Okay, i've had UC for about
3 years now. When I was first diagnosed, the symptoms were fairly bad - approximately 8-10 bloody BM's a day, really bad urgency, cramping, etc. It took me about
6-9 months to reach a state that I considered 'remission' - 2-3 BMs a day, no blood, little urgency, etc.
I was in that mode for around 2 years until last Fall. Since that time, I have had sporadic symptoms - some days with 5-6 BM's, but for the past few months, this is now down in the 2-4 range. I occasionally have cramping, and occasionally there is blood and/or mucous (it is bright red and usually on the toilet paper or just streaking moderately formed stool.)
I have been taking Colozal, probiotics, metamucil and also occasionally use Rowasa enemas, although I've tried weening off of these because it generally hurts when I use them (I keep wondering if I did some damage with it and that is where some of the blood is coming from?)
The only thing that seems to alter these symptoms is alcohol - the few times I've tried to have a beer or two, I end up spending the next couple days with aggravated symptoms (looser stools/diahhrea, more urgency, more cramping, etc) - so I've basically decided to give that up for good, at least for now.
I guess what I'm wondering is if I am still in the midst of an active "flare-up", if I am easing into remission, or I simply have now settled into a different stage of remission. When I first went into remission, I was able to drink alcohol and I never had any noticeable blood or mucous in my stools - that just started up last Fall when I ended up in the second flare-up.
I know alot of people have suggested doing the enemas more frequently, but again, I am scared that thta might be even more damaging to the tissues up there? Last enema I gave myself was about 4 days ago and it literally felt like I was sticking a knife up there!