Question about alcohol and Ulcerative colitis and more

Hey guys, Right now, I am tapering prednisone, I am at 30mg today and tapering to 20mg tomorrow, I am going down 10mg a week and I have been on the drug for about 3 weeks now. I have been healing for the past 2 weeks or so and now I am on the verge of being on remission (I am so thankful that it has responded this time). I am also on the max dose of Lialda and probiotics. The prednisone side effects are FINALLY kicking in, I have eaten 5 meals today (and have eaten a ton for the last 3 days) and am starting to get the night sweats but before, it was only doing its magic on getting the disease under control (which was nice). I started on 40mg of prednisone and this is my 3rd flare up, this flare up has probably responded to the steroids better than either of the last 2 flare ups, which both were very stubborn and hard to get under control, but I have never had a problem tapering off the prednisone once I was able to achieve remission... this one might be different since it actually responded to the steroids. I have a question and want you guys to share your experiences with the tapering of prednisone. When tapering prednisone, have you had symptoms come back at some point? Like have you had it come back at 20mg or 10mg or after you have tapered completely off? OR were you able to hold onto a remission for 6 months or more after getting off the pred? Also I have another question which is completely unrelated; I just wondered, does alcohol bother your Ulcerative Colitis? What kind of alcohol is LEAST damaging to your disease? I am wondering because I have not had a single drop of alcohol since I got sick back in December but I am considering having some this weekend.

I had some beer and wine and board game fun with my neighbors this weekend. It didn't affect my UC but gave me an awful headache :( If my symptoms were active, I think alcohol would cause me diarrhea.

As for the prednisone, It always takes me a long time to taper because symptoms come back as I drop down. I've been on pred for 4 months and had difficulty dropping from 10 to 5mg. recently, so went up to 7.5mg and no symptoms.

Best of luck on your healing :)

I was able to taper off of prednisone easily. I was on the max dose of Asacol and nightly mesalamine enemas at the time, so I encourage you to get an Rx for mesalamine enemas. I really think they are key -- use them nightly until you're in a stable, pred-free remission, then taper to twice weekly.

I've been in remission for 4.5 years now.

I drink alcohol, but not in excess (mostly b/c I have two young kiddos), and am fine with it. I didn't drink until I was totally off pred, though, because I didn't figure that was a good mix.

Usually going down below 10 mg caused problems for me and I had to stay on 10 longer than other doses before tapering till the end. As for alcohol I suggest to not have any if you're on lower tapering doses as it can set some stuff back. Though I am sure a beer is fine getting smashed is not. Also vodka would be best for UC.

Prednisone has never worked for me so I have no advice there.

But alcohol... I think is what caused my first flare. So alcohol and I have a complicated relationship. Also probably because in live in Wisconsin.

I can not have beer. Not even watered down crappy beer. And especially not a quality microbrew.

Ive had wine twice now and the second time it affected me less (probably because my flare was improving.)

Yesterday during board games I as well managed to have a Vodka and juice. Very watered down. Only one drink. Vodka seems safest.

Thank you guys for the replies, I will keep all of that in mind! I am still recovering from a flare, but it is almost remission, and has been there for almost a week, but it still seems to be getting better each day, I haven't seen any blood in 3 days.. but I am still having about 3 bowel movements in 24 hour periods (it's sooo close!).. The enemas seem very recommended from many on here, I am going to ask my GI about them if the symptoms aren't gone by than (or the taper results in the return of symptoms)