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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/20/2014 12:29 PM (GMT 0)
For the past week I have been noticing weird gut noises...squeaks, squeals, groans. They do not "escape" and are entirely contained within the lower abdomen. They are surprisingly loud, though.

about 5 days ago, noticed random short pains, mostly left side, occasionally right.

Three days ago, I had blood-tinged mucus with BM.

Just this morning, bright red blood!

My last flare April-June of last year, I seriously wondered if I would survive it with constant cramps and pain, and 30+ trips to the bathroom in a day.

My doctor also recently changed my thyroid meds because Armour wasn't working. I now take separate prescriptions of levothyroxine and liothyronine (for about 2 months)


I can't ID any specific triggers, except that I have been trying to EAT HEALTHY to lose some weight. I'm not eating anything unusual, and the only thing I have recently added to my diet that I don't eat regularly is raw nuts from the health food store. Trying to get some healthy protein and fats. Had been eating walnuts and hazelnuts, recently adding Brazil nuts. I ate these the day before I noticed the first tinges of blood.

I am not going full Paleo or anything with the diet, just trying to eat real foods, get away from processed crap and cut some carbs.

Do you think these nuts could be irritating my colon to the point of causing a flare?

What is your best advice to get this under control ASAP? I am giving up on the nuts. What else can I do before this gets out-of-control?

Thank you.
Posted 2/20/2014 12:41 PM (GMT 0)
What meds are you on?
Posted 2/20/2014 12:50 PM (GMT 0)
Meds include sulfasalazine and Asacol HD. Also using good quality yogurt and probiotics.
Posted 2/20/2014 1:02 PM (GMT 0)
I would start with enemas.

Make sure you call your GI.
Posted 2/20/2014 1:10 PM (GMT 0)
I would start on rectal meds asap.  Also, are you still smoking? Wondering if you cut down or cut out and that caused the problem. 

B

Posted 2/20/2014 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
No, I couldn't continue the smoking that I used to bust out of the last flare. I definitely credit it with helping, but it was so gross I gave up on it. Once I was sure the flare had ended, I quit dosing with the 1 or 2 cigs per day.

If I can't get these latest symptoms under control within a couple of days, I will try it again.
Posted 2/20/2014 2:09 PM (GMT 0)
Interesting choice of meds to be taking both sulfasalazine and Asacol HD. Usually it is just one or the other. I would use rectal meds and never eat another nut again for the rest of your life.
Posted 2/20/2014 2:42 PM (GMT 0)
Hmmm I didn't know that was an odd combo of meds. I take sulf one day, asacol the next.
Posted 2/20/2014 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
the drug combo may be designed to get broader coverage.

if you are on maintenance dose, ask about going to higher dose for a time
Posted 2/20/2014 5:27 PM (GMT 0)
Please don't take my post wrong. I merely said it was an odd combination but the bottom line is it might be a good idea to do that. It's just pretty unusual to do both.
Posted 2/20/2014 7:17 PM (GMT 0)
No offense taken, Gary!
Posted 2/21/2014 9:44 AM (GMT 0)
@geeker, I have the same story. My gut rumbles like a thunder especially the left side so far but now the beginning of the transverse as well. I found out that the gas is causing the noise and the gas is not able to escape.
Normally the gas should be able to escape smoothly but due to the erect colon i.e inflamed the gas is not able to do so or in other terms the gut is not allowing the gas pass through, hence the rumbling.

I have been on the Entocort nightly enema since a month but I have been seeing blood coated mucus everyday.
My diet is very simple -

Breakfast -
Papaya
Rice cake (called Idly in India)
Immediately Pentasa 2g(Oral)

After two hours -
Organic Tulsi tea (no sugar, no milk)

Lunch -
White rice with sauteed courgette or sauteed bottle gourd or sauteed chayote with mashed corriander leaves(paste)

Dinner -
soft rice flakes with an avocado
Immediately Pentasa 2g(Oral)

After two hours -
Organic Cinnamon tea with Triphala

Entocort enema at bed time.

As you can see, the diet I'm in is a cooling diet. Everything is smooth on the colon.
But still I bleed irrespective of the diet, enemas
I see more blood when the fart accompanies foul smelling odor. This is one indication that my gut is being dominated by the bad bacteria.

But I noticed one thing wrt to the climate change - on the rainy days the gut reaction to flare is more.
So I think its not only the diet, season changes, climate changes, environment changes(ex - Job, house), day to day stress.
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