Very predictable flares caused by stress, deep remission otherwise

Just wanting to check if anyone else's UC has a similar "character" to mine?

I'm very fortunate in that I am usually in deep remission, with absolutely no symptoms. However, I experience very severe flare ups about once a year, sometimes twice a year. These flares are ALWAYS at times of stress (university exams etc.) Every single flare for 5 years I've been able to attribute to some kind of stressful event, and once this stressor has passed, my flare-up starts to slowly calm down (with the help of prednisolone etc.)

Anyways, was just wanting to see if anyone else experiences such long periods of remission, with severe flares ups at very predictable times of stress? Most of the people I know with UC seem to have symptoms that rumble on near continuously.

I realise stress would increase the risk of any UCer having a flare, but I've never met someone else where stress seems to be the sole trigger.

I'm on azathioprine and infliximab, and am very fortunate in that I can eat any food and not notice a difference, with the exception of coffee having a slight effect (it seems to loosen even some non-UCers stools!)

If anyone experiences something similar it would be good to compare strategies!

DBwithUC said...
I would not call 2 flares a year periods of long deep remission. Especially if you are Remicade, aza, and occasional pred.

You might be rumbling along to ate a low level and it just peaks 2x yearly.

That's a fair point, I suppose what I was meaning is that I experience no noticeable symptoms aside from my flares (which I can normally predict months in advance, due to an exam or whatever.)

Post Edited (Deadpool1) : 8/13/2016 5:43:59 PM (GMT-6)

Glad to hear you are happy at the moment with your UC and the way it is occurring.

Something else is occurring. It's a train of thought: If you can attribute predictable flares to stress, just how powerful would it be for you, if you could be relaxed and happy during the exams and other periods you have been finding 'stressful'? I wonder how you could imagine that now and all that would create for you ... And the difference that would make ... And the difference THAT would make. As you think about that deeply now, I'm sure you can generate all kinds of strategies and discover all kinds of tools and resources to make that happen, on deep levels. And I don't know how much of that can be implemented today and how much in a few years, but it's wonderful to know that it doesn't matter how much more relaxed you are now, because the more relaxed now the more later, and every bit of relaxation contributes to the healing, in those moments and periods that used to be stressful. And you thought flares were predictable in those periods! Lol :D