Strange Question...Stomach flu=Remission?!

Hey everyone! I haven't been on here for awhile. I had a baby a few months ago, and things have been pretty crazy at our house. :) Anyway, as some of you may remember, I had a HORRIBLE pregnancy, and was off on on prednisone for most of it. I had a healthy baby girl, and the doctors put me on a high dose of prednisone, which I tapered down from. I felt pretty good for about a month, and then my UC symptoms started again around Easter, and they put me on prednisone again. I tapered off of that round and was just doing ok. My symptoms were still there, but not as bad. I could "function" for the most part, but I still had urgency and blood a few times a day. During this time entire process, I have been taking 8 Asacol/day.
I started to get pretty worried that I was getting steroid dependant, which really started to scare me.

Anyway, about 2 weeks ago my 4 year old daughter and I both got the stomach flu pretty bad. It lasted about 36 hours. The strange thing is, since I have recovered from that, my colitis symptoms are TOTALLY gone. No blood, no urgency, nothing. This has happened to me once before about 2 years ago. Isn't this strange? Has anyone else ever experienced this?

I am now down to 6 Asacol/day, and taking Culturelle daily as well. I started the Culturelle about a month before I got the stomach flu. I was taking 2 of those per day, but am now down to 1. Sorry, I need to update my signature.

I just wanted to know all of your thoughts on this. I will totally take 36 hours of puking and being on the toilet if it gets me into remission! ;)

UC Momma, I have never had a stomach bug that caused me remission. I don't think I've had a stomach bug since having this illness, that or I always blame it on UC and I can't tell the difference... I did recently have a very bad bought of UC symptoms but it was a gradual build up over the course of a few weeks. It came to a head about 3 weeks ago and I was on the toilet 10x with blood and mucus. I was about to start Remicade and I saw no other possibility of treating this flare. I was on pred all last year for a massive flare up that began in Dec. I was becoming unstable while I tapered off and remained up and down until now, I've been off for about 4 or 5 months.

Long story short, the day after I accepted that I would have to start Remicade. My GI was making plans for me to start & I started feeling better. A few days later, I was going once a day and it was formed. It was amazing. It has only been 2 weeks since but things have improved a lot. I don't know what could have caused this to happen? I recently changed birth control pills to a minipill and I started Pristiq. I haven't been eating much meat (doubt that changed anything). I increased my 6mp dose to 50mg but I doubt that did anything because 50mg doesn't give me much theraputic benefit according to my blood tests. I've been using my rectal meds more often (this may be the change but I've never been able to pull myself out of a flare with them in the past). Whatever the case, I am happy things have improved. I hope you continue to feel good.

Hello! I just saw your post because I was searching for answers myself. I have RA and have had it about 10 years. Prednisone dependent. I just had the stomach virus, and the same thing happened with my RA. I have taken 10 mg TOTAL since 6 days ago, and even wonder if that was necessary. I don't think it's remission. I am wondering if getting rid of EVERYTHING while sick, helps ween off. I have had SO much trouble weening for a LONG time. If I missed my dose (was @ 15mg) by an hour, my body starting aching, and if too long went by I was in total pain and stiffness. I wonder if it's either something to do with our immune systems working correcting or the automatic ween of the predinsone because of all the "extractions" from the body. I am VERY tired, so I hope I was somewhat clear. PLEASE respond back with how you have been. I remember this has happened to me in the past too, but I don't remember being off the steriods for this long. I want to call my doctor and talk to him.

Usually if I get a really bad cold this will happen to me. I agree with the other post... I think the body gets so tied up in fighting something else it forgets about my colon for awhile.

That happened to me last year, but was brief. I had ten days of weird cramping, like I was in labor and just feeling tired and not eating, I think I felt slightly nauseous. Then when it was over I had two days of the most regular normal looking bowel movements, then back to my normal uc.

This seems something well worth study if there is a mass majority of people with symptoms relieved from having a stomach virus. I honestly think it is the very bacteria of the colon that is being attacked by the virus too or you may have so many white blood cells working overtime, they too attack the very root of the problem with Ulcerative Colitis. Virus's most definitely stimulate the immune system. The bacteria in the Colon begin their defense:

The mechanism that bacteria use to protect themselves against viruses was discovered in 2007. In an ingenious fashion, the bacteria build pieces of viral DNA into their own DNA. The 'adopted' segment of DNA works like a snapshot in a photo album, a type of memory that reminds the bacteria during a subsequent encounter with the same virus. At that point, the viral DNA is recognized, after which the bacteria set a system into operation that ultimately leads to the breakdown of the virus. Up until then, the operation of this system was a mystery.

http://www.science20.com/news_releases/bacteria_can_be_infected_by_viruses_and_understanding_that_may_wipe_out_the_superbug

Here is another article on virus's being used to cure diseases..

http://www.odec.ca/projects/2004/lija4j0/public_html/cure.htm

Wheneva i get my sinus pressure bad or a cold ...the symptoms of the colotis dissapate for me too!