nothing passes

Howdy, all. First post. UC dx after colonoscopy about 10 months ago. Currently in a prednisone taper that hasn't done much for current symptoms. I'm wondering what is "normal" is during a flare (if I'm even in a flare). I have a call with Dr.'s office nurse practitioner tomorrow. (gross details below )

Since this all started last summer I've never had fewer than 6-ish urges to defecate a day. When things are bad these urges are more like 12~18-ish a day (as they are now). The majority of the time I don't really pass anything substantial. Mucus and a few drops of blood, plus blood and mucus on toilet paper. My internal monologue calls this "residue". My hunch is that what is passing is blood and mucus that has started to clot. So, when folks here talk about a dozen BMs a day is that similar to what I'm describing? I may have an urgent urge to defecate 15 times in a day, but I only pass stool 3 or 4 or those times.

So, is what I'm describing "normal" for an active UC flare?

Thank you, Michelejc. That’s helpful.

I got diagnosed in February, and this was how I started off too! It was just blood and sometimes I got mucus too. It really does sound like you’re in the middle of a flare. I hope your nurse can get you into remission soon Welcome!

I’d say yes you’re in a flare but my flares have changed/fluctuated (as also TMI-described below 🙈) Be VERY specific when you tell the doctor you’re having 15 bowel movements a day so he doesn’t think it’s all stool. This has happened to me, historically in a flare I would have anywhere from 10-30 bowel movements that were diarrhea/liquid etc but the last 2 flares were what you are describing (mostly gas and mucous and blood, etc with a constant feeling of tenesmus) The inflammation was primarily in my rectum these times, not higher up (as I have Crohn’s and can get inflammation throughout), and was actually causing some constipation/sluggish movement from stricture inflammation. But again, although both/all were flares the symptoms/treatment were different. I’d ask for bloodwork and stool sample testing (like fecal calprotectin, that’s one way they try to gauge the inflammation numbers), canasa suppositories might help if that’s where your inflammation is; in my case the flare was getting too bad and I was on Humira but had to switch medicines. What dose Prednisone did you start on for this? Good luck with it, it sucks but hopefully with your next appointment you can get on the right path with it all