First Flare Questions

AmyAzz

Regular Member

Joined : Oct 2016

Posts : 40

Posted 10/26/2016 6:11 PM (GMT 0)

Hi everyone,

Just want to thank you all for answering all of my questions in the last few weeks (and there have been many!). This space is so helpful, especially to a newbie like myself!

So this is my first flare - was experiencing lots of blood, lose stools and urgency for about a month, only had D a couple times. I went for my colonoscopy and was diagnosed with proctosigmoiditis. Since after the colonoscopy and before I even started the Rowasa enemas, my urgency got better on it's own and stools were more formed. I started Rowasa and the blood improved for about a week and then came back a bit (though not as bad). Doc switched me to hydrocort enemas which I've been using for four days and blood is completely gone. My bms are normal and I'm going a couple times a day like I used to before all this. Have not started Lialda yet but am about to (4 a day).

My question is: how do I know when this flare is over? My symptoms (besides bleeding) have been kind of mild since my colonoscopy. Everyone on here sounds like they have a lot more symptoms, especially the urgency. Would my case be considered a pretty mild flare? Do I really need to take FOUR Lialda? I'm going to keep on the hydrocort enemas as long as they continue to work and I know eventually I'll have to slowly taper off those, but when can I consider myself out of this flare? And if I'm taking Lialda for maintenance, is 4 a day the normal dosage? (seems like a lot).

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks very much!

iPoop

Forum Moderator

Joined : Aug 2012

Posts : 16483

Posted 10/26/2016 6:38 PM (GMT 0)

Glad we're able to help.

You're out of your flare and in a symptomatic remission when you're completely off of steroids (your hydrocort enema) and experiencing no ulcerative colitis symptoms: no blood or mucus, no urgency, and have only several bms a day that are formed.

Yes, take all 4 lialda a day as that's the recommended flare dose for ulcerative colitis. Once you're in a stable remission then you can ask your gastroenterologist about tapering down to a maintenance dose of 2 lialda a day.

Yes, your case sounds quite mild, so consider yourself to be one lucky ducky. Make sure you keep up with your maintenance treatment regardless of whether you feel good or bad for the best results (some stop their meds once they feel good and relapse as a consequence). As uc can be quite aggressive and spread in extent and severity within the first 5 years of diagnosis. Don't let complacency be responsible for your next flare!

As a comparison, my worst flare was 20+ bms a day, mostly blood, sharp pain, lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks, and other wonderful things. Uc can be quite awful.

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