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Posted 8/18/2009 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
OK, so, I was diagnosed with UP 26 years ago and UC 23 years ago.... and for a long time it was mostly left-sided. My eating never really affected it, other than I'd need to cut down on irritating things during a flare.
Early last fall (almost a year ago) I could tell that my transverse was inflamed - it really hurt. So, I was scoped, took meds, have been eating safe things mostly - and last week I thought I was absolutely golden.....and then we had pizza over the weekend for a family gathering. Great pizza - and I wondered, as I ate it, hmmm, what about these cut-up pieces of tomato on here....?!
So - the next two days I had some blood, some discomfort, things were less formed.... Argh!

So, here's my new issue: as never before, food is seeming to bring on symptoms! It feels silly to even write that, because I know a lot of you know that as matter of course. But after all these years, to have the rules of the game change, to have food matter as it never did before - it's a new thing to get my head around! I'm wondering it's because inflammation was worse in a new place, or if it's not completely healed up... (annual scoping in a month or so, I'll find out!).
I guess the nature of this thing is that the "rules" do change sometimes. Have you all found that?
I also hit menopause in the last year+ - I wonder if that has contributed to this new pattern.
Posted 8/18/2009 1:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hmmm, I don't know. I don't have any food allergies or intolerances. I do not have IBS just UC. For me food makes no difference. I wish it was that easy sometimes. I think a lot of people wish it were that easy. You may have developed IBS in addition to UC. It seems to be a pretty common combination for many on this board.
Posted 8/18/2009 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
I find broccoli, onions, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, corn, dairy products and anything that is rich does not always agree.
Posted 8/18/2009 6:59 PM (GMT 0)
Food won't cause your bleeding but others will disagree. If you're on 16 Asacol and rectal meds...something's up and if your UC is spreading, you're in a very fragile state.

Menopause, hormonal changes will definitely affect your UC....
I had a hysterectomy at age 38 in 1993. I hadn't bled with flares, however for almost 2 years even though I was in a most stressful situation going back to school to start my interpreting career.

I was on an hrt since then and eventually went on the patch once my liver enzymes increased. 2 years ago, I decided to taper off them....well, once the hot flashes started and my body was fully in menopause, I flared and was totally humbled by the bleeding. YIKES...hadn't had any bleeding with flaring since before my hysterectomy.

Now, even though i'm using a low dose HRT patch (soy)....my blood tests say I'm going through menopause....I've bled with my latest flare just over a month ago.

Maybe we who are in that age bracket are making history regarding flaring and bleeding. You're way over the 20 year mark...I'm over it considering I was flaring before diagnosis for 3 years....so maybe that category is something that should be studied??

I don't know what the solution is....but I must also add that higher doses of 5-ASA and steroid enemas can cause some bleeding....

If the tissue is friable (fragile and bleeds easily), it's possible that any increase of colonic movement will cause it to react as well....pizza has lots of fat in it and an increase of bile acids will also be involved.

Can you not take any 5-ASA enemas?

Can you possibly try any other 5-ASA oral meds such as Lialda or Apriso?

What is your dosage pattern with the oral meds....twice daily? 4x daily?

quincy
Posted 8/18/2009 9:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone -
Thanks for the responses.

My old doc (I moved away) said I "probably had a touch of IBS" along with the UC. But for these 23 years pizza hasn't usually been an issue, unless I've really been flaring.

I can eat broccoli, well-cooked, but onions, cabbage, corn, etc - right, I just steer clear of them. In the past when I've been fine I've eaten salads, but nothing raw right now (juicing might help the "scratchiness" aspect; haven't tried it.)

I've been on the 16 Asacol for about 10 years. I take them 4, 4 times a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, bedtime. My old doctor saw no particular reason to switch me to Lialda because I'm really good at remembering to take meds, and, well, he'd said, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
I've wondered about the 5-ASA enemas. Sometimes the 5 ASA rectal meds do nothing foe me and other times they're great. Seeing as the suppositories are doing well for me now I'd think the enemas would be even better.
I'm in the odd position of being between doctors - I called my old place and asked for my records to be sent about 10 days ago, and my new appt with the new person is 9 days from now. So if I can just stay the course until I meet the new person....!

No more pizza, at least for the moment. lol I imagine the tissue is indeed friable and anything too rough or challenging on the way through - or fatty, etc - is the issue.

Thanks again, everyone!
Posted 8/19/2009 2:01 AM (GMT 0)
Sorry everyone, OT here, but quincy, are you thinking like, translating? or like sign language?
Posted 8/19/2009 5:01 AM (GMT 0)
oh....sign language interpreter...I graduated in 1994.

q
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