HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Determined to finally get rid of this flare.

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/6/2014 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
This flare has been such a pain in the a**. Seriously, the first month wasn't a big deal at all and once I introduced the enemas it quickly got better. I once again had perfect BM's with no symptoms whatsoever for two whole weeks.. I was slowly re-introducing foods one at a time and I was doing perfect.. then one piece of whole wheat toast and bam, back full force into a flare.

So I'm trying gluten free... not sure if it's just a coincidence but my bleeding has become a lot worse since and non-stop. Before I had some BM's without any blood. I also started experiencing a big increase in abdominal pain and my urgency increased from 1-2 BM's per day to 3-4.

Then I started VSL#3 DS on Saturday. I was having more diarrhea with this, but I heard that's a common side effect when first starting. But omg my urgency has increased tremendously. I didn't have to get up to go to the washroom in the middle of the night and I was able to keep my enema in until I had to wake up. Since starting VSL#3 I had to get up once per night... then last night I had to get up THREE times!! That has never happened to me before, I never had to get up that often during a flare before. And today I've had at least 8 BM's. I'm not sure if it's because of the VSL#3 or again a coincidence.

In any case, on Monday I called my GI. I'm having a colonoscopy on Friday at 3PM. At first I was really scared that I might have to take prednisone but now... I just want to get better. I've so many exams coming up, my grades are slipping because it's so hard to be focused while studying when I'm in so much pain. Unfortunately I'm the kind of person that is naturally always stressed and worrying about everything so that's not helping, I'm sure... I signed up for yoga classes last week in attempt to decrease my stress levels, hopefully they will help.

I just can't wait to get this over with. Today I took so many blood tests because I think my GI is preparing to prescribe me some stronger medications than the ones I'm currently taking (which don't seem to do much anymore anyway, including the enema).
Posted 3/6/2014 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
How much VSL were you taking? To start out with you should take partial satchets and work your way up. VSL has helped many people and was made specifically for UC but there have been a few where it made them worse. Everyone is different.
Posted 3/6/2014 3:59 PM (GMT 0)
I took one sachet per day. I think it was way too much to start. I think I will try to add the VSL#3 again into my routine when I get a bit healthier by adding only half a sachet. I do have a lot of the probiotic in my fridge now and it was expensive so I'd feel awful if it all had to go to waste. I think yesterday I ended up going 15 times and my bleeding has increased by a lot so I didn't bother taking any last night.
Posted 3/6/2014 4:03 PM (GMT 0)
While pred is a nasty drug, I think it's OK to use it, so long as you're smart about it. It's important to not be on it for a long time, and if it isn't working, to realize that and pull the plug, and move on to another treatment option.

I was in a somewhat similar situation as you -- I was nearing remission using Asacol and mesalamine enemas, then I caught a tummy bug and the flare came back in full-force. Since I had been ill for so long, and had a job interview coming up, my GI and I decided it was time to try pred. I was only on it for a month and half total, and about half of that time was either 10 mg or 10 mg every other day. I started at 40 mg, but started tapering pretty quickly (my symptoms were under control almost immediately).

At any rate, I've been in remission now for almost 5 years, so it worked very, very well for me.
Posted 3/6/2014 4:14 PM (GMT 0)
Wow, that is so great to hear fruitgirl! My first official remission I was in for about a little more than a year. I hope I'll be able to stay in remission for so long.

I think my doc wants to put me on it for 8 weeks (including tapering period) from what I understood. I hope it will help me as much as it helped you.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply