Signd of Remission?

Less BMs. Less blood. Less mucus. Right now I feel like I am going back into a flare.

I agree with Teddtlove, less BMs, frequency, less blood, more formed. Any improvement in your general condition is a sign that things might be improving.

Aren't you on pred? Pred can work very quickly to relieve symptoms. For me, the challenge was tapering off pred without having symptoms reappear. I wouldn't worry about that now though, just focus on getting better and cross that bridge if you come to it.

To prepare for a flare, I usually start eating lighter and healthier (though i don't think it does anything except cause me to use the toilet slightly less times daily). The main thing I do is start using rectals 2x daily and I use enemas more than suppositories. I was doing really poorly for the past few days and now I am feeling better. While I have been using my rectals more and eating less, I don't think it has anything to do with my recovery (possible recovery). I think the reason I am feeling better is because I am on 6mp and things are more manageable. I am not sure and I don't know what tomorrow will bring but hopefully it's better than today.

by orals..are you meaning systemic orals?

q

Recitals can be mesalmine, hydrocort or other types of suppositories or enemas. Since I think my flare is coming back. I am eating bland food. I am using two Canasa a day instead of one. I had been tapering prednisone but I had to go back up on that. A flare has to be really really bad before my GI will give me prednisone. Sometime my GI will give me antibiotics to stop a flare before it gets full blown. One of my first flare symptoms is usually a low grade fever. I also increase probiotics. I have recently started Humira but I cannot take it right now because I am running a fever.

You-See,

With suppositories the medicine only reaches the rectum. If you use an enema, like Rowasa, then the medicine helps both the rectum and the Sigmoid colon.

There is still benefit to taking rectal meds, even if your disease goes further up, as generally the worst of the inflammation is in the rectum and sigmoid. Once the inflammation is down in those areas things like urgency and control are much better. Some drs don't like mentioning rectal medication because either because they feel their patients don't want to take them or something, I can't figure it out. Generally, most studies say uc should be treated from both ends (that is orally and rectally).

You may have to ask your doctor about rectal meds. I had to and he was happy to prescribe them. It seems many doctors don't bring them up to their patients for whatever reason. When I notice the first signs of a flare, I increase my rectal meds to nightly (while in remission I taper them to 2-3 times per week). Lately, the mesalamine enemas (Rowasa brand in U.S.) have not been getting me out of flares so now I am on hydrocortisone enemas nightly for 3 weeks. These are steroid enemas, but are not absorbed systemically as much as oral prednisone. I use Canasa suppositories in the morning too while flaring but I don't know if they really help me at all. I also try to eat better (no sugar or caffeine or fried foods) and get a lot of rest when I feel a flare coming on.

First signs of getting better are less or no bleeding, less bathroom trips, less exhausted, less tenesmus (feeling the urge to go but nothing comes out).