How long does this last?

It varies for everyone. What meds are you on? Are you on prednisone? Stress and diet management are important. Lots of info here. I have had this 14 years and havent gotten a full remission yet. Some have responded well to their treatments. You found a good place for info!

WOW, I'd find a new doc if possible, what a jerk! Asacol, imuran and other 5ASA meds are likely on the horizon for you as well as rectal meds to aid with the proctitis...the sooner you can get on meds hopefully the sooner you'll start to feel better.

:)

"Episodes" last different lengths of time for different people. Even for the same person, each episode can last a different amount of time. One thing you will learn about this disease is that nothing is consistent.

That being said, keep your chin up! Many of us respond well to treatment. For me, I am able to maintain long periods of remission with mesalamine medications (Asacol and Rowasa). When I do flare (only 4 times in 5 years), I use short tapers of Prednisone to get back into remission. The Prednisone usually kicks in after 2-7 days, and I feel better right away.

Good luck in your research on the disease. You have been to two of the best sites out there - Mayo and CCF. This board will help you as well - it is a phenomenal resource.

I have never had to miss work for a flare. Fortunately, I have a desk job, so I can do what I need to do, when I need to do it. When I am feeling bad, I find that work has a way of taking my mind off how ugly I feel. So, I don't mind going in to work when I am flaring.

I refuse to succumb to this dumb disease. I just won't give in... I won't let it win. I go about my life as if I were the healthiest person in the world. Don't get my wrong, I don't ignore it. I take my medications religiously and otherwise try to take good care of my body. I see my GI every 6 months, regardless of whether I am flaring or in remission.

The key, for me anyway, is to monitor my symptoms closely. You will feel better when you achieve remission. Then, you keep an eye on things. As you feel yourself sliding into a flare, you learn to nip it right away. The earlier you can catch a flare, usually, the easier it can be to treat it back into remission.

Yes, I had a colonoscopy last Tuesday, and he is a GI. I have had a problem with his nurse before, very rude, she was supposed to call it in originally. I will call again tomorrow morning. Thanks for all of your help.

ABW - welcome to HealingWell! Glad to have you, but sorry you had to find us.

I would suggest this book: The First Year: Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by Jill Sklar. She has Crohn's and there is a lot of information in this book that you won't get from a doctor.

Yes, keep calling the GIs office. They should answer any and all questions you have. Kindly remind them to call in your rx and keep calling until they do.

Proctitis should be treated with rectal meds. No, they aren't fun, but they work by getting the meds directly to the inflammation.

I also recommend reading through old posts. There is a huge amount of great information in them.