Flaring now. What do you eat during a flare?

I've been pretty lucky until this past year, in that my flares have been infrequent and able to be nipped in the bud by increasing my balsalizide and adding Canasa suppositories in the morning (enemas are a standard at night for maintenance). But this year has been rough. I had my first flare in years in December 2019 (I stopped birth control pills and went into menopause, and I'm convinced that triggered the flare). Then with the stress of the pandemic, being laid off in September and still being out of work, I've been flaring periodically since then. I've seemed to get it under control, then after a couple months, I'll see blood again.

Over the past week, I've been having the worst symptoms I've had in many years -- blood, a lot of abdominal discomfort, major urgency and loose stools. So far my usual step-up measures aren't working. My gastro is hesitant to prescribe prednisone right now because of COVID (and I'm not wanting to take it anyway because of that). I've gotten some hydrocortisone enemas to try. The next option he's mentioned is Uceris, but I'm still hesitant, because it's also a steroid, though not as problematic as prednisone.

I had a calprotectin test in September when I was seeing blood, and my results were good: 35.6 mcg/g when <=50.0 mcg/g is normal.

I'm struggling to figure out what to eat. To be honest, the stress of everything has pretty much ruined my appetite for months. My usual go-to foods when flaring are baked salmon, sauteed spinach, baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, egg noodles, eggs, boiled pierogies, bananas and rice. I'm a pescetarian, so seafood is the only meat I eat. I'm curious to see what foods others find soothing or at least not so problematic to eat during a flare.

Stress management is key. I meditate daily and try to reduce stress during flares. I also had the worst flare this year since I got a new medical problem + covid in the background.

During a flare I have bone broth or chicken soap twice daily (you can the soap without chicken), fish, squash, well cooked veggies, bananas, SCD yogurt, eggs. Sometimes avocado is okay for me too.

Best of luck to you!

I eat chicken broth, toast, bananas, cooked/mashed carrots, apple sauce

i agree - definitely no soap !

unless absolutely necessary ;-)


TT

btw, am i mistaken, or is rambling making light ? what's this covid world coming to ??/

;-)

You made me LOL! Thanks I needed that!

SCD yogurt, boiled and mashed carrots, chicken bone broth (SCD), thin watery oatmeal with honey, white bread toast, applesauce, soft scrambled eggs, bananas, walmart equate chocolate nutrition replacement meals on crushed ice, and this I don't understand why or how it works only it does calm my tummy....lays potatoe chips and ginger ale or 7 up. When I was at my sickest I could only eat puffy Cheetos and plain homemade beef or chicken jerky with ginger ale. (Not alot of it but when its the only thing that will stay down....it'll do in a pinch)

I also think oatmeal is bland. I add honey to it. Sometimes I also add dark chocolate chips.

Gosh, I am sorry you are going thru this. I totally understand not wanting to go into doctor offices. The insurance, and financial stress during this pandemic is crushing. Its bound to impact you.

I have a friend in my ostomy support group that said her flares were caused from going off birth control and hormone therapy also. There have been others in the group that have indicated the same. I just realized that I became ill after I had food poisoning and while I was going thru menapause. Unsure if there is a correlation or not.

UC and Crohns are wicked diseases. I wish they'd push for a vaccine/cure for us after they finish with Covid.

Oh....and during a flare. I try to avoid fruit. Once I start feeling a Little better I add 1 new item every 4 days. If I start feeling ill I back track and start again.

Clo

I have found bone broth works well for me. I try to drink it daily for the nurtients and collagen. Super easy to make and cheap! You can add ginger or turmeric as well. I even cook carrots in it, then blend them up and add them back to the broth.
Can add some rice and crack an egg into it, makes almost like a rice/broth porridge.

Good luck!

When I was hospitalized they put me a low-fiber diet (dairy, etc) to help w/ healing. I thought this was counterintuitive but I gave it a shot and actually felt better. After I got out, they recommended I eat cereal, I made sure to eat something low in fiber and low in sugar. It actually was tricky to find something, I ended up eating Corn Pops or Kix (I can't recall which had less sugar).

Stress is definitely a major factor for me. Make sure to stay hydrated and get enough sleep. Marijuana also helps my symptoms.