When do you know your in remission?

I just started Asacol a week ago and I've been changing my diet doing a sort of vegan version of SCD. I've been cooking everything and have eliminated some foods I think may have been aggravating as well as cutting way back on fruit (and that is cooked or juiced.)

I still have about 3 BM's a day. They are soft but looking more formed. No diarrhea.

I still see a small bit of mucus and even some blood maybe once a day only after a BM but very little.

I do not pass just mucus/blood anymore with no BM.

I have no pain just some bloating in the evenings which seems to be improving.

When can I consider myself in remission. When I see no blood? No mucus?

I am vegan so I think it's pretty normal to have soft but formed stools and 2 even 3 BM's a day.

kitcat,

Your description sounds very much like mine. I'm on SCD as well but I'm eating meat.

I'm not sure if I'm in remission or not. Once in a while I still have a little bit of mucus on the paper. But no blood, no urgency and bms are soft but formed.

As long as you feel well I think you're fine.

Btw, how does the vegan version work? Are you only eating fruits, veggies and nuts?

I personally don't think you're in remission yet as you're still seeing blood and mucus. As for stool frequency and consistency, I think you can be close to your pre-UC days. I am. I think it's perhaps a bit more soft than it was prior to UC, but I have heard that mesalamine can have that affect. And I am more careful to drink a lot of water and eat a higher fiber diet than I was before.

At any rate, I think mesalamine enemas would help knock out that last little bit of inflammation and get you into a solid remission.

KITKAT-

i would count myself in remission or dang close!! i rate my on urgency (lack of) little to no mucous/blood! and overall just how good i feel too.  Eating without issues etc!!! yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!  stay positive :)

I would say you're not in remission until the blood and mucous are completely gone and have been gone for quite some time.

My doc said after a severe flare, we can be left with IBS, which can mimic the symptoms of UC. However, IBS doesn't bleed, so if there is any blood involved, you are still flaring.

wow lots of mixed answers. I'm just as confused!

what's the confusion kitcat? explain


bananagirl....there's a vast variation of degrees between  no symptoms and wanting to kill yourself from symptoms you describe.  Not all of us get to that extreme point.

q

oh quincy, i know. i was just saying that i don't get "easy" flares- all of mine are to the point where i could just chop my head off. those are the symptoms that i consider need to be relieved for me to be in remission.

SS0000, my point exactly!

Hey soystud! Very glad to see another pro vegan! I agree with life getting in the way. Staying vegan hasn't been easy but I haven't found anything diet wise that has magically helped my symptoms yet. Maybe because I was already a raw food vegan than didn't eat dairy or grains.

That's actually a little disheartening since many people improve when they change their diet and that's already the way I eat and I'm STILL seeing symptoms. Ugh. Maybe this means I'm worse off then I thought...

ok kitcat, now i am wondering what you ate ? just fruit and veggies ? yikes ! i ate a lot of grains which i think is what contributed to me becoming a uc victim - how did you survive without grains ?

i'm not sure if eating meat has helped, but i do believe in the "eating right for your body" evidence - so for now, i do it and feel ok about it -

i understand - it was very upsetting when the vegan way of life that made me feel so good mentally and physically, wound up making me sick -

Thanks for posting this question..I was going to ask the same one today. Your status seems very similar to mine. I went off the prednisone (after a taper) about 2 weeks ago. I'm still taking 4 Lialdas & canasa daily. My stool is soft and I had no blood for 2 weeks. Then, I ate salad (thinking I was better)..big mistake. I felt horrible for the next 12 hours. After reading some of these posts, I did a few cort enemas, and that helped. Last night, I made jambalaya for my husband's bday dinner..too spicy. Again, D this morning with a little blood. It seems that UC is two steps forward, one step back (or vice versa sometimes)....my doc just wants to put me on humera, which I do not want to do. I have a family history of kidney issues (my grandmother was on dialysis and my Dad will be soon). I'll be following this thread intently. I hope we all can help each other and feel better soon. My "flare"is going on month 4...it's really depressing (as is the 10 lbs I gained on pred). Take care all!! I so appreciate all of the input as this has been my first flare since diagnosis 2 years ago.

for me, remission= no urgency, no blood

if there is blood and urgensy then there is still inflammation

 

Kitkat !
I see u use lcorice root , how is that for u ? How much ? And at what time of day do u take it ? I hear great things about it.