Help! how much blood/mucus is too much? sorry in advance for the TMI :(

Hi everyone, I've recently been diagnosed with UC from a flexible sigmoidoscopy after 6 months or so of constantly telling my doctors that its not just going to go away on its own and that something is wrong. Its been gradually getting worse and i'm scared its not going to get better.

The only helpful advice I've got from doctors about how much blood should make me worry about an emergency is 'if the toilet is filled with blood or if you are feeling faint, then it's a medical emergency' another woman said to me, 'well you look rosey cheeked so i'm sure its not that bad'. They all seem to think its fine to be losing blood every day multiple times for months on end! For about 3 months now its been about 15ml with most stools (2-4 a day) and some with no stool - just mucus with gas and blood. So on average i'm guessing about 50-80ml a day (maybe more i really don't know) with a few days of seeming remission here and there where its just pink tinted mucus diarreah. At the moment i'm also on my perod which is even more disturbing seeing it all. It's making me depressed every time I go to the loo, and i'm trying to get on with my job at the same time. Does this sound normal by any means? How much blood do you have?

I hardly ever have any energy, but i think thats been a problem for a lot longer so i can't tell if its related. I'm taking a qood quality multi-vitamin which contains iron so i'm hoping i won't become anaemic. Should i be worried and what about? I just read about about how UC can lead to a hole in the gut which freaks the hell out of me.

The gastrointestinal doctor that diagnosed me prescribed prednisolone 30mg od x 2 weeks and asacol 800mg x 2 weeks. But i'm too scared to take them unless I have to. But now I realise that I don't know where the mark is for 'having to' resort to drugs that strong. At the moment I'm seeing a professional medicinal herbalist and she is giving me capsules containing turmeric amongst other things and has asked me to take omega 3 oil as i don't have enough in my diet. I've cut out the food that are supposedly most likely to cause inflammation (no high fibre, not fried foods, no nuts or seeds except in smooth butters, no dairy, no wholegrains, no pulses, only well cooked veg, only organic slow rise fresh white bread on ocasion) I'm already vegan except I had to start eating eggs to get some protein after cutting out so much so this is a very restrictive diet which is ruining my appetite, and making me wish I didn't need to eat to survive. I'm hoping to lessen the symptoms so I'm at less risk of any emergencies while trying to find the 'root' cause if possible.

I don't often experience abdominal pain from the UC, only really in the week or so after the sigmoidoscopy. It is hard to tell though as I have a sensitive lower abdominal region anyway due to bladder issues.

Am I being an idiot while losing this much blood/mucus? I'm scared that I'll get even more unbareable side effects from the drugs that could even make it worse and make me dependant on them.

I have pictures but I thought that might be going a bit far for my first post....

Thank you in advance to anyone with any advice.

Thanks for you speedy response iPoop

That's reassuring to hear, are you saying that you would be much more cautious with the prednisolone and that its more lkely to have bad side effects from it?

Prednisone is an emergency rescue medication that we all have a love-hate relationship with. When we're suffering the most, Predisone stops them fast but at the cost of lots of crazy temporary side effects. I'd try to get by without the prednisone if you can, as your symptoms don't sound really that bad to warrant it's use.

I am a 58 yr old woman just diagnosed w proctitis possibly uc. Waiting for biopsy results. Have been in painless but bloody mucus d flare up for a month. Doc wants me on a mild steroidal enema 7-10 days and then a suppository (non steroidal) for however long it takes. Am taking Vsl#3with no problems, 4/day
Has anyone else used vsl#3 for proctitis? How about turmeric?
Thank you all for being here, I'm feeling very sad and alone.