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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/2/2013 1:01 PM (GMT 0)
Is the first flareup usually the worst? I went untreated with synptoms for about a month before finally getting diagnosed and treated on jan 7th, seeing how I'm over three weeks on my medication (pred 60mg asacol 800) and still have synptoms, I was wondering if it's normal for the first flareup to be the harder one to treat and shake off.. Or do they become harder to control as you get older and more difficult to hit remission.. I know everyone's different, just lookin for a ballpark kinda answer
Posted 2/2/2013 1:07 PM (GMT 0)
i think everyone is different with this. i don't even know if my first flare up can be considered a flare up. i was diagnosed at 17 but only had bleeding and constipation. my flares now are HELL- every symptom under the sun and very hard to treat.
Posted 2/2/2013 1:18 PM (GMT 0)
From what I have seen on this forum flares coming on after remission are usually always harder to treat. I think sometimes the body starts getting immune to the meds. Original flares I believe can be harder to treat if you have buried your head in the sand and not done anything for months or years before you finally start treatments. It always seems to be easier to treat if you jump on flares immediately.
Posted 2/2/2013 1:23 PM (GMT 0)
My initial flare was easier to treat than my later flares, mainly because I became either intolerant to the meds or immune.
Posted 2/2/2013 2:53 PM (GMT 0)
When I was first diagnosed after probably a year or more of symptoms, I was significantly better in a few days and completely symptom free in two weeks if I remember correctly. Just on Lialda and Rowasa. No pred.
Posted 2/2/2013 3:18 PM (GMT 0)
pre diagnosis symptoms/flare were much easier than the 2nd flare (following 3 years remission), 3rd one is not as bad but all 3 times i flare/symptoms for long time.... (1st and 2nd lasted 1 year - this 3rd one is into 6 months now... ).
Onset is worse in all cases but mild symptoms (blood mucous, urgency... last a long time for me ) So far able to manage with 5asa's .
Posted 2/2/2013 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
     When I first experienced symptoms, urgency, bleeding, cramping, loss of weight, I happened to be on the Adkins Diet.  I swear that had something to do with my developing UP, BUT, the GI doctor said just a coincidence.  Anyway, I was hospitalized after these symptoms worsened over the course of a month.  My first flare, treated with a tapering dose of prednisone, Asacol and Rowasa, lasted two months.  I then enjoyed a two yr remission.  Second flare in 2000, did not require hospitalization, meds changed from Asacol to Colazal, prednisone and Rowasa again...two month flare.  However in 2002, flare lasted longer and doctor placed me on 6MP.  After 2003 my flares lasted longer, prednisone use increased, condition worsened...tried Remicade and then Humira.  Had surgery in 2010!
Posted 2/2/2013 8:43 PM (GMT 0)
For me, the first one was the worst because it was almost 3 years. Only till the bleeding started did my "then" doctor send me to a GI. She submitted me to ridiculous testing initially such as the barium enema...showed nothing of the severe 15 inches of inflammation. go figure.

It took me almost 3 years to figure out my med regimen to treat flares with rectals earlier and earlier.

24 years later...never been on pred. Good track record methinks.

can't push the rectal meds enough...just in case you've not heard that before..lol.
q
Posted 2/2/2013 9:38 PM (GMT 0)
Rectal meds great for some, useless for others eg me. Excellent for those whse disease is heavily in or starts in rectum, but not all UC is.

My first flare year was the worst. However, steroids were a key to getting me into a ten year med free remission- one that would have likely gone on forever had I not been in total denial that I had IBD and thus been ignorant of even natural methods to stay in remission, and hadnt been so dumb as to use antibiotics for strep (which is what ended my ten year total med free remission).
Posted 2/2/2013 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
I've still only had one flare, so I can't really comment.

However, I don't think that you can determine what happens to the general UC population by polling this board, as many, many of the members have trouble controlling their UC.
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