Approaching remission?

I have decided to ask a few questins after reading the post by Krissy about her possible remission. I have been doing much better the past few months. My only concern is blood. I don't understand how it comes and goes. I chart my progess, and I will go 15 times and not see a trace of blood anywhere, and then, BAM, there will be a small amount on the stool. It's driving me crazy psychologically. By this past weekend I had gone 25 times in a row without the slightest hint of blood anywhere, and then I had a bit last night. Is this normal? Not a lot mind you, maybe enough to turn a square centimeter or two of the TP slightly pink if I put it on that. Like I told my GI, if I was one of his normal patients who didn't look so hard for it, I would tell him I hadn't bled in two months. Is driving me nuts though becuase I'm doing so we for longer times, then my "record" gets dashed. It was a lot easier to take seeing blood when it happened 1/3 to 1/2 the time. I just feel like I've finally gotten into a complete remission, but then out of nowhere I bleed again. It is sooooo frustrating.


Also, he told me since I am doing better to keep at the enemas, but stop the Asacol cold. What do you think? Based on my vast knowledge of you guy's vast knowledge I'm expecting a lot of you to vehemently disagree.



Also, (thank God) my GI finally acknowledged my issue with not digesting the Asacol. He said "keep a close eye on things and I know you will." If things start slipping, he wants me to try Apriso.



He told me about another patient he saw that day had a bad case of Crohn's and no insurance. His parents had to mortgage their home to get his medicines.

First of all, congrats on approaching remission! That's wonderful.
I do vehemently disagree with stopping Asacol cold turkey. Wean off if you feel appropriate, but you have too much to lose by going cold turkey and suddenly flaring.
Take care!

Hi...you're not anywhere remission, and bleeding doesn't determine that one way or the other. It just means your mucosal tissue is still in a good state, but inflamed not to the point of friability or (bleeding easily).

I didn't bleed with flares for 14 years with flares, I never waited till that point.

You must be on an oral 5ASA do not stop the Asacol until the doc switches you to Apriso.

Stay on the nightly enemas.

Digestive enzymes can cause diarrhea....how many are you taking?

I would also suggest you ask the GI for an antispasmodic. It will help your bladder spasming with IC as well as possibly the diarrhea. Sometimes our colons just react like a brat....just because that's all it knows. With antispasmodics, they help to regulate somewhat and I think that will help with some of your bms. Maybe even in dissolving the Asacol?



When was your last c-scope? were you tested for microscopic colitis?



Oh, what metamucil were you taking.....it's possible another fibre supplement will help (other than citrucel).
quincy

I'm wondering if she thought you were going 15+ times a day (it kind of read like that, when you talk about going so many times in a row)???

Yeah, he's just been keeping track of poops...I assumed those 15 poops were spread out over a number of days (like at least 7 or something).

I would still say you're not in remission (even with the clarification on the BMs)

To me, remission is when you go months or years without any symptoms, especially blood. Blood has come and gone with my current flare. I agree, it's super frustrating. As soon as you feel like you make progress it's like the disease says "haha, just kidding"

Do you know if you have internal hemmies? They generally don't hurt...maybe that's where the blood is coming from.

AHHHHH! Had three perfect in a row then just had a very short, thin string of blood. So frustrating!

quincy, he said he doesn't have diarrhea! :)

OK, no diarrhea...oopsie, I'm getting overzealous! ;-)

I'd say rectum as well....especially since you're still having frequency and bleeding afterward. But, that's a good sign that you're improving since it's after.

If you could get the bms upward to slow down a bit. I still say it's from both the digestive enzymes, citrucel and the VSL....

How are you eating during the day....a lot? not a lot? What are you eating. At least enough to produce poos...

Do you have both indeterminent colitis and interstitial cystitis?

When was your last c-scope?

q

It's a lot of fibre which I see why the enzymes. but have you considered to have an egg and toast for breakfast? Actually, your breakfast would give me the worst cramping....I'd be in agony.

An egg and toast lasts me for 5/6 hours.

We're all different.

What's in your smoothie?

Do you have a lot of gas or none? None is good.

I think the upper part is hurried a bit more because of what you're eating....maybe slow it down a tad. Experiment.

quincy

Wow...eggs don't produce cholesterol. They're one of the best sources of "food"....

Everything during the AM of what you're consuming will cause your colon to work faster....interestingly.

You definitely need more protein...

What I do know, I couldn't function on your morning diet...lol...I'd be hungry all the time and in great amounts of pain throughout my gut. But, I'm not drawn to eat any of what you are either....since an egg, toast and coffee lasts me a long while.

You have no gas? if not, that's awesome!

What's for supper normally?

We're all different, that's for sure.

quincy

LOL....well, we used to call noon meal dinner...the dinner hour. Then it got changed to lunch.

Apparently, some german or polish friends consider lunch as supper....

I have, however, used dinner and supper (meaning actual supper, not the german/polish supper, or ...well, you know what I mean.

I've never tried quinoa, hear a lot about it.

Why not red meat?

Where in Canada are you?

Hope the weather's good there...it's been awesome here.

q