics and a low carb diet have helped me improve on it.
Posted 5/13/2019 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all of your comments. I really appreciate your input/support.

That's good know about the consistency and I can live with that. I guess I'm more concerned about the discomfort (cramps/gas). That seems like it could be manageable with diet. Maybe its too soon for apples with skins....

I take VSL#3DS 1 pack a day recently instead of 2. I had been using the rowasa 2x daily, but I'm trying to go back to just once at bedtime. Maybe I'll go back up, because it seemed to help a lot.

As for diet, it's a little tricky. For the past few weeks I have been getting nauseous instead of hungry (the only other time this has happened was when I started Remicade). Most mornings I have a probiotic, yogurt, and banana smoothie (that I've been having for almost 2 years now). Then the rest of the day is just whatever I can try and make myself eat.
Posted 5/13/2019 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi....if I ate your breakfast, I'd be doubled in pain from gas by early afternoon....so if you have gas and cramping, look into that.

If you are going to reduce from the morning enemas...PLEASE taper them first...start at every second morning. You can substitute the off days with suppositories.

q
Posted 5/13/2019 5:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Quincy. That's good advice. I think I'll just go back to the morning enemas at least until I see my doc in July and then taper if I do start to reduce their use.

Can I ask you what part of that breakfast would hurt you? Is it the sugar, lactose, fiber? Thanks!
Posted 5/14/2019 4:34 AM (GMT 0)
Mostly the banana, but I would never have a smoothie for breakfast anyway. I have egg and toast in the morning. I have yogurt after supper. Probiotics at bedtime.

Let us know how you do when decreasing morning enemas.

q
Posted 5/15/2019 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
My stool consistency has never gone back to "normal" after getting UC and going on 5-ASA meds (Delzicol and Rowasa for me), except for sometimes when I've been on high-dose prednisone. I wouldn't worry about consistency, but the urgency, and especially the pain, I would be more concerned with. Did you feel better, worse or the same on 2 enemas a day?
Posted 5/16/2019 10:25 PM (GMT 0)
Like Quincy, I avoid eating banana for breakfast. The MD who diagnosed my UC in 1980 advised me NOT to eat them early in my day because they increase the serotonin level in one's body, and that's a neurotransmitter which can stimulate colon activity. At the time we discussed A.M. food, I was feeling nauseous right after breakfast & eliminating the banana definitely helped me to feel better. It was ok to eat after lunch or supper. You could try some soft-cooked oatmeal or plain Cheerios for breakfast with cooked fruit or a small portion of blueberries, or add a few spoonsize shredded wheat & bran biscuits to the Cheerios bowl-- to up your fiber a bit. Blueberries, melon, & mango are fruits that a lot of UCers can digest well. / Old Hat (38 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 5/16/2019 10:49 PM (GMT 0)
I have a banana every morning no problems. Yogurt on the other hand gives me diarrhea....
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